Divine Miss M Honored: Bette Midler Accepts Woody Guthrie Prize with Stirring Protest Performance!

Renowned entertainer Bette Midler was honored with the prestigious 2026 Woody Guthrie Prize at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Friday, October 16. During her acceptance, Midler performed an updated rendition of Woody Guthrie’s iconic 1940s protest song, “All You Fascists (Bound to Lose),” making her message unequivocally clear by wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the song’s title. She emphasized that justice doesn’t always originate from legal institutions, stating, “Sometimes the law is late, overdressed, and on the wrong side. Justice comes from a beat-up guitar instead…”

Midler further elaborated on her motivation for revising Guthrie’s classic, explaining, “when I wanted to say something about what I was seeing going on today, I took his [Woody’s] song, and I put new words in its mouth, because the old fights came back in new suits. They always do.” She characterized her updated song as her “small contribution to the Resistance,” acknowledging the challenging current times: “We’re having a knife fight in a phone booth. These are hard and terrible times. A war is being waged against us, and we are all being drafted. Whether the letter arrives or not. Thank you for noticing that I showed up for duty.”

Her spirited version of “All You Fascists (Bound to Lose)” was initially released on YouTube in April, accompanied by a message encouraging others to sing it during marches. Midler collaborated with Eric Kornfeld on the lyrics, and the video was executive produced by Midler herself, directed by Toni Basil and Seanne Farmer. It featured notable celebrity cameos, including Barbara Hershey, her co-star from "Beaches," and David Hyde Pierce, her co-star from the Broadway revival of "Hello, Dolly!"

The significance of Midler’s contribution was highlighted by Anna Canoni, Woody Guthrie’s granddaughter, who remarked that Midler “woke up our neighborhood this year with her powerful rendition… She brought Woody back to the fight, back to the protest, the rallies, the ongoing struggle for democracy, and humanity.” Cady Shaw, senior director of the Woody Guthrie Center, which hosts the annual award, praised Midler for understanding that “we all have a responsibility to leave this world a little better than we found it,” embodying the spirit of the Woody Guthrie Prize, which celebrates artists who use their platform for social justice and action.

The event, which served as a fundraiser for the center’s educational programs, public concerts, and exhibitions, also included an onstage interview with Midler by music journalist Rona Elliot. A silent auction featured a signed ukulele from Midler’s personal collection, along with other archival items, a signed lithograph by Bob Dylan, rare prints of Dylan and related artists, a premium ticket package from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and tickets to Garth Brooks’ upcoming Tulsa shows. Rising country artist Bryan Andrews performed original songs and led an audience sing-along of Guthrie’s most famous song, “This Land Is Your Land.”

The Woody Guthrie Prize aims to recognize artists whose work reflects Guthrie’s enduring belief in music as a powerful force for social justice and change. Woody Guthrie, a legendary figure in American folk music, passed away in 1967 at the age of 55. Bette Midler, at 80 years old, boasts an illustrious career marked by three Grammys, three Primetime Emmys, and a Tony Award, alongside two Oscar nominations. Her potential receipt of the Kennedy Center Honors has reportedly been impacted by political considerations, with former President Trump citing a preference against “too woke” potential honorees.

The esteemed roster of past Woody Guthrie Prize recipients further underscores the award's significance: Bette Midler (2026), U2 (2025), Tom Morello (2024), Pussy Riot (2023), Bruce Springsteen (2021), Joan Baez (2020), Chuck D (2019), John Mellencamp (2018), Norman Lear (2017), Kris Kristofferson (2016), Mavis Staples (2015), and Pete Seeger (2014). Notably, no award was given in 2022.