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Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett may not have looked the part, but the two had an unwavering friendship that ran deeper than their music collaborations. Lady Gaga and the rest of the world have been grieving for legendary singer Tony Bennett since his death on July 21, after a tough battle with Alzheimer’s. Following his demise, several stars turned up to pay tribute to him, reflecting on his wondrous contribution to the world of music and the arts at large. The latest star joining the list is his friend and musical partner Lady Gaga.
Via Instagram, the 37-year-old paid tribute to the late star with a heartfelt message that set emotions on overdrive. The post featured a photo of Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett sharing a tight embrace in what appeared to be a dressing room. Both singers looked formal in the ball-room worthy attires for the heartfelt photos that will go down in history as some of the warmest depictions of love.
Lady Gaga Honors Tony Bennett in Heartfelt Tribute
Lady Gaga expressed her love further in the lengthy caption. She began by stating how much she would miss him and discussed various aspects of their relationship including recording together and going on stage with him. She said,
“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.”
Going further, Gaga explained that her connection with Tony Bennett prior to his death was never an act. Contrariwise, she credited Tony with teaching her at several defining points in her career, with his slogan, “head straight” forever serving as a reminder to her. Lady Gaga also listed several amazing qualities Tony Bennett possessed which made him a legend.
Reflecting on a Beautiful Friendship
Gaga wrote about their beautiful friendship despite their 5-decade age gap. According to her, coming from different eras was exactly what made the friendship so fulfilling. Hence, grieving his loss has not been an easy feat even after their “long, powerful goodbye.” Lady Gaga recounted how Tony Bennett’s last days on earth before his death were especially conflicting. She recalled,
“An era of memory loss is such a sacred time in a person’s life. There’s such a feeling of vulnerability and a desire to preserve dignity. All I wanted was for Tony to remember how much I loved him and how grateful I was to have him in my life.”
Although she and Bennet suffered as his ailment slowly crept in, Gaga made a beautiful realization, which transformed the loss of her friend into a bigger-than-life experience. She shared,
“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. I’ll never forget this experience. I’ll never forget Tony Bennett.”
The crooner concluded her beautiful post with some nuggets of wisdom that are sure to set people on the right track when it comes to valuing friendship and making beautiful memories with elders.