Articles and Reviews - Archives 64

When Where Articles/Reviews September 7, 2012 Reading Eagle "Review: Manilow keeps it loose, lighthearted" by Jon Fassnacht Barry Manilow was tenderly navigating his way through the chorus of the ballad "Weekend in New England" when he got to the line "When will I touch you?" At that point, the mostly female crowd in a packed Sovereign Center erupted. The 69-year-old considered continuing the song before stopping and raising an eyebrow at the outburst. He then smiled and screamed "I still got it," snapping his fingers above his head a few times. It was a lighthearted moment in a song Manilow called the most romantic in his catalog, one in which he promised the men in the audience they would be thanking him for in the morning. But it was typical of Thursday night's show, one that included many heartfelt songs performed in a not-too-serious style. This evening was all about nostalgia and fun, aided by the green glow sticks handed out at the door that were waved by fanilows throughout the show. "These songs bring back a lot of memories for me," Manilow said. "Do they do that for you, too? Memories of your first date, your first kiss, your first hickey, I don't know. I'm so glad I could do that for you." Still lanky and with a thick helmet of hair, Manilow led a seven-piece band and two backup singers through a 100-minute set that included well over 20 career-spanning songs. Since Manilow's last appearance in the area, in early 2009, he released "15 Minutes," a concept album spotlighting the highs and pitfalls of fame. Only one song was performed from the album, the upbeat, disco-tinged single "Everything's Gonna Be Alright." It was very well received, probably because it sounded just like many of his upbeat songs from the '70s. The rest of the set was made up of all the songs you'd expect to hear: show opener "It's a Miracle," "Bandstand Boogie," "New York City Rhythm," "Trying to Get the Feeling," "Copacabana." Hits, hits and more hits. "I was the Justin Bieber of the '70s," Manilow told the crowd. "I was. Ask your mother." "Mandy" opened with a clip from the "Midnight Special" TV show in which a young Manilow is introduced by record mogul Clive Davis. He then breaks into his then-new hit. After the first verse and chorus, the real Manilow took it the rest of the way, before both Manilows brought the song to a close with a duet. In between songs he spent plenty of time regaling the crowd with stories about his old songs, the albums on which they appeared and his upbringing in a rough section of Brooklyn. Did you know he went to a high school that was ranked the most dangerous in America? He also discussed his Manilow Music Project, which provides instruments to high schools across the country. Manilow requests donations from every city in which he plays, and he was impressed at the generosity of those attending Thursday's show. Due to those donations, the Reading School District will be receiving a bounty of instruments in the near future. September 6, 2012 Jewish Journal "Barry Manilow 'Writes the Songs' That Fans Can Hear September 14" by Marvin Glassman When Barry Manilow first decided to make music his career, his goal was to create music that would endure beyond his lifetime. That goal was reached when the Jewish singer was formally enshrined into the Great American Songbook Hall Of Fame last June. Manilow’s music is now deemed on a par with fellow Great American Songbook composers such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter. It is an honor that Manilow does not take lightly, as he prepares for his upcoming concert on September 14 in Worcester at DCU Arena. "What I love most about The Great American Songbook composers is the respect they all gave to the lyrics in a song. Today, the stars in music are not the songwriters or singers, but the engineers and producers who give a groove and a good rhythm in songs. I miss the art of songwriting, and it’s sad. So, I am deeply appreciated of being inducted into the Great American Songbook Hall Of Fame and to be respected in music," said Manilow, 69, in a phone interview. "Barry cares about the classic way of writing a song, telling a story with emotion, with a melody to go with poignant lyrics. The Manilow songs continue the tradition of the great songwriters of the 20th century," said singer/songwriter Michael Feinstein, who formally inducted Manilow and was an archivist for Ira Gershwin. The Manilow song catalog includes 25 Top 40 songs, such as "Copacabana," "Even Now" and "Mandy." Manilow songs are standard fare at many orchestral shows, and a number of Manilow tribute shows have been showcased in Canada, England and the United States. "The many tribute shows indicate the acceptance of Barry Manilow as a standard bearer of the classic song," said Alan Jacobson, who produced "I Am Music: The Songs Of Barry Manilow" last May at the Plaza Theatre in Palm Beach, Fla. "Barry’s music has melodies that stick in your head. His music is timeless, and the Manilow songs will endure for many generations to come." "My fans really love those big hit songs, so I will go from "It’s A Miracle" to "I Write The Songs," and also throw in album cuts such as "15 Minutes" in concert. My hits