Barry Manilow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barry Manilow
Manilow in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Barry Alan Pincus
Born	(1943-06-17) June 17, 1943 (age 82) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Soft rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	1964–present
Labels	Bell Arista RCA Concord Verve

Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His career has lasted for over sixty years. He is famous for hit songs like "Mandy," "I Write the Songs," and "Copacabana."

Manilow has had 51 songs reach the Top 40 on the Adult Contemporary Chart. Thirteen of these songs reached number one. He has also released 13 platinum albums and six multi-platinum albums. Many people in the music industry, like Frank Sinatra, have praised his talent.

Besides making his own albums, Manilow has written and produced songs for musicals, movies, and commercials. He created jingles for big companies like McDonald's and Pepsi. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award fifteen times and won once. He has also produced Grammy-nominated albums for other famous singers like Bette Midler and Dionne Warwick. Manilow has sold over 85 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists ever.

Early Life and Education

Barry Manilow was born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York City. His parents divorced when he was a baby. His mother's family helped raise him.

He graduated from Eastern District High School in 1961. After high school, he studied at the City College of New York. He also attended the New York College of Music. To pay for his studies, he worked at CBS. Later, he studied musical theater at the Juilliard Performing Arts School.

Barry Manilow's Music Career

Starting in the 1960s

In 1964, Barry Manilow met Bro Herrod, a director at CBS. Herrod asked him to arrange songs for a musical. Instead, Manilow wrote a whole new musical score. This music was used in an Off-Broadway show called The Drunkard.

During this time, Manilow also started writing and singing jingles for commercials. He wrote famous jingles like "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there" and "I am stuck on Band-Aid." He also sang for commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's. In 2009, he received an award for his work as a jingle writer. He said he learned a lot about making pop music from this job.

By 1967, Manilow was the musical director for a TV series called Callback. He also worked for Ed Sullivan's company, arranging music for The Late Show. In 1969, he signed with Bell Records.

Success in the 1970s

In the early 1970s, Manilow recorded some songs with a group called Featherbed. These songs did not become hits. In 1971, singer Bette Midler saw Manilow perform. She chose him to be her pianist and later a producer for her first two albums. He also directed her musical tours. Manilow worked with Midler from 1971 to 1975.

In 1973, Bell Records released his first album, Barry Manilow. It included a slower version of "Could It Be Magic." This song later became a hit for Donna Summer and was covered by Take That.

In 1974, Clive Davis, a record executive, started Arista Records. Manilow's second album, Barry Manilow II, was released on this new label. It featured the song "Mandy," which became his first big hit. Manilow did not want to record "Mandy" at first. The song was originally called "Brandy," but the name was changed.

"Mandy" started a long series of hit songs and albums for Manilow. These included Tryin' to Get the Feeling, This One's for You, Even Now, and One Voice. His first album was re-released as Barry Manilow I after his success. On his first tour, Manilow performed a medley of his old commercial jingles. This medley was later included on his 1977 album Barry Manilow Live.

Manilow in 1979

Many of Manilow's hits were written by other songwriters. For example, "I Write the Songs" was written by Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys. However, Manilow always helped produce and arrange these songs.

In the late 1970s, ABC aired four TV specials starring Manilow. The Barry Manilow Special in 1977 was watched by 37 million people. It won an Emmy Award. His song "Ready to Take a Chance Again" was featured in the 1978 film Foul Play. Another song from that film, "Copacabana," became very popular. In 1979, Manilow produced Dionne Warwick's platinum album Dionne.

Highlights of the 1980s

In the 1980s, Manilow continued to have many hits on the Adult Contemporary charts. These included "The Old Songs" and "Somewhere Down the Road." He also performed five sold-out concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in the UK. In 1984, his ten-night show at Radio City Music Hall in New York set a sales record.

In 1984, Manilow released 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe. This album featured jazz and blues songs recorded live in the studio with jazz legends like Sarah Vaughan. In 1985, Manilow moved to RCA Records. He released the album Manilow, which included songs in different languages.

