Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga Duets Coming in Late September, Taped Secret TV Show Last Night

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UPDATE: I’m told that the “Cheek to Cheek” album will be issued on Lady Gaga’s label, Interscope, and not Sony/Columbia, where Tony Bennett has recorded since 1773. That may make this is the first release Tony Bennett has had apart from Columbia Records since the Civil War. But I’m told Sony was gracious about acceding to this request.

From April 2014: http://www.showbiz411.com/2014/04/10/tony-bennett-long-awaited-lady-gaga-duets-album-coming-in-september

Earlier today: All I can tell you is last night Lady Gaga taped a PBS special with Tony Bennett at Rose Hall in the Time Warner Center. Little Steven (Steve van Zandt) and his wife Maureen were there, so was famed writer Gay Talese and his famed book publisher wife Nan. Other guests included Al Roker, plus Gaga’s parents and her grandmothers, plus a room full of people who’d participated in a hush hush lottery.

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I can tell you something else: we know Tony Bennett can sing and perform like an angel. He is amazing at almost 88 years old. But Gaga can sing like you won’t believe. After people in the biz see this special she will have offers for “A Star is Born,” Broadway shows, you name it. No meat dresses, no gigantic eggs. Her numerous gowns were elegant and gorgeous. She comported herself on stage like a pro. And the voice! Like Ella Fitzgerald. No kidding.

I can’t be more specific yet about the content of the show. It’s too soon. Suffice to say, it reminded me of a classic special from the early 60s when CBS would present sophisticated variety– like Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte. Gaga’s “Little Monsters” are going to be downloading the Great American Songbook.

PBS says the special, called “Cheek to Cheek,” will air October 24th from 9 to 10pm. It’s based on their “Cheek to Cheek” album, set for September 24th, just in time for the Grammy deadline. We’ll be seeing a lot of that project on the Grammys come February 2015.

The whole “Cheek to Cheek” project will be a game changer for Lady Gaga. For Tony Bennett, it’s just another day at the office. He is brilliant.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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