Bootleg Betty
Audio: Bette Midler Sings Is That All There Is At The Jazz Center
By Mister D
Jan. 15, 2026
SEPTEMBER 17: Bette Midler performs “Is That All There Is?” at the Jazz At Lincoln Centers Concert For Hurricane Relief at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center on September 17, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images)
Bette Midler delivered a memorable rendition of the classic “Is That All There Is?” (the iconic Peggy Lee hit from 1969, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) in a live performance with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (now known as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra).
This jazz-infused version was recorded during a Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert and released in 2005 on the album Higher Ground – Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert. It’s a standout track that showcases Midler’s dramatic, emotive vocal style paired with the orchestra’s sophisticated big-band arrangement, giving the existential, cabaret-style song a fresh, swinging energy.
The live recording captures that signature Midler flair—introspective, theatrical, and deeply felt—while honoring Peggy Lee’s original spirit.
