BOSTON (AP) — For most artists, getting a Grammy Award nomination is a welcome piece of news. Not for Bette Midler, not this year.
In a twist of fate, her CD Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook is up against an actual Clooney album, The Last Concert. The other category nominees are Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett and k.d. lang.
“I’m mortified. I’d really like Rosemary to win that Grammy. I can’t believe I’m up against her,” Midler tells the Boston Globe in Sunday editions. “I’m going to look into withdrawing. I just think it’s bad form if I won. You know, she never won a Grammy.”
According to Grammy historian Craig Bechtloff, it’s “probably unprecedented” to have a tribute album and an album by the actual artist in the same category.
Clooney, who was nominated for eight Grammys, died June 29 at age 74 from lung cancer complications.
The Grammy Awards will be handed out on Feb. 8.
