Barry Manilow

About Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter with an impressive career spanning over seven decades. His discography is filled with chart-topping hits, including beloved songs like "Could It Be Magic," "Looks Like We Made It," "Mandy," "I Write the Songs," "Can't Smile Without You," and "Copacabana (At the Copa)." With 51 Top 40 singles on the Adult Contemporary Chart, he has achieved remarkable success. He has reached number one on the chart with 13 of his songs, while 28 others landed in the top ten and 36 made it to the top twenty. His albums have garnered 13 platinum certifications and six multi-platinum certifications, highlighting his immense popularity among music lovers. Despite mixed reviews from music critics, Barry has received high praise from fellow artists in the recording industry. Even the legendary Frank Sinatra once declared, "He's next," recognizing Manilow's talent and potential. In addition to his solo career, Manilow has produced and arranged albums for other notable artists, and he has also composed and performed songs for musicals, films, and commercials for major brands like McDonald's, Pepsi-Cola, and Band-Aid. His contributions to music have not gone unnoticed, as he has received numerous Grammy Award nominations in various categories throughout his career. He has won the prestigious award once and has been recognized as a producer, arranger, and performer. His global record sales have exceeded 85 million, solidifying his status as one of the world's best-selling artists. Barry Manilow's enduring impact and timeless music continue to captivate audiences worldwide.

Barry Manilow Early Life & Family

Barry Manilow, born as Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, is a renowned American singer-songwriter. At the age of 79 as of 2022, he is the son of Edna Manilow and Harold Kelliher, with a mixed American-Irish heritage. Barry's parents divorced when he was a baby, and he was raised by his mother's Jewish family, without contact with his father. He has Russian Jewish and Irish roots, with his Irish ancestry tracing back to Limerick, Ireland. Barry's stepfather is Willie Murphy, a former truck driver. His zodiac sign falls under Gemini and his religion is Judaism. 

Barry grew up in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, graduating from Eastern District High School in 1961. While in high school, he met and married Susan Deixler, although their marriage was short-lived. Barry enrolled in City College of New York before studying musical theater at Juilliard Performing Arts School. Even during his early years, Barry showed a passion for music. He began playing the accordion at the age of 7, taking lessons and practicing on his neighbor's piano. He also participated in his high school's orchestra class, which greatly influenced his musical development. As a college student, Barry worked in the mailroom at CBS to support himself financially. He eventually became the musical director for a CBS show called "Callback." Barry's journey as a musician started early and laid the foundation for his successful career in the music industry.

