Manilow, Barry
Barry Manilow
Singer, songwriter, pianist
“B arry Manilow has spent… years at the top of ?? the heap, no matter where the critics would wish him,” declared David Van Biema in People magazine. Though frequently denigrated by music reviewers as bland and lacking talent, Manilow has had a string of hit singles, including “Mandy,” “Could It Be Magic,” “This One’s For You,” “Weekend in New England,” and “Copacabana,” and has watched at least ten of his albums go platinum. Extremely popular with fans of the soft ballad genre, Manilow won several awards for his musical performance in the late 1970s, including a special Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for two weeks of sold-out concerts on Broadway. In the 1980s he made successful forays into a jazz reminiscent of the 1930s and 1940s, and wrote his autobiography, Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise.
Manilow was born June 17, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York. Two years later his father deserted the family, and Manilow was raised by his mother and grandparents. They were poor and lived in a slum area of Brooklyn that has since deteriorated further. “Ask a cabdriver to take you there now,” Manilow told Stephen E. Rubin in Ladies’ Home Journal, “and he’ll run away.” As the singer explained further, “I was really ugly, the ugliest kid in school…. I didn’t have a lot of friends,” and his shyness intensified his interest in music. He learned the accordion at an early age and later progressed to the piano. After his mother remarried in the late 1950s, Manilow’s stepfather, a jazz enthusiast, took him to hear saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. This broadened the young musician’s interests, and he began buying jazz and Broadway musical albums, but unlike most of his peers, Manilow held no affection for the rock and roll that was sweeping the country during his adolescence. He told Gerrit Henry in After Dark: “I really did not like [Bill Haley and the Comets’] ’Rock Around the Clock.’ I think the Beatles finally convinced me there was something going on in rock.”
After Manilow graduated from high school he entered the City College of New York to study advertising, but, quickly bored by marketing courses, he left for the New York College of Music. Due to lack of funds he never graduated, but he continued his studies at Juilliard while supporting himself with a job in the mail room of CBS’s New York City headquarters. Eventually Manilow worked his way up to film editor for the local affiliate, WCBS-TV; his primary task was inserting commercials into the programming, but he also created new theme music for the station’s late show. Meanwhile, in his spare time, Manilow was arranging music for others who tried out in Broadway auditions and playing piano in lounges and bars.
Roughly concurrent with an early marriage to a high
For the Record…
Born June 17, 1946, in Brooklyn, N.Y.; son of Harold Pincus and Edna (a secretary) Manilow; stepson of Willie Murphy (a truck driver); married Susan, c. 1967 (divorced, c. 1968). Education: Attended City College of the City University of New York, New York College of Music, and Juilliard School of Music. Religion: Jewish.
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), New York City, began working in mailroom, became film editor, in the 1960s; at the same time, worked as a freelance music arranger and began playing piano in lounges; music director on “Callback” series, WCBS-TV, in the early 1970s; also began composing commercial jingles in the early 1970s; musical director for singer Bette Midler, beginning 1972; recording artist and concert performer, 1973—. Appeared on three television specials for ABC; also appeared in television film “Copacabana.”
Awards: Emmy Awards for “Callback” series, in the early 1970s, and for outstanding variety special of 1976-77; Tony Award for concerts on Broadway, 1976; named top vocalist of 1976 by American Guild of Variety Artists; Ruby Award for performer of the year from After Dark magazine, 1976; American Music Award for best male pop vocalist, 1977; named favorite pop music star in Photoplay poll, 1977; Grammy Award for best male pop vocal performance, 1978, for “Cocacabana.”
Addresses: Office— c/o PO Box 69180, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
school sweetheart that ended in divorce after a year, Manilow was named musical director of WCBS-TV’s “Callback,” a showcase for young musical talent. He won an Emmy in this capacity for his work writing many different kinds of musical arrangements—from opera to rock and roll. In the 1970s, Manilow began to supplement his income by writing and performing commercial jingles. His composing endeavors in this field include advertisements for Bowlene Toilet Cleaner, Band-Aid bandages, Chevrolet automobiles, and State Farm Insurance; in addition, he sang the famous “You Deserve a Break Today” theme for McDonald’s fast food restaurants.
At around the same time, Manilow served as a substitute pianist for singer Bette Midler. Midler liked his work, and he became the musical director for her 1972 tour, fashioning the arrangements that helped Midler become a major star. As Manilow explained to Robert Windeler in another People article, “Arranging is my strongest suit…. I’m only a fair singer, I write nice songs, but I’m a great arranger.” With the money he was earning in this position, Manilow felt secure enough to invest in making demonstration tapes of his own material, and he submitted them to Bell Records, which later became Arista. The result was a contract for a solo album, which, when finished, was Manilow I. Though one cut in particular from this effort, “Could It Be Magic,” a richly emotional love song based on a prelude by classical composer Frederic Chopin, received favorable criticism and frequent FM airplay, Manilow did not have a major hit until his second album, Manilow II, in 1974. The featured single, “Mandy,” a haunting song of regret for a formerly spurned lover, was a runaway success and put Manilow into the limelight and on his way to becoming one of the most popular singers of the 1970s.
Manilow followed “Mandy” with the upbeat “It’s a Miracle,” but for the most part he has scored his biggest successes with sad love ballads like “Trying to Get the Feeling,” in 1975, “Weekend in New England,” and “Looks Like We Made It,” in 1976, “Even Now,” in 1978, his 1982 rendition of “Memory” from the Broadway musical “Cats,” and 1983’s “Read ’Em and Weep.” In addition, Manilow wrote and performed the theme song for television’s “American Bandstand” and sang “Ready to Take a Chance,” which served as the theme of the film, “Foul Play.”
