Manilow’s roots are in Brooklyn, New York, where music was an integral part of his life. By the age of seven, he was a budding artist taking accordion lessons and playing on a neighbor’s piano. Deciding to make music his career, he attended New York College of Music and Julliard still working in the mailroom at CBS to pay his expenses. In 1972, Manilow met Bette Midler and became her music director, arranger and pianist. Later that year, Manilow signed with Bell Records (later Arista Records) to record his debut solo album. In 1974, the release of Mandy launched an unprecedented career and 25 consecutive Top 40 hits including Even Now, This One’s for You, Weekend in New England, I Write the Songs and Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again. Four years later, five of Manilow’s albums were on the charts simultaneously — a record rivaled only by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis. Among his 44 albums are such diverse musical styles as The Greatest Songs of the Fifties (2006), Manilow Scores: Songs from Copacabana and Harmony (2004), Manilow Sings Sinatra (1998), Singin’ with the Big Bands (1994), Showstoppers (1991), Swing Street (1987), 2:00 A.M. Paradise Café (1984), and many others, including 38 Top 40 Hits. Albums he has produced for other artists, including Bette Midler, Nancy Wilson, and Dionne Warwick have been nominated for Grammy Awards. Manilow’s film credits include the Oscar-nominated Ready To Take A Chance Again (from Foul Play), a featured song in Walt Disney’s Oliver and Company and the complete soundtracks for the animated features Thumbelina and The Pebble and the Penguin. Manilow’s first television success was in March 1977 when ABC-TV presented The Barry Manilow Special to an audience of 37 million. The show won the Emmy Award for “Best Special of the Year.” Since then Manilow has had specials on numerous networks around the world, including CBS, ABC, HBO, TNN, A&E, and the BBC. The two-hour 1996 A&E special, Barry Manilow: Live by Request was the highest rated music show in the network’s history. Manilow also has appeared on the highly rated TV comedies Murphy Brown, Ally McBeal, and Will & Grace. Manilow’s theater career ranges from his Tony Award-winning Broadway debut in 1977 to the June 2001 opening of Could It Be Magic? – The Barry Manilow Songbook. The world premiere of his musical, Harmony (with book and lyrics by Bruce Sussman), enjoyed a successful run at the La Jolla Playhouse and is slated to open on Broadway. His collaboration with Sussman also produced Barry Manilow’s Copacabana: The Musical. Inspired by his hit single, the elaborate two-act musical spectacular played to packed houses in London’s West End for 18 months; a national company toured the U.S. and international productions are on-going. Manilow’s 1987 autobiography Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise marked his literary debut. Barry Manilow has long been a supporter of charitable and humanitarian efforts around the world. In addition to his own foundation, the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope, his altruistic involvement includes The Prince’s Trust, United Way, the Starlight Foundation, numerous organizations fighting the battle against AIDS and many others. He is the national spokesperson for the Foundation Fighting Blindness and a member of the National Academy of Jazz Board of Governors and the Music Center of Los Angeles. Rolling Stone magazine proclaimed Manilow “The Showman of Our Generation.” Over his 30 year multi-faceted career, Barry Manilow has proven that he is indeed the performer who most embodies that accolade. |
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