Lady Gaga Cries While Performing Tony Bennett Tribute At 2022 Grammys

Singer Lady Gagaperformed a sweet song in tribute to her longtime friend and collaborator, TonyBennett.

At the 2022 Grammy Awards on Sunday night, the “Poker Face” singer was introduced by Bennett in a pre-taped video before she performed “Do I Love You” and “Love For Sale.”

After her performance, which was backed by a video montage of the pair playing in the background, Gaga sat on the edge of the stage and cried, placing her hand on her own shoulder where the 95-year-old singer’s should have been. He disclosed his struggle with Alzheimer’s in 2021 and retired from performing shortly after.

Last year, Gaga had told Billboard, “When jazz begins … this man lights up in a way that is such magic. Music is magic. Music is a miracle.”

Their collaborative album “Love For Sale” won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, which made Bennett the second-oldest Grammy winner. However, it failed to win Album of the Year or Best Pop/Duo Group.

But even though he failed to earn big last night, Bennett still has won twenty Grammy Awards total, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2001. Their first collaboration – the album “Cheek to Cheek” - also won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2015.

Bennett's last concert performance was held in August. The concert series was filmed and aired for audiences on November 28, 2021, in a TV special called “One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.”

Although Bennett occasionally forgot where he was and what was happening around him, he was in step with Lady Gaga throughout the special, especially for their duets like “Love For Sale” and “Anything Goes.”

Before Bennett took the stage, Lady Gaga said “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."

After the performance aired, Lady Gaga posted a sweet snap of the two singing together on stage. In the caption, she praised Bennett’s wife, Susan Benedetto.

“The real “Lady” of the hour is Susan Benedetto, Tony’s remarkable wife,” Gaga wrote. “Thank you Susan for how you love @itstonybennett. I love you and Tony and the whole family so much. I’ll cry about tonight forever. #OneLastTime”

Fans also couldn’t help but share some love for the singer-turned-actress, who recently starred in Ridley Scott's “House of Gucci” last November.

“What a spectacular event highlighting two of entertainment's great talents on stage together,” one fan wrote. “I was moved from start to finish. you and Tony together are like two angels. #OneLastTime”

“Love you both with all My soul, it was an amazing, beautiful and emotional show, you both are the best,” another fan commented.

Another said, “I was there, I cried. I watched tonight I cried. I am so thankful to be able to witness this part of history. Two of the greatest that that will ever be.”

One fan concluded, “You two are a gift to each other and us!”

The “Born This Way” singer had previously told “60 Minutes” that she was concerned that Bennett, who had been calling her “sweetheart” since they started working together, might not remember who she was.

But, as she appeared on stage during the Radio City Music Hall concert, Bennett said, “Wow! Lady Gaga!”

Although Gaga said that she had to keep it together and perform, she revealed, “I’ll tell you, when I walked out on that stage, and he said, ‘Lady Gaga,’ my friend saw me, and it was very special.”

She added that Bennett’s story is “not a sad story. It's emotional. It's hard to watch somebody change. I think what's been beautiful about this, and what's been challenging, is to see how it affects him in some ways, but to see how it doesn't affect his talent. I think he really pushed through something to give the world the gift of knowing that things can change, and you can still be magnificent.”