Name	The Rose
Artist	Bette Midler
From album	The Rose
Released	1980
Genre	Pop
Length	3:40
Label	Atlantic Records
Writer	Amanda McBroom
Producer	Paul A. Rothchild
Last single	"When a Man Loves a Woman"(1980)
This single	"The Rose"(1980)
Next single	"My Mother's Eyes"(1980)

"The Rose" is a pop song written by Amanda McBroom and made famous by Bette Midler, who performed it in the 1979 movie, "The Rose." Since then it has been covered by a variety of artists.

Bette Midler version

"The Rose" is featured in the 1979 film of the same name, in which it was performed by Midler. The single peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the adult contemporary chart, and it was certified gold by the RIAA for over half a million copies sold. McBroom won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, although she was not nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Midler won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "The Rose".

There are two mixes of the song. The single mix features orchestration, while the version in the film (and on its soundtrack) includes an extended introduction while doing away with the orchestration in favor of piano-and-vocals only.

Conway Twitty version

Name	The Rose
Artist	Conway Twitty
From album	Dream Maker
Released	January 17, 1983
Genre	Country
Label	Elektra
Writer	Amanda McBroom
Last single	"We Did But Now You Don't"(1982)
This single	"The Rose"(1983)
Next single	"Lost in the Feeling"(1983)

Country singer Conway Twitty recorded a cover version in 1983. His version, off his album Dream Maker, was a Number One country hit in U.S. and Canada. Conway Twitty's version was his 30th number one single on the U.S. country chart.

Chart performance

{|class="wikitable sortable" !align="left"|Chart (1983) !align="center"|Peakposition |- |align="left"|U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Canadian RPM Country Tracks |align="center"|1 |}

Westlife version

Name	The Rose
Artist	Westlife
Cover	TheRoseCD1.jpg
From album	The Love Album
Released	November 6, 2006
Format	CD Single
Recorded	Studio 301, Stockholm, Sweden & Metropolis Studio, London
Genre	Pop
Length	3:39
Label	SonyBMG
Writer	Amanda McBroom
Producer	Quiz & Larossi
Last single	"Amazing"(2006)
This single	The Rose(2006)
Next single	"Home"(2007)

}}

"The Rose" was covered by Irish boyband Westlife and was released as the first and only single from their eighth studio album, The Love Album. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for one week in November 2006. This became the group's 14th number-one single. The single has sold over 140,000 copies in Britain so far. The band gave their first live performance of the song on Miss World 2006.

Tracklisting

; UK CD1 # "The Rose" - 3:40 # "Solitaire" - 5:07

; UK CD2 # "The Rose" - 3:40 # "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" - 3:47 # "If" - 2:42 # "The Rose" (Video) - 3:55

Music video

The video for this single was presented in black and white and shows the emotions and events leading up to a couple's wedding procession. The band members are clad in suits and are shown in a checkered-floor room. During the initial period of the video's release, fans were given the opportunity to customise the music video by digitally adding their names to various elements such as the wedding invitation card. A coloured version of the music video was later made available.

Chart performance

{|class="wikitable sortable" !align="left"|Chart (2006) !align="center"|Peak
position
|- |align="left"|Austrian Singles Chart |align="center"|67 |- |European Hot 100 Singles | style="text-align:center;"|4 |- |align="left"|Irish Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Sweden Singles Chart |align="center"|4 |- |align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart |align="center"|85 |- |align="left"|UK Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |}

|-

Cultural References

Kurt Cobain mockingly sang the first line of this song at the beginning of Nirvana's famed 1992 Reading Festival appearance. On the television show Family Guy, in the episode "Baby Not On Board," the Griffins sing an abbreviated version of The Rose after Peter suggests they sing a driving song.

See also

The Rose (film)

External links

History of the Rose by Amanda McBroom

References

Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles Category:1979 songs Category:1980 singles Category:1983 singles Category:2006 singles Category:Bette Midler songs Category:Conway Twitty songs Category:Westlife songs Category:Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles Category:Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one singles Category:RPM Country Tracks number-one singles Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles Category:Best Original Song Golden Globe winning songs

Name	LeAnn Rimes
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Margaret LeAnn Rimes
Alias	LeAnn Rimes Cibrian
Birth date	August 28, 1982
Birth place	Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Origin	Dallas, Texas
Genre	Country, pop
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, actress, author
Years active	1994–present
Label	Asylum-Curb
Associated acts	Ronan Keating, Brian McFadden, Marc Broussard
Url	Official Website

LeAnn Rimes (born August 28, 1982) is an American country singer, songwriter, actress, and author. She is known for her rich vocals, similar to Patsy Cline, and her rise to fame at the age of 13—becoming the youngest country music star since Tanya Tucker in 1972.

