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December 12, 2007 Press Release
Source: Rhino/Stiletto		Manilow Returns Home to Revisit "The Seventies": Filmed in Brooklyn DVD Spotlights Manilow's New Television Special Featuring the Artist Performing His Biggest Hits of the '70s and Memorable Covers of the Decade's Best Songs, Plus a Bonus DVD of Unaired Performances; Available January 29 from Rhino, and STILETTO Television
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Performing live in his old Brooklyn stomping grounds, Barry Manilow's latest DVD is the best sort of homecoming. A wonderfully entertaining television special, "BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES" was filmed in September 2007 at the old Navy Yard in Brooklyn, "right down the block from where I grew up in Williamsburg," as Manilow explains onstage. The special will premiere on PBS stations across the nation in early December.

Rhino, in association with STILETTO Television, captures the artist's triumphant return to his old neighborhood where he sings his biggest hits -- and some great covers -- from the decade that made him famous. The two-DVD set includes the television special in 5.1 Surround Sound on the first disc, plus a bonus disc featuring an unaired mini-concert of alternate performances, along with behind-the-scenes footage. "BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES" will be available in stores and at www.rhino.com January 29 for a suggested price of $19.99.

An excellent companion to Manilow's latest smash album, "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies" -- which debuted in the Top 5 -- this special finds Manilow focusing on the music of the decade when he became one of music's biggest stars.

The hit-heavy set list is an inspired mix of Manilow's own '70s gems -- including "Mandy," "Could It Be Magic" and the especially fitting "New York City Rhythm" -- along with other memorable '70s smashes that Manilow makes his own. The superb selection of covers includes Albert Hammond's "It Never Rains in Southern California" and the Hollies' "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," plus an homage to Barbra Streisand with "The Way We Were."

"BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES" also features Manilow performing a pair of crowd-pleasing medleys. In the first, he revisits his early years as a jingle writer singing some of his most memorable commercial melodies for Band-Aids, State Farm Insurance, McDonalds and Vicks. With the second, Manilow takes the audience on an impressive musical journey through some of his biggest hits, including "Can't Smile Without You," "Even Now," "I Made It Through The Rain," "This One's For You" and "I Write The Songs." The '70s were very good to Barry Manilow, and all these years later, Barry Manilow is great to the '70s.

With worldwide record sales exceeding 75 million, his work as a singer, songwriter, arranger and producer over the course of more than 40 albums has earned Barry Manilow the highest honors. He sits on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Jazz, and in June 2002, he was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside Ashford & Simpson, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman and Sting. In addition to his own foundation, the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope, other involvements include 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, Honorary Chairman of the Palm Springs Art Museum and a Founder of the Music Center of Los Angeles.

"BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES"

Track Listing

Disc 1 - The Television Special

  1. Mandy
  2. New York City Rhythm
  3. I Am Your Child
  4. The Commercials (Again!)
    a. Band-Aids
    b. State Farm Insurance
    c. McDonald's
    d. Vicks
  5. Could It Be Magic?
  6. Copacabana (At The Copa)
  7. My Eyes Adored You
  8. Looks Like We Made It
  9. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
  10. The Way We Were
  11. It Never Rains In Southern California
  12. The Old Songs (Intro)
  13. Seventies Hits Medley
    a. Can't Smile Without You
    b. Even Now
    c. It's A Miracle
    d. I Made It Through The Rain
    e. Daybreak
    f. This One's For You
    g. I Write The Songs
  14. One Voice

Disc 2 - Extra Special Outtakes

  1. Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?
  2. The Way We Were Medley
    a. The Way We Were
    b. It Never Rains In Southern California
    c. You've Got A Friend
    d. The Way We Were
  3. All The Time
December 10, 2007 BlogCritics Magazine"Music Review: Barry Manilow - In the Swing of Christmas" by Rebecca Wright
I'm starting to wonder if Barry Manilow ever sleeps. Since 2005 alone the man has released three best selling albums (The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, The Greatest Songs of the Sixties, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies), while starring in his own Las Vegas stage show, Manilow: Music and Passion. Despite his busy schedule, Manilow found the time to record In the Swing of Christmas, Hallmark's 2007 Christmas album.

In the Swing of Christmas features ten holiday songs: "Silver Bells," "Carol of the Bells/Jingle Bells," "Joy to the World/It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Violets For Your Furs," "O Tannenbaum/Winter Wonderland," "Christmas Time Is Here," "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)," "Toyland" and "Count Your Blessings." Manilow sings all 26 background vocals on the very lively, "Silver Bells." He is joined by MaD Fusion, a trio led by pianist Matt Herskowitz on some tracks and The Randy Kerber Trio on others. Manilow allows his love for the music of the holiday season to shine bright throughout In the Swing of Christmas. His rousing version of "Jingle Bells" will have you singing along, while his touching interpretation of Irving Berlin's "Count Your Blessings," may make you stop and think about the meaning of the season.

Produced by Barry Manilow and co-produced by Scott Erickson, Manilow says of In the Swing of Christmas, "My concept was small, sexy, [and] romantic, an album that you can play all through the Christmas season." Using a trio on each song, instead of an orchestra has allowed Barry to create a fun but intimate atmosphere; listeners can pop this CD in at parties or play it during quieter times at home.

In the Swing of Christmas is available exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown Stores now through December 2007. You can get your copy for $7.95, with the purchase of three greeting cards. Click here to find the Hallmark Gold Crown Store in your city.

