Lady Gaga recalls the moment Tony Bennett uttered his name in the midst of the battle with Alzheimer’s: “I had to stay the course”



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Lady Gaga vividly remembers when Tony Bennett first mentioned her name in “a long time”.

The singer first collaborated with the crooner in 2014 for his jazz album “Cheek to Cheek”. They reunited this summer for a new album titled “Love For Sale”, as well as their last concert at Radio City Music Hall before retiring on the orders of doctors.

During an appearance on “60 minutes,” Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, explained how the 95-year-old exclaimed “Woah, Lady Gaga! I love that!” after she said “Hey Tony!” during their last duets on stage.

“It’s the first time Tony has mentioned my name in a long time,” said the 35-year-old. “I had to stay the course, because we had a sold-out show, and I had a job to do. But I’ll tell you when I got out on stage, and he said, ‘It’s Lady Gaga.’ , my friend saw me. And it was very special. “

LADY GAGA AND TONY BENNETT TO PERFORM “ONE LAST TIME” TOGETHER IN NEW YORK

Lady Gaga (R) performs with Tony Bennett during her 'JAZZ &;  PIANO Residence at the Park Theater at Park MGM on January 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lady Gaga (R) performs with Tony Bennett during her ‘JAZZ &; PIANO Residence at the Park Theater at Park MGM on January 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Park MGM Las Vegas)

In February of this year, it was announced that Bennett was battling Alzheimer’s disease. AARP magazine reported that he was officially diagnosed with progressive disease, which affects memory and speech, in 2016. Alzheimer’s disease is considered a common form of age-related dementia.

In August, singer Danny Bennett’s son revealed to Variety that his father was retiring from concerts in New York City, Maryland, Connecticut, Arizona, Oklahoma and Canada.

“It’s not the singing aspect but rather the travel,” Danny told the outlet at the time. “He’s getting tired. We don’t want him falling on stage, for example. We’re not worried that he might sing. We are worried, from a physical standpoint… of human nature.”

Gaga said she was there to take Bennett off the stage one last time.

“This was the last thing I – said to Tony on stage – ‘Mr. Bennett, it would be my honor if I could escort you off the stage,'” she said. “And he said, ‘OK’. And I did. And, just being the woman who took him off the stage, that’s enough for me.”

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Lady Gaga said it was an honor to escort Tony Bennett for the last time on stage before he officially retired.

Lady Gaga said it was an honor to escort Tony Bennett for the last time on stage before he officially retired.
(Photo by Lars Niki / Corbis via Getty Images)

The outlet shared that Bennett had no recollection of performing in the legendary New York venue. Still, Gaga insisted that Bennett’s latest performance was “not a sad story.”

“It’s touching,” she said. “It’s hard to see someone change. I think what’s been beautiful about it, and what’s been difficult is seeing how it affects them in some ways, but seeing how it is. doesn’t affect his talent. I think he’s really gone through something to give the world the gift of knowing that things can change and that you can still be beautiful. “

Bennett first noticed something was wrong in 2015 when he complained to his wife that he couldn’t remember the names of the musicians who were on stage with him at a performance.

“So we got him a list that he put on the piano,” his wife Susan told AARP. “But he wasn’t happy with that.”

While Susan initially believed blackout was part of the aging process, Bennett wanted to see a doctor.

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Tony Bennett's wife, Susan, is the singer's dedicated caregiver.

Tony Bennett’s wife, Susan, is the singer’s dedicated caregiver.
(Photo by Myrna M. Suarez / Getty Images)

The point of sale referred to raw documentary footage of recording sessions where Bennett was “considerably quieter”. When he spoke his words were “hanging” and at times he seemed “lost and stunned”. Gaga,
who was aware of his condition, kept his statements short and simple, as recommended by the experts.

Today, Bennett receives a lot of support from his family. Gayatri Devi, the neurologist who diagnosed Bennett, told the outlet that she was impressed with Susan’s dedication as a caregiver. The couple married in 2007.

“I was humbled by the level of devotion,” Devi explained. “She also expects a lot from him. I think her teaching experience helps her, but she is also very much in love with him. And he lives up to her expectations.”

While Bennett doesn’t wander like some do, Susan is still with him. His son Danny takes care of the Patriarch’s business. As for music, Bennett always has singing sessions at home to stay active.

“There are a lot of things about him that I miss,” Susan noted. “Because he’s not the old Tony anymore. But when he sings he’s the old Tony.”



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