Barry Manilow Career

Music Career

• In 1964, Barry Manilow met Bro Herrod, a CBS director, who initially asked him to arrange songs for a musical adaptation of "The Drunkard" but instead, Manilow composed an entire original score.
• Herrod utilized Manilow's composition in the Off-Broadway musical, which enjoyed a successful eight-year run at New York's 13th Street Theatre. 
• During this time, Manilow worked as a pianist, producer, and arranger, earning money and gaining experience. 
• He also ventured into the world of commercial jingle writing and singing, creating memorable tunes for various brands such as State Farm Insurance, Band-Aid, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pepsi, McDonald's, and Dr Pepper. 
• Manilow's talent in the jingle industry was recognized when he received an Honorary Clio Award in 2009. 
• In the late 1960s, he served as the musical director for the WCBS-TV series "Callback" and later worked with Ed Sullivan's production company, arranging a new theme for The Late Show. 
• He also performed alongside Jeanne Lucas as a duo at Julius Monk's Upstairs at the Downstairs Club in New York. 
• In 1969, Manilow signed with Columbia/CBS Music and the newly acquired Bell Records label, collaborating with Tony Orlando under the name "Featherbed." 
• He released several tracks under the name Featherbed, including "Morning," "Amy," and an early version of his own composition, "Could It Be Magic." Bette Midler noticed Manilow's talent and hired him as her pianist and producer for her debut and second albums. 
• In 1973, Manilow was nominated for a Grammy Award for his production work on Midler's album. Despite the initial lack of success with his own singles, Manilow's self-titled album, released in 1973, featured a mix of piano-driven pop and guitar-driven rock, including the song "I Am Your Child." 
• In 1974, Clive Davis became president of Bell Records and released Manilow's second album, "Barry Manilow II," which included the hit single "Mandy." This marked the beginning of a string of successful albums and singles for Manilow throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. 
• His albums "Tryin' to Get the Feeling", "This One's for You", "Even Now", and "One Voice" achieved multi-platinum status. 
• Manilow's association with Dick Clark resulted in collaborations on various projects, including appearances on "American Bandstand" and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve". 
• While Manilow was known for his songwriting, many of his commercial successes were songs written by others, including "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again," "Weekend in New England," and "Looks Like We Made It." 
• Manilow's breakthrough in the UK came with the release of "Even Now", followed by the successful compilation album "Manilow Magic - The Best Of Barry Manilow". 
• He also produced and starred in several variety television specials, earning Emmy nominations and awards.
• In the 1970s, Barry Manilow's success continued with his song "Ready to Take a Chance Again" featured in the film Foul Play, alongside his hit "Copacabana." The former was nominated for an Oscar for "Best Original Song." 
• His sold-out concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles aired on HBO's Standing Room Only, the first pay-television show to challenge network primetime specials. A one-hour special of his Royal Albert Hall concert also aired in the UK. 
• In 1979, his third TV special, featuring John Denver, earned Emmy nominations and won for "Outstanding Achievement in Choreography." 
• Additionally, Manilow produced Dionne Warwick's platinum-selling comeback album Dionne. 
• The 1980s brought more success, with Manilow's songs like "The Old Songs" and "Read 'Em and Weep" topping the Adult Contemporary radio charts. 
• He performed sold-out concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and set a box-office sales record at Radio City Music Hall. Manilow's One Voice special, featuring Dionne Warwick, was nominated for an Emmy in 1980.
• He released his self-titled album "Barry" that year, which became his first album to miss the top ten in the US, reaching number 15. The album featured the hit songs "I Made It Through the Rain" and "Bermuda Triangle." 
• The following year, his album "If I Should Love Again" produced two number one hits on the Adult Contemporary chart, "The Old Songs" and "Somewhere Down the Road," as well as a successful cover of The Four Seasons' "Let's Hang On" in the UK. 
• In 1983, Manilow performed a landmark concert at Blenheim Palace in Britain, and he endowed the music departments at several universities in the US and Canada. 
• He released the jazz/blues album "2:00 AM Paradise Cafe" in 1984 and acted in the CBS film "Copacabana," based on his hit song. 
• Manilow lobbied against a copyright bill and published his autobiography, "Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise." 
• He returned to Arista Records in 1987 with the album "Swing Street," and his special "Big Fun on Swing Street" won an Emmy. 
• Manilow performed at the AIDS benefit concert '88 and contributed a song to the animated film "Oliver & Company." 
• In 1989, he released the album "Barry Manilow" and embarked on a successful show at the Gershwin Theatre, which was later released as a video titled "Barry Manilow Live On Broadway."
• During the 1990s, he released a series of albums featuring cover songs, starting with "Barry Manilow" in 1989 and continuing with the Christmas album "Because It's Christmas" in 1990. 
• He collaborated with pop girl trio Exposé on a recreation of Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters' "Jingle Bells." 
• Manilow's albums during this decade included "Showstoppers," a collection of Broadway songs, "Singin' with the Big Bands," and "Summer of '78," which featured the hit "I Go Crazy." 
• He also released a tribute album to Frank Sinatra titled "Manilow Sings Sinatra" in 1998. 
• He composed songs for animated films like "Thumbelina" and "The Pebble and the Penguin" in partnership with Don Bluth. 
• In 1991, he produced jazz vocalist Nancy Wilson's album "With My Lover Beside Me" featuring lyrics by Johnny Mercer. 
• Manilow testified in support of The Audio Home Recording Act of 1991 and appeared in televised specials such as "Barry Manilow: The Best of Me" and "Barry Manilow: Live By Request." 
• In 1999, NBC aired the special "StarSkates Salute to Barry Manilow" featuring figure skaters performing to his music.
• In 2000, he had two specials filmed at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville. 
• The first special, Manilow Country, aired on The Nashville Network (TNN) and featured country stars putting a "country" twist on Manilow's hits, with performances by Trisha Yearwood, Neal McCoy, Deana Carter, and more. It became one of TNN's highest-rated concert specials. 
• The second special, Manilow Live!, was broadcast on DirectTV and documented a concert tour with Manilow's band, a 30-piece orchestra, and a choir. 
• During this time, Manilow also collaborated with Monica Mancini on an album featuring songs with lyrics by Johnny Mercer set to Manilow's music. 
• He later signed with Concord Records and released the concept album Here at the Mayflower. 
• In 2002, Manilow returned to the charts with the release of a greatest hits album, and in 2003, he worked with Bette Midler on two collaborative albums. 
• He began a long-term residency at the Las Vegas Hilton in 2005, and in 2006, he released successful tribute albums to the 1950s and 1960s. 
• Manilow continued to perform live, release albums, and make television appearances throughout the 2000s. His residency at the Hilton concluded in 2009 after 300 performances.
• In 2010, he released the album "The Greatest Love Songs of All Time," which received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. 
• He also debuted his new show "Manilow Paris Las Vegas" at the Paris Hotel & Casino in March. 
• Later that year, Manilow performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway. 
• In 2011, he completed his album "15 Minutes," which was influenced by Britney Spears and explored the fame and its pitfalls. The album debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200 chart. 
• He continued to record live performances and appeared in various events and shows, including hosting the documentary series "They Write the Songs" for BBC Radio 2. 
• He concluded his residency at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas in 2012 and returned to Broadway with the concert series "Manilow on Broadway" in 2013. 
• He released albums such as "Night Songs" and "My Dream Duets" in subsequent years, receiving Grammy nominations. 
• He embarked on the "One Last Time!" tour in 2015, visiting major North American venues. 
• Billboard recognized Manilow's consistent chart success since 2002, and in 2019, it was announced that his musical "Harmony" would make its debut in New York but was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In February 2020, he released "Night Songs II," which debuted at No. 32 on the Billboard 200, extending his streak of top 40-charting albums to six consecutive decades. 
• In April of the same year, he achieved his 36th top-20 hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart with "When the Good Times Come Again," a song originally recorded in 1989. The song gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic after a fan-made lyric video caught Manilow's attention and was shared on his Facebook page. As a result, the song was sent to radio stations for airplay. 
• In August 2020, Manilow sold his song catalog to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. 
• In 2021, he commenced his residency show titled "The Hits Come Home" at the Westgate Hotel in Las Vegas.