Rimes made her breakthrough into country music in 1996. Her debut album, Blue, reached Number 1 on the Top Country Albums chart and was certified "multi-platinum" in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album's lead single of the same name (originally intended to be recorded by Patsy Cline in the early 1960s) became a Top 10 hit. With immediate success, Rimes attained widespread national acclaim for her similarities to Cline's vocal style. When Rimes released her sophomore studio effort in 1997, , Rimes went more towards country pop material, which would set the trend for a string of albums that would be released into the next decade.

Since her debut, Rimes has won many major industry awards, which include two Grammys, three ACMs, one CMA, twelve Billboard Music Awards, and one American Music award. In addition, Rimes has also released ten studio albums and four compilation albums through her record label of 13 years, Asylum-Curb, and placed over 40 singles on American and international charts since 1996. She has sold over 37 million records worldwide, with 20.3 million album sales in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Early life

Born Margaret LeAnn Rimes (in Pearl, Mississippi), she is the only child of Belinda Butler Rimes and Wilbur Rimes. The family relocated to Garland, Texas when she was six years old. She was singing by the age of two, was enrolled into vocal and dance training, and by the age of five was performing at local talent shows. One of her best friends, Jordan Villarreal, supported her when she sang. Rimes initially began her career in musical theatre, performing in a Dallas, Texas production of A Christmas Carol, and almost landed the lead part in the Broadway production of Annie. However, after appearing on the network television competition show, Star Search, Rimes decided to pursue a career in country music. Following her national television appearance, Rimes made a number of appearances on Johnnie High's Country Music Revue in Arlington, Texas, which garnered the attention of national talent scouts. While Curb was releasing "Blue," a claim was also sent out that Mack had been waiting over 30 years to find the perfect artist to record "Blue." However, the story was later found to be an exaggeration, as it was discovered that "Blue" had already been recorded by three different artists. Mack himself and Kenny Roberts both released versions of the song on Starday Records in the 1960s. In 1993, Australian artist Catherine Britt released her own version as a single in her native country. The story, though, was continually spread throughout the national press, adding to the idea that Rimes was the successor to Patsy Cline's legacy. Allmusic considered the album to be "delightful" and that it could "help inspire other young teens." Rimes followed up the single with several charting country singles from her 1996 album, starting with "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)", which reached Number 1 on the Billboard Country Chart in 1996. She also released a duet single with Eddy Arnold from the album, a remake of his 1955 hit "The Cattle Call". Rimes' version of the title track became a major country hit in early 1997 and helped increase sales for the album. The album sold over four million copies in the United States, certifying 4× Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album contained the single "How Do I Live", which became a major pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching Number 2.

Rimes released her third album for Curb in May 1998, Sittin' on Top of the World. The album leaned more progressively towards Adult Contemporary and mid-tempo pop music. It included pop material written by Carol Bayer Sager and David Foster. Rolling Stone said Rimes vocal style "holds her own in the more popular style of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, wherein a spectacular voice upstages a song, grins and goes on about her business." Upon its release, Sittin' on Top of the World debuted at Number 2 on the Top Country Albums chart, and Number 3 on the Billboard 200, and sold over a million copies in the United States, certifying "Platinum" in sales by the RIAA. The album covered songs mainly by Patsy Cline – which included "Crazy", "I Fall to Pieces", and "She's Got You" – that were primarily taken from her 12 Greatest Hits album. The album also covered Marty Robbins's "Don't Worry" and Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee". The album included one new song, "Big Deal". The song gained many positive reviews. Allmusic called the song, "a return to her roots" and "a salute to one of her idols, Patsy Cline." The album in general received much praise. Allmusic called the album one of her "better" efforts, since they had disliked her previous releases. Entertainment Weekly gave the album a positive review and said that Rimes's voice, "dares listeners to take note of what is missing in her interpretations -- the gutsiness and gut-wrenching urgency of performers who felt what they sang." The album was a major success like her previous releases, debuting at Number 1 on the Top Country Albums chart, topping the country albums chart for two weeks. In addition, it also peaked at Number 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The album also sold over one million copies in the United States, and was certified "Platinum" in sales by the RIAA. Despite very little praise from critics, the album was sold well, certifying "Gold" in sales by the RIAA. was originally recorded for the TV movie Jesus.

