Gloriously flamboyant American entertainer Bette Midler was born in Honolulu, HI, to the only Jewish family in the neighborhood. After dropping out of a drama class at the University of Hawaii, she took a tiny role in the 1966 film Hawaii, playing a seasick boat passenger (though it's hard to see her when viewing the film). Training for a dancing career in New York, Midler made the casting rounds for several months before finally winning a chorus role, and then the featured part of Tzeitel, in the long-running Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof.

It helps to do something well that no one else does, and Midler found her forte by singing at the Continental Baths, a gay hangout in New York. Most bath house performers were painfully bad, but Midler established herself by combining genuine talent with the tackiness expected of her. As the "Divine Miss M," Midler did an act consisting of campy (and dirty) specialty numbers; dead-on imitations of such earlier performers as the Andrews Sisters and Libby Holman; and the most outrageously revealing costumes this side of Bob Mackie. Soon she outgrew the bath houses and went on to nightclub and recording-artist fame, earning a Grammy Award in 1973. After several years of sell-out tours, Midler re-entered films as the star of The Rose, a 1979 film a clef loosely based upon the life and times of Janis Joplin. The film was a success, but it failed to establish Midler as a dramatic actress; audiences, particularly gay fans, still preferred the Divine Miss M.

In addition to her film work, Midler still performs live concerts to sold-out crowds and continues to release albums, including {^Bathouse Bette}, a tribute to her early singing days. In 1993, she scored an enormous success in a superb TV adaptation of the Broadway musical Gypsy. And, in 2000, Midler extended her talents to television, starring as herself in the aptly-named sitcom Bette.

Awards
1979 - Golden Globe Award - Best Original Song - The Rose
1990 - Grammy Winner - Record of the Year - Wind Beneath My Wings
1990 - Grammy Winner - Song Of The Year - Wind Beneath My Wings

Bette Midler Videos

---

The Glory of Love

From Benny Goodman to Bette Midler and so many other artists, this classic song is forever popular. Beginning with a heart-felt solo, the arrangement goes into a relaxed gospel style, setting the melody and lyrics perfectly to reflect the ups and downs of life and as long as there's the two of us, that's the story of, that's the glory of love.

---

Tell Him

The 1962 hit by the Exciters jump-started the era of '60s girls' groups with an unmistakable pop/soul sound that inspired covers by dozens of artists including Bette Midler, on her It's the Girls tribute album. A great showcase for SSA choirs!

---

It's the Girls

From the Bette Midler album of the same name, this 5-minute medley of hits is a salute to the super girls' groups of the past! Songs include: Be My Baby (the Ronettes), One Fine Day (The Chiffons), Tell Him (The Exciters).

---

One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)

Bette Midler sang it to Johnny Carson on his last show, a mature lyric targets this arrangement for a more mature ensemble, but the Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen standard is a classic for the ages! This setting is brooding and bluesy, but filled with heartfelt emotion.

---