December 9, 2007 The Plain Dealer"Barry Manilow plays it BIG in Cleveland: Manilow demands power in his songs, passion in his pop" by John Soeder
Barry Manilow rawks! Kind of. I mean, when you really stop and think about it. "Most people think of Barry Manilow as, I dunno, a ballad singer, like a Johnny Mathis or somebody," says Manilow himself, who ought to know. That's NOT the kind of music I've ever made. And it's NOT the kind of music I've ever loved. I love POWER in the records I make."

In conversation, Manilow turns out to be an easygoing charmer with a lingering Brooklyn, N.Y., accent, even if he is a little obsessed with power. His chart-topping 1974 breakthrough smash "Mandy" was "the first power ballad," says Manilow, 61. The guy has a point. Long before Night Ranger's "Sister Christian" or Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" had rock 'n' roll fans holding aloft cigarette lighters, there was "Mandy," with Manilow "standing on the edge of time." Originally titled "Brandy," the song previously was a U.K. hit for Scott English. Manilow gave it an extreme makeover.

"It started with a little tinkling piano ... then it got crazy, with this big backbeat, these big guitar-driven chords and this big ending," he is only too happy to remind us. "Everybody is still doing that. But there wasn't one like that before 'Mandy.' "I did that with every single ballad that I wrote or that Clive Davis found for me. They were beautiful songs. I REFUSED just to leave them alone and play the piano and do icky violins behind them. You listen to 'Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again' and even 'Weekend in New England' - they are ROCK power ballads. That was as good as I could get, because I'm not a rock 'n' roll singer. But if you listen to those records, they're as POWERFUL as any rock 'n' roll record ever."

So where exactly does Manilow stand with regard to rock? "Playing four chords does not turn me on, and rock 'n' roll is based on four chords," he says. "They certainly have gotten a lot out of four chords for all these years. What I love about rock 'n' roll is the passion ... When they do it right, it doesn't matter to ME what the hell they're playing."

"My favorite new group these days is Nickelback. And Foo Fighters are probably the best of all of 'em ... I don't play this in front of a fireplace when I'm having a glass of wine," he says. "But I GET it. I get what they're trying to do. When I began to make pop records, I refused to make Muzak-y, adult-contemporary records - no matter what they say these days. I very rarely have little teeny songs out there. 'When October Goes,' the little song I wrote for my jazz album ['2:00 AM Paradise Cafe'], was just about the only little song I've ever had on the charts. Most of them were HUGE power ballads."

With more than 75 million records sold worldwide, Manilow is no stranger to huge albums, either, including the quadruple-platinum "Barry Manilow Live." "The biggest thrill was that it went No. 1," Manilow says. A highlight of "Barry Manilow Live" was "A Very Strange Medley," which had Manilow crooning jingles he recorded for McDonald's, State Farm Insurance, Kentucky Fried Chicken and others, before superstardom beckoned. Sadly, the medley is no longer part of his act. "There are too many young people in the audience these days," Manilow says. "Young girls with little belly-button rings, you know? They don't even remember 'You Deserve a Break Today.' I needed to take that medley out years ago, because they had stopped playing those commercials."

If you want to see what you're missing, check out "Barry Manilow: The First Television Specials," a new boxed set with five DVDs. His very first TV special, from 1977, includes a classic performance of "A Very Strange Medley." After backing vocalist Debra Byrd (a Cleveland native) nailed an operatic high note at the end of the McDonald's jingle, Manilow found himself at the mercy of a hyperactive bubble machine.

Is the bubble machine still part of his production? (Manilow laughs) "No, I don't have a bubble machine. That bubble machine was a remnant from the old nightclub act I had done a year before. It seemed that one week I was bouncing checks at the A&P and helping the girls make their costumes and borrowing clothes from friends, and then the next week, I was headlining my own special, with a No. 1 record."

So what music DOES he play in front of the fireplace? You know, if he isn't cranking up Nickelback or the Foo Fighters? On the pop side, Sting and Five for Fighting, Manilow says. "Then of course I go to my classical music," he says. "I go to Chet Baker. I go to a little R&B stuff. But that big power stuff, I save that for myself."

Manilow has a new holiday CD, "In the Swing of Christmas," available exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown stores. It remains to be seen if he'll do any seasonal tunes in concert. "I haven't thought about it far enough in advance," he says. "That's my third Christmas album. I'm just NUTS for that kind of music."

Manilow was back on top of the charts recently with "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies," on which he revisits oldies by the Bee Gees, the Carpenters, Elton John and others. The album is the latest installment of his "decades" series, which commenced last year with the releases of "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties" and "The Greatest Songs of the Sixties."

The popular series is the brainchild of Manilow's longtime mentor, music industry mogul Clive Davis. "I am the grateful recipient of his brilliance," Manilow says. "He came to me with this odd idea of doing something called 'The Greatest Songs of the Fifties.' As usual, I said, 'Huh? I don't get it.' I did it every time he gave me a pop song - 'Mandy,' 'I Write the Songs,' 'Can't Smile Without You.' I would say, 'What? It's not a hit.' And of course, he was right."

The "decades" albums "give comfort and, uh, romance to people," he says. "They're DIFFICULT albums to make ... because I've got to pull myself back and NOT do these power ballads. I'd much rather have a lot of fun and make noise." Nonetheless, if Davis wants Manilow to do "The Greatest Songs of the Eighties," Manilow says he's up for it.