2002–2004: I Need You, Twisted Angel, Greatest Hits

, Germany on September 23, 2004.]] In February 2002 Rimes re-released the I Need You album with 9 of the songs originally released on the album, an extended version of the song You Are, the song Light the Fire Within which she sang at the Olympics the previous year and 4 bonus remixes. Rimes would later that year release her seventh album (sixth studio album) titled Twisted Angel, which contained more adult material. Instead, Rimes executive produced the album. A month following the album's release, Twisted Angel was certified "Gold" by the RIAA, her second Gold-certified album. The album peaked at Number 3 on the Top Country Albums chart and Number 12 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. Three singles were spawned from the album between 2002 and 2003, however none of the singles were Top 40 hits on the country or pop charts. The lead single, "Life Goes on", reached the Top 40 only on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, peaking at Number 19. The second single, "Tic Toc" was a Top 40 Dance club hit in 2003. Featured on the album was the single, We Can, which was originally released on the soundtrack of Legally Blonde 2 in July 2003. The album would eventually be certified "Platinum" in 2007 The following year in October 2004, Rimes issued her first holiday-themed album titled, What a Wonderful World. reaching Number 3 on the Billboard 200 and Number 2 on the Top Country Albums chart in 2005, selling more than 100,000 copies within its first week. Rimes explained to the Chicago Sun-Times that the album helped mature her as a person, "I have 10 years of experience, so it's tough to get anything past me in this business. I've become a very strong woman because of all I've gone through, good and bad."

Rimes would release one final single in the US from her album This Woman in August 2006 called "Some People" which would peak at 34 on the US country charts.

2007–2009: Family

Rimes took a two-year break, and then released her next studio album in October 2007, Family. The album was a mix of country, pop, and rock music, and included a duet with Bon Jovi, "Til We Ain't Strangers Anymore". Allmusic gave Family four out of five stars and said that the album, "illustrates her range as a singer along with some true strength as a writer." The album helped nominate Rimes for the Academy of Country Music's "Top Female Vocalist" award in 2008.

In 2008, Rimes toured with Kenny Chesney where she opened every show on his 2008 Poets and Pirates Tour, along with other artists on select dates such as Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Sammy Hagar, Gary Allan, Big & Rich, and Luke Bryan. In late 2008, Rimes was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "What I Cannot Change", the third single from the album. In 2008, she recorded For Good with Delta Goodrem for the Wicked 5th Anniversary album. LeAnn teamed up with Joss Stone for a CMT Crossroads special aired in fall 2007.

2010–present: Lady And Gentlemen

Despite singing new material at several live shows earlier in the year, it was announced, on May 24, 2010 by Rimes via her Twitter account, that her new studio album would be a cover album of country songs, titled Lady and Gentlemen. The first single from the album is a cover of John Anderson's 1983 single, "Swingin'. LeAnn first debuted the song at the 2010 CMT Music Awards. The single was released on June 8, 2010. According to LeAnn Rimes' official website, she is planning on re-recording her hit, "Blue" for the new album. She stated that she wants "the album to be perfect." Since she is doing this, the album would take a longer waiting time to come out. On November 8, 2010, LeAnn released her second single titled "Crazy Women" to radio. "Crazy Women," "Blue" and "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" were announced, in the same post, as the three extra tracks that LeAnn went back in the studio to add to the album. A third single, "Give", (penned by Rimes) is slated to be released on the 18th of July.

Musicianship

Vocal ability and musical stylings

Since her debut in 1996, Rimes' voice and vocal style have often been compared to and identified with Patsy Cline. Cline showed distinctive emotional expression in most of her material. Rimes has also used distinctive emotional expression in many of her songs, most notably her first single, "Blue", which was sung in the style of Cline. Rimes' vocal similarities to Cline had brought wide interest to the idea that Rimes was the successor to Cline's legacy, and brought her novelty appeal. Many music critics have argued that Rimes' vocals were only a reproduction of Cline's original sound, while others have disagreed. Rimes has stated the main influence on her career is Patsy Cline. She has covered many of Cline's hit songs since the beginning of her career. Her 1999 self-titled album is primarily a tribute to Cline, as Rimes recorded five out of ten songs for the album that had been hits for Cline years before. She made her official film debut in 2001 for Coyote Ugly, providing the singing voice for Piper Perabo's character Violet Sanford and making a cameo appearance towards the end of the film. In addition, she also recorded four songs for the film's soundtrack, including the Top 20 Pop hit, "Can't Fight the Moonlight." Rimes played in the movie Good Intentions with her friend Elaine Hendricks which is filming near Atlanta, Georgia. Rimes plays Meg Galligan in the made for TV movie, Northern Lights, based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. The film aired on the Lifetime network on March 12, 2009.

In 2007 Rimes began hosting The Colgate Country Showdown, a nation wide televised country music talent competition, similar to that of American Idol or Nashville Star. In 2011 Rimes hosted the show for her 5th consecutive year, when the show switched sponsorship, to Texaco.