Though chided by critics as amateurish in his singing style, Manilow feels this is the very trait that makes him so popular. He told Dennis Hunt in a Los Angeles Times interview: “You can hear me spitting, you can hear me making mistakes…. There’s a more human element in a song if my voice cracks or if you can hear me sighing. It’s emotional, it’s realistic.” Despite this attitude, enormous record sales, and myriad sold-out concert appearances, however, Manilow is upset by negative critical response. “All the things they say—‘marshmal-low,’ ‘syrupy,’ ‘ugly,’ ‘talentless,’ ‘can’t sing,’ ‘wimp,’ ‘fag’—hurt so badly because I call myself all those things before they do,” he confided to Van Biema. He deals with it, according to Van Biema, by working “even harder.” Manilow also has attempted to change his image, while simultaneously indulging his own musical taste, by writing and recording songs in the style of 1930s and 1940s jazz. He got together with jazz musicians, including his early influence Gerry Mulligan, to record the 1984 release, 2:00 A.M., Paradise Cafe, which was viewed with greater kindness than his ballad albums by many critics. Manilow released a similar effort, Swing Street, in 1987.
Selected discography
Manilow I (contains “Sing It,” “Sweetwater Jones,” “Cloudburst,” “One of These Days,” “Oh, My Lady,” “I Am Your Child,” “Could It Be Magic,” “Seven More Years,” “Flashy Lady,” “Friends,” and “Sweet Life”), Bell, 1973.
Manilow II (contains “I Want to Be Somebody’s Baby,” “Early Morning Strangers,” “Mandy,” “The Two of Us,” “Something’s Comin’ Up,” “It’s a Miracle,” “Avenue C,” “My Baby Loves Me,” “Sandra,” and “Home Again”), Bell, 1974.
Tryin’ to Get the Feeling (contains “New York City Rhythm,” “Trying to Get the Feeling,” “Why Don’t We Live Together,” “Bandstand Boogie,” “You’re Leavin’ Too Soon,” “She’s a Star,” “I Write the Songs,” “As Sure as I’m Standing Here,” “A Nice Boy Like Me,” “Lay Me Down,” and “Beautiful Music”), Arista, 1975.
This One’s For You (contains “This One’s For You,” “Daybreak,” “You Oughta Be Home With Me,” “Jump Shout Boogie,” “Weekend in New England,” “Riders to the Stars,” “Let Me Go,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Say the Words,” “All the Time,” and “See the Show Again”), Arista, 1976.
Barry “Live” (double album; includes “A Very Strange Medley,” “Jump Shout Boogie Medley,” and “It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve”), Arista, 1977.
Even Now (contains “Copacabana,” “Somewhere in the Night,” “A Linda Song,” “Can’t Smile Without You,” “Leavin’ in the Morning,” “Where Do I Go From Here,” “Even Now,” “I Was a Fool,” “Losing Touch,” “I Just Want to Be the One in Your Life,” “Starting Again,” and “Sunrise”), Arista, 1978.
Greatest Hits, Volume I, Arista, 1978.
One Voice (contains “One Voice,” “A Slow Dance,” “Rain,” “Ships,” “You Could Show Me,” “I Don’t Want to Walk Without You,” “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?,” “Where Are They Now?,” “Bobbie Lee,” “When I Wanted You,” and “Sunday Father”), Arista, 1979.
Barry (contains “Lonely Together,” “Bermuda Triangle,” “I Made It Through the Rain,” “24 Hours a Day,” “Dance Away,” “Life Will Go On,” “Only in Chicago,” “The Last Duet,” “London,” and “We Still Have Time”), Arista, 1980.
If I Should Love Again (contains “The Old Songs,” “Let’s Hang On,” “If I Should Love Again,” “Don’t Fall in Love With Me,” “Break Down the Door,” “Somewhere Down the Road,” “No Other Love,” “Fools Get Lucky,” “I Haven’t Changed the Room,” and “Let’s Take All Night”), Arista, 1981.
Live in Britain (includes “The Old Songs Medley,” and “London/We’ll Meet Again”), Arista, 1982.
Here Comes the Night (contains “I Wanna Do It With You,” “Here Comes the Night,” “Memory,” “Let’s Get On With It,” “Some Girls,” “Some Kind of Friend,” “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” “Getting Over Losing You,” “Heart of Steel,” and “Stay”), Arista, 1982.
Greatest Hits, Volume II (includes “Read ’Em and Weep,” “Put a Quarter in the Juke Box,” and “You’re Looking Hot Tonight”), Arista, 1983.
2:00 A.M., Paradise Cafe (contains “Paradise Cafe,” “Where Have You Gone,” “Say No More,” “Blue,” “When October Goes,” “What Am I Doin’ Here,” “Goodbye, My Love,” “Big City Blues,” “When Love Is Gone,” “I’ve Never Been So Low on Love,” and “Night Song”), Arista, 1984.
The Manilow Collection/Twenty Greatest Hits, Arista, 1985.
Manilow (contains “I’m Your Man,” “It’s All Behind Us Now,” “In Search of Love, “” He Doesn’t Care, “” Some Sweet Day, “” At the Dance,” “If You Were Herewith Me Tonight,” “Sweet Heaven,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” and “It’s a Long Way Up”), RCA, 1985.
Swing Street, Arista, 1987.
Sources
Books
Manilow, Barry, Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise, McGraw-Hill, 1987.
Periodicals
Ladies’ Home Journal, April, 1979.
Los Angeles Times, December 4, 1976.
People, August 8, 1977; February 8, 1982; October 22, 1984; November 9, 1987.
—Elizabeth Thomas
Manilow, Barry 1943–
Manilow, Barry 1943–
PERSONAL
Original name, Barry Alan Pincus; born June 17, 1943, in New York, NY; son of Harold Kelliher and (a secretary; maiden name, Manilow) Pincus; married Susan Deixler, 1964 (annulled, 1965). Education: Graduated from Eastern District High School, 1961; attended New York College of Music, City College of New York, and the Juilliard School. Religion: Jewish.
Addresses:
Agent—William Morris Agency, 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019. Manager—Stiletto Television, 8295 S. La Cienega, Inglewood, CA 90301.
