Marc Shaiman Talks Iconic TONIGHT SHOW Moments, Bette Midler, Theatre Roots & More

A music master reflects on some career highlights!

Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist Marc Shaiman looks back at some of his most iconic appearances on THE TONIGHT SHOW as well as touches upon his famous ongoing collaboration with Broadway and Hollywood superstar Bette Midler as part of a wide-ranging new podcast.

Of note, Shaiman appeared on Mark Malkoff's THE CARSON PODCAST earlier this week.

In the interview, Shaiman analyzes the legendary penultimate episode of THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNY CARSON on which he appeared with Bette Midler and created special arrangements and accompanied her live on the show.

Looking back on his early life, Shaiman says, "I started doing community theater at a young age playing the piano. I auditioned to play THE SOUND OF MUSIC... none of the schools in my hometown put on musicals, but these two great ladies who lived in my town who had been in show business took it upon themselves - and, so God bless them. That totally changed my life - starting to be around community theatre people and learning how to arrange and orchestrate music... I learned so much from that"

"Then, somebody gave me some Bette Midler records - her first two records had come out... my mind was blown," Shaiman reveals.

Additionally, Shaiman offers of his first impression of Midler, "Her records just completely captivated me - I just wanted to be inside those records and learn the music that inspired her. I just became absolutely obsessed with her."

As for the famous TONIGHT SHOW appearance with Midler and his rewrites to Johnny Mercer's "One For My Baby", Shaiman asserts, "We found the right key and I was like, 'Yes, you will! Yes, you will! Don't worry'... I think I would have dragged her over to the piano that night I was so confidant that it was the right idea."

Shaiman continues, "Yeah, that's very ballsy to rewrite Johnny Mercer, but we did it in only one little spot... 'For all of the years / For the laughter, the tears / For the class that you showed,' which I was proud of that rhyme... and how perfect it was - because that's what he was. That's what is completely gone from show business and the world - the class that he had."

Marc Shaiman won a Tony Award for his score for HAIRSPRAY in addition to composing the scores for Broadway's CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, MARTIN SHORT: FAME BECOMES ME and the West End's CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY in addition to original songs for SMASH, SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER & UNCUT and numerous film scores ranging from A FEW GOOD MEN to MISERY to THE BUCKET LIST and beyond.

Listen to THE CARSON PODCAST featuring Marc Shaiman here or below.