never get old for me, and I always go back to basics — finding the meaning of the song in the lyrics, and sing believing in the words," Manilow added. Manilow also cares about preserving music as an essential course for high school students. Fans that donate a new or slightly used musical instrument will receive two free tickets to Manilow’s concert in Worcester. "I would never have even thought of music as a career, if not for the orchestra classes that were offered to me in high school. I am happy to know that kids in high schools will benefit from the instruments being donated," Manilow said. Born Barry Pincus, Manilow was raised by his mother, Edna, and grandparents Esther and Joseph Manilow, Jewish immigrants from Russia, in a small Brooklyn apartment. He changed his surname to Manilow shortly before his bar mitzvah. Manilow honed his music first on the accordion, and then refined it on the piano, which he received as a bar mitzvah gift. For a time things were traumatic for Manilow, both financially and emotionally. He nearly went bankrupt twice, and had married and divorced his high school sweetheart by the age of 25. In the 1960s, Manilow coached singers wanting to audition on Broadway, and wrote commercial jingles prior to becoming musical director for Bette Midler. He went on to produce Midler’s first album, among many more for several singers, before starring on his own in 1973. In addition to selling 80 million albums over the course of his career, Manilow showed his theatrical flair by co-writing a musical based on his hit song "Copacabana," that also was a made-for-television movie. Barry Manilow performs in concert on September 14 at 7:30 p.m. at DCU Arena, 50 Foster St., Worcester. For tickets, call 1-800-745-3000 or go to www.dcucenter.com. September 6, 2012 Reading Eagle "Manilow returns to Reading with new songs to sing" by Tracy Rasmussen The crooner who will perform tonight at the Sovereign Center no longer feels compelled to crank out one hit after another. Instead, he now writes songs when he thinks he has something important to say. There's a lot that Barry Manilow is not going to do in the next decade of his life: He's not going to make records that don't challenge him, and he's not going to do big arenas that take him away from his home for months at a time. However, the 69-year-old hit maker is also not going to let his fans down. "During the time when the records were huge, there was no question about the fact that I had to continue to make albums," he said. "I had to follow that single with another one. Now when I make an album, it's got to be because I've got something to say." Last year, he released "15 Minutes," a 12-track album of original music, some of which will be performed tonight when Manilow takes to the stage at the Sovereign Center. The performance begins at 7:30; tickets range from $9.99 to $119. Pairs of free tickets were available in exchange for gently used or new musical instruments donated to the Manilow Music Project. Manilow said he's been thrilled with all the instruments that have been donated in Reading, and he knows they will be put to good use in local schools. Manilow kicked off the drive by donating a piano to the cause; a reminder of the instrument that changed his life nearly six decades ago. Those in attendance tonight will get to hear not only his hits, he said, but also a handful of songs from the new album - which have been well received. "I think the words that strike the most terror into the hearts of the audience are, 'Now I'd like to do a couple of songs from my new album,'" he said. "They think it's time to go out for orange juice. I've been hesitant for years to do that. But I am relieved to say that the songs are going over great. I take a deep breath and sing them." Manilow usually performs the ballad "Bring on Tomorrow" and a couple of more up-tempo songs from "15 Minutes." "And so far they haven't thrown tomatoes," he said. Much of the rest of the show is a compilation of his hits including "Copacabana," "Mandy" and "Can't Smile Without You." This show is much more intimate than others he's done, as Manilow performs with only six musicians and two singers - a far cry from the huge orchestras engaged for his other tours. "I talk to the audience more than I ever have," he said. "I can change songs whenever I want. I can just start something on the piano and they'll join right in. I couldn't do that when I had 80 musicians. It would be chaos. But now I can do whatever I want on stage." Which brings him back to how his life has changed over the past few years and how he hopes it continues into the future. Manilow wants to work on longer, deeper projects, like "15 Minutes," which he said takes the listener on a journey. "It's got a story," he said. "You start one place, and 12 tracks later you're in a different place." It goes against the way people buy music by the song, but Manilow said he doesn't care, and he's hopeful that his fans will still want to take those journeys with him. "I need to find projects that challenge me," he said. "This (record) has gotten the best reviews of my career, but it took longer to make." He's got the time, though, since he can't imagine retiring from music. "When I decided to