Career:
Singer, composer, songwriter, musician, and music producer. Wrote, produced, and sang radio and advertising jingles; appeared as part of a musical duo at Upstairs at the Downstairs, New York City, for two years; worked as a producer, arranger, and pianist for Bette Midler, c. 1972-?; wrote company jingle for State Farm insurance company; earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for fastest sellout and largest opening day box office gross on Broadway in 1983; signed deal to perform "Music and Passion," at the Las Vegas Hilton, 2005-08; previously worked in the mailroom at CBS, film editor at WCBS-TV, and as a brewery worker. Member of Board of Governors of the Music Center of Los Angeles; National chairman for youth and volunteerism, United Way; member of board of directors of Betty Clooney Foundation for Persons with Brain Injury; First American Ambassador, Prince Charles's The Prince's Trust, 1996.
Member:
Songwriters Guild of America.
Awards, Honors:
Grammy Award nomination, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, 1975, for "Mandy"; Record World awards, top new male vocalist—singles and albums, 1975, and top male vocalist—singles, 1976; Music Retailer Award, top new male artist, 1975; Cashbox awards, top new male vocalist—singles and albums, 1975, and top vocalist—single, 1976; Ruby Award, Performer of the year, After Dark magazine, 1976; Georgy awards, top vocalist of the year, American Guild of Variety Artists, 1976, 1978; Special Antoinette Perry Award, 1977, for Barry Manilow on Broadway; Emmy Award (with Mile Lourie and Steve Binder), outstanding special—comedy—variety or music, Emmy Award nomination (with others), outstanding writing in a comedy—variety or music special, 1977, both for The Barry Manilow Special; Photoplay Award, favorite pop music star, 1977-78; American Music awards, favorite male artist—pop/rock, 1977-79; Academy Award nomination, best song from a motion picture, 1978, for "Ready to Take a Chance Again," Foul Play; Grammy Award, best pop male vocal, 1978, for "Copacabana (at the Copa)"; Seventeen Magazine Award, favorite male vocalist, 1978; Photoplay Award, favorite variety star, 1978; Marketing and Music Award-Ad Expo, 1978; Creative Achievement Award, B'nai Brith, 1978; Top International Artist Award, Canadian Music Programmers, 1978; Emmy Award nomination (with Ernest Chambers), outstanding writing in a comedy—variety or music special, Emmy Award nomination (with Miles Lourie and Ernest Chambers), outstanding special—comedy-variety or music, 1978, for The Second Barry Manilow Special; Front Page Music Award, top male artist—pop/rock, 1979; Canadian Disco Award, best international male artist, 1979; Humanitarian of the Year Award, Starlight Foundation, 1988; Dee Jay Award, producer of the year, 1980, for Dionne; Gold Album, Recording Industry Association of America, 1990, for Because It's Christmas; National Hero Award, 1992; Entertainment Award, Onboard Services magazine, 1999, for Barry Manilow's Copacabana; Humanitarian Award, Sheba Medical Center, 1999; Grammy Award nominations, best instrumental arrangement accompanying vocalists for "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," and best traditional pop vocal performance, 2000, both for Manilow Sings Sinatra; Board of Directors Award, Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs, 2000; Songwriters Hall of Fame, inductee, 2002; Emmy Award, outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program, 2006, for Barry Manilow: Music and Passion; National Academy of Jazz, Board of Governors inductee; Artist of the Year Award, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts; numerous gold and platinum albums.
CREDITS
Film Appearances:
Himself, Because It's Christmas: Barry Manilow, 1991.
Himself, Barry Manilow: Greatest Hits & Then Some, 1993.
Himself, Manilow Live!, 2000.
Himself, Unconditional Love, 2002.
Himself, Bitter Jester (documentary), 2002.
Himself, Manilow: Music and Passion Live from Las Vegas, Rhino, 2006.
Himself, First & Farewell: Barry Manilow, Rhino, 2006.
Film Song Performer:
Foul Play, 1978.
The Line, 1980.
Tribute, 1980.
Pretty in Pink, 1986.
Thumbelina (animated; also known as Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina"), Warner Bros., 1994.
Serial Mom, 1994.
Can't Hardly Wait, 1998.
Disturbing Behavior, 1998.
Happiness, 1998.
Hope Floats, 1998.
200 Cigarettes, 1999.
Film Work:
Score producer, Thumbelina (animated; also known as Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina"), Warner Bros., 1994.
Score Supervisor, The Pebble and the Penguin, 1995.
Producer, Manilow Live!, 2000.
Television Appearances; Movies:
Tony Starr, Copacabana (also known as Barry Manilow's "Copacabana"), ABC, 1985.
Television Appearances; Specials:
The Barry Manilow Special, ABC, 1977.
American Bandstand's 25th Anniversary, 1977.
The 19th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1977.
Presenter and performer, The 31st Annual Tony Awards, ABC, 1977.
The 5th Annual American Music Awards, ABC, 1978.
The Second Barry Manilow Special, ABC, 1978.
The 21st Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1979.
Performer, The 51st Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1979.
The Third Barry Manilow Special, ABC, 1979.
Barry Manilow: One Voice, 1980.
Tom Snyder's Celebrity Spotlight, 1980.
The Sensational, Shocking, Wonderful Wacky '70s, 1980.
American Bandstand's 30th Anniversary Special, 1981.
The Barry Manilow Special, Showtime, 1981.
Goldie and Kids: Listen to Us, 1982.
The National Off-the-Wall People's Poll, 1984.
Performer, The 11th Annual American Music Awards, ABC, 1984.
National anthem performer, Super Bowl XVIII, 1984.
National anthem performer, Super Bowl XIX, 1985.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '86, 1985.
Liberty Weekend, 1986.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '87, 1986.
We the People 200: The Constitutional Gala, 1987.
New York City Marathon, 1987.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '88, 1987.
That's What Friend's Are For: AIDS Concert '88, 1988.
Host, Barry Manilow: Big Fun on Swing Street, CBS, 1988.
Barry Manilow: SRO on Broadway, 1989.
Performer, That's What Friends Are For: Arista's 15th Anniversary Concert (also known as That's What Friends Are For), 1989.
