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Tuesday December 23rd, 2003

Baldwin piano goes on tour with Bette Midler

A MIDI-equipped Baldwin SF10 Artist Grand is part of Bette Midler's current Kiss My Brass Tour. The tour kicked off December 10 in Chicago and will continue through February, hitting the top 40 American cities. Bette Sussman, musical director, has been playing and rehearsing with a Baldwin since September. This is Midler's first tour in four years.

The Divine Miss M is showcasing songs from her latest album, Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. Clooney died last year from lung cancer, and this is Midler's tribute to one of her idols.

"I have loved Rosemary Clooney for as long as I can remember," Midler wrote in the album's liner notes. "She possessed one of the great American voices of the last century - full of warmth, sincerity and truth. Her intonation was impeccable, she never sang a false note, she radiated intelligence and good humor, and boy, could she swing!"

For the album, four-time Grammy winner Midler reunited with original piano accompanist and musical director Barry Manilow, who produced her first two albums Divine Ms. M and Bette Midler.