Bette Midler's JACKPOT -- THE BEST BETTE in Stores Tuesday Plus Bette Responds to Madonna

By: Sep. 24, 2008
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As Bette Midler continues to charm Sin City with her ongoing concert show at Caesars Palace, The Showgirl Must Go On, Rhino pays tribute to the Divine Miss M with a career-spanning collection of her biggest hits and an unreleased demo. JACKPOT -- THE BEST BETTE will be available on September 23 from Rhino Records at all physical and digital outlets.

Midler also has posted a new video to YouTube, in response to Madonna's vacuuming video message to her fans on YouTube.

JACKPOT -- THE BEST BETTE is a 19-song retrospective that paints a vibrant portrait of Midler's uncanny ability to inhabit any style of music and make it her own. Taken from nine studio albums, this eclectic selection touches on girl group ("Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"), Top 40 ("Friends"), soul ("When A Man Loves A Woman"), standards ("This Ole House"), holiday ("Cool Yule") and rock ("Beast Of Burden").

JACKPOT also spotlights two of Midler's most important musical milestones. The first is "Wind Beneath My Wings," her first #1 hit and winner of the 1989 Grammy Award for Record of the Year. The second is "From A Distance," winner of the 1990 Grammy for Song of the Year and a #2 hit for Midler from her platinum-certified album Some People's Lives.

Alongside the familiar melodies on JACKPOT is "Something Your Heart Has Been Telling Me," an unreleased demo Midler recorded in the summer of

1984 with renowned songwriters Robert Kraft and Barry Reynolds. Kraft recalls cutting the track at Atlantic Studios: "I always thought there was some magic in those sessions, because the songs seemed to acquire a haunting, almost bittersweet quality as we laid down the tracks. Roberta Flack recorded this song several years later, but I have always been a fan of Bette's original vocal on this version."

JACKPOT: The Best Bette
Reviewed by BroadwayWorld.com's Naomi Plume
BETTE MIDER
Rhino

 4 discs (out of 5)

Bette Midler and her new stage extravaganza, THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON, are sharing the next two calendar years with CHER and Elton John, at the The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  Currently only available in the gift shop, at the venue, is this new compilation, with art from the advertising campaign and some nice liner notes by Jay Landers.  I have only ONE complaint (and the reason for a one-disc demerit) .... Why didn't they just wait and record this show ... or KISS MY BRASS!, one of the best tour concerts she ever gave?  We want NEW Bette ... not just more "vintage" Bette.  In some cases ... she sings some of the songs she's known for - even better today.....LIVE!  Okay, enough about that.  With a generous 19 cuts, the stuff that's here is all good - particularly happy about "The Glory of Love" and the previously unreleased "Something Your Heart Has Been."  However ... in a compilation of HITS ... I doubt that anyone was clamoring for "This Ole House" or that she's performing it in the show in Vegas (from the Rosemary Clooney tribute album).  We LOVE Bette Midler!  Can we have a new LIVE album, please ????  Just asking. 

For more information on Bette Midler, click here

For more information on Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On in Las Vegas, click here

To purchase JACKPOT -- THE BEST BETTE, click here

Also, visit BootLeg Betty, Midler's #1 Fan Site, click here



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