give music a try, I never imagined this career," he said. "I just wanted to be in the background writing songs. But after 'Mandy' and the wave of fame hit, I was out there and it was a surprise and terrifying and someplace I never thought of going. But even though no one in my family or neighborhood even thought about doing music or theater, I had music coming out of my ears and I had to do it." He thinks that's probably the best message of his life so far, too. "I encourage everyone to do what they like to do," he said. "I realize as I'm getting close to this insane age that this is not a dress rehearsal and in life you really have to try to do the things you want to do." Growing up in a poor working class neighborhood in Brooklyn, Manilow said it took guts to go into music, but he did it anyway. "It was a scary thing to do," he said. "All my family ever talked about was that it was more important to collect your paycheck. But I had to give it a try." September 5, 2012 Atlantic City Weekly "Barry’s Revel Debut " by David Spatz Barry Manilow didn’t quite know what to make of the idea of becoming a resident headliner when the Las Vegas Hilton offered him a major five-year contract seven years ago. What he did know is that 30 years of touring had taken its toll - mentally and physically - on this light-pop heavyweight of contemporary music. "Touring is a young man’s game, but after 30 years of it, I wanted to stay home," Manilow told the Los Angeles Times during a June 2011 interview. But was a long-term gig in Sin City a viable alternative to living out of a suitcase, alone in his hotel room? Manilow wasn’t sure. "I said, 'Oh, God, is this the end of my career? Is this where old singers go to die, Las Vegas?'" he asked rhetorically. Turns out it was the exact opposite. His five-year run at the Hilton, followed by a two-year stint at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, gave Manilow the home life he’d always craved but had been denied. Eighty million singles and albums sold worldwide had made the singer and songwriter a prisoner of his own success. For the first time since his debut single "Mandy" in 1975 had turned the former commercial jingle writer into a pop music sensation, Manilow was able to have something approaching a home life. He spent weekdays at his 68-acre estate in Palm Springs, raising his dogs and hanging out with friends. On weekends, he’d hop on a private plane for the 25-minute commute to work, where he’d perform his show and then have the option of staying in the Hilton’s overly-opulent Elvis Presley suite or hopping back on his plane so he could sleep in his own bed. The Las Vegas gig meant Manilow didn’t have to worry about packing up his big band and the dozens of support personnel and schlepping them and their hefty price tag on the road any more. To keep fans happy in far-flung places like London, Manilow would occasionally book himself into huge venues for a few shows, and possibly book a one-night stand in Atlantic City on his way back from London. He did that in 2006 and again in 2010, which was the last times he performed in a town where he was once a showroom regular in the late 1970s and into the '80s, when he was turning out chart-toppers like "Copacabana," "Weekend In New England," "It’s A Miracle," "Can’t Smile Without You," "I Write The Songs," "Could It Be Magic," "Looks Like We Made It" and more. As both a songwriter and a performer, Manilow is, quite simply, a human jukebox. Between 1974 and 1983, Manilow racked up 13 No. 1 hits on the adult contemporary charts. Fifteen other singles that didn’t reach the top of the chart still finished in the Top 10. But if Manilow’s fans miss his one-night-stand Saturday, Sept. 8, at Revel’s Ovation Hall, there’s no telling when - or even if - he’ll be back on the Boardwalk. For starters, Manilow is 69. Granted, that’s not exactly ancient by today’s life expectancy standards. And a seven-hour operation last December that repaired damaged hip muscles has made his time spent on stage a pain-free experience for the first time in years. "I blame it on 30 years of [singing)] 'Copacabana,' jigging around the stage," Manilow said of the deterioration of his hip during a May interview with the Daily Telegraph of London. But it’s not his health that’s keeping him away from cities and venues that were once regular stops on his concert tours. It’s the actual touring process - packing up and moving from one city and one venue to another every night - that’s keeping him off the road. His Revel gig is one of six shows he’s scheduled for September, mostly all in the East. Then, unless he picks up a one-off show, his next performance is a one-nighter in December in California. In addition to downsizing his concert schedule, Manilow has also streamlined his band, which so many artists have done in recent years as a cost-saving measure. In Manilow’s case, he’s drastically cut back his 20-piece orchestra and four backup singers. This is a major move on the part of an artist whose last album, Live In London, was recorded with a slightly larger band - a live recording he did of a show he performed in 2011 with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. "There’s only six of us onstage [now]. It’s