Sinatra 75: The Best Is Yet to Come, 1990.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 1990.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '92, 1991.
In a New Light: A Call to Action in the War Against AIDS (also known as In a New Light), 1992.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '93), 1992.
American Bandstand 40th Anniversary Special, 1992.
All-Star Fiesta at Ford's, 1992.
In a New Light '93, 1993.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '94, 1993.
Dame Edna's Hollywood, 1993.
Barry Manilow: The Best of Me, 1993.
An American Reunion: The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala, 1993.
Christmas at Home with the Stars, 1994.
The Rosemary Clooney Golden Anniversary Celebration, 1995.
The 1995 Miss USA Pageant, CBS, 1995.
Barry Manilow: Live by Request, Arts and Entertainment, 1996.
Intimate Portrait: Suzanne Somers, Lifetime, 1998.
Arista Record's 25th Anniversary Celebration, 1999.
ABC 2000: The Millennium (also known as ABC 2000), ABC, 1999.
Manilow Country, TNN, 2000.
Manilow Live!, DirectTV, 2000.
25 Years of No. 1 Hits: Arista Records' Anniversary Celebration, 2000.
Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.
TVography: Suzanne Somers—Mastering Success, Arts and Entertainment, 2002.
Ultimate Manilow!, CBS, 2002.
ABC's Christmas in Aspen, ABC, 2002.
The 34th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards, Bravo, 2003.
A Barry Manilow Christmas: Live by Request, Arts and Entertainment, 2003.
One Night with Barry Manilow, BBC, 2004.
A Clay Aiken Christmas, NBC, 2004.
Barry Manilow: Music and Passion, PBS, 2006.
The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, NBC, 2006.
The 2006 American Music Awards, ABC, 2006.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 2006.
Performer, The Royal Variety Performance 2006, BBC, 2006.
Television Appearances; Episodic:
Dinah! (also known as Dinah! & Friends), 1976, 1980.
Top of the Pops (also known as All New Top of the Pops and TOTP), 1976, 1993.
Hot City, 1978.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1980, 1982, 1990, 1991.
"2 A.M. Paradise Cafe," Album Flash, 1984.
Aspel & Company, 1984, 1993.
The Phil Donahue Show (also known as Donahue), 1985.
Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?, 1986.
The Arsenio Hall Show, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993.
Dionne and Friends, 1990.
Dame Edna's Hollywood, NBC, 1993.
John and Leeza from Hollywood (also known as John & Leeza), ABC, 1993.
Performer, Surprise Surprise!, 1993.
Himself, "One," Murphy Brown, CBS, 1993.
Pebble Mill at One (also known as Pebble Mill), 1994.
TFI Friday (also known as Thank Four It's Friday), 1996.
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2006.
The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002.
Late Show with David Letterman (also known as The Late Show), CBS, 1997.
Parkinson, BBC, 1998.
The Roseanne Show, syndicated, 1998.
"Bette Midler," Behind the Music (also known as VH1's "Behind the Music"), VH1, 1999.
Himself, "Reach Out and Touch," Ally McBeal, Fox, 2001.
The View, ABC, 2001, 2004, 2006.
"My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs," Great Performances, PBS, 2001.
Musicians, Bravo, 2002.
The Today Show (also known as Today), NBC, 2003.
Himself, "Fanilow," Will & Grace, NBC, 2003.
On-Air with Ryan Seacrest, syndicated, 2004.
The Wayne Brady Show, syndicated, 2004.
"Bette Midler," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2004.
The Oprah Winfrey Show (also known as Oprah), syndicated, 2004.
Richard and Judy, Channel 4, 2004, 2005.
The Tony Danza Show, syndicated, 2004, 2006.
American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (also known as American Idol), Fox, 2004, 2006.
Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ABC, 2004, 2007.
Corazon de …, 2005.
Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show, syndicated, 2005, 2006.
"Round 5 Results," Dancing with the Stars, ABC, 2006.
Good Morning America, ABC, 2006.
The Colbert Report, Comedy Central, 2006.
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, CBS, 2006.
The Megan Mullally Show, syndicated, 2006.
Special guest, The X Factor, ITV, 2006.
Entertainment Tonight (also known as E.T.), syndicated, 2006, 2007.
Also appeared in American Bandstand (also known as AB), ABC.
Television Work; Series:
Worked as a conductor and arranger, The Ed Sullivan Show; musical director, Callbacks, WCBS-TV.
Television Work; Movies:
Producer, The Second Barry Manilow Special, 1978.
Producer, The Third Barry Manilow Special, ABC, 1979.
Music producer, Copacabana (also known as Barry Manilow's "Copacabana"), 1985.
Stage Appearances:
(Broadway debut) Barry Manilow on Broadway, 1977.
Barry Manilow at the Gershwin, Gershwin Theatre, New York City, 1989.
Stage Work:
Musical director and musical arranger, Now, Cherry Lane Theatre, New York City, 1968.
Orchestrator and musical director, The Drunkard, 13th Street Theatre, New York City, 1970.
Director, Barry Manilow Presents Copacabana, Caesar's Atlantic City, Las Vegas, NV, c. 1994.
RECORDINGS
Albums (as a solo artist):
Barry Manilow, Bell, 1973.
Barry Manilow II, Bell, 1974.
Barry Manilow I, Arista 1975.
Tryin' to Get the Feeling, Arista, 1975.
This One's for You, Arista, 1976.
Barry Manilow: Live, Arista, 1977.
Even Now, Arista, 1978.
Foul Play Soundtrack, Arista, 1978.
Barry Manilow: Hits, Arista, 1978.
Manilow Magic: The Best of Barry Manilow, Arista, 1979.
One Voice, Arista, 1979.
Barry, Arista, 1980.
If I Should Love Again, Arista, 1981.
Manilow Magic, Arista, 1982.
Barry Manilow: Live in Britain, Arista, 1982.
Here Comes the Night, Arista, 1982.
Barry Manilow: Hits Vol. II, Arista, 1983.
