"Wind Beneath My Wings" is a number-one single by Bette Midler from the soundtrack of the movie Beaches. Written by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar,^[1] it has also been recorded by Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, Willie Nelson and many more. The song has also been covered by the power metal band Sonata Arctica. Also was performed on Season Five of the hit Fox television show American Idol by contestant Paris Bennett, who was criticized for picking the song, as judge Simon Cowell said, "sounding too old for your age." Bette Midler, on the cover of her 1973 album of the same name This is about the performer also called The Divine Miss M; for her eponymous albums, see her list of albums. ... Beaches is a 1988 movie adapted by Mary Agnes Donoghue from the novel Beaches by Iris Rainer Dart. ... Lee Greenwood Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942 in South Gate, California) is an American country music singer songwriter. ... Gary Morris (born December 7, 1948) is an American country music singer. ... Willie Nelson William Hugh Willie Nelson (born April 30, 1933) is an American entertainer and songwriter, and originally from Abbott, Texas. ... Power metal is a style of heavy metal music with the aim of evoking an epic feel, often within a fantastic or (less often) symphonic context. ... Sonata Arctica is a Finnish Power Metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1996. ... American Idol, formerly known as American Idol: The Search for a Superstar, is an American television show. ... Paris Bennett Paris Giselle Bennett (born August 21, 1988) is an American singer, best known for being a finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, where she finished in fifth place. ...

It is often erroneously stated that the song was written for Midler; in reality, she was far from the first to record it. Gladys Knight recorded the original version of the song, and Sheena Easton had a minor hit with a 1982 recording. The cover to Gladys Knights 2001 album At Last. ... Sheena Easton on the cover of her 2000 CD, Fabulous. ...

In a recent UK poll, "Wind Beneath My Wings" was found to be the most played song at British funerals.^[2]

The song was chosen as one of the Songs of the Century by the RIAA. The Songs of the Century list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. ...

Michael Damian (born Michael Damian Weir on April 26, 1962 in San Diego, California) is an American singer and actor, most famous for his role as Danny Romalotti on The Young and the Restless. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... This is a list of number-one hits in the United States by year from the Billboard Hot 100. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ill Be Loving You (Forever) is a 1989 hit love song for New Kid on the Block. ... New Kids On The Block (later NKOTB) was a successful boy band of the late 1980s and early 1990s. ...

References

1. ^ RISA Song Lyrics Archive
2. ^ BBC News article about Most Played Songs at funerals