more intimate," he told the Daily Telegraph of London in June. "This is as close to a one-man show as I’ve ever gotten. It’s beautiful." September 4, 2012 Starpulse New Music from Barry Manilow School has barely begun for students with some yet to begin but the stores are filled with decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and yes Christmas. But the stores are not the only place holiday items are popping up... On October 2 Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award winning performer Barry Manilow will be releasing his [fourth] Christmas album – "Barry Manilow: The Classic Christmas Album". The album of 16 songs is a compilation with a majority of the tunes taken from his first [three] holiday albums – "Because It’s Christmas," "A Gift of Love," [and "In The Swing Of Christmas."] "The Classic Christmas Album" is currently available for pre-order for $9.99 from Manilow’s official store. The songs included on the new album are: "Silver Bells" "Happy Holiday/White Christmas" "Jingle Bells" – a duet with Expose "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" "I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" "Violets for Your Furs" "The Christmas Waltz" "Christmas is Just Around the Corner" – from the production "Cranberry Christmas" "(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" "Because it’s Christmas" "River" "Silent Night/I Guess There Ain’t No Santa Claus" "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" "Joy to the World/Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" "It’s Just Another New Year’s Eve" "A Gift of Love"

When Where Articles/Reviews August 29, 2012 WROC-TV Rochester Legendary Singer Barry Manilow Donates Piano to RCSD Barry Manilow, the iconic singer/songwriter can now add philanthropist to his resume. To help launch a local instrument drive for the Rochester City School District, Manilow has donated a Yamaha piano. "I'm thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow says. He will be performing September 7th at the Blue Cross Arena. Anyone who follows Manilow's lead and donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the Blue Cross Arena Box Office will receive two free tickets to the concert (valid for pre-selected seat locations). The instrument drop off location at the Blue Cross Arena is open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. All other tickets for the Manilow concert are avaliable at Manilow.com or Ticketmaster.com, in person at the Blue Cross Arena, or by calling 1-800-745-3000. August 20, 2012 National Post "Barry Manilow on fame, aging and why he still sings Copacabana" by Ben Kaplan Barry Manilow is talking about Neil Diamond and expressing a deep understanding about why his friend still performs a 20-minute version of Sweet Caroline. "It should be, 'How many times can you sing Copacabana for f–k’s sakes?' Instead, every night, when the audience flips out at the start with those drums - you’d have to be totally numb not to respond," says Manilow, 69, from a tour stop in Virginia, where he’s promoting 15 Minutes, the 28th release of his long and storied career. "When we get to those songs, it never gets old, because the audience makes them feel fresh every night. My goal is to make people feel good with my music." The music of Manilow is so well-known that he almost exists in his own genre. Since releasing his self-titled debut in 1973, Manilow has sold 80 million records and penned other easy listening hits for Bette Midler, Donna Summer and Dionne Warwick. He got his start writing jingles for State Farm Insurance and Band-Aid. "When you do a jingle, you have to give them a great hook and a great melody that works in 15 seconds," he says. "I learned how to write a pop song doing jingles, it was my college before I met Clive." "Clive" is Clive Davis, the music industry legend in part responsible for Billy Joel, Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston and Bruce Springsteen. When Manilow started, he was Midler’s pianist and didn’t achieve super-stardom in his own right until he was 29. The experience, he says, rattled his foundations - a transformation he addresses on his new disc. "There’s no school on how to become famous, and I think it even goes for business men who start off with a small company and wind up with huge businesses. They turn into assholes," says Manilow, whose latest album - a light rock opera - traces the rise, fall and rebirth of a striving guitarist and is influenced, in part, by Britney Spears. "When that insane hurricane hit me I was in the middle of a tornado and it took me years to put myself back together - and I was an adult! Britney was the last straw, watching this young, beautiful, talented girl lose her life to fame." Like most chart-topping artists, he says the critics never understood his work. "They had trouble with the fact that I wasn’t angry, but it’s easier being rebellious than doing what I was doing, which is wearing my heart on my sleeve," he says. "Reviewers came after me as if I’d hurt their family, but they liked my unpopular, early jazz stuff - I think it was the sold-out signs at my concerts that pissed them off." The current tour hasn’t been easy, and Manilow had surgery for the