A Touch More Magic, Arista, 1983.
The 2:00 A.M. Paradise Cafe, Arista, 1984.
The Manilow Collection: Twenty Classic Hits, Arista, 1985.
Manilow, RCA, 1985.
Copacabana Soundtrack, RCA, 1986.
Grandes exitos en espanol, RCA, 1986.
Swing Street, Arista, 1987.
Reflections, 1988.
Barry Manilow, Arista, 1989.
Greatest Hits-Volume I, Arista, 1989.
Greatest Hits-Volume II, Arista, 1989.
Greatest Hits-Volume III, Arista, 1989.
Live on Broadway, Arista, 1990.
Eolia: Love Songs, Arista, 1990.
The Songs, 1975-1990, Arista, 1990.
Because It's Christmas, Arista, 1990.
Showstoppers, Arista, 1991.
All-Time Hits, BMG, 1992.
The Manilow Collection: Classic Hits, Arista, 1992.
Barry Manilow: The Complete Collection, Arista, 1992.
The Complete Collection and Then Some …, Arista, 1992.
Hidden Treasures: Highlights from the Complete Collection and Then Some …, Arista, 1993.
Greatest Hits: The Platinum Collection, Arista, 1993.
Thumbelina Soundtrack, SBK, 1994.
Copacabana Cast Album, First Night Records, 1994.
Singin' with the Big Bands, Arista, 1994.
The Pebble and the Penguin Soundtrack, Kid Rhino, 1995.
From Manilow to Mexico, Arista, 1995.
Summer of 8, Arista, 1996.
Manilow Sings Sinatra, Arista, 1998.
Here at the Mayflower, Concord, 2001.
Ultimate Manilow, Arista, 2002.
A Christmas Gift of Love, Columbia, 2002.
2 Nights Live!, Arista, 2004.
Scores, Concord, 2004.
The Essential Barry Manilow, Arista, 2005.
The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, Arista, 2006.
The Greatest Songs of the Sixties, Arista, 2006.
Greatest Songs of the Seventies, RCA, 2007.
Also recorded Barry Manilow: Live on Broadway.
Albums (as Producer):
(Coproducer) Better Midler, The Divine Miss M, Atlantic, 1972.
(And arranger, conductor, and piano player) Bette Midler, Bette Midler, Atlantic, 1973.
(With Ron Dante; also arranger and piano player) Lady Flash, Beauties in the Night, 1976.
(With others), Phyliss Hyman, Somewhere in My Lifetime, Arista, 1978.
(And piano; also background vocals, with others) Dionne Warwick, Dionne, Arista, 1979.
Dionne Warwick, Finder of Lost Loves, Arista, 1985.
Oliver and Company Soundtrack, Walt Disney, 1988.
(With Eddie Arkin) Nancy Wilson, With My Lover Beside Me, Columbia, 1991.
WRITINGS
Film Scores:
Parades, Cinerama, 1972.
Oliver and Company (animated), Buena Vista Pictures, 1988.
Thumbelina (animated; also known as Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina"), Warner Bros., 1994.
The Pebble and the Penguin, 1995.
Film Songs:
The Line, 1980.
Tribute, 1980.
Off Beat, 1986.
Pretty in Pink, 1986.
Serial Mom, 1994.
Thumbelina (animated; also known as Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina"), Warner Bros., 1994.
The Pebble and the Penguin, 1995.
Hope Floats, 1998.
Duets, 2000.
Film Music:
Heat, 1987.
Film Additional Lyrics:
In the Mood, 1987.
Film Scripts:
Manilow: Music and Passion Live from Las Vegas, 2006.
Television Scores; Series:
American Bandstand (also known as AB), ABC, 1977-89.
Television Specials:
The Barry Manilow Special, ABC, 1977.
The Second Barry Manilow Special, ABC, 1978.
The Third Barry Manilow Special, ABC, 1979.
Barry Manilow: One Voice, 1980.
Barry Manilow: Big Fun on Swing Street, CBS, 1988.
Barry Manilow: SRO on Broadway, 1989.
Manilow Country, TNN, 2000.
Manilow Live!, DirectTV, 2000.
Television Songs; Movies:
Copacabana, ABC, 1985.
Stage Scores:
The Drunkard, 13th Street Theatre, New York City, 1970.
Barry Manilow at the Gershwin, Gershwin Theatre, New York City, 1989.
Barry Manilow Presents Copacabana, Caesar's Atlantic City, Las Vegas, NV, c. 1994.
(With Bruce Sussman) Harmony, Mandell Weiss Theatre, New York City, 2001.
Stage Scripts:
Barry Manilow Presents Copacabana, Caesar's Atlantic City, Las Vegas, NV, c. 1994.
Autobiography:
Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise, McGraw-Hill, 1987.
OTHER SOURCES
Books:
Contemporary Musicians, Vol. 2, Gale Research, 1989.
Electronic:
Barry Manilow Website,http://www.manilow.com, January 8, 2008.
Manilow, Barry
Barry Manilow
Singer, songwriter, pianist
Barry Manilow has spent … years at the top of the heap, no matter where the critics would wish him," declared David Van Biema in People magazine. Though frequently denigrated by music reviewers as bland and lacking in talent, Manilow has had a string of hit singles, including "Mandy," "Could It Be Magic," "This One's For You," "Weekend in New England," and "Copacabana," and has watched at least ten of his albums go platinum. Extremely popular with fans of the soft ballad genre, Manilow won several awards for his musical performances in the late 1970s, including a special Antoinette Perry (Tony) Award for two weeks of sold-out concerts on Broadway. In the 1980s he made successful forays into a jazz reminiscent of the 1930s and 1940s, and wrote his autobiography, Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise.