Personal life

and Laura Bush listen to LeAnn Rimes perform in the East Room of the White House in a performance honoring the Dance Theatre of Harlem on February 6, 2006]]

Lawsuits

On May 21, 2000, Rimes filed a lawsuit against her father, Wilbur Rimes, and her former manager, Lyle Walker in Dallas, Texas. Rimes claimed that her father and former manager took over seven million dollars from her in the preceding five years. Rimes also alleged that both men made unreasonable fees and took advantage of Rimes's label, Asylum-Curb, in order to acquire financial gain. Rimes sought unspecified damages because her attorney was not sure of how much money had been lost in the preceding five years. According to Rimes's lawyer, her mother hired two accountants to investigate how much was taken from Rimes's fortune, and it was estimated that the men acquired around eight million dollars in royalties.

In November 2000, Rimes filed a second lawsuit against her label, Asylum-Curb. Rimes wanted permission to be released from the contract that was signed by her parents on Rimes's behalf when she originally signed with the label in 1995. She also wanted her label to turn over the rights of her music, video work, and publishing interests, and omit all of her recordings that were currently being distributed at the time of the lawsuit. Part of Rimes's legal battles ended in December 2001, when Asylum-Curb started a new contract with Rimes. The divorce was finalized on June 19, 2010, exactly six months after Sheremet filed divorce documents for dissolution of marriage.

Rimes is currently married to Northern Lights co-star Eddie Cibrian, with whom she had a well-publicized extramarital affair prior to the split from Sheremet. Cibrian, the father of two children, left his wife for Rimes and filed for divorce in August 2009, after eight years of marriage. In June 2010, Rimes spoke for the first time about the end of her first marriage, stating that, while she was sorry that people were hurt, she had no regrets about the outcome of the affair. On December 27, 2010, it was announced via Billboard that Rimes and Cibrian were engaged. The couple wed on April 22, 2011 at a private home in California.

Philanthropy

In 2008, she opened up about her lifelong struggle with the autoimmune disease psoriasis. She participated in a PSA to raise awareness about the disease.

Rimes lent her voice to the 2008 song "Just Stand Up." The proceeds benefited Stand Up to Cancer. As a result of SU2C fundraising endeavors, the SU2C scientific advisory committee, overseen by the American Association for Cancer Research, was able to award $73.6 million towards cancer research.

On December 19, 2010, she performed "The Rose," joined by The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles in remembrance of the many gay teenagers who committed suicide in 2010. On her weblog she wrote on June 18, 2011: "I believe in equality for everyone. I believe everyone should have the right to love and commit to whomever they want. [...] All I know is that in God's eyes we are all the same. I just wish we could see through the eyes of God more often."

Politics

In 2011, Rimes was the star in a congressional Republican freshman fundraiser, where lobbyists, political action committee managers and others paid a $2,500 ticket price for a private performance (a $50,000 package included a block of eight tickets and a “VIP suite” at the W). Rimes' performance cost at least $155,000 in hotel, management, and entertainment fees. The Rimes fundraiser cost a total of $212,250, and brought in $212,900 in donations, netting $650 in donations after costs.

Wealth

According to "Celebrity Net Worth", Rimes has a current estimated net worth of just under $40 million as of 2010, and is one of the richest female country singers in America.

Discography

;Studio albums

1994: All That

1996: Blue

1997:

1997:

1998: Sittin' on Top of the World

1999: LeAnn Rimes

2001: I Need You

2002: Twisted Angel

2004: What a Wonderful World

2005: This Woman

2006: Whatever We Wanna

2007: Family

2011: Lady and Gentlemen

;Compilation albums

2001: God Bless America

2003: Greatest Hits

2004: The Best of LeAnn Rimes

Filmography

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 90%;" |- bgcolor="#B0C4DE" align="center" ! Year ! Name ! Role ! Other notes |- | rowspan="2"| 1997 | Holiday in Your Heart | Herself | Main Role |- | "Moesha" | Herself | |- | 1998 | Days of Our Lives | Madison | Episode 1 |- | 2000 | Coyote Ugly | Herself | cameo appearance/singing voice:Piper Perabo |- | 2003 | American Dreams | Connie Francis | Season 3 episode; "Where the Boys Are" |- | 2004 | Extreme Makeover Home Edition | Herself | Cox Family; guest star |- | 2006 | | Kelly Deegan | TV film |- | 2008 | Good Intentions | Pam |Released on DVD March 9, 2010 |- | rowspan="2" | 2009 | Northern Lights | Meg Galligan | TV film Released on DVD October 6, 2009 |- |I Get That a Lot |Waitress |Television special (1 episode) |- | 2010 | Extreme Makeover Home Edition Nashville | Herself | |- | 2011 | Reel Love | Holly Whitman | TV film |}