third time in December on his hips. "I blame it on doing 'Copacabana' for 30 years," says the singer, among a select few to have won an Emmy, Grammy and Tony award. Still, Manilow keeps performing. If the people want "Copacabana," Barry Manilow’s happy to comply. "What can I tell you? I’ve got my hair, I haven’t got a pot belly, I look decent and the audiences are still with me," he says. "I love what I do." 15 Minutes by Barry Manilow is out now on Stiletto Entertainment. Manilow performs Aug. 21 at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ont. For more tour dates, visit barrymanilow.com. August 16, 2012 News telegram.com Barry Manilow donates piano to launch Worcester instrument drive WORCESTER — Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow has donated a Yamaha piano to help launch a local instrument drive for Worcester Public Schools. Manilow will be performing at the DCU Center Sept. 14. Anyone who also donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the drive will receive two free tickets to the concert "I'm thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said in a statement. His donation has been made through the Manilow Music Project (MMP), part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope which assists local charities and programs. The project's main focus is to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to provide music scholarships. "Worcester Public Schools is extremely appreciative of the generosity of Barry Manilow in generating community support for our musical program," said Melinda Boone, superintendent of Worcester Public Schools. "These instruments will provide opportunity for more students to experience the joy of music through our schools," she said. The DCU Center will be the base for the instrument drive in Worcester from now through Sept. 14. Prior to Labor Day, instruments can be dropped off between 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, and Saturday and Sunday on event days. After Labor Day, the hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and Sunday on event days. August 16, 2012 Winnipeg Free Press "Hitmaker Barry Manilow says banter with audience becoming a lost art" by Andrea Baillie TORONTO - Barry Manilow famously writes the songs that make the whole world sing. And during his shows, he loves to tell audiences how those legendary tunes came about. But the "Copacabana" hitmaker - who will take the stage about two hours north of Toronto at Casino Rama on Aug. 20 and 21 - thinks stage banter is becoming a lost art. "I like telling the audience where the song came from ... I think it's interesting to an audience. I would like to see artists do more of that," Manilow said in a telephone interview this week. "I've done that from my very beginnings, the very, very first show I ever did." Manilow, 69, says he thinks audiences become more engaged when they know what is on his mind when he performs a certain song. "I'd love to see other artists do that. I'd love to know more about other artists' lives and what they're thinking before they sing a song. Because after awhile it kind of gets numbing to go from one song, to the other song, to the next song, to the next song. I would love them to stop and say 'I was here when I wrote this' and 'my family was there.' Anyway, they don't (do it). I do." Manilow is performing on the road again after a wrapping a long Las Vegas residency in December. While the audiences he encounters during tours are usually rabid fans, he says the crowds in Sin City were a "different breed." "When I do these concerts around the country, most of the audiences, they're coming to my show and they've planned for it since the first ad came out. They save their money and they hire the babysitters and it's a big event.... Whether they're fans or not they know what they're there to see, they like the songs and they hope that I sing this one or that one," he said. "In Vegas, most of the audiences were walk-up, meaning that they would get off the plane and say: 'Barry Manilow? He's still alive? Let's go see him.' That audience would be a totally different audience than any of the audiences that I'd ever played for. There were a lot of conventions. A lot of them really didn't know what I did up there. Most of them thought I sat at the piano and played ballads. It was a whole different way of performing for these people than I would if I was going on a concert tour." Ever the showman, Manilow always has his audience in mind. He's careful to keep his shows chock-full of his classic tunes, which include "Looks Like We Made It," "Can't Smile Without You" and "Mandy," while slipping in a few numbers from "15 Minutes," a critically acclaimed concept album he released last year about the perils of fame. While his gig at Casino Rama will be indoors, hitting the road occasionally means an open-air venue, and that can come with a few challenges. Last summer, Manilow played Toronto's now defunct BlackCreek festival, but a torrential downpour just before showtime forced the concert to be rescheduled. Insects, he says, can also be an issue. "The bugs, they're a challenge to a performer because, you know, when the lights go down and the spotlights come on, the bugs go right