In the meantime, another project is keeping him busy. "I'm in the middle of writing a new original album," he says. "It's kind of rock-oriented, believe it or not, of all things."

See? Told you he rawks.

December 9, 2007 NorthJersey.com"Manilow redoes songs from 1970s" by Nekesa Mumbi Moody (originally posted September 18, 2007)
On his previous two albums, Barry Manilow tackled songs made famous by Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra and other greats. But his latest album presented a real challenge: covering himself. "Trying to redo 'Mandy,' trying to redo 'I Write the Songs' -- it was the most complicated thing I'd ever done in my life," he says.

It was inevitable Manilow would end up redoing songs from his own career, given his recent artistic direction. In January 2006, he released "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties" -- which promptly debuted at the top of the charts and sold more than 1 million copies. Months later, he was at it again, this time with "The Greatest Songs of the Sixties," also a top seller.

This fall, he reached into the past once again with the release of the two-disc "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies," which includes songs made famous by the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters and Carole King. "These songs that I'm doing on the 'Seventies' album, they were competition [then]," says Manilow, who performs tonight at the Nassau Coliseum and Monday night (8:00 p.m.) at the Izod Center (East Rutherford, NJ). "It was kind of an interesting experience for me, because a lot of these songs, we were battling it out up at the top of the charts. Now I realize how wonderfully written they are."

But given that his career-defining hits also helped define that decade, Manilow performs Manilow as well. "I had to redo mine, and I decided I would do it like an 'Unplugged,'" Manilow said recently while sitting backstage after a performance of his Las Vegas revue. Manilow's voice hasn't changed much since his initial recordings, but he thinks that audiences will hear a difference: "I think there's a maturity there that wasn't there 30 years ago. Thirty years ago it was a young boy singing a pop song."

Though the album features a range of songs, it doesn't feature a range of styles -- most notably, there are no disco songs, even though the genre defined that decade. It wasn't for lack of trying, at least on Manilow's part: He admits he really wanted to sing KC and the Sunshine Band's classic, "Get Down Tonight." But music mogul Clive Davis, who co-produced the album with Manilow and David Benson, wasn't having it. "Clive had a lot of trouble with me doing disco," Manilow says. "['Get Down Tonight'] was a great idea, but it just didn't make it. A lot of them are great ... I'm so disappointed they just didn't make it."

Davis wasn't the only one who had input on the album's direction. Manilow sent an e-mail list of some 200 songs to "everybody that I had ever met in my life," he jokes -- a list that included Jay Leno, Martha Stewart and Rosie O'Donnell. "I said, 'Pick your 13 favorite songs,' and they all answered me ... and I tallied them all up. "What is emerging out of all the songs we recorded is a very intimate, romantic album," he adds.

And, perhaps, it's another hit album, if the "Seventies" album follows the trend of its predecessors. At 61, Manilow is excited to still be in the pop mix. "It was fun going up against 'Hannah Montana,' " he said. "I hadn't even heard of 'Hannah Montana,' but it was fun!"

If you go ... WHO: Barry Manilow. WHEN: 8 p.m. Monday. WHERE: Izod Center, East Rutherford. Ticketmaster. HOW MUCH: $37 to $248. WHERE TO HEAR: barrymanilow.com.

December 3, 2007 TV Guide"Barry Manilow Brings the '70s Back to Life" by Tim Williams
When he burst onto the music scene with "Mandy" in '74, Barry Manilow invented the power ballad and in the process changed prom songs forever. The rest of the Me Decade would prove the singer unstoppable (even by critics) as he produced a string of hits and created a loyal following of fans who found in his lush music an escape from the hard rock of the times. These days the Brooklyn boy is still making good, with a new CD for the holidays, In the Swing of Christmas (available at Hallmark stores), and a TV special, Barry Manilow: Songs from the Seventies (premiering Dec. 3 on PBS, check TV Guide listings), proving that much like the power ballad, Manilow will never go out of style.

TVGuide.com: It seem like you're busier than ever.
Barry Manilow: Just when I think I'm done it explodes again, I'm just amazed. I go out on the road and sing my songs and say my goodbyes on a farewell tour and then the next thing I know I open in Las Vegas. There I am 35 stories high on the side of the Hilton Hotel and I think, "That'll be about all," and before I know it my album (Greatest Songs of the [Fifties]) is entering at No.1 � it just keeps going.

TVG: Is your favorite thing getting up onstage every night?
BM: My favorite thing to do is producing, I like putting things together. I like being in the background, if it was up to me I'd be accompanying other singers and arranging and producing, or putting shows together for other people. The last thing I ever aspired to was being a performer and to get up onstage, it's the biggest surprise in my life that this is where I wound up.

TVG: Is performing uncomfortable for you?
BM: Now I'm very comfortable. For years I was very uncomfortable and didn't know how to do this and the critics saw that and tried to annihilate me. I agreed with them � I did not know how to be a performer in the spotlight. But the audiences were there and didn't care that I was an awkward amateur on that stage; they kept coming back. They knew I was learning on the job.

TVG: What do most people say to you if they see you out at a restaurant or the airport?
BM: Well, the odd thing is when I walk through an airport they all yell, "Hi, Rod!" They all think I'm Rod Stewart. It's nice. I talk in a gruff voice and sign his autograph. I wonder if he gets "Hi, Barry" as much as I get "Hi, Rod."

