The world first knew her as the Divine Miss M, playing New York City bathhouses with pianist Barry Manilow and becoming one of Johnny Carson's favorite guests. Yet she soon grew beyond the campy image with a string of major movie roles, beginning with 1979's The Rose and its hit title track. An even bigger ballad, “From a Distance,” would become a signature song in 1990. She's conquered both Vegas and Broadway and recorded everything from soft rock to country to girl-group oldies. But kitschy or sincere, she's always returned to the pop standards that first brought her fame.