Manilow was born June 17, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York. Two years later his father deserted the family, and Manilow was raised by his mother and grandparents. They were poor and lived in a deteriorating slum area of Brooklyn. Manilow told Stephen E. Rubin in Ladies' Home Journal, "I was really ugly, the ugliest kid in school…. I didn't have a lot of friends." But the boy's shyness intensified his interest in music. He learned the accordion at an early age and later progressed to the piano. After his mother remarried in the late 1950s, Manilow's stepfather, a jazz enthusiast, took him to hear saxophonist Gerry Mulligan. This broadened the young musician's interests, and he began buying jazz and Broadway musical albums. Unlike most of his peers, Manilow was not drawn to the rock and roll that was sweeping the country during his adolescence. He told Gerrit Henry in After Dark, "I really did not like [Bill Haley and the Comets'] 'Rock Around the Clock.' I think the Beatles finally convinced me there was something going on in rock."
After Manilow graduated from high school he entered the City College of New York to study advertising. However, quickly bored by marketing courses, he left for the New York College of Music. Due to lack of funds he never graduated, but he continued his studies at the Juilliard School while supporting himself with a job in the mail room at the New York City headquarters of CBS. Eventually Manilow worked his way up to film editor for the local affiliate WCBS-TV. His primary task was inserting commercials into the programming, but he also created new theme music for the station's late show. In his spare time Manilow was also arranging music for others who tried out in Broadway auditions, and playing piano in lounges and bars.
Roughly concurrent with an early marriage to a high school sweetheart that ended in divorce after a year, Manilow was named musical director of WCBS-TV's "Callback," a showcase for young musical talent. He won an Emmy in this capacity for his work writing many different kinds of musical arrangements, from opera to rock and roll. In the 1970s Manilow began to supplement his income by writing and performing commercial jingles, including advertisements for Bowlene Toilet Cleaner, Band-Aid bandages, Chevrolet automobiles, and State Farm Insurance; in addition, he sang the famous "You Deserve a Break Today" theme for McDonald's fast food restaurants.
At around the same time, Manilow began serving as a substitute pianist for singer Bette Midler. Midler liked his work, and he became the musical director for her 1972 tour, fashioning the arrangements that helped Midler become a major star. As Manilow explained to Robert Windeler in another People article, "Arranging is my strongest suit…. I'm only a fair singer, I write nice songs, but I'm a great arranger." With the money he earned in this position, Manilow made demonstration tapes of his own material and submitted them to Bell Records, which later became Arista. The result was a contract for a solo album, titled Manilow I. One cut, "Could It Be Magic," a richly emotional love song based on a prelude by classical composer Frederic Chopin, received favorable criticism and frequent FM airplay, but Manilow did not have a major hit until his second album, Manilow II, in 1974. The featured single, "Mandy," a haunting song of regret for a formerly spurned lover, was a runaway success and put Manilow into the limelight and on his way to becoming one of the most popular singers of the 1970s.
Manilow followed "Mandy" with the upbeat "It's a Miracle," but for the most part he scored his biggest successes with sad love ballads such as "Trying to Get the Feeling" (1975); "Looks Like We Made It" (1976); a 1982 rendition of "Memory" from the Broadway musical "Cats"; and 1983's "Read 'Em and Weep." In addition, Manilow wrote and performed the theme song for television's "American Bandstand" and sang "Ready to Take a Chance," which served as the theme of the film "Foul Play."
For the Record …
Born on June 17, 1946, in Brooklyn, NY; son of Harold Pincus and Edna (a secretary) Manilow; stepson of Willie Murphy (a truck driver); married Susan, c. 1967 (divorced, c. 1968). Education: Attended City College of the City University of New York, New York College of Music, and Juilliard School of Music.
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), New York City, began working in mailroom, became film editor, 1960s; at the same time, worked as freelance music arranger and began playing piano in lounges; music director on "Callback" series, WCBS-TV, early 1970s; composed commercial jingles, early 1970s; musical director for singer Bette Midler, beginning 1972; recording artist and concert performer, 1973–; appeared on television specials for ABC; appeared in television film "Copacabana"; signed with Arista Records, released Barry Manilow I, 1973, Barry Manilow II, 1974, and Tryin' to Get the Feeling, 1975; issued Live, 1977, Even Now, 1978, One Voice, 1979, and If I Should Love Again, 1981; issued a series of jazz albums beginning with 2:00 A.M. Paradise Café, 1984; recorded Live on Broadway, 1987, Because It's Christmas, 1990, Showstoppers, 1991, and Singin' With the Big Bands, 1994; released Manilow Sings Sinatra, 1998; signed to Concord Records, released Here at the Mayflower, 2001, and Scores: Songs From Copacabana and Harmony, 2004; issued The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, 2006.
Awards: Emmy Awards for "Callback" series, early 1970s, and for Outstanding Variety Special of 1976–77; Tony Award for concerts on Broadway, 1976; American Guild of Variety Artists, named top vocalist of 1976; After Dark, Ruby Award for performer of the year, 1976; American Music Award for Best Male Pop Vocalist, 1977; Photoplay poll, named favorite pop music star, 1977; Grammy Award, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, for "Copacabana," 1978.
Addresses: Record company—Concord Music Group, Inc., P.O. Box 15096, Beverly Hills, CA 90209, phone: (800) 551-5299, fax: (310) 385-4466.
Though chided by critics as sounding amateurish in his singing style, Manilow has said that he feels this is the very trait that makes him so popular. He told Dennis Hunt in a Los Angeles Times interview: "There's a more human element in a song if my voice cracks or if you can hear me sighing. It's emotional, it's realistic." Despite his enormous record sales and myriad sold-out concert appearances, however, Manilow has always been upset by negative critical response. "All the things they say—'marshmallow,' 'syrupy,' 'ugly,' 'talentless,' 'can't sing,' 'wimp,' 'fag'—hurt so badly because I call myself all those things before they do," he confided to Van Biema. He deals with it, according to Van Biema, by working "even harder." Manilow also has attempted to change his image, while simultaneously indulging his own musical taste, by writing and recording songs in the style of 1930s and 1940s jazz. He collaborated with jazz musicians, including early influence Gerry Mulligan, to record the 1984 release 2:00 A.M., Paradise Cafe, which was reviewed more positively by many critics. Manilow released a similar effort, Swing Street, in 1987.