TVG: Who do you like on the music scene today?
BM: My favorite rock and roll groups are Nickelback and the Foo Fighters. I don't know how to make stuff like that, but I like it; I hear their passion and craft. The next album I'm doing is a guitar-driven album and when I get ready to make the record I'm going to make phone calls to some great rock and roll people to ask if they want to work with me.

TVG: Well, that sounds like a change from your new Christmas CD.
BM: I work with a great jazz trio on this album. I love finding new facets to songs people already know, but this is my third Christmas album and if I have to do a fourth one, I may be down to the bottom of the barrel for songs. I was going to do a Hanukkah song on this CD, but they are so awful [Laughs], they just don't work. What am I going to do, an arrangement of "The Dreidel Song"?

TVG: You should think about doing that. How was singing this season on Dancing with the Stars?
BM: I was very lucky that they even got one shot of me with the way the cameras swirl around the dancers; they didn't pay any attention to me singing my heart out [Laughs]. But those people are working their asses off, I'm just happy I had a couple of songs they could dance to.

TVG: Next season might we see Dancing with Barry?
BM: Not in a million years, not on a bet.

TVG: But you do have a new PBS special.
BM: Yeah, this is more like a VH1's Storytellers because it's very intimate. I get to do songs from that decade like "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," "You've Got a Friend," and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," beautiful songs we all know, and then my old stuff, which is fun.

TVG: I see they just released some of your classic '70s variety specials on DVD, I'm sure you enjoy looking back at those.
BM: Oh god, I wish they would have released those after I died so that I didn't have to see myself in that friggin' Copacabana jacket ever again.

TVG: Well, fans still love seeing it. What do fans want to say when they meet you?
BM: People always say "thank you" and I don't know what to say, so I just let them talk. Somehow these songs have had a deep impact on people and some of the personal stories they tell me... well, they're just gorgeous.

November 30, 2007 Star-Ledger (New Jersey)"Manilow marches on: Mining the past, but still writing new songs" by Jay Lustig
Barry Manilow isn't re-writing history. He's just re-recording it. His last three albums have been covers collections, devoted, respectively, to pop hits of the '50s, '60s and '70s -- everything from "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" to "It Never Rains In Southern California." For the latest, "Greatest Songs of the Seventies," he also recorded acoustic versions of his own '70s hits, such as "I Write the Songs" and "Looks Like We Made It."

Manilow, 61, has also reshaped the concert side of his career. Following the example of Celine Dion and Elton John, he is cutting down on his road time by doing most of his performing in Las Vegas. His extended engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton began in 2005, and will continue until at least May. We spoke to him by phone, before one of the Vegas shows.

Star-Ledger: So are you working on your '80s album yet?
Barry Manilow: Not yet. I haven't been given the go-ahead. These decade albums are all the brilliant idea of (record executive) Clive Davis, and if he wants it, I'd be very happy to do it. But in the meantime, on my own, I'm writing an original album.

SL: Was doing the '70s album a different experience for you, just because the '70s were kind of your decade?
BM: Yeah, I think the '70s album was more difficult. The 50s ... I'm an arranger, and arranging songs like "Beyond the Sea" and "Sincerely" and "Venus" ... those are fun to do, because they're so far away that I could play around with them. Then, the '60s ... I still was able to put my stamp on those songs. But boy, when I got to the '70s, I couldn't do that. You can't f--- with "Bridge Over Troubled Water." You just do it, and sing it. And that's what I found with every one of those: "You've Got a Friend," and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" and "Sailing." Every time I tried changing things around, it hurt the song. The other difficult part was redoing my own songs. I mean, how the hell do you redo "Mandy"? I sat at the piano and said, "Well, now what? I did this already." So, I came up with this idea of doing, like, an unplugged version of it, and even that was pretty complicated to do. So this was a more challenging album than I had thought.

SL: What has it been like for you, to do so much performing in Vegas?
BM: I love it. Most of my life since the 1970s ... when we put a tour together, it was always months away from home. At least three weeks, and then we would take a week off, and then we'd go out for four weeks ... and that was my life. I finally had just had it and said, "I have to have my life back now." And right then, they offered me Vegas. I still love hanging with my band, and making music and all. So this Vegas thing was a godsend. I can still make my music, play with the audience, play with the band. Then I go home. I hang out at home all day long, then fly here at night, and do my show. Then I go home again.

SL: Where is that home?
BM: I live in Palm Springs, and I fly home, every night, from Vegas to Palm Springs. I mean, sometimes we stay here. They've given me a really nice suite: it's 15,000 square feet, and it's got a swimming pool and a lawn. And I built myself a little recording studio here. I bring my friends, I bring the family. But whatever it is, it's not the road, so I'm happy.

SL: Do you keep changing the Vegas show, to keep it fresh?
BM: Oh yeah. Shows like the brilliant Celine Dion show, and Elton's show, and all of these, they seem to have gotten themselves into a hole, in my opinion, because they're stuck with dancers, and production. Once you've set that, you can't change -- maybe they can, one song or something -- but most of the show is so produced. If they changed a song, everybody would bump into each other! I don't do that. Mine is very beautiful to look at, and it is produced, too, but it still enables me to change anything I want, every night.

SL: I assume it's a different kind of show from what people will see in New Jersey.
BM: What we're taking to New Jersey is a big, blown-up version of what I do here. We've done it before. We did it at Madison Square Garden, for three nights, and had a ball there. And we did it in Atlantic City, and Chicago.