Manilow in a 1985 publicity photo

Manilow also starred in the 1985 CBS film Copacabana. The movie was based on his hit song. He wrote all the songs for the film. In 1987, he released his autobiography, Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise. He returned to Arista Records in 1987 with the album Swing Street.

In 1988, CBS aired his special Big Fun on Swing Street. It featured guests like Kid Creole and Phyllis Hyman. In 1989, Manilow performed a show called Barry Manilow at the Gershwin on Broadway. A video of this show became a bestseller.

The 1990s and Beyond

In the 1990s, Manilow released several cover albums. These included a Christmas album, Because It's Christmas (1990), and Showstoppers (1991), a collection of Broadway songs. He also recorded Manilow Sings Sinatra (1998) as a tribute to Frank Sinatra.

Manilow also worked on animated films. He co-wrote songs for Thumbelina (1994) and The Pebble and the Penguin (1995). In 1991, he produced an album for jazz singer Nancy Wilson. He also helped complete songs by the famous composer Johnny Mercer.

In 1993, PBS aired Barry Manilow: The Best of Me, a concert taped in England. Manilow also created a musical play called Copacabana, based on his song. It ran for two years in London. He also co-wrote Harmony: A New Musical, which tells the story of a German singing group. Harmony opened on Broadway in 2023.

In 1998, Manilow Sings Sinatra earned him a Grammy nomination. In 1999, NBC aired StarSkates Salute to Barry Manilow, featuring figure skaters performing to his music.

The 2000s and Recent Years

In 2000, Manilow had two TV specials, Manilow Country and Manilow Live!. He also signed with Concord Records and released the album Here at the Mayflower. In 2002, Arista released a greatest hits album, Ultimate Manilow, which became a big success.

Manilow produced Bette Midler's album Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook in 2003. They worked together again in 2005. In 2004, Manilow started a residency show in Las Vegas called Manilow: Music and Passion. This show was very popular and ran for several years.

Manilow live at the piano (2008).

In 2006, Manilow released The Greatest Songs of the Fifties. This album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It was his first number one album in 29 years. He followed this with The Greatest Songs of the Sixties in 2006 and The Greatest Songs of the Seventies in 2007.

Manilow live at the Xcel Energy Center (2008).

In 2008, Manilow released his third Christmas album, In the Swing of Christmas, which was nominated for a Grammy. He also narrated an animated Christmas special called Cranberry Christmas. Manilow ended his long-running Las Vegas residency in December 2009.

2010s and Today

In 2010, Manilow released The Greatest Love Songs of All Time. He also started a new show in Las Vegas at the Paris Hotel. In December 2010, he performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Norway.

His album 15 Minutes was released in 2011. It was influenced by the challenges of fame. In 2013, Manilow returned to Broadway with his concert series "Manilow on Broadway." He also performed at A Capitol Fourth in Washington, D.C.

In 2014, he released Night Songs, an album of classic songs. His 2014 album My Dream Duets earned him another Grammy nomination. In 2015, Manilow began his "One Last Time!" tour across North America.

Billboard magazine noted in 2017 that Manilow has had a top 40 album in every decade since the 1970s. In 2020, he released Night Songs II, continuing his streak of top 40 albums. He also had a hit with "When the Good Times Come Again" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Manilow started a new residency show in Las Vegas called "The Hits Come Home." In December 2023, NBC aired Barry Manilow's A Very Barry Christmas. He has also announced concerts in the UK for May and June 2024.

Philanthropy and Helping Others

Barry Manilow has used his fame to help others. After Hurricane Hugo in 1989, he held a benefit concert in South Carolina. The tickets sold out quickly, and he asked fans to bring canned food for those affected. He donated $42,500 each to the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.

In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, Manilow matched every dollar his fans donated to the American Red Cross. His fund also matched donations, tripling the amount given. They raised $150,000 in just 48 hours.

