Barry Manilow Biography

(Best Known for His Hits "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "I Write the Songs")

Birthday: June 17, 1943 (Gemini)

Born In: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Barry Manilow is a universally celebrated American superstar whose career spans a number of fields including singing, recording, songwriting, television and films. Five of his albums became instant chartbusters and during his peak, he was one of the most gifted singer-songwriters. He has collaborated with a number of other artists including Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis. In addition to releasing his own records, he has also written melodies for a number of famous musicals, films and commercials. Apart from being a musician, he is extremely well-known for playing the role of ‘Tony Starr’ in the hit television series, ‘Copacabana’. After his initial television appearances, he became an instant media magnate and began appearing in a number of public events including the ‘Let Freedom Ring’ pre-game show and headlining the famous Las Vegas Hilton shows. He was a multi-talented artiste and he decided to venture into new areas. He signed a three-picture deal to compose songs for the animated films, ‘The Pebble and the Penguin’, ‘Thumbelina’ and the third part of ‘Rapunzel’. His long and colorful career also includes a number of theatre productions such as ‘The Great White Way’ and ‘Copacabana-The Musical’.
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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Barry Alan Pincus

Age: 81 Years, 81 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Garry Kief (m. 2014), Susan Deixler (m. 1964–1966)

father: Harold Pincus

mother: Edna Manilow

Rock Singers Record Producers

Ancestry: Russian American, Irish American

Notable Alumni: New York College Of Music, Juilliard School, City College Of New York

City: Brooklyn, New York City

U.S. State: New Yorkers

More Facts

education: City College Of New York, Juilliard School, New York College Of Music

  • 1

    What was Barry Manilow's first hit song?

    Barry Manilow's first hit song was "Mandy," released in 1974.
  • 2

    Which musical genre is Barry Manilow known for?

    Barry Manilow is known for his contributions to the adult contemporary genre.
  • 3

    Has Barry Manilow ever performed in Las Vegas?

    Yes, Barry Manilow has had successful residencies in Las Vegas over the years.
  • 4

    Is Barry Manilow still performing live concerts?

    Yes, Barry Manilow continues to perform live concerts, captivating audiences around the world.
  • 5

    What is one of Barry Manilow's most popular albums?