SL: If you do the '80s album, what songs would you do?
BM: I haven't even thought about it. At first, I thought, "I can't." The '80s were all about ... what do they call it? New wave. It was all about those groups that stood on their heads. But when I looked up songs that were Top 40 of the Year, for that decade, there were a handful of songs that were beauties. There's enough that I could probably play around with.

SL: You said you were also working on an album of originals ...
BM: If Clive's not interested in doing an '80s album, by that time I'll have my original album together. It's edgier than anything I've done. It's not piano-driven, the way all my ballads are. It's guitar-driven. And every song, it's got a lot of ... I hate saying rock 'n' roll, because I don't know whether I can handle rock 'n' roll as a singer. But as a songwriter I've been able to do that, and it's exciting.

November 24, 2007 The Desert SunManilow's music comes to television" by Bruce Fessier
"Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies" will air on more than 250 PBS stations, including the local outlet, during a December fundraising campaign. Inspired by his "Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies" CD, the special was taped before a live audience on Sept. 12 at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, N.Y., the city where Manilow was born and raised. It features Manilow in concert and sharing his personal experiences with the audience. Manilow won an Emmy last year for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for his PBS special, "Barry Manilow: Music and Passion." This special reunites Manilow with that program's director, David Mallet.

Manilow recently released his third Christmas CD, "In the Swing of Christmas," selling for $7.95 at HallmarkGold Crown stores with the purchase of three Hallmark cards. He'll perform in the "Aflac Presents Brian Boitano Skating Spectacular" with Boitano and Dorothy Hamill Dec. 5 at AT&T Park in San Francisco for another TV special scheduled to air Dec. 22 on NBC.

November 16, 2007 Press Release
SOURCE: STILETTO Television		PBS and STILETTO Television Present BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES - New PBS Television Special To Air December 3, 2007
Legendary songwriter and performer Barry Manilow revisits the 70s for his new high-definition television special, Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies, airing on over 250 PBS stations during its December Fundraising Campaign (please see below for a complete list of stations). Inspired by his highly anticipated CD, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies, the television event will not only feature Manilow in concert, but sharing his personal experiences with the audience.

Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies was taped before a live audience on September 12th at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn, New York, a return to the city where Manilow was born and raised. Manilow also reunited with director David Mallet, who helmed last year's Barry Manilow: Music and Passion for which Manilow won an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program." As a director, Mallet's work includes specials for Elton John, Celine Dion, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2 and Cher (where he won an Emmy for The Farewell Tour).

Manilow's music is synonymous with the 70s. His songs helped define the era, and Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies will revisit some of those songs, as well as some of his own favorites from the decade -- many of which are featured on his new CD. Industry charts have ranked Manilow as the undisputed number one adult contemporary artist of all time with record sales exceeding 70 million worldwide. He has written hundreds of songs and performed around the globe, thrilling millions of fans and winning a Grammy, two Emmys, several Tony Awards, and an Oscar nomination.

In 2006, Manilow celebrated one of the most successful years of his career. The Greatest Songs of the Fifties entered the Billboard charts at #1; the PBS special, Barry Manilow: Music and Passion, earned him an Emmy; and The Greatest Songs of the Sixties hit the charts at number two.

STILETTO Television develops, produces and distributes groundbreaking programs, including the first original musical movie made for television, and has garnered national recognition for its docudramas on American life. Principals Garry C. Kief, Mark C. Grove, and Troy P. Queen will serve as Executive Producers for Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies.

PBS is a media enterprise that serves 355 public noncommercial television stations and reaches nearly 73 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is a leading provider of digital learning content for pre-K-12 educators, and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS' premier kids' TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online, continue to be parents' and teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at http://www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet. Check your local PBS listings for the December 3 primetime airing of "Barry Manilow: Songs From The Seventies"...

November 11, 2007 USA Today"Celeb Watch: Manilow into 'Swing' of things this Christmas" by William Keck
VAN NUYS, Calif. � Following September's Greatest Songs of the Seventies, Barry Manilow is at it again, with his third Christmas album, In the Swing of Christmas, which is $7.95, only at Hallmark Gold Crown stores with the purchase of three Hallmark cards. And on Dec. 3, he follows up his Emmy-winning 2006 PBS special with one based on the Seventies material. USA TODAY chatted up the music legend in a North Hollywood recording studio.

On his super-private personal life: Manilow's primary residence is in Palm Springs, Calif., where he lives with two Labradors whose names he declines to reveal. "I have to put a wall up. There's a line that I've drawn about my personal life. Everyone's invited into my music, but you can't come into my personal life unless I invite you in." And he will never write a tell-all book.

On Vegas living: In January, Manilow kicks off his third and perhaps final year performing at the Las Vegas Hilton. Manilow spends his weekdays in Elvis Presley's old 15,000-square-foot suite with a spectacular view of The Strip. "They've redone it, and I don't know whether it's better or worse because it's pink � pink! It's pretty Vegas. It has a swimming pool, and I turned one of the bedrooms into a recording studio. It's crazy."

On his fellow headliners on the Vegas Strip: Elton John, who has been performing at Caesars Palace on Celine Dion's off nights. "We talk on the phone a lot. I'm really having a better time, I think. It may be harder for him to stay in a hotel room. He plays three weeks in a row without getting a chance to go home like I do, and by the time that third week comes around ... But he loves performing, so that saves him."

