Who is Barry Manilow?

Barry Manilow is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. He has written and recorded over 50 Top 40 singles, including the number one hits “Mandy” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).” He has released over 60 albums and has sold more than 80 million records worldwide. Manilow is also known for his popular live performances, and has toured with some of the biggest names in music.

Early Life and Career

Manilow was born Barry Alan Pincus in Brooklyn, New York in 1943. His parents were of Jewish descent, both from Russia. He began taking piano lessons at age seven, and later studied music composition at Juilliard School. In 1963, he joined forces with lyricist Adrienne Anderson to write the song “My Dream” which became a hit for the band The Drifters. He then wrote the songs “One Voice” and “Ready to Take a Chance Again” for the film Foul Play (1978).

Breakthrough Success

Manilow's breakthrough success came in 1975 with the release of his second album, Barry Manilow II. The album included three Top 10 singles: “Mandy”, “It's a Miracle”, and “Could It Be Magic”. His next two albums, Tryin' to Get the Feeling (1976) and This One's for You (1977), also achieved great success. Manilow also wrote and produced several TV themes, including “Themes from Copa Cabana” (1978) and “Themes from Ready to Take a Chance Again” (1979).

Recent Work

In recent years, Manilow has continued to tour extensively and release new music. In 2018 he released This Is My Town: Songs of New York, an album dedicated to his hometown of New York City. He also co-wrote a musical based on his life story titled Copacabana which premiered in 2018. In 2020 he released his most recent album, 2 Nights Live on Broadway. Manilow has won numerous awards throughout his career including three Grammys, two Emmys, and a Tony Award nomination.