Inside the remarkable friendship between Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – which “saved her life” when she was about to quit music and gave him a record-breaking number one hit at the age of 88

She once called him her “favorite person on the planet,” so there’s no doubt Lady Gaga will join the rest of the world as fans mourn the passing of legendary singer Tony Bennett.

The crooner, whose career spanned eight decades – including a No. 1 album aged 88 – died in his hometown of New York on Friday, his publicist Sylvia Weiner confirmed.

In the later years of his life, it was his unusual friendship and collaboration with 37-year-old Gaga that endeared him to a new legion of fans. The duo recorded two albums together: Cheek To Cheek (2014) and Love For Sale (2021).

The first record debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and went on to win a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Tony Bennett’s last public appearance was with Lady Gaga in 2021 as part of her New York show One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett And Lady Gaga

After they first met in 2011, he asked her to borrow her vocals for his Duets II track “Lady Is A Tramp,” which was released that same year

Their second album together was recorded over two years from 2018 to 2020 – when Bennett was already in decline after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016.

Gaga and Bennet first met in 2011 after hearing the Poker Face singer perform Nat King Cole’s “Orange Colored Sky.”

He asked her to borrow her vocals for his Duets II track “Lady Is A Tramp,” released that same year.

When he first saw her perform, Bennett gushed about it parade in 2014: “I couldn’t believe the audience’s reaction,” adding later, “She’s on par with Ella Fitzgerald, the greatest singer alive.”

Meanwhile, Gaga recalled, “I walked off the stage sweating and they[my parents]were like, ‘Mr. Tony Bennett wants to meet you.” My dad choked up and my mom said, “Oh, I need to fix my hair!” We all had champagne. I was so happy to meet him.’

This meeting was the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the two, which culminated in two albums.

In the same interview with Parade, Gaga revealed that Bennett “saved my life.”

The 37-year-old House Of Gucci actress said she wanted to quit singing after going through a tough time in her life.

Bennett was a huge fan of Gaga, saying, “She’s on par with Ella Fitzgerald, the greatest singer alive.”

The pair collaborated on their first album together, Cheek To Cheek, in 2014

This album earned them a Grammy. The couple are pictured here in 2015 with their awards for Best Traditional Pop Vocal

“Tony is one of my favorite people on the entire planet and I love him with all my heart,” Gaga gushed. The couple pictured in 2014

She was recovering from hip surgery and had cut ties with her longtime manager.

“It’s heartbreaking.” “Six months ago I didn’t even want to sing anymore,” Gaga said at the time.

“The other day Tony said, ‘I’ve never had a wish in my career not to do that.’ It hurt. Six months ago I didn’t feel like this. I tell Tony every day that he saved my life.’

In 2017, the crooner supported the pop star on her Joanne World Tour in New York City before posting about it on social media.

“Loved every minute of the Lady’s show last night at CitiField in my hometown of Queens – you just keep getting better!” he wrote at the time.

Gaga’s admiration for the 96-year-old legend also only grew as their friendship progressed.

Gaga and Bennett pictured with Prince Harry in 2015. Gaga and Bennet first met in 2011 after hearing the Poker Face singer perform Nat King Cole’s “Orange Colored Sky.”

An article published by AARP in 2021 sheds some more light on Bennett’s deteriorating condition while they were recording their last album together. The singing duo in 2015

“Tony is one of my dearest people on the entire planet and I love him with all my heart.” “I love his family with all my heart, I love his wife Susan with all my heart…” she told BBC presenter Zoe Ball on her Radio 2 show in 2021.

“I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned from him and what it’s like to sing with a legend for so many years.” I’ve been singing with Tony for almost ten years and it’s heartbreaking to see what he’s going through because he has Alzheimer’s.”

An article published in the same year by AARP shed some more light on Bennett’s deteriorating condition while recording their latest album together.

Their second album together was Love For Sale, released in 2021

“Tony seemed a lot more subdued while recording the new album with Gaga,” the publication said, noting that Bennett rarely spoke and appeared “lost and confused” when he did.

It continued, “The pain and sadness on Gaga’s face is evident at moments like this – but never more so than in an extraordinarily moving sequence in which Tony sings a solo passage of a love song.”

“Gaga watches from behind her mic, her smile trembling, her eyes filling before she cups her hands in front of her face and sobs.”

In his last public appearance, in August 2021, to celebrate his 95th birthday, he and Gaga performed at Radio City Music Hall.

The pop star revealed she was overcome with emotion as Bennett greeted her on stage.

“It was the first time Tony had said my name in a long time.” “I had to stick together because our show was sold out and I had a job to do,” Gaga told 60 Minutes.

“But I’ll tell you, when I took the stage and he said, ‘That’s Lady Gaga,’ my friend saw me and it was very special.”