Bootleg Betty
Video: Bette Midler & Wynonna Duet on The Rose, 1997
By Mister D
Jan. 27, 2026
Key Details
- Date/Context: The duet is most commonly dated to 1997 in fan uploads and shares (e.g., YouTube videos titled “LIVE 1997”). However, several sources reference it as originating from Wynonna Judd’s 1996 television special, Revelations (or a similar Wynonna showcase/special). It appears the performance aired or was recorded around 1996–1997, with clips circulating widely in 1997-era fan communities.
- Performance: It’s a full live duet, often followed by a short improvised intermezzo between the two, and sometimes paired with Bette performing her solo song “In This Life” afterward.
Trivia & Fun Facts
- This collaboration highlights a rare crossover between pop/theatrical (Bette) and country (Wynonna) worlds — something not super common in the ’90s.
- A 2015 article from SF Weekly called it “the gayest of all possible versions of ‘The Rose‘” in a fun, tongue-in-cheek “earworm” piece, noting the “double divas” energy and its appeal in LGBTQ+ circles (fitting, given Bette’s long-standing status as an icon in that community).
- No major awards or official releases seem tied to this specific duet — it lives on primarily through fan-preserved live footage rather than a studio recording.
- Viewer reactions over the years remain glowing: comments from recent years still call it “magnificent,” “powerful,” and “the best duet ever,” even decades later.