Awards

Country Music Association awards

Academy of Country Music awards

Grammy awards

American music awards

CMT music awards

References

External links

Official International Website

Official Northern Lights movie site starring LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian at myLifetime.com

Category:1982 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:American country singers Category:American female singers Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American pop singers Category:Curb Records artists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musicians from Texas Category:Actors from Texas Category:People from Garland, Texas Category:People from Rankin County, Mississippi Category:Musicians from Mississippi Category:Actors from Mississippi Category:Living people

Name	Bette Midler
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Bette Midler
Alias	The Divine Miss M
Born	December 01, 1945
Origin	Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Territory
Voice type	Mezzo-soprano
Genre	Vocal, pop, adult contemporary, comedy
Occupation	Singer, actress, comedian, author, environmentalist, producer
instruments	Vocals, ukulele
Years active	1965–present
Label	Atlantic (1972–1997)Warner Bros. (1998–2001)Columbia (2003–present)
Associated acts	Barry Manilow
Spouse	Martin von Haselberg (1984 - present)
Children	Sophie von Haselberg (b. 1984)
Url	Bette Midler

Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress and comedian, also known (by her informal stage name) as The Divine Miss M. She has starred in films such as Ruthless People, Beaches and Hocus Pocus.

During her more than forty-year career, Midler has been nominated for two Academy Awards; and won four Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award.

Early life and family

Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is Jewish. She is the daughter of seamstress/housewife Ruth (née Schindel) and house painter Fred Midler, who worked at a Navy base in Hawaii. Her parents were from Paterson, New Jersey and moved to Honolulu before Midler was born. She was named after the actress Bette Davis, though Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one, . She was raised in Aiea and attended Radford High School in Honolulu. She was voted "Most Talkative" in the 1961 school Hoss Election, and in her Senior Year (Class of 1963) "Most Dramatic". She majored in drama at the University of Hawaii (though she only attended for three semesters) and earned money in the film Hawaii (released in 1966) as an extra, playing a seasick passenger named Mrs David Buff in the film.

Midler married Martin von Haselberg on December 16, 1984, roughly 6 weeks after meeting him for the first time. Their daughter Sophie was born on November 14, 1986.

Career

Theater actress

In the summer of 1965, Midler relocated to New York City, using the money from having worked as an extra in the film Hawaii. She landed her first professional onstage role in Tom Eyen's Off-Off-Broadway plays in 1965, Miss Nefertiti Regrets and Cinderella Revisited, a children's play by day and an adult show by night. From 1966 to 1969, she played the role of Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway. She also joined the cast of Salvation.

In the summer of 1970, Midler began singing in the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse in the city, where she became close to her piano accompanist, Barry Manilow. He later produced her first album, 1972's The Divine Miss M. It was during her time at the Continental Baths that she built up a core following. In the late 1990s, during the release of her album Bathhouse Betty, Midler commented on her time performing there: :"Despite the way things turned out [with the AIDS crisis], I'm still proud of those days. I feel like I was at the forefront of the gay liberation movement, and I hope I did my part to help it move forward. So, I kind of wear the label of 'Bathhouse Betty' with pride."

In 1971, Midler starred in the first professional production of The Who's rock opera Tommy with director Richard Pearlman and the Seattle Opera. It was during the run of Tommy that Midler was asked to appear on The Tonight Show.

1970–80: The Divine Miss M and success

Midler released her debut album The Divine Miss M on Atlantic Records in December 1972. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and became a million-selling Platinum-certified album, and earning Midler the 1973 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. It featured three hit singles with "Do You Want To Dance?", "Friends", and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which became Bette's first #1 Adult Contemporary hit. Bette's self titled follow-up album was released at the end of 1973. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and eventually sold close to a million copies in the United States alone. Midler returned to recording with the 1976 and 1977 albums, Songs for the New Depression and Broken Blossom.

.]] In 1974, she received a Special Tony Award for her contribution to Broadway with Clams on the Half Shell Revue playing at the Minskoff Theater. From 1975–1978, she also provided the voice of Woody the Spoon on the PBS educational series Vegetable Soup.

In 1977, Midler's first television special, Ol' Red Hair is Back, premiered, featuring guest stars Dustin Hoffman and Emmett Kelly. It went on to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Special - Comedy-Variety or Music.

In 1979, Midler made her first motion picture, starring in the 1960s-era rock and roll tragedy The Rose, as a drug-addicted rock star modeled after Janis Joplin. That year she also released her fifth studio album; Thighs and Whispers. Midler's first foray into disco was a commercial and critical failure and went on to be her all-time lowest charting album, peaking at #65 on the Billboard album chart. Soon afterward, she left to go on a world concert tour, with one of the shows (in Pasadena) being filmed and released as the concert film Divine Madness.