Bette Midler, who is taking over for Dion at Caesars. "When we were working on (Midler's) Rosemary Clooney tribute (album), she came over and saw my (Vegas) show. I told her, 'It's a lot of fun here. It's not what you think it is. It's not as much work as touring.' I don't want to tour anymore, and neither did she. So she looked into it, and Caesars Palace grabbed her. And it's going to be huge � they're spending millions and millions of dollars."

On Britney Spears: "I love Britney Spears' new album. I do. Though I fear for her as a person, somebody took care of her (with the project). The album was wonderfully produced. With this new technology, I don't know how much of that she really sang, but she's OK on it. She has talent � that's why (her current state) is so heartbreaking. I hope she pulls herself together."

He is critical of Spears and others who rely on stunts over personal interplay with their audiences. "I miss the guys that connect with the audience (by) telling a joke and something about their background. It was one thing for Michael and Janet (Jackson) to do it, but now they all have a batch of dancers who do aerobics during their songs � and that's it."

On skipping out on his September appearance on The View: "I was uncomfortable with this gal (Elizabeth Hasselbeck). She's got her (conservative) view, and I asked not to be interviewed by her, and they wouldn't do it. So I left. Everybody understood (that) it just didn't make me feel good. I begged them, for two months, and they said they'd have me interviewed by Joy (Behar), but at the last minute, they changed their minds, and I said, 'No thanks.'" He has no plans to return to the daytime talk show.

On his future: "I'm writing (an album) that, believe it or not, is more rock-oriented. I'm not sure I can sing it, but I was able to write it. It's very gritty, rock 'n' roll. I know that sounds weird coming from me. This is my next challenge," says the singer who counts Mandy, Copacabana and I Write the Songs among his hits.

November 8, 2007 antiMUSIC.comBarry Manilow - Greatest Songs of the Seventies Review
For over half of his life this New York City native has been entertaining the world with his music. And although he has written many songs he did not write THE song ("I Write The Songs") � Bruce Johnston did that. Still he has the whole world singing his songs and many others.

Barry Manilow was born on June 17, 1946 in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. He was raised by his mother and grandparents after his father left the family when Barry was only two. It is from his mother that he gets the name of Manilow. Barry's first instrument was an accordion when he was seven. The piano didn't come along until he was a teen. Young Barry had visions of becoming a composer and arranger. In one article he said, "I am a piano player that sings a little."

The young mail room clerk penned a musical called "The Drunkard" that played off off Broadway, coached hopefuls for auditions, played for auditions, and sang and wrote commercial jingles. Later Manilow added a medly of those jingles in his shows. But it wasn't until he met and played piano -- as well as the band's conductor for the Divine Miss M herself Bette Midler -- that Manilow drew attention to his talents. It wasn't long before the human juke box had some new tunes to play � his own.

In 1973 Barry released his first album "Barry Manilow" on Bell Records. But it wasn't until the release of his second album "Barry Manilow II" that the shy piano player found himself a star with the success of "Mandy". When Clive Davis took over Bell Records and renamed it Arista, he kept only three artists, one of whom was Barry Manilow.

Since those early days Manilow has sold over 75 million records worldwide; recorded over 40 albums; has won a Grammy, Tonys, and Emmys; has a successful show in Las Vegas; and has been awarded 23 gold albums, 12 platinum records, three platinum videos � one of which went triple platinum with three million copies sold, and has three albums at double platinum and three more at triple platinum in the US alone. He has collected 14 silver, eleven gold, and five platinum awards in the UK.

In September Manilow released the third album in his decade series with "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies". The album of 18 tracks contains 12 cover tunes of number one hits spanning the decade from The Beatles to Christopher Cross. The remaining six songs are Manilow covering himself offering stripped down acoustic versions of his own songs.

With the new album Manilow offers some powerful interpretations of the songs whether they were sung by a solo artist or a group. Those who dislike the entertainer aren't looking past his singing voice which is very good, but Manilow's true genius lies in his abilities as an arranger. The music found on "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies" deserves at least two times through; once just to hear Barry sing, but the album requires the second time through to hear how Manilow has taken such well known songs and arranged them into some beautiful works of art. Among the 12 cover tunes is a duet with long time friend Melissa Manchester, the Carole King hit "You've Got a Friend". There originally was a second duet scheduled on the album; the Sir Elton song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" which Manilow performed with friend Rosie O'Donnell. Manilow said that the song did not make because although very good it did not fit the romantic mood of the album. He said that the song would show up somewhere else at a later time.

"The Greatest Songs of the Seventies" is just the beginning of a series of offerings from Manilow in the coming months. Manilow's television specials are being offered on DVD, a new Christmas album through Hallmark [titled "In The Swing Of Christmas"] is out, and some time next year Manilow is planning a new album of original material...

