They are 60 years apart but get along like they are related or something. He is that gentleman jazz singer from the past, Tony Bennett and she is the flamboyant pop star, Lady Gaga. She is 28 and he is 88 and he asked her to do an album together of duets and she said yes and here we are dad and daughter finally listening to music together thanks to these two and they actually like making music together. They met at a charity event a few years ago. When he went to see one of her concerts, she climbed up a ladder to the balcony to They are 60 years apart but get along like they are related or something. He is that gentleman jazz singer from the past, Tony Bennett and she is the flamboyant pop star, Lady Gaga. She is 28 and he is 88 and he asked her to do an album together of duets and she said yes and here we are dad and daughter finally listening to music together thanks to these two and they actually like making music together. They met at a charity event a few years ago. When he went to see one of her concerts, she climbed up a ladder to the balcony to serenade him. Despite the years between them, their voices blend   together and they both live just a block apart in New York City along Central Park South.

They are both painters and art lovers. Both from Italian descent. Her name is Stephanie Germatta and he was born Anthony Beneditto. Their Italianness makes them somehow understand each other better. His father died when he was very young and his mother worked hard making dresses during the depression for a penny a dress. Tony felt the need to make more money for his family at a very young age. He grew up in Astoria, Queens. He was a singing waiter for many years. At first he performed under the name Joe Barry then one night he met Bob Hope who suggested he use some of his real name and called him Tony Bennett and he kept it. Tony says that Lady Gaga reminds him of his young mother at times with her flowing ambition.

Soon he was signed by Columbia Records and his first single was a hit . The song called Because Of You went to number one in 1951. He then went on to twenty number one hits in that decade. As he supports a younger Italian singer, Lady Gaga, an older Italian singer supported him. Frank Sinatra. In 1965 in a Life Magazine interview, Sinatra said, “For my money, Tony  Bennett is the best in the business. Tony said that that article changed his career and all of Frank’s fans started following him too. Tony sprinted onto this past summer’s I Tunes Festival is in his seventh decade of performing. He shared a few lessons about longevity with Lady Gaga. He believes that this album will show the world that she can always reinvent herself and appeal to a new audience.

Gaga’s rise was also swift. Her first two singles went to number one in 2009. Her last album called Artpop released last year failed to be another blockbuster. It is hard to continually sell 20 million albums as she did at the start of her career. After six years of working non stop, she is exhausted and wanted to stop with music last year. She broke down at the Youtube music awards last year in tears while she was singing. At that time she split with her partner and manager. Troy Carter had nurtured her career for seven years. She felt that she had somehow failed them. She felt abandoned as they moved on to  other new artists. Tony is helping her adjust to her new life.

They are both similar in that they both had gotten so much so fast in their careers and are still learning how to now be happy. Tony taught her to never ever let anyone diminish who she is . Her quality will shine no matter who or what is around her. It is a lesson we should all learn about the importance of self-esteem at any level of life or success. Tony Bennett paints art every day/ Lady Gaga paints when she is sad. Buy their album and listen to it with your daughter this holiday. I can’t wait.