Watch Clips From Tony Bennett's Final Public Performance
Ever the consummate performer, the late Tony Bennett celebrated his 95th birthday in 2021 the best way he knew how: by performing a series of sold-out concerts in New York City at the famed Radio City Music Hall.
Related: Tony Bennett, Legendary Singer, Dead at 96
Bennett performed alongside Lady Gaga for the TV special "One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga."
The crooner and Gaga had a close friendship, and the opportunity to perform alongside the legendary "Fly Me to the Moon" singer reduced Gaga to tears. While introducing Bennett on Aug. 3, 2021, she explained to the audience, "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."
The audience followed her command. After rewarding Bennett with a standing ovation before he even opened his mouth, the crowd went on to deliver several more. CNN reported that after Bennett sang the line "Let me sing forever more" a member of the audience yelled out, "We love you!"
Bennett's family admitted to 60 Minutes that they were worried about his performance ahead of the show. The singer was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2016, and his wife, Susan Benedetto, told Anderson Cooper that she didn't know if performing was still in the cards.
But once she saw Bennett onstage that night, she knew everything would be okay. "He became himself," she said. "He just turned on. It was like a light switch."
Lady Gaga also recalled being thrilled that her friend remembered her. As she told 60 Minutes, "I had to keep it together, because we had a sold-out show and I had a job to do. But 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."
Bennett became a household name in 1962 with the hit "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," which spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year. Prior to his death, he won 20 Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award.