October 10, 2007 Minneapolis-St. Paul Star TribuneManilow to leave Vegas for Xcel Center on Jan. 11" by Chris Riemenschneider
What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas, at least not in Barry Manilow's case. Having spent more than two years putting the cool back on the Strip, the "Copacabana" hit maker is taking his hit Las Vegas Hilton show on the road for a winter tour -- including a Jan. 11 concert at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center. Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Prices have not yet been announced. Deluxe packages are now on sale at his site, www.barrynethomepage.com. Manilow has a jazzy Christmas album headed to stores for the holidays, "In the Swing of Christmas."
October 10, 2007 Pioneer Press / TwinCities.com"Concert news: Barry Manilow coming to the X in January" by Ross Raihala
Enduring '70s superstar Barry Manilow will play the Xcel Energy Center on Jan. 11. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Oct. 15 through Ticketmaster, with prices to be announced soon. Thanks to hits like "I Write the Songs," "Copacabana" and "Mandy," Manilow was one of the kings of the Me Decade. In recent years, however, he has staged a comeback with a series of covers albums tied to the '50s, '60s and, most recently, the '70s. Each entered the Billboard charts in the top five, with "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies" setting a single-hour record for most records sold on the shopping network QVC. The Brooklyn native has also spent much of the past 2-1/2 years as the headliner at the Las Vegas Hilton. Deluxe ticket packages for his St. Paul concert are already available through barrynethomepage.com, including seats priced at $410 and $295. Manilow is also auctioning off the best seats in the house via FrontRowManilow.com.
October 10, 2007 The Desert Sun"Palm Springs resident Barry Manilow is this year's Hallmark Christmas artist" by Kakie Urch
Hallmark announced this week that Palm Springs resident and Grammy-winning music icon Barry Manilow is this year's Christmas CD artist. Manilow will be the exclusive artist for the Hallmark Gold Crown Christmas album "In the Swing of Christmas." Manilow personally selected all ten songs for this special album which was produced and arranged by Manilow and co-produced by Scott Erickson.

"In the Swing of Christmas" features traditional Americana songs flavored with some Manilow surprises, including his exclusive rendition of "Silver Bells," featuring 26 background vocals - all recorded by Manilow.

"In the Swing of Christmas" is available only at Hallmark Gold Crown stores November through December 2007 and features two jazz trios, The Randy Kerber Trio and MaD FUSION, led by Matt Hershkowitz. Other tracks include "Christmastime is Here," "Count Your Blessings" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."

Manilow says he had a great time making the album. "My concept was small, sexy, romantic," Manilow said, "an album that you can play all through the Christmas season."

October 8, 2007 Hallmark Press RoomBarry Manilow Named Hallmark's 2007 Christmas Artist - In the Swing of Christmas available exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown� stores: CD features 10 newly recorded songs and a rendition of �Silver Bells� with 26 background vocals recorded by Manilow
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 8, 2007) � Hallmark announced today that Grammy-winning music icon Barry Manilow is this year�s Christmas CD artist. Manilow will give fans something to swing and sing about with the exclusive Hallmark Gold Crown� Christmas album In the Swing of Christmas. Manilow personally selected all 10 songs for this special album, which was produced and arranged by Manilow, and co-produced by Scott Erickson. In the Swing of Christmas features traditional Americana songs flavored with some Manilow surprises, including his exclusive rendition of �Silver Bells,� featuring 26 background vocals � all recorded by Manilow.

In the Swing of Christmas is available only at Hallmark Gold Crown stores November through December 2007 and features two jazz trios, The Randy Kerber Trio and MaD FUSION, led by Matt Hershkowitz. Other tracks include �Christmastime is Here,� "Count Your Blessings,� and �Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.� Manilow says he had a great time making the album.

"My concept was small, sexy, romantic,� said Manilow, �an album that you can play all through the Christmas season.�

Manilow, who has sold more than 75 million albums since his debut 30 years ago, has also produced 16 No. 1 songs that include �Mandy,� �I Write the Songs,� �Looks Like We Made It,� and his Grammy-award- winning �Copacabana.� His third volume of decade-driven studio albums, The Greatest Songs of the 70s, was released in September, and debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts.

Teri Brown, president of T.B.A. Network, Inc., has worked with Hallmark since 2003 to craft music partnerships and played an integral part in securing the Barry Manilow Christmas CD.

The recording of In the Swing of Christmas reflects Hallmark�s ongoing commitment to partnering with world-renowned artists in the music industry. Hallmark Gold Crown is the only specialty retailer to have achieved Platinum and Gold certification for six seasonal CDs. George Strait�s 2006 Hallmark Christmas album broke Platinum status one week after it was released. Michael McDonald�s 2005 Hallmark Christmas album reached Gold status just one week after it was made available, and James Taylor�s 2004 Hallmark Christmas album was certified Platinum only 44 days after its release.

In the Swing of Christmas is priced at $7.95 with each purchase of three Hallmark cards. Consumers can visit Hallmark.com or call 1-800-HALLMARK to find a Hallmark Gold Crown store in their area.

Hallmark CDs are sold exclusively by nearly 3,700 Hallmark Gold Crown stores and are available for a limited time. [Facts about Barry Manilow]

October 8, 2007 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"Patricia Sheridan's Breakfast With ... Barry Manilow" by Patricia Sheridan
Barry Manilow, the man who writes the songs and sings them, too, talks about everything from hip-hop to his hip. He has recently released "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies" on Arista Records. (which sold 40,000 copies during a concert on QVC -- the highest single-day sales in history on the shopping channel). It is the latest in a series that includes "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties" and "The Greatest Songs of the Sixties."

Question (Patricia): What is it about your music and music of previous eras that keeps people coming back?
Answer (Barry): It seems to me that the songs are well written. I think well-written songs can last forever, you know? "As Time Goes By," written in the '30s, is just as compelling today as it was back in the 1930s. Anything from Gershwin, anything from Sondheim, anything from Sting, when they are beautifully written, they move you and you can understand and sing along. When they are melodic and well crafted, they last a long time.

