Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", "Looks Like We Made It", "Mandy", "I Write the Songs", "Can't Smile Without You", "Weekend in New England" and "Copacabana (At the Copa)".

He has recorded and released 51 Top 40 singles on the Adult Contemporary Chart, including 13 that hit number one, 28 that appeared within the top ten, and 36 that reached the top twenty. Manilow has released 13 platinum and six multi-platinum albums. Although not a favorite artist of music critics, Manilow has been praised by his peers in the recording industry, including Frank Sinatra, who was quoted in the 1970s as saying, "He's next."

As well as producing and arranging albums for himself and other artists, Manilow has written and performed songs for musicals, films, and commercials for corporations such as McDonald's, Pepsi Cola, and Band-Aid. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award (winning once) as a producer, arranger and performer a total of fifteen times (and in every decade) from 1973 to 2015. He has also produced Grammy-nominated albums for Bette Midler, Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, and Sarah Vaughan. Manilow has sold more than 85 million records as a solo artist worldwide, making him one of the world's bestselling artists.

Barry Manilow was born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Edna Manilow and Harold Kelliher, a truck driver of Irish descent. Barry’s mother made his father change his name to Pincus, which was the name of a Jewish uncle of his father from the 1800s. Barry’s parents were divorced when he was a baby, and his mother’s Jewish family allowed no further contact between Barry and his father. Barry's maternal grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants, and his paternal grandfather was Jewish, though his grandmother was a Catholic of Irish descent. His Irish roots trace back to Limerick, Ireland. Barry's grandfather had his surname changed to Manilow a few weeks before Barry's bar mitzvah.

Manilow grew up in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn and graduated in 1961 from the now-defunct Eastern District High School. While in high school, he met Susan Deixler, and they later married for a short time. He enrolled in the City College of New York, where he briefly studied before entering the New York College of Music. He also worked at CBS while he was a student in order to pay his expenses. Afterwards, he studied musical theater at Juilliard Performing Arts School. In the 1960s, Barry Manilow started his musical journey by arranging songs for a musical adaptation. He worked as a commercial jingle writer and singer, gaining recognition for iconic jingles like State Farm and Band-Aid. In the early 1970s, he played a pivotal role in Bette Midler's career as a pianist and producer. Manilow's solo career took off in the mid-1970s, marked by the release of hit singles like "Mandy." His success continued through the early 1980s with multi-platinum albums and chart-topping singles. Despite not writing all his hits, Manilow's skills as a performer, producer, and arranger contributed to his commercial triumphs. He achieved fame in the UK with albums like "Even Now," solidifying his status as a global music sensation. Manilow also ventured into television specials, winning Emmy awards for his outstanding contributions to entertainment. His diverse talents and enduring popularity have left an indelible mark on the music industry.

In the 1980s, Barry Manilow maintained his dominance on the Adult Contemporary charts with hits like "The Old Songs" and "Read 'Em and Weep." He set box-office records at iconic venues and explored diverse musical projects, including jazz/blues and international influences. Manilow also ventured into acting with the CBS film "Copacabana" and engaged in political lobbying. The late 1980s saw his return to Arista Records with "Swing Street." In the 1990s, he continued releasing covers, collaborating on animated film scores, and launching the musical play "Copacabana." Notable moments include congressional testimony, Grammy recognition for "Manilow Sings Sinatra," and various live performances and TV specials.

In the early 2000s, Barry Manilow continued his musical endeavors with specials like "Manilow Country" and "Manilow Live!" featuring collaborations with country stars and a concert showcasing his hits with a full orchestra. He joined Concord Records, released the concept album "Here at the Mayflower," and initiated the Barry Manilow Scholarship at UCLA. Manilow returned to Arista Records, released "Ultimate Manilow," and starred in a CBS special. He collaborated with Bette Midler and released albums like "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties." His successful Las Vegas residency, "Manilow: Music and Passion," led to chart-topping albums in the mid-2000s, including tributes to the '60s and '70s. Manilow continued touring, released a Christmas album, and narrated an animated Christmas special in 2008. In 2009, he concluded his Hilton residency after 300 performances.

Barry Manilow continued his musical career in the 2010s and 2020s with albums like "The Greatest Love Songs of All Time," "15 Minutes," and "Night Songs II." He performed in Las Vegas, Broadway, and at various events, including the Nobel Peace Prize Concert. Manilow's tours and chart-topping albums showcased his enduring success, and he received Grammy nominations for his work. In 2019, his musical "Harmony" was set to debut in New York but got rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he started a residency in Las Vegas, and on December 11, 2023, NBC aired a Christmas special, "Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas."

In 1979, Ray Stevens satirized Barry Manilow's musical style in the song "I Need Your Help Barry Manilow," referencing several of Manilow's hits. The song reached number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 11 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In 1989, there was a false claim of Manilow's engagement to porn star Robin Byrd, debunked by Manilow himself on The Tonight Show. In 2006, Australian officials used Manilow's music to deter late-night gatherings, and in 2022, New Zealand authorities employed a similar tactic against protesters.