Bette Midler to 1969, she played the role of Tzeitel in "Fiddler on the Roof" on Broadway. After "Fiddler", she joined the original cast of "Salvation" in 1969. She began singing in the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse in the Ansonia Hotel, in the summer of 1970. During this time, she became close to her piano accompanist, Barry Manilow, who produced her first album in 1972, "The Divine Miss M." It was during her time at the Continental Baths that she built up a core following. In the late 1990s, during the release of her album "Bathhouse Betty", Midler commented on her
Old Cape Cod being issued as a single. Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded "Old Cape Cod" for his 1968 album release, "Tennessee Ernie Ford's World of Pop and Country Hits". That same year, Dottie West recorded "Old Cape Cod" for her album "Feminine Fancy", which mostly consisted of remakes of signature songs of well-known female singers, and also featured West's take on Patti Page's career record "Tennessee Waltz". Bette Midler recorded "Old Cape Cod" for release on her 1972 debut album "The Divine Miss M" although the track – produced by Midler with Joel Dorn – was debuted in 1976 on "Songs for the