Bette Midler On When She Knew She’d Be A Singer: “I was going out with a guy who really loved music. He used to play things for me, things I had never heard before. He turned me on to “Unforgetable,” one of Aretha Franklin’s earliest albums ”“ a sort of tribute to Dinah Washington. When I listened to it, she was talking right to me. That’s the essence of art, yunno ”“ when someone can communicate like that. It affects you. You may forget the details, but you don’t forget the essence. Anyway, I was over at Ben’s house one night listening to that album and I was ripped ”“ rippedripped! Really stoned. I started singing at the top of my lungs. Finally, at the end of the evening, I said, ”˜I’m going to be a singer.’ (Modern Hi-Fi & Stereo Guide, June 1973)