Q: Do you place more importance on lyrics or melody?
A: Each one is different, Patricia. I wrote this beautiful song called "When October Goes." I wrote it to a lyric that was given to me by Johnny Mercer's widow. Johnny Mercer, as you know, was one of the great lyricists of all time. Anyway, I put that song on the piano and turned on my cassette machine, and I read this gorgeous lyric, and I wrote the melody in one pass. So what does that mean? Is the lyric more important than the melody or the melody more important than the lyric? I haven't got an answer to that one.

Q: One just inspires the other?
A: I guess. I just looked at it, and it sang to me. There's "Copacabana," one of the great, great lyrics that I ever had anything to do with. My collaborators Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman wrote those lyrics. I have no idea how they did it. But they wrote a story song in three verses and one repetitive chorus. I did my best putting a catchy melody to it, but geez, that is a song that will last.

Q: And you turned it into a musical.
A: Yes it's been everything. It's been an Atlantic City show with showgirls. Then it was a movie I starred in, and then a musical, then a breath mint, a suppository, a coffee bean, everything (laughing).

Q: Do you think the musical is making a comeback in films?
A: In my opinion they always ruin them. I didn't see "Hairspray." I can't tell you about it. I loved "Chicago." Now that was done by people who really understand musicals. Musicals are very difficult to bring from the stage to the screen.

Q: Music is always evolving. Do you have any feelings about hip-hop or rap?
A: I respect all the people that do that. I understand it, and I cheer them on. It's not my kind of music, but I do respect it. It is an art. You need to know how to do that kind of thing, and I don't. For me, I'd much rather listen to "Come Rain or Come Shine." That's where I live.

Q: Were you always comfortable in the spotlight?
A: No. I was very uncomfortable for many, many years because when this performing career hit me, I had never had any desire or any inspiration to be a performer. I only wanted to be a musician. "Mandy" was a total shock, a beautiful surprise. But I had to learn on the job, and thank goodness for fans who allowed me to learn on the job.

Q: Writing and performing your own songs -- is there added trepidation?
A: Oh no. No more trepidation. It's only joy and gratitude.

Q: So, of the three decades do you have a favorite?
A: So far today, it's the 1970s. It's the last one [the most recent in his album series], and this is my favorite [laughing]. It's brand-new, and it's still exciting. When I hear it, it surprises me because it's taken so long to do. This was a very complicated album. There are 13 songs that I had nothing to do with and nine songs of my own that I redid, so it was a long, long six-month project.

Q: It did all start with the '50s.
A: My parents, my family listened to it on the radio, but I was really young. I wasn't really into it. But because I was a musician, I played in piano bars and cocktail lounges and at weddings and bar mitzvahs for so many years. I knew all those songs inside out. So it wasn't so much that it was my music, but I paid my dues and cut my teeth on it, and I certainly knew every single one of those songs.

Q: How's the hip after your arthroscopic surgery last year?
A: You know it's always going to be there, but it's a million, million times better than it was so, yes. I'm doing just fine, thank you.

Q: Music seems to be your mistress. Do you have any regrets in that regard?
Q: Not at all, only that stupid Copacabana shirt (laughing). Other than that, I'm a very proud guy. I listen back to the old songs, and I say I wouldn't touch a thing on "Weekend in New England." I wouldn't touch a thing on it. I was a young guy, and certainly my voice was very immature. I did the best I could, but no, I don't regret a thing.

October 6, 2007 Wall Street Journal Online"Hit List: Barry Manilow - The singer-songwriter on some of his favorite albums" by Jamin Brophy-Warren
Although Barry Manilow is known for the upbeat adult-contemporary sound he pioneered in the 1970s with hits like "Mandy" and "Copacabana," his personal music taste is varied. "Honestly, my favorite kind of music is electronica and K-Rock," the Grammy-winning musician says, referring to the New York radio station WXRK, known for classic and modern rock. Mr. Manilow's album "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties" peaked at No. 1 last year on the Billboard charts, and his newest album, "The Greatest Songs of the Seventies," debuted at No. 4 in September. Below are five of his favorite albums:

Mark Ronson, 'Version' (2007): "I don't know how he does what he does, but it caught my ear," Mr. Manilow says. Mark Ronson made his name in the 1990s as a DJ before earning fame as a producer for acts such as Amy Winehouse. Much like Mr. Manilow's latest albums, this 2007 release is all covers, mostly of British pop tunes.

Paul McCartney, 'Chaos and Creation in the Backyard' (2005): "I can't stop playing this," says Mr. Manilow, who bought this album the week it was released. "It's filled with great melodies and rhythm." Mr. McCartney brought in Pavement and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich to oversee this effort, and played most of the instruments on the album.

Sting, 'Nothing Like the Sun' (1987): One of Sting's early efforts after the breakup of the Police, this album peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard charts. "It's not that this one is better" than Sting's others, Mr. Manilow says. "You could throw [Sting's albums] all up in the air and what falls down would be my favorite."

Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim, 'Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim' (1967): Riding the popularity of Brazilian music in the U.S. in the 1960s, Mr. Sinatra collaborated with the Brazilian guitarist and composer, singing renditions of such Jobim classics as "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Corcovado."

Judy Garland, 'Judy at Carnegie Hall' (1961): One of the last albums recorded before Ms. Garland's death, this Grammy-winning No. 1 album "represents her entire catalog done at the best," Mr. Manilow says. It includes favorites like "The Man That Got Away" and "Over the Rainbow."

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