Singer Bette Midler named 2026 recipient of the Woody Guthrie Prize

Bette Midler, the pop and stage veteran, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Woody Guthrie Prize, which the Woody Guthrie Center will present October 16 at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, alongside remarks from Guthrie family members, a conversation between Midler and journalist Rona Elliot, and a solo acoustic set from country singer-songwriter Bryan Andrews.

The prize, established in 2014, recognizes artists who use music and art to push for social change in Guthrie's tradition; past recipients include Pete Seeger, Mavis Staples, Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, Pussy Riot, Tom Morello and, most recently, U2. "I am so honored to have been chosen to receive the Woody Guthrie Prize this year," Midler said, calling Guthrie "one of the greatest Americans we were ever lucky enough to have among us to light the way."

Midler named "I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore" as her favorite Guthrie song, describing it as a portrait of "the migrant and the outcast" that refuses to ask for pity; she has also recently re-recorded Guthrie's "All You Fascists Bound to Lose." Guthrie's daughter, Nora Guthrie, praised Midler for directing her talents toward people who are "historically unseen or ignored," saying, "What I love about Bette Midler is that she is one of the rare artists that bring joy, laughter and love to the Good Fight!"

Midler's activism spans decades beyond music: she has long championed environmental conservation, public health, LGBTQ+ rights and humanitarian causes, and in 1995 founded the New York Restoration Project, which preserves community gardens and green spaces across New York City.

Midler has won four Grammys, three Emmys and two Tonys, received two Oscar nominations, and was inducted into the Kennedy Center Honors in 2021; her albums have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. The 2026 ceremony is also the Woody Guthrie Center's largest annual fundraiser, with member ticket sales opening August 28.