In 1978, five of his albums were on the best-selling charts simultaneously, a feat equalled only by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and Johnny Mathis. He has recorded a string of Billboard hit singles and multi-platinum albums that have resulted in his being named Radio & Records number one Adult Contemporary artist and winning three straight American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist. Several well-known entertainers have given Manilow their "stamp of approval," including Sinatra, who was quoted in the 1970s regarding Manilow, "He's next." In 1988, Bob Dylan stopped Manilow at a party, hugged him and said, "Don't stop what you're doing, man. We're all inspired by you." Arsenio Hall cited Manilow as a favorite guest on The Arsenio Hall Show and admonished his audience to respect him for his work.
As well as producing and arranging albums for other artists, such as Bette Midler, Dionne Warwick and Rosemary Clooney, Manilow has written songs for musicals, films, and commercials. Since February 2005, he had been the headliner at the Las Vegas Hilton, and had performed hundreds of shows before he called time on his 5-year association, performing his last show on December 30, 2009. From March 2010, he is due to headline at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.
Biography :
Barry was born as Barry Alan Pincus to Harold Keliher Pincus and Edna Manilow. His father was of Irish descent. Both his parents were of the Jewish faith. He was raised in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, attending Brooklyn's Eastern District High School. After his high school graduation in 1961, Manilow enrolled at The Juilliard School, while working at CBS to pay his expenses. At CBS in 1964 Manilow met Bro Herrod, a director, who asked him to arrange some public domain songs for a musical adaptation of the melodrama, The Drunkard. Instead, Manilow wrote an entire original score. The musical became a success and ran Off-Broadway for eight years at the 13th Street Theatre in New York. Manilow then earned money by working as a pianist, producer, and arranger. He has said of that time that he played piano for anybody: "If the check cleared, I was there."
Manilow also worked as a commercial jingle writer/singer, an activity that continued well into the 1970s. He penned many of the jingles that he performed, including those for Bowlene Toilet Cleaner, State Farm Insurance ("Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there..."), Stridex acne cleanser, and Band-Aid ("I am stuck on Band-Aid, 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me!" sang by a jubilant struggling actor named John Travolta), among others. His singing-only credits include Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pepsi, Jack in the Box, Dr Pepper, and the famed McDonald's "You Deserve a Break Today" campaign. Manilow won two Clio Awards in 1976 for his work for Tab and Band-Aid.
By 1967, Manilow was the musical director for the WCBS-TV series Callback which premiered on January 27, 1968. He next conducted and arranged for Ed Sullivan's production company, arranging a new theme for The Late Show, while still writing, producing, and singing his radio and television jingles. At the same time, he and Jeanne Lucas performed as a duo for a two-season run at New York's Upstairs at the Downstairs club.
On January 26, 2010 Manilow released his new album The Greatest Love Songs of all Time.
Awards
1977 Grammy – I Write The Songs – Song of the Year (award went to the song's writer)
1977 Emmy for Outstanding Special – Comedy, Variety or Music – The Barry Manilow Special
1977 Special Tony Award – Barry Manilow on Broadway
1978 American Music Awards – Best Pop/Rock Male Artist
1979 Grammy – Copacabana Best Pop Male Vocal Performance
1979 American Music Awards – Best Pop/Rock Male Artist
1980 American Music Awards – Best Pop/Rock Male Artist
2002 Songwriter's Hall of Fame
2006 Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program – Barry Manilow: Music And Passion
2007 RIAA – Plaque commemorating worldwide record sales of 75 million
2009 Clio Awards Honorary award for prior work with commercial jingles
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