    One of Barry Manilow's most popular albums is "Barry Manilow II," released in 1974.
Childhood & Early Life
Barry Alan Pincus was born to Edna Manilow and Harold Pincus. He is of Irish-American ancestry and is of Jewish faith. He was raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where he studied at the Eastern District High School.
He graduated from the institute in 1961 and applied to the Julliard Performing Arts School. During this time, he was also working at CBS to pay for his course.
He was approached by Bro Herrod, the director of CBS, who asked him to organize songs for a musical adaptation of the drama, ‘The Drunkard’, for which, he wrote an entire score. It became an instant hit overnight.
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Career
In 1967, he became the musical director of the CBS network television show and thereafter, began writing a number of well-known jingles for commercials for ‘Band-Aid’ and ‘Dr. Pepper’.
In the early 70s, Manilow worked with Bette Midler as he helped her with her sophomore releases ‘The Divine Miss M’ and ‘Bette Midler’.
During this time, in 1973, he released his debut album, ‘Barry Manilow’, which was then remixed and re-released two years later. Meanwhile, he also released his second album, ‘Barry Manilow II’.
He released his third hit album, ‘Tryin’ to Get the Feeling’ in 1975, followed by ‘This One’s For You’, the following year.
In the late 70s, he starred in and produced four television specials for the ABC Network, one of which was known as ‘The Barry Manilow Special’, which had over millions of viewers.
In 1978, he released his fifth studio album, ‘Even Now’, which reached a triple platinum status and featured four hit singles. This was quickly followed by ‘Manilow Magic- the Best of Barry Manilow’, also known as ‘Greatest Hits’.
His song, ‘Ready to Take a Chance Again’ was featured in the film, ‘Foul Play’, which released in 1978 and was nominated for ‘Best Original Score’ during the Oscars.
In 1979, he produced Dionne Warwick’s album, ‘Dionne’ and also catapulted to stardom that year with his song, ‘Ships’, from the album, ‘One Voice’, which released the same year.
In 1980, he performed to a sold-out show at the Wembley Stadium in England. The same year, he released the self-titled album, ‘Barry’, which hit the top ten positions in the United States. The next year, he released the album, ‘If I Should Love Again’.
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His eleventh studio album was recorded live during a sold-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, in 1982. This album came to be known as ‘Barry Live in Britain’ and became a huge success in the country, reaching a platinum status.
He released ‘2:00 AM Paradise Caf�’, which was recorded in one take, in 1984. The next year, he released the album, ‘Manilow’, which was a self-titled record. It was during this time, he was cast as the lead actor, ‘Tony Star’ in the hit CBS show, ‘Copacabana’.
He published his autobiography, ‘Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise’ in 1987. The same year, he once again signed a record deal with Arista Records and released the album, ‘Swing Street’.
He released his sixth self-titled album in 1989 titled, ‘Barry Manilow’, which featured the singles, ‘Please Don’t Be Scared’, ‘Keep Each Other Warm’ and ‘The One That Got Away’.
The same year, he gave 44 performances at the Gershwin Theatre which popularly came to be known as ‘Barry Manilow at the Gershwin’. He released his first Christmas album, ‘Because It’s Christmas’ in 1990.
From 1991 to 1998, he released a string of ‘event’ albums including ‘Showstoppers’, ‘Singin’ with the Big Bands’, ‘Summer of ‘78’ and ‘Manilow Sings Sinatra’.
During this period, he also co-wrote Broadway musical scores for ‘Thumbelina’, ‘The Pebble and the Penguin’ and also produced the album, ‘With My Lover Beside Me’.
He was seen in the two-hour recital special, ‘Manilow Live!’ on DirectTV, in 2000. The next year, he released ‘Here at the Mayflower’, another concept album.
From 2002 to 2006, he released ‘Ultimate Manilow’, ‘2 Nights Live!’, ‘Scores: Songs from Copacabana & Harmony’ and a covers album, ‘The Greatest Songs of the Fifties’.
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PBS aired ‘Barry Manilow: Music and Passion’, a Hilton concert recorded for the network’s fundraiser efforts, which earned him an Emmy Award. In 2006, a sequel album, ‘The Greatest Songs of the Sixties’ was also released.
In 2007, another album, ‘Barry Manilow: Songs from the Seventies’ was released and the same year, he appeared in a number of shows. Three years later, he released a new album, ‘The Greatest Love Songs of all Time’.
From March 2011, he hosted ‘They Write the Songs’, a 10-part documentary series for BBC Radio 2. He also released his album, ’15 Minutes’.
He was seen performing live on the west law of the U.S. Capitol as a part of ‘A Capitol Forth’. He also performed at the BBC event, ‘Children in Need Rocks 2013’, the same year.
Major Works
In 1974, his second album, ‘Barry Manilow II’ featured the hit song, ‘Mandy’, which went on to make him extremely famous. The album is considered as one of his most important albums till date and featured at the #9 in the US countdowns. It was also certified 2X Platinum.
He released his next hit album, ‘Tryin’ to Get the Feeling’ in 1975, which was certified triple platinum in the United States. The album became so popular that it was later lampooned by Ray Stevens. The album featured the hit track, ‘Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again’ and other hits like ‘New York City Rhythm’.
Awards & Achievements
In 1977 he won an Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Special - Comedy, Variety or Music’ for ‘The Barry Manilow Special’.
In 1978, he won the American Music Award for the category of ‘Favourite Pop/Rock Male Artist’.
In 1979, he won the prestigious Grammy Award for ‘Copacabana’ for ‘Best Pop Male Vocal Performance’.
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He was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, in 2002.
In 2006, he won an Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program’ for ‘Barry Manilow: Music and Passion’.
He was presented a RIAA Plaque for breaking worldwide record sales of 75 million.
He was presented an honorary Clio Award for his prior work with jingles at the beginning of his career.
Personal Life & Legacy
In 1964, he married Susan Deixler but the marriage was negated the following year. Almost two decades later, he was allegedly involved in an affair with pornographic actress, Robin Byrd, but he hushed those rumors.
Throughout his career, he suffered from a number of health issues. He suffered from a sprained and a fractured ankle once and was also incapacitated with bronchial pneumonia.
He was also treated for a non-cancerous cyst in his upper jaw, underwent an eye surgery and also two hip surgeries.
Facts About Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow's real name is Barry Alan Pincus, but he changed it to Manilow after his mother's maiden name.
He has won a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award, making him one of the few artists to achieve the prestigious "EGOT" status.
Manilow wrote jingles for popular commercials before finding success as a singer-songwriter, including the famous State Farm jingle "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there."
Barry Manilow is a passionate supporter of numerous charitable causes, including the Manilow Music Project, which donates musical instruments to school music programs.
In addition to his music career, Manilow is also an accomplished painter and has held several art exhibitions showcasing his artwork.

Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards
2006 Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Manilow: Music and Passion (2006)
1977 Outstanding Special - Comedy-Variety or Music The Barry Manilow Special (1977)
Grammy Awards
1979 Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male Winner
1977 Song of the Year Winner
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See the events in life of Barry Manilow in Chronological Order

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Article Title
- Barry Manilow Biography
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URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/barry-manilow-4654.php

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