to me.... There was one night where I was singing ... a lovely little ballad, very quiet. And a bug flew up my nose while I was in the middle of the ballad. And I didn't want to stop the ballad so I just parked him up there for a while. Most of the time the bugs are all over the piano and I sometimes keep a can of Raid around me so I can take care of them." While it doesn't sound like he's planning another album like "15 Minutes" anytime soon, the show-biz legend doesn't sound the slightest bit tired of performing for his fans. Says Manilow: "I just like to connect with an audience. It's the only thing I've ever been interested in. I like to get to know them and I like them to get to know me." August 16, 2012 Your News Now (Rochester Institute of Technology) Manilow Music Project Benefits RCSD Students Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow is hosting a nationwide musical instrument donation drive. The next couple of weeks the drive will benefit the Rochester City School District. The entertainer, who will perform in Rochester next month, donated a Yamaha piano to the district to inspire others to get involved. There is also an incentive to get people to donate. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument will get two free tickets to the Barry Manilow concert in Rochester on Friday, September 7th, as part of the Manilow Music Project. The Manilow Music Project serves as a way to bring instruments into schools to support music programs. Rochester City School District officials say students can begin string programs in third grade and band programs in fourth grade, therefore it is essential to be able to provide instruments so students that want to play can. "It's one of our goals in the district to provide music to students because we know that kids that participate in music are more likely to attend school, they stay in school longer, and they do better on tests. So it's really important that we give our students these opportunities. We're really excited to have this opportunity to work with the Manilow Music Project to bring more opportunities for our kids and bring more instruments into our schools," said Debbie Harloff, Executive Director of Visual and Performing Arts. Barry Manilow hosts the program in different cities that he performs in across the nation. Instruments can be donated at the Blue Cross Arena between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday now through September 7th. August 16, 2012 Rome Sentinel Manilow at Turning Stone VERONA - Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Barry Manilow brings his music to the Turning Stone Resort Casino Event Center for the first time Saturday. Tickets at $52, $57, and $70 can be obtained from the Turning Stone box office by calling (877) 833-7469 or at www.ticketmaster.com. Manilow’s latest album, Live in London, debuted at #24 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. As the title suggests, the album features a concert recorded at London’s O2 Arena with the London Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Radio and Records has ranked Manilow as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, with 25 consecutive Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1975 and 1983. The list includes all-time favorites that Manilow still sings today: "Mandy," "It’s A Miracle," "Could It Be Magic," "I Write the Songs," "Looks Like We Made It," "Can’t Smile Without You," "Even Now," and the Grammy Award-winning "Copacabana (At the Copa)." August 16, 2012 Pittsburgh City Paper "Barry Manilow does something cool" by Andy Mulkerin That's not to imply that Barry Manilow isn't ALWAYS doing cool things. But this is especially cool. As you may have heard, Manilow is coming to Consol Energy Center on Sept. 16. If you haven't already gotten your ticket, and you have a trumpet lying around not getting any use, here's a tip: From now until the day of the show, if you bring a new or gently used instrument to CEC to donate to music programs in the Pittsburgh Public Schools, you'll get two free tickets to see the "Mandy" man. It's all part of his Manilow Music Project. The tickets are for a pre-selected section, but still. Free! Drop-off is at the Dick's Sporting Goods box office at Consol, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays or 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. Give a kid a sax and get to see Barry. What's not to love? August 13, 2012 WHEC News 10 Donate an instrument, receive two tickets to see Barry Manilow Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow is donating a Yamaha piano to the Rochester City School District to launch a local instrument drive. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument, will receive two free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations) for Manilow’s concert in Rochester on September 7. Instruments can be brought to the Blue Cross Arena Box office from now through September 7. Drop off times are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

