Bette Midler accepts 2026 Woody Guthrie Prize in Tulsa with protest song performance
Bette Midler accepted the 2026 Woody Guthrie Prize at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Oct. 16. She sang her updated version of Woody Guthrie's "All You Fascists (Bound to Lose)" as part of the acceptance, according to Billboard.
She sang it live. Midler wore a T-shirt embossed with the song title for the performance.
Music journalist Rona Elliot interviewed Midler onstage before the prize presentation. Country artist Bryan Andrews also performed at the event and led the audience in a sing-along of "This Land Is Your Land."
Midler released her version of "All You Fascists (Bound to Lose)" on YouTube in April. She wrote the derivative with Eric Kornfeld, building on Guthrie's protest song.
Midler executive-produced the video for her version. It was directed by Toni Basil and Seanne Farmer and featured cameos by Barbara Hershey and David Hyde Pierce.
The evening was organised as a fundraiser. Proceeds support the Woody Guthrie Center's educational programmes, public concerts and exhibitions.
The Woody Guthrie Center had named Midler as the 2026 recipient in August, citing her work as an entertainer, humanitarian and activist, according to the Woody Guthrie Center. The prize honours artists whose work carries Guthrie's spirit of social awareness.
For fans unfamiliar with the award, it is not tied to record sales or chart positions. It recognises creative work linked to social causes, which explains the mix of interview, performance and sing-along on the night.
