Barry Manilow

Bio:
Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American singer-songwriter. Barry grew up in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn before graduating high school in 1961. He enrolled in Juilliard, working at CBS to pay his expenses. In 1964, Barry was asked by CBS director Bro Herrod to arrange some songs for a musical adaptation. Barry composed an entire original score which would get used for an off-Broadway play, leading Barry to start a career as a pianist, producer and arranger. During the 1960’s, Barry made money writing commercial jingles, penning classic musical slogans for State Farm Insurance and Band-Aid. In the 1970’s, Barry began working with Bette Midler, assisting her on her breakout releases The Divine Miss M and Bette Midler. Barry also launched his own career as a singer. His first hit song, “Mandy,” came off his sophomore album in 1974. From there, he would continue to find adult contemporary success for the following four decades, winning multiple American Music Awards, two Emmy and a Grammy for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance in 1979.

Best Known For:
Barry is best known for being a singer, with hits “Mandy” and “Copacabana”

Personal Life:
In 1978, five of Barry’s albums were simultaneously on the best-seller charts, a feat equaled by just a handful of other musicians (such as The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson.) In 1989, Barry organized a benefit concert to raise funds for the South Carolina area affected by Hurricanne Hugo, raising over $80,000. To help with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Barry and the Manilow Fund For Heath and Hope donated $300,000 to the American Red Cross. In 2014, Barry married his longtime manager, Garry Kief, in a secret ceremony. In Feb. 2016, he sought medical attention after suffering complications from emergency oral surgery.