When Bette Midler turned 70 last week, a special guest showed up at her party to serenade her. His name was Jake Shimabukuro, a fellow Hawaiian who is as demure as Bette is fabulous, and a ukulele virtuoso.
I want to thank Jake Shimabukuro for making my birthday so special. He showed up to serenade me in Honolulu and I nearly died. Thanks, bra!
Posted by Bette Midler on Sunday, December 6, 2015
This reminded us of one of the most beautiful performances we have ever seen Ms Midler perform – at the 2009 Royal Variety Performance. Bette asked Shimabukuro to join her on stage for this delicate and, yes, divine, version of the Beatles classic In My Life. She had heard his arrangement of the song and knew instantly that she wanted to sing it with him.
The ukulele player says it remains one of the favourite concerts he has ever performed, and you’ll see why.
He said, “Singing with Bette Midler was the duet of my life. She’s one of my all-time favourite singers and just standing with her and playing the ukulele, I was in heaven. Not to mention that we were in front of the Queen!”
The show was watched by 9 million people on the night, see Bette Midler and Jake Shimabukuro’s performance here; you wont’ forget it!
Want more? See Shimabukuro’s version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps that made him a worldwide internet sensation in 2006 here.