By the early 1990s Manilow had re-invented himself as an interpreter of jazz standards. He issued Showstoppers on Arista in 1991, an album that re-visited Broadway classics such as "Dancing in the Dark" and "Luck Be a Lady." He returned in 1994 with Singin' With the Big Bands, an invigorating collection that cast him as a latter day crooner in the style of Bing Crosby and Tony Bennett. The shift from pop to jazz surprised many fans, and led a number of critics to re-evaluate Manilow's achievements. "I just thank goodness that I've had the opportunity to mature," Manilow told Alan Jackson in the London Times. "If people now realise there's more substance to me that's very nice."
In 1998 Manilow tackled one of music's most renowned icons when he recorded Manilow Sings Sinatra, offering interpretations of "I've Got the World on a String," "Strangers in the Night," and "My Kind of Town." "When I do my little tribute albums, it's very personal," Manilow told Alan Vaziri in the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's my way of saying goodbye and thank you to a guy who has given me a style of music that I love so much. That particular one happened to be pretty daunting."
Over time, the public would catch up with Manilow's new musical vision, bringing the singer to Las Vegas and his albums to Billboard. In December of 2004 he signed a one-year, $60 million dollar contact with the Las Vegas Hilton, a contract that was later renewed for two years (through 2007) for an undisclosed amount. In 2006 Manilow reached the top of the charts with The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, an album that sold 156,000 copies its first week and nudged out albums by Jamie Foxx and Eminem to land at Billboard's number one spot. The Greatest Songs of the Fifties was also his first number one album since 1977, 29 years earlier. "I'm feeling very good," Manilow told Mark Brown of Denver's Rocky Mountain News. "I think the album has proved that somewhere in the human race the human heart is still beating and breaking and celebrating love."
Selected discography
Manilow I, Bell, 1973.
Manilow II, Bell, 1974.
Tryin' to Get the Feeling, Arista, 1975.
This One's For You, Arista, 1976.
Barry "Live," Arista, 1977.
Even Now, Arista, 1978.
Greatest Hits, Volume I, Arista, 1978.
One Voice, Arista, 1979.
Barry, Arista, 1980.
If I Should Love Again, Arista, 1981.
Live in Britain, Arista, 1982.
Here Comes the Night, Arista, 1982.
Greatest Hits, Volume II, Arista, 1983.
2:00 A.M., Paradise Café, Arista, 1984.
The Manilow Collection/Twenty Greatest Hits, Arista, 1985.
Manilow, RCA, 1985.
Swing Street, Arista, 1987.
Live on Broadway, Arista, 1987.
Because It's Christmas, Arista, 1990.
Showstoppers, Arista, 1991.
Singin' With the Big Bands, Arista, 1994.
Manilow Sings Sinatra, Arista, 1998.
Here at the Mayflower, Concord, 2001.
Scores: Songs From Copacabana and Harmony, Concord, 2004.
The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, Arista, 2006.
Sources
Books
Manilow, Barry, Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise, McGraw-Hill, 1987.
Periodicals
Ladies' Home Journal, April 1979.
Los Angeles Times, December 4, 1976.
People, August 8, 1977; February 8, 1982; October 22, 1984; November 9, 1987.
Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO), February 15, 2006, p.9D.
San Francisco Chronicle, September 19, 1999, p. 45.
Times (London, England), October 31, 1994, p. 15.
Manilow, Barry
BARRY MANILOW
Born: Barry Alan Pincus; Brooklyn, New York, 17 June 1943
Genre: Rock
Best-selling album since 1990: Because It's Christmas (1990)
Hit songs since 1990: "Turn the Radio Up"
Barry Manilow surged to a brief spell of super-stardom in the 1970s, commanding a large audience enthralled by his slickly packaged bathos. Alternately lionized as an earnest songwriter and derided as a purveyor of soft rock melodrama, Manilow ebbed from his peak popularity in subsequent decades. He retained a substantial if narrowed audience for his later forays into jazz, American standards, and musical theater.
Barry Alan Pincus is the son of Harold Pincus, a chauffeur and factory worker, and Edna Manilow, a stenographer. Harold Pincus left the family when Barry was two years old, and Edna subsequently remarried. At the time of his bar mitzvah, Barry was given the surname Manilow. Edna encouraged Manilow's musical education and bought him an accordion and, later, a piano. Manilow was an average student at Brooklyn's East District High School but excelled in music. After graduation Manilow studied briefly at the New York College of Music and the Juilliard School. Working at the CBS mailroom, Manilow made important contacts and was asked to write the music for an off-Broadway play The Drunkard. Soon he was working as a freelance accompanist, jingle writer, conductor, and arranger for Ed Sullivan Productions.
Manilow performed with the singer Jeanne Lucas at the Upstairs at the Downstairs club in Manhattan, earning a reputation as a solid accompanist. In 1972 he was asked to replace the pianist at the Continental Baths, a well-known center of gay culture, and subsequently accompanied the young singer Bette Midler. While their personalities clashed at times, the two complemented each other musically, and Manilow became her arranger and pianist. After successful appearances on The Tonight Show and a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall, Midler signed with Atlantic Records and Manilow co-produced her debut album, The Divine Miss M (1972). During this time Manilow slowly embarked on a solo career despite misgivings about his singing voice and age. He signed with Bell Records, recorded his eponymous debut album, and surreptitiously nudged his year of birth forward to 1946.
During the recording of Manilow's second album, Clive Davis became the new president of Bell Records, subsequently Arista Records. Davis persuaded Manilow to record the upbeat song "Brandy," a minor success in the United Kingdom for singer Scott English. Despite some artistic misgivings, Manilow recorded the song, transforming it into a ballad and changing the name to "Mandy." The song soared to number one on the Billboard singles chart, and the album, Barry Manilow II (1974), went platinum.
