One of the most moving moments at the 2011 Video Music Awards Sunday night was the tribute to Amy Winehouse, who died earlier this summer. The look back at the 27-year-old's indelible influence included memories from Russell Brand and Tony Bennett, followed by a performance of "Valerie" by Bruno Mars.

In a heart wrenching tribute, her friend Russell Brand introduced a clip, believed to be the last known official footage of the star before her death last month.

Recalling the first time he laid eyes on the singer, he said: ‘"I turned into the arena and I see Amy Winehouse, the incredible extraordinary voice coming from the crazy person. When a talent like Amy Winehouse comes along everyone is influenced."

During the clip, which was shot just weeks before her death on July 23, Tony Bennett was seen performing a song with the star for his upcoming duets album.

"I went to the abbey studios in London and i recorded with Amy Winehouse and she was so unbelievable because, of all the young artists I’ve met in the last 20 years, she was a true jazz artist in the tradition of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday," he said about Amy. "She had the gift. you can't just be a jazz singer, you either got it or you haven't. And Amy is a true jazz artist."

Singer Bruno Mars then took to the stage to perform a heart-warming and fitting tribute to the late singer with his own rendition of her hit song Valerie.

When MTV News caught up with the legendary Bennett immediately after the tribute, he spoke fondly of Winehouse's incredible talent and their time together recording their duet (and the "Rehab" singer's final recording), "Body and Soul." Bennett then spoke of how tragic he thought her death was, saying that he wished he'd been able to pass along a few words of wisdom before it was too late.

"I can say this now — I didn't want to say it on the show," Bennett said. "What I wanted to do, I wanted to stop her, I wanted to tell her that many years ago I was naughty also with some drugs." But, Bennett revealed, a quote from a friend stuck with him for life.

"Woody Allen's manager at the time [Jack Rollins] said he knew Lenny Bruce," Bennett explained, recalling a conversation about the boundary-breaking comedian and satirist who died young of a drug overdose. "[Rollins] said one sentence that changed my life: He said, 'He sinned against his talent.' I wanted to tell her that and I had to leave because we were touring all over the world making this album, and I never got a chance to do it.

"My son called up and said she died, and I couldn't believe that I didn't get that message to her," Bennett added sadly.

Amy will long be remembered -- well done MTV!

Source: MTV