TV Career

• Barry Manilow made several notable television appearances throughout his career. He first appeared on The Tonight Show on November 17, 1972, and then again on September 12, 1973, both times alongside Bette Midler. 
• Another significant appearance was on The Dick Cavett Show on September 19, 1974, where he shared the stage with Bette Davis.
• On November 7, 1979, Manilow attended the premiere of the film "The Rose," starring Bette Midler, accompanied by his long-time friend Linda Allen. 
• He also appeared on Donny & Marie on October 23, 1977, and headlined several ABC specials, including "The Barry Manilow Special" on March 2, 1977, "The Second Barry Manilow Special" on February 24, 1978, and "The Third Barry Manilow Special" on May 23, 1979. 
• He continued with "Barry Manilow: One Voice" on May 19, 1980. In 1982, Manilow participated in the special "Goldie & Kids" hosted by Goldie Hawn, where he acted in skits and performed songs like "One Voice," "Sunday Father," and "I Am Your Child." 
• He returned to The Tonight Show on November 29, 1985, to sing his new hit "In Search of Love." Additionally, in 1985, he wrote and starred in the television movie "Copacabana," inspired by his popular song of the same name from 1978. 
• On September 17, 1987, he appeared in the CBS special "We The People 200: The Constitutional Gala," debuting his song "Let Freedom Ring." Manilow continued his television presence with "Barry Manilow: Big Fun on Swing Street" on March 7, 1988, and made multiple appearances as a guest on The Arsenio Hall Show, beginning on May 17, 1989, and recurring over the next five years.
• He made numerous guest appearances on television throughout his career. On May 17, 1993, he appeared on the CBS show Murphy Brown, where he sang a heartfelt version of his song "I Am Your Child" to win over the character played by Candice Bergen, who had previously expressed disdain for his music. 
• Later that year, he performed his new single "You'll Never Walk Alone" with Cilla Black on Surprise! Surprise! in England. 
• In 2001, he made a cameo appearance on Ally McBeal, playing both a hallucination of the main character and himself on stage. 
• He also had a cameo in the 2002 dark comedy Unconditional Love, starring Kathy Bates and Rupert Everett, where his song "Can't Smile Without You" played a role in the plot. 
• He appeared as himself in a 2003 episode of Will & Grace titled "Fanilow." In 2004, he served as a guest judge on American Idol and appeared on the NBC special A Clay Aiken Christmas. 
• He returned to American Idol in 2006 and also made appearances on Logo's reality show Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. 
• Manilow was a guest and theme for the week on The X Factor (UK) in 2006 and performed at the 2006 Royal Variety Performance. 
• He appeared multiple times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and guest-starred on Family Guy in 2008. Manilow also appeared on The Graham Norton Show, Strictly Come Dancing, and narrated and composed music for the Ocean Spray Christmas special Cranberry Christmas.
• On September 11, 2009, he appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in the UK. He also appeared on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs on October 2, 2009. On December 10, 2009, he was a guest on The Jay Leno Show in the US. Manilow appeared on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien on January 21, 2010, where he shared anecdotes about his early career writing jingles and his forgetful eating habits. 
• He also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on February 6, 2010, discussing his new album and showcasing a photo from the 1970s. 
• On December 11, 2010, he performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway. He celebrated his one-year anniversary at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas on March 25, 2011, with his band and crew. 
• He appeared on Good Morning America on June 15, 2011, performing songs from his album "Fifteen Minutes." 
• He also made appearances on Piers Morgan Tonight, Paul O'Grady Live, and An Audience With... Barry Manilow. 
• In 2013, he appeared on Katie, where he sang a medley of songs and promoted his "Manilow on Broadway" show. 
• On July 3, 2013, he discussed his career on The Diane Rehm Show. Lastly, on July 4, 2015, he performed on A Capitol Fourth in Washington, D.C., as part of the music and fireworks celebration.