In 1979, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Rose, for which she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical). The film's acclaimed soundtrack album sold over two million copies in the United States alone, earning a Double Platinum certification. The single version of the song held the #1 position on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart for five consecutive weeks and reached #3 on Billboard's Hot 100. It earned Midler her first Gold single and won the Grammy award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.

1981–89: Wind Beneath My Wings and Beaches

In 1981, Midler worked on the troubled project Jinxed!. It was a comedy, but during its production, she did not get along with her co-star (Ken Wahl) or the film's director (veteran Don Siegel). Released in 1982, the film was a major flop. Midler would appear in no other films till 1986, and during those four years, she concentrated on her music career. In 1983, she released the album No Frills, produced by Chuck Plotkin, best known for his work with Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. The album included three single releases: the ballad "All I Need To Know", a cover of Detroit native Marshall Crenshaw's "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" - which Midler fell in love with after flipping his 45 of "Someday Someway" - and Midler's take on the Rolling Stones cover "Beast of Burden". The rock and New Wave album went on to become Midler's third lowest charting album in the US, yet surprisingly went on to become her highest selling album to date in Continental Europe and Scandinavia, as well as West Germany.

In 1985, she was a performer on USA for Africa's fund-raising single "We Are the World," and participated at the 'Live Aid' event at JFK stadium in Philadelphia. Also in 1985, she signed a multi-picture deal with Touchstone Pictures. She was subsequently cast by director Paul Mazursky in Down and Out in Beverly Hills, beginning a successful comedic acting career. She followed that with Ruthless People (1986), Outrageous Fortune (1987), and Big Business (1988). She scored a hit with the 1988 tearjerker Beaches, co-starring Barbara Hershey. The accompanying soundtrack remains Bette's all-time biggest selling disc, reaching #2 on Billboard's album chart and with US sales of four million copies. It featured her biggest hit, "Wind Beneath My Wings", which went to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, achieved Platinum status, and won Midler her third Grammy Award - for Record of the Year - at the 1990 telecast.

1990–2000: Chart comeback

Midler lent her voice to the animated character Georgette, a snobbish poodle, in Disney's Oliver & Company (1988). In 1990, she co-starred with Woody Allen in Scenes from a Mall, again for Mazursky. Also in 1990, Bette's "From A Distance" was another chart-topping Platinum single for her. She earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for 1991's For the Boys, co-starring with James Caan and directed by Mark Rydell, who had also directed The Rose. For the latter, she was awarded another Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical). She reportedly turned down the lead role in 1992's Sister Act, which instead went to Whoopi Goldberg. In 1993, she also starred with Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in the movie, Hocus Pocus as Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson, the head witch of the Sanderson Sisters.

Other films include Stella (1990), The First Wives Club (1996), and The Stepford Wives (2004). Her television work includes an Emmy-nominated version of the stage musical and a guest appearance as herself in Fran Drescher's The Nanny. In 1997, Midler, along with her co-stars from The First Wives Club, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, was a recipient of the Women in Film Crystal Award which honors "outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry".

Midler won an Emmy Award in 1992 for her memorable performance on the next-to-last episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in May 1992; during which she sang an emotion-laden "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" to Johnny Carson. Another memorable event occurred that night, Midler began singing "Here's That Rainy Day", Carson's favorite song. Carson then joined a few lyrics later, and a piano soon after. She appeared on Seinfeld in the episode "The Understudy," which was the season finale of that show's sixth season in 1995.

Her 1997 HBO special Diva Las Vegas earned her a third Emmy Award, for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program.

In 1995 and 1999, she reached #1 on the US Dance Charts with remixes of her hits "To Deserve You" on Atlantic and "I'm Beautiful" on Warner Brothers Records.

2000–01

Midler has guest-starred in various sitcoms over the years, including The Simpsons in the episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled" (she is first seen traversing a highway picking up trash when she is approached by Bart and Lisa with a request for Midler to appear on a show to revive Krusty's dying career). She also appeared on The Nanny in the aptly titled episode "You Bette Your Life". In 2000, Midler starred in her own sitcom, Bette. Airing on CBS, initial ratings were high but soon declined and the show did not last a full season, being cancelled in early 2001. During the show's short lifespan, Bette's daughter (played by Lindsay Lohan in the pilot, then by Marina Malota starting with the third episode) and her husband were recast (Robert Hays succeeded Kevin Dunn in the final episode aired). The show was also reportedly rocked by backstage turmoil. Also in 2001, Bette or Bust, a book chronicling Midler's "Divine Miss Millennium Tour", was released.

