Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga concert airs as he says goodbye to performing

Fans of crooner Tony Bennett have now seen one of his last concerts as he says goodbye to performing.

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The singer, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, sang with Lady Gaga for two sold-out concerts in August. However, fans of the duo were able to see one of Bennett’s final performances from the comfort of their homes.

“One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga” aired on CBS Sunday, USA Today reported. It had been recorded on his 95th birthday.

During the show, Bennett sang solo for “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” and was joined on stage by Lady Gaga for “Love For Sale” and “Anything Goes.”

Family members have said Bennett’s condition has advanced such that he doesn’t know where he is or what is happening, but he was able to sing his songs without missing a cue.

“He became himself. He just turned it on. It was like a light switch,” Bennett’s wife, Susan Benedetto, told “60 Minutes” earlier this year. Family members were worried about how he would be able to handle the concert, but Benedetto said that once she saw him take the stage, she knew he would be fine.

His neurologist, Dr. Gayatri Devi, said that music was such a big part of Bennett, that it was expected that he would be OK on stage, CNN reported.

“People respond differently based on their strengths. In Tony’s case, it’s his musical memory, his ability to be a performer. Those are an innate and hardwired part of his brain.”

Lady Gaga paid tribute to the legend, saying, “He’s my friend. He’s my musical companion. And he’s the greatest singer in the whole world. And I’m counting on you, New York, to make him smile. So you better cheer. You better yell. You better laugh. You better cry. You better give your soul,” CNN reported.

And the audience at Radio City Music Hall abided by her request, cheering when Bennett sang “Let me sing forever more” during his performance of “Fly Me to the Moon,” cheering and one person shouting “We love you!,” CNN reported.

Bennett and Lady Gaga first sang together on his “Duets II” album in 2011, before producing two albums together, 2014′s “Cheek To Cheek” and this year’s “Love For Sale,” USA Today reported.

MTV Unplugged will also air an episode focusing on Bennett and Lady Gaga that will feature stripped-down versions of songs from their “Love For Sale” album. That will air Dec. 16, UPI reported.

A third documentary, “The Lady and the Legend,” will air on Paramount+, UPI reported.


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