Manilow followed up with a string of hits: "It's a Miracle" (number twelve), "Could It Be Magic" (number six), "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again" (number ten), and "I Write the Songs" (number one). The adventurous "Could It Be Magic" begins with the opening strains of Chopin's Prelude in C minor, op. 28, and segues into a melodic ballad. The song inexorably builds with the gradual addition of strings, backing vocals, and the rhythm section, and concludes with a return to the Chopin material.
Manilow's biggest success came with "I Write the Songs," a paean to music written by Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys. As before, Davis adroitly recommended this song and Manilow reluctantly acquiesced. The ballad opens with a melodic phrase shared by the orchestra and piano. The Beatles-influenced bridge introduces an ornamental pocket trumpet and pulsating strings, broadening with the return of the chorus. The choral and orchestral sounds expand as Manilow declares, "I am music and I write the songs."
With his next album, This One's for You (1976), Manilow scored with the singles "Looks Like We Made It" (number one) and "Weekend in New England" (number ten). The album Even Now (1978) introduced the hits "Can't Smile without You" (number three), "Copacabana" (number eight), and "Somewhere in the Night" (number nine). Manilow received an Emmy Award for his 1977 television special and garnered a Tony Award for his two-week run at the Uris Theater. Manilow created and starred in the televised movie Copacabana (1985), based on the lyrics of that song.
With 2:00 A.M. Paradise Café (1984) and Swing Street (1987), Manilow underscored his jazz background in collaborations with Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme, and Gerry Mulligan. Manilow produced Nancy Wilson's album With My Lover Beside Me (1991), which includes new songs composed by Manilow with lyrics by the late Johnny Mercer. In the 1990s Manilow recorded a successful Christmas album and Broadway album, and continued his jazz tributes with Singin' with the Big Bands (1994) and Manilow Sings Sinatra (1998).
Copacabana was adapted into a stage musical in 1994, and Harmony, a musical based on the lives of the Comedian Harmonists, premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in California in 1997. Manilow composed music for several animated features and released the concept album Here at the Mayflower (2001) with a musical narrative constructed around tenants in an apartment building and featuring the upbeat single "Turn Up the Radio."
Despite his distinctly unfashionable cultivation of the middle of the musical road, Manilow has persevered as a pianist, singer, arranger, composer, and producer, enjoying major triumphs in every medium of entertainment. Brushing aside the hail of critical disdain, Manilow has managed to sustain a distinctive musical legacy of unapologetic romanticism in a pop-music environment pervaded by blunt antiromanticism, angst, and ironic detachment.
SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:
Barry Manilow I (Arista, 1973); Barry Manilow II (Arista, 1974); Tryin' to Get the Feeling (Arista, 1975); This One's for You (Arista, 1976); Live (Arista, 1977); Even Now (Arista, 1978); One Voice (Arista, 1979); Barry (Arista, 1980); If I Should Love Again (Arista, 1981); Oh, Julie! (Arista, 1982); Here Comes the Night (Arista, 1982); 2:00 A.M. Paradise Café (Arista, 1984); Manilow (RCA, 1985); Swing Street (Arista, 1987); Barry Manilow (Arista, 1989); Live on Broadway (Arista, 1990); Because It's Christmas (Arista, 1990); Showstoppers (Arista, 1991); Hidden Treasures (Arista, 1993); Singin' with the Big Bands (Arista, 1994); Summer of '78 (Arista, 1996); Manilow Sings Sinatra (Arista, 1998); Here at the Mayflower (Concord, 2001); A Christmas Gift (Columbia, 2002).
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
B. Manilow, Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise (New York, 1987); P. Butler, Barry Manilow (London, 2001).
WEBSITES:
www.barrymanilow.com; www.barrynet.com.
wynn yamami
Manilow, Barry
MANILOW, BARRY
MANILOW, BARRY (Barry Alan Pincus ; 1943– ), U.S. singer, producer, and songwriter. Born in New York, Manilow graduated from Eastern District High School in Brooklyn, after which he attended the Juilliard School of Music. Manilow entered the music business writing commercial jingles, such as "I'm stuck on Band-Aids." He became rich singing the popular "You Deserve a Break Today" (1973) commercial for the McDonald's hamburger empire. Soon after, Manilow became Bette Midler's record producer and then turned performer himself. His first record, Mandy (1974), went straight to number one on the charts and sold four million singles. Manilow then adapted a Chopin sonata and turned it into the hit song "Magic" (1975). Subsequently he recorded a long succession of top-selling singles (not all of which he wrote), such as "It's a Miracle" (1975), "I Write the Songs" (1976), "This One's for You" (1976), "Weekend in New England" (1976), "Looks Like We Made It" (1977), "Copacabana" (1978), "Can't Smile without You" (1978), "Even Now" (1978), "Ready to Take a Chance Again" (1978), "What a Friend You Turned Out to Be" (1983), and "Sometimes When We Touch" (1997). Rated the number one adult contemporary artist of all time, Manilow had an unprecedented run of 25 consecutive Top 40 hits in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1978, five of his albums were on the charts at the same time, a record that has been equaled only by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis.
Among his innumerable honors and awards, Manilow won a Grammy ("Copacabana," 1978); an Emmy (The Barry Manilow Special, 1977); and a Tony (Barry Manilow on Broadway, 1977); and he was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Song: "Ready to Take a Chance Again" in Foul Play, 1978). In 2002 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York.
In 1994 his two-act musical Barry Manilow's Copacabana – The Musical premiered in the U.K. His next theatrical project, Harmony, was a musical based on the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, a talented group of male singers (three of whom were Jewish) who performed in Nazi Germany until 1934.
With more than 30 albums to his credit and reportedly having made his last grand tour, Manilow signed a long-term contract with the Las Vegas Hilton theater, performing Barry Manilow: Music and Passion.
Manilow wrote the autobiographical Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise in 1987.
bibliography:
P. Butler, Barry Manilow: A Biography (2001); M. Strunk, The Whole World Sings: The Fans behind Barry Manilow (1999); A. Clarke, The Magic of Barry Manilow (1981); T. Jasper, Barry Manilow (1981).
[Jonathan Licht /
Ruth Beloff (2nd ed.)]