Barry Manilow Awards and Achievements

• 1977 Emmy for Outstanding Special – Comedy, Variety or Music – The Barry Manilow Special
• 1977 Special Tony Award – Barry Manilow on Broadway
• 1978 American Music Awards – Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
• 1978 Grammy – Copacabana Best Pop Male Vocal Performance
• 1979 American Music Awards – Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
• 1980 American Music Awards – Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
• 1980 Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 2002 Songwriter's Hall of Fame
• 2003 Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award 
• 2006 Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program – Barry Manilow: Music And Passion
• 2007 RIAA – Plaque commemorating worldwide record sales of 75 million
• 2009 Clio Awards – Honorary Clio Award for 1960s work as a jingle writer and singer at the 50th Anniversary CLIO Awards in Las Vegas.

Barry Manilow Husband & Children

Barry Manilow is currently married to her husband/partner, Garry Kief, a TV executive, and his longtime manager. They first met in 1978 and kept their relationship private for many years. They secretly got married in 2014 at Barry's Palm Springs residence after same-sex marriage was legalized in California. The news of their marriage was accidentally revealed by Suzanne Somers on a chat show, leading Barry to officially come out in April 2017. Prior to his marriage with Garry, he had previous relationships. He was married to Susan Deixler from 1964 to 1966, but their young marriage ended in annulment due to Barry's focus on his music career. He also dated Lorna Luft in the early 70s and maintained a close friendship with her. Additionally, Barry had a significant relationship with Linda Allen in the late 80s and early 90s, which has been subject to rumors regarding his true sexual orientation and his relationship with Garry Kief. Barry's sexual orientation is gay. 

Barry Manilow Net Worth

Barry Manilow is an iconic singer-songwriter who has captivated audiences worldwide with his timeless hits. With a career spanning over 50 years, he has achieved tremendous success with songs like 'Could It Be Magic', 'Mandy', 'I Write the Songs', 'Can't Smile Without You', and 'Copacabana'. As of 2023, Barry Manilow's net worth is estimated to be around $100 million, primarily stemming from his accomplishments in the music industry. His annual income reaches millions of dollars, and he has also ventured into endorsements, such as with the brand Sanofi. Throughout his career, Manilow has faced challenges, including a notable scandal in 1994 when he filed a lawsuit against a Los Angeles radio station, alleging damage to his professional image due to an advertisement. However, despite such incidents, Barry Manilow continues to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle today.

Barry Manilow Height & Weight

Barry Manilow is a handsome man with an attractive personality. He has a slim build and stands at a height of 6 feet 1 inch (185.5 cm), weighing around 70 kg (154.5 lbs). Barry has light brown hair and captivating baby blue eyes, which are one of his distinctive features. He is also recognized for his smooth complexion and baritone voice. Additionally, Barry is known for his conspicuous long nose, adding to his unique appearance. He has got a healthy body right now.