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Lady Gaga paid tribute to her longtime friend and collaborator Tony Bennet through an Instagram post on July 30, 2023. The American jazz maestro passed away on July 21, 2023. The caption of Gaga's tribute post read:
"I will miss my friend forever. I will miss singing with him, recording with him, talking with him, being on stage together. With Tony, I got to live my life in a time warp. Tony & I had this magical power. We transported ourselves to another era, modernized the music together, & gave it all new life as a singing duo."
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett friendship explored
Tony Bennett was diagnosed with a progressive neurodegenerative condition known as Alzheimer's disease, also called senile dementia, in 2016. It is a chronic disease and causes the deterioration of brain functions such as memory and recognition.
Alzheimer's is especially painful for loved ones. The gradual memory loss leads to an extended feeling of personal loss as the patient deteriorates, a fact that Lady Gaga draws attention to in the poignant ending of her message regarding her late friend Bennett:
"Losing Tony to Alzheimer’s has been painful but it was also really beautiful. An era of memory loss is such a sacred time in a persons life. There's such a feeling of vulnerability and a desire to preserve dignity."
The singer continued:
"All I wanted was for Tony to remember how much I loved him and how grateful I was to have him in my life. But, as that faded slowly I knew deep down he was sharing with me the most vulnerable moment in his life that he could--being willing to sing with me when his nature was changing so deeply"
Gaga and Bennet first met at a Robin Hood Foundation charity gala in 2011 and quickly became fast friends. Bennet inspired the singer to continue with her singing career despite her apprehensions.
The two recorded their first studio album, Cheek to Cheek, in 2014. The album, featuring the duo alongside a host of Jazz musicians, was received with positive reactions upon its release on September 19, 2014.
Lady Gaga was one of the friends consulted before the public reveal of Bennett's Alzheimer's in February 2021. The duo went on to collaborate with their second project, Love for Sale, released on September 30, 2021. The album also received praise and widespread acclaim.
Tracing Lady Gaga and her career
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, was born on March 28, 1986. The singer started learning the piano at the age of 4 and exhibited musical talents at an early age. During her adolescent years, she participated in open mic sessions.
The singer released her debut studio album, The Fame, on August 19, 2008. The album was a major chart breakthrough, peaking as a chart-topper on the Canadian, German, Swiss, and UK album charts. The Fame remains her most successful album, having crossed the platinum record sale threshold several times in several countries, with over 8 million copies sold.
Aside from her music career, Lady Gaga has also appeared in movies and television series. She played a notable role as Ally Maine in the romantic drama A Star Is Born, which premiered in 2018. She also starred as Patrizia Reggiani in the biographical crime drama House of Gucci in 2021.