Music

Midler has won four Grammy Awards. Her rendition of the 1990 "From a Distance" also earned a Grammy award (for the song's composer Julie Gold), and became her longest running #1 - six consecutive weeks - on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. It also reached #2 Pop and was another Platinum-selling single for Bette. When the American Film Institute announced "The 100 Years of the Greatest Songs" on June 22, 2004, two of Midler's recordings were selected by the board: "Wind Beneath My Wings" (#44) and "The Rose" (#83). However, after years of erratic record sales, Midler was dropped from the Warner Brothers label in 2001, after nearly three decades with Warner Music Group.

After a reported long-standing feud with Barry Manilow, the two joined forces for the first time in years in 2003 to record Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. Of the project, Manilow said he'd had a dream that he was recording with Midler again, so he called her up with the idea and she agreed that it was due time to work together again. Manilow duetted with Midler on the song "(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China", after a little dialogue between the two artists at the start of the track. Now signed to Columbia Records, the album was an instant success, being certified gold in only a few weeks. One of the Clooney Songbook selections, "This Ole House," became Midler's first Christian radio single shipped by Rick Hendrix and his positive music movement. The album was nominated for a Grammy the following year.

In 2003–04, Midler toured the U.S. in her new show, Kiss My Brass, to sell-out audiences. In early 2005, an Australian tour, Kiss My Brass Down Under, was equally successful. Midler joined forces again with Manilow for another tribute album, Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook. Released in October 2005, the album sold 55,000 copies the first week of release and returned Midler to the Top 10.

Recent work

In 2006, a new Christmas album Cool Yule was released by Midler featuring the title song (written by Steve Allen) and a duet with Johnny Mathis of "Winter Wonderland/Let It Snow". Midler next starred in the 2007 film Then She Found Me, directed by Helen Hunt and starring Hunt, Matthew Broderick and Colin Firth, and appeared on the American Idol season 6 finale, singing "Wind Beneath My Wings" live at the Kodak Theatre.

On December 6, 2007, Midler's album Cool Yule received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Midler has a Vegas show titled "Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On" at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The show comprised The Staggering Harlettes, twenty female dancers called The Caesar Salad Girls and a thirteen piece band. Midler was reportedly paid $120 million per year for her 200 shows.

A new "best of" album, , was released in 2008 and reached #66 on the U.S. charts, and #6 in the U.K., where it was certified Platinum.

In June 2009, Midler appeared on the Bravo TV show My Life on the D-List with Kathy Griffin.

December 2009 saw Midler appear on the British Royal Variety Performance in front of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. She performed "In My Life" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" as the closing act.

In 2010, Midler voiced the character Kitty Galore in the animated film . In November 2010, Midler also released another compilation of lesser known tracks from her back catalog, entitled Memories of You.

Midler is co-producer of the Broadway production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Charity work

In 1995, Midler founded the New York Restoration Project, a non-profit organization with the goal of revitalizing neglected neighborhood parks in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of New York City. These include Highbridge Park, Fort Washington Park, and Fort Tryon Park in upper Manhattan and Roberto Clemente State Park and Bridge Park in the Bronx.

In 1999, the city planned to auction 114 community gardens for commercial development. Midler led a coalition of greening organizations to save them. NYRP took ownership of 60 of the most neglected plots. Today Midler and her organization work with local volunteers and community groups to ensure that these gardens are kept safe, clean and vibrant. In 2003, Midler opened Swindler Cove Park, a new public park on the Harlem River shore featuring specially designed educational facilities and the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, the first community rowing facility to be built on the Harlem River in more than 100 years. The organization offers free in-school and after-school environmental education programming to students from high-poverty Title I schools.

Discography

1972: The Divine Miss M

1973: Bette Midler

1976: Songs for the New Depression

1977: Live at Last

1977: Broken Blossom

1979: Thighs and Whispers

1983: No Frills

1990: Some People's Lives

1995: Bette of Roses

1998: Bathhouse Betty

2000: Bette

2003: Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook

2005: Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook

2006: Cool Yule

2008:

Tours

1970-1972: Continental Baths

1972: Cross Country Tour

1973: The Divine Miss M Tour

1975: Clams on the Half Shell Revue

1975-1976: The Depression Tour

1977-1978: An Intimate Evening with Bette

1978: The Rose Live In Concert

1978: World Tour (Bette Midler)

1979-1980: Bette! Divine Madness

1980: Divine Madness - Pasadena

1982-1983: De Tour

1993: Experience the Divine

1994: Experience The Divine Again!