When Where Articles/Reviews August 3, 2012 Baltimore Sun Barry Manilow donates new Yamaha piano to Baltimore City Public Schools In advance of his concert next month at 1st Mariner Arena, Barry Manilow has donated a new Yamaha piano to the Baltimore City Public Schools to kick off a local instrument drive here. Anyone who follows the Manilow's lead by donating a new or "gently used" instrument will receive two tickets to the concert. (Those tickets are "valid for pre-selected seat locations," according to a press release issued Friday). Sonja Brookins Santelises, chief academic officer of Baltimore City Public Schools, said in a statement: "The arts are an essential part of children’s education ... But too often, tight budgets mean that schools cannot afford to buy new instruments or replace instruments that are worn out from years of use. The instruments donated through the Manilow Music Project will go a long way in bringing a love of music to City Schools’ students." The instrument donation initiative is part of the Manilow Music Project, a grass roots organization the singer/songwriter started "in response to the needs of the local public schools and their severely depleted music programs." Manilow has been donating pianos at various stops on his current concert tour. Instruments can be dropped off at 1st Mariner Arena through September 15th. The drop-off is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Manilow's concert at Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15. August 3, 2012 Cleveland.com "Barry Manilow mixes ivory-tickling and rib-tickling for a fun concert at Blossom Music Center" by John Soeder Poor Barry Manilow. This guy kept making fun of him Thursday night at Blossom Music Center. Here’s the thing: The guy who kept making fun of him was ... Barry Manilow! Talking about the perils of performing outdoors, the piano-playing singer-songwriter recalled when a bug flew up his nose during a previous gig at the same venue. "With this nose, I’m lucky it wasn’t a bird!" quipped [Manilow]. The upbeat "It’s a Miracle" announced his arrival. A disco-fied "Could It Be Magic" and a mash-up of "Somewhere in the Night" and "Looks Like We Made It" maintained the feel-good momentum. Manilow’s multiplatinum 1977 chart-topper "Barry Manilow Live" remains a quintessential live album. And the easy-listening superstar who made it remains a quintessential showman. When he belted out that Empire State Building of a flourish at the end of "Even Now"-- "E-VENNNNN NOW!" -- Manilow executed a grandly sweeping gesture with this right hand, as if he were plucking the music out of mid-air. For many numbers, including the optimistic new single "Everything’s Gonna Be All Right," he stood front and center. For others, including a tender cover of Garth Brooks’ "If Tomorrow Never Comes," he perched on a stool. For still others, including "Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again," he got comfortable behind a baby grand piano or a small keyboard. Some of his best-known tunes have evolved into fun set pieces. "When can I touch you?" Manilow crooned during "Weekend in New England," which he introduced as "the most romantic song" in his catalog. "RIGHT NOW!" several women in the 6,000-strong audience shouted back on cue. Manilow smiled approvingly. "I still got it!" he said. Amid the ivory-tickling, there was much rib-tickling, too. When the album cover of his 1973 debut appeared on a video screen, Manilow shuddered. "That album sold five copies," he said. "Now I know why. I look like the Mona Lisa on there." On a more serious note, Manilow made an impassioned pitch for music education. In conjunction with the show here, he gave a piano to Akron public schools. He also urged concertgoers to donate any gently used musical instruments that they might have at home to a school. His 90-minute performance culminated with "Mandy" (which started with a video clip of Manilow’s breakthrough hit from a "Midnight Special" broadcast), "Copacabana (At the Copa)" and the inevitable "I Write the Songs," triumphant as ever. Toward the end of the evening, Manilow also waxed philosophical -- and comical -- about the prospect of turning 70 next year. "I’m going to be 35 . . . doubled!" he said. "Here’s my advice: Have fun with your life ... This ain’t a dress rehearsal. This is it." SET LIST: It’s a Miracle / Could It Be Magic / Somewhere in the Night / Looks Like We Made It / Can’t Smile Without You / Bandstand Boogie / The Old Songs / Even Now / New York City Rhythm / I Am Your Child / I Want to Be Somebody’s Baby / Weekend in New England / Can’t Take My Eyes Off You / If Tomorrow Never Comes / Everything’s Gonna Be All Right / All the Time / Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again / I Made It Through the Rain / Mandy / Copacabana (At the Copa) / I Write the Songs / Everything’s Gonna Be All Right (reprise) August 3, 2012 Milwaukee Business Journal "Barry Manilow donates piano to High School of the Arts" by Simone Smith Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow has donated a new Yamaha piano to Milwaukee High School of the Arts, along with 200 tickets to his show for Milwaukee Public Schools students and a commitment to an ongoing instrument donation program in advance of his Saturday show at the Milwaukee Theatre. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the Milwaukee Theatre box office through Saturday will receive two free tickets for the