In 2011, Manilow visited Joplin, Missouri, after a tornado destroyed a third of the city. His Manilow Music Project donated $300,000 to help restore the music program and instruments at the local high school.

Awards and Recognition

Barry Manilow has received many awards for his music and performances:

• 1977 Emmy Award for The Barry Manilow Special
• 1977 Special Tony Award for Barry Manilow on Broadway
• 1978 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
• 1978 Grammy Award for "Copacabana" (Best Pop Male Vocal Performance)
• 1979 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
• 1980 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
• 1980 Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 2002 Inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame
• 2003 Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2006 Emmy Award for Barry Manilow: Music And Passion
• 2007 RIAA Plaque for 75 million worldwide record sales
• 2009 Honorary Clio Award for his work as a jingle writer and singer

Discography

Tours

Headlining

Opening act

• Freddie Hubbard in Concert (for Freddie Hubbard) (1974)
• No Way to Treat a Lady Tour (for Helen Reddy) (1975)
• An Evening with Roberta Flack (for Roberta Flack) (1975)

Residency shows

Selected TV and Movie Appearances

• Tonight Show – November 17, 1972 (with Bette Midler)
• Tonight Show – September 12, 1973 (with Bette Midler)
• The Dick Cavett Show – September 19, 1974 (with Bette Davis)

Manilow, accompanied by long-time friend Linda Allen at the premiere of The Rose (starring Bette Midler), November 7, 1979

• Donny & Marie – October 23, 1977
• ABC special The Barry Manilow Special – March 2, 1977
• ABC special The Second Barry Manilow Special – February 24, 1978
• ABC special The Stars Salute Israel at 30 – May 8, 1978
• ABC special The Third Barry Manilow Special – May 23, 1979
• ABC special Barry Manilow: One Voice – May 19, 1980
• Goldie & Kids – May 8, 1982 (with Goldie Hawn)
• Tonight Show – November 29, 1985 (singing "In Search of Love")
• Starred in the TV movie Copacabana – 1985
• CBS special Barry Manilow: Big Fun on Swing Street – March 7, 1988
• Guest on The Arsenio Hall Show – May 17, 1989 (first of eight appearances)
• Guest appearance on Murphy Brown – May 17, 1993
• Appeared on Surprise! Surprise! in England – 1993
• Guest appearance in Ally McBeal – 2001
• Cameo in the film Unconditional Love – 2002
• Guest on Will & Grace – December 11, 2003 (episode "Fanilow")
• Guest judge on American Idol – April 20–21, 2004
• Guest on A Clay Aiken Christmas – December 8, 2004
• Returned to American Idol – March 21–22, 2006
• Appeared on Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising – November 2006
• Performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade – November 23, 2006
• Celebrity guest on The X Factor (UK) – December 2, 2006
• Appeared at the Royal Variety Performance – December 12, 2006
• Appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – October 31, 2007, November 17, 2008, July 12, 2011
• Guest starred on Family Guy in "Back to the Woods" – February 17, 2008
• Main guest on The Graham Norton Show (UK) – December 4, 2008
• Guest starred on Strictly Come Dancing – December 7, 2008
• Narrated Cranberry Christmas – December 8, 2008
• Guest on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (UK) – September 11, 2009
• Appeared on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs – October 2, 2009
• Guest on The Jay Leno Show (US) – December 10, 2009
• Guest on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (US) – January 21, 2010
• Guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! – February 6, 2010
• Performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert – December 11, 2010
• Appeared on Good Morning America – June 15, 2011
• Appeared on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight – June 23, 2011
• Appeared on the UK's Paul O'Grady Live – June 24, 2011
• Star of An Audience With... Barry Manilow (UK) – October 28, 2011
• Appeared on ITV's Text Santa – December 11, 2011
• Appeared on the royal variety show on ITV – December 14, 2011
• Appeared on Katie (US) – January 23, 2013
• Discussed his career on The Diane Rehm Show – July 3, 2013
• Sang on A Capitol Fourth – July 4, 2015

See also

In Spanish: Barry Manilow para niños