CCM stars share stage with Lady Gaga at the Grammys
Brian Newman, Steve Kortyka and Alex Smith perform with Gaga in her tribute to Tony Bennett
You might have noticed an enthusiastic trumpet player in a white tuxedo performing next to Lady Gaga at the Grammy Awards last weekend. CCM alumnus Brian Newman (Jazz Studies, att. ’99-’03) is a longtime collaborator with the pop star-turned-belter, and joined her on stage in her tribute to Tony Bennett during the 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony on April 3, 2022.
Newman was pictured performing with Gaga on stage in Variety magazine's coverage of the Grammy Awards. Watch the performance on Lady Gaga's Facebook page.
Brian Newman, Lady Gaga, Michael Beardon, Donald Barrett, Daniel Foose, Alex Smith and Steve Kortyka at the Grammy Awards.
Lady Gaga has worked on a number of duet projects with Tony Bennett, who has Alzheimer's and was unable to attend the awards ceremony. The duo's recent album Love for Sale, which won two Grammy Awards, was Bennett's final recording project. Newman worked with Lady Gaga and Bennet on the award-winning album and on their first collaboration, Cheek to Cheek — he was the band leader, trumpet player and an arranger on both recordings.
Newman wasn't the only CCM alumnus on stage at the Grammy Awards though. His long-time bandmates Alex Smith (BM Jazz Studies, '01), piano; and Steve Kortyka (BM Jazz, '04), saxophone, joined Newman and Gaga for the performance and on the red carpet, along with bassist Daniel Foose, musician Donald Barrett and maestro Michael Beardon.
Newman is also the band leader and arranger for Lady Gaga's Jazz and Piano show during her Las Vegas residency and has his own late-night Vegas residency at the Nomad Library called "Brian Newman: After Dark."
In June 2021, Newman was a guest on CCM’s “School, Stage & Screen” podcast, where he discussed his work with Lady Gaga (including an injury from her famed disco ball), life as a performer in Vegas and the time he spends away from his trumpet.
Alexandra Doyle
CCM Graduate Assistant , Marketing + Communications
Alexandra Doyle is a doctoral candidate studying clarinet performance at CCM. Alexandra’s master’s degree is also from CCM, and she holds bachelor’s degrees in clarinet performance and journalism from the University of Houston.
Featured image at the top: Lady Gaga and Brian Newman performing on stage at the Grammy Awards. Photo/Christopher Polk for Variety.
Related Stories
‘Designer drug’ shows early neuroprotective signal in acute ischemic stroke
October 28, 2025
Medscape highlighted new trial results led by the University of Cincinnati's Eva Mistry that found an experimental drug shows promise in protecting injured brain cells for patients with acute ischemic stroke.
UC Board votes to fund design for YMCA renovation
October 28, 2025
At its October 28, 2025 meeting, the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees approved $5 million in funding to complete all design and pre-construction services required to renovate the interior of a former YMCA building located at 270 Calhoun Street.
Is menstrual fluid ‘the most overlooked opportunity’ in women’s health?
October 27, 2025
The Guardian recently reported that period blood has long been thought of as ‘stinky and useless’, but startups are exploring using the fluid to test for a wide range of health conditions — including endometriosis.