1997: Diva Las Vegas

1999: Bathhouse Betty Club Tour

1999-2000: The Divine Miss Millennium Tour

2003-2004: Kiss My Brass

2005: Kiss My Brass Down Under

2008-2010: The Showgirl Must Go On

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #F9F9F9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | 1966 | Hawaii | Passenger | uncredited |- |1969 | Goodbye, Columbus | Wedding Guest | uncredited, cut scene |- | 1972 | Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers | unknown | voice |- | 1974 | The Thorn (aka: The Divine Mr. J) | Virgin Mary | blocked distribution of film |- | 1979 | The Rose | Mary Rose Foster | Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or ComedyNominated — Academy Award for Best ActressNominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role |- | 1980 | Divine Madness | Herself/Divine Miss M. | concert filmNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |- | 1982 | Jinxed! | Bonita Friml | |- | rowspan="2" | 1986 | Down and Out in Beverly Hills | Barbara Whiteman | Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |- | Ruthless People | Barbara Stone |American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture |- | 1987 | Outrageous Fortune | Sandy Brozinsky | American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion PictureNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |- | rowspan="3" | 1988 | Beaches | C. C. Bloom | |- | Oliver & Company | Georgette | voice |- | Big Business | Sadie Shelton/Sadie Ratliff | American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture |- | 1989 | The Lottery | | Short film |- | 1990 | Stella | Stella Claire | |- | rowspan="2" | 1991 | For the Boys | Dixie Leonard | Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or ComedyNominated — Academy Award for Best Actress |- | Scenes from a Mall | Deborah Fifer | |- |rowspan="2" | 1993 | Gypsy | Mama Rose | TV movie Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TVNominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |- | Hocus Pocus | Winifred 'Winnie' Sanderson | Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress |- | 1995 | Get Shorty | Doris Saphron | uncreditedAmerican Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture |- | 1996 | The First Wives Club | Brenda Cushman | National Board of Review Award for Best CastNominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |- | 1997 | That Old Feeling | Lilly Leonard | |- | rowspan=2 | 1999 |Get Bruce | Herself | |- | Fantasia 2000 | Herself / Hostess | (segment "Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro, Opus 102") |- | rowspan="3" | 2000 | What Women Want | Dr. J.M. Perkins | uncredited |- | Isn't She Great | Jacqueline Susann | |- | Drowning Mona | Mona Dearly | |- | 2004 | The Stepford Wives | Bobbie Markowitz | |- | 2007 | Then She Found Me | Bernice Graves | |- | 2008 | The Women | Leah Miller | |- | 2010 | | Kitty Galore | |- | 2011 | Sweet Baby Jesus | Eleanor | |- |}

Television

{|class="wikitable" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #F9F9F9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | rowspan="2" | 1976 | Vegetable Soup | Woody the Spoon | voice |- | The Bette Midler Show | Herself | TV special |- | 1977 | Ol' Red Hair is Back | Herself | TV specialEmmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music SpecialNominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special |- | 1984 | Art Or Bust | Herself/Divine Miss M. | TV special |- | 1984 | Video Music Awards | Herself/co-host | Awards Show |- | 1989 | The Lottery | Music teacher | Created to demonstrate special effects; shown only at Disney-MGM Studios |- | 1990 | Earth Day Special | Mother Nature | |- | 1993 | The Simpsons | Herself | "Krusty Gets Kancelled" |- | 1995 | Seinfeld | Herself | "The Understudy" |- | rowspan="2" | 1997 | Diva Las Vegas | Herself/Divine Miss M. | TV specialEmmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music ProgramNominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Special |- | The Nanny | Herself | "You Bette Your Life" |- | 1999 | Jackie's Back | Herself | |- | 2000–2001 | Bette | Bette | 18 episodesNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy |- | 2008 | Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Performed Wind Beneath My Wings |- | rowspan="7" | 2009 | Loose Women | Herself | Guest Host |- | Dancing On Ice | Herself | Performed |- | Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Performed The Rose |- | "The One Show" | Herself | Guest |- | "The Royal Variety Performance" | Herself | Performed |- | The Marriage Ref | Herself | Guest |- | | Herself | Guest / toured Las Vegas nightlife w/Kathy |- | 2010 | The Showgirl Must Go On | Herself | HBO TV Special (December 31) |- | 2010 | Paul O'Grady's Christmas | Herself | Guest |}

See also

List of number-one hits (United States)

List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)

List of number-one dance hits (United States)

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

References

Further reading

"A View From A Broad" 1981

The Saga of Baby Divine (Crown Publishers, 1984), ISBN 978-0-517-55040-3

Bette: An Intimate Biography of Bette Midler by George Mair (Birch Lane Press, 1995), ISBN 1-55972-272-X

External links

Official Website

Bette on the Boards

Bette Midler at TVGuide.com

Las Vegas Sun">Bette Midler bio, photos, stories and blogs in the Las Vegas Sun

Bette Midler on Muppet Wiki

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