Bootleg Betty
Video – Bette Midler Sings I’ll Be Seeing You For Virtual AIDS Walk 2020 (History Included)
By Mister D
June 4, 2026
Bette Midler performed a moving rendition of the standard “I’ll Be Seeing You” (often associated with Irving Berlin or the 1938 song by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal) during the virtual “AIDS Walk: Live at Home” fundraiser on Sunday, July 19, 2020.
This wasn’t tied directly to “National AIDS Day” (which usually refers to World AIDS Day on December 1), but the performance has been widely shared and reposted in connection with AIDS awareness and memorials, including around World AIDS Day.
Context of the Event
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the traditional in-person AIDS Walks (notably in New York and San Francisco) to go virtual.
“AIDS Walk: Live at Home” was a star-studded 90-minute livestream benefiting GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) in New York and the Positive Resource Center (PRC) in San Francisco.
It was hosted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and featured appearances and performances by Bette Midler, Gloria Estefan, Matt Bomer, Anne Hathaway, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty, Shoshana Bean, and others.
Bette’s contribution stood out as especially poignant. She sang from home (likely her living room or a simple setup), delivering an emotional, heartfelt version that evoked loss, remembrance, and resilience—themes central to the AIDS crisis.
“I’ll Be Seeing You” is a classic ballad about longing and memory, often interpreted in the context of loss. For Bette, a longtime AIDS advocate who performed at many benefits since the epidemic’s early days, it served as a tribute to those lost and a message of enduring connection.
This performance reflects Bette Midler’s decades-long commitment to HIV/AIDS causes, from her early bathhouse days and 1990s benefits to ongoing advocacy. It’s a touching, intimate moment from a challenging year.
Sources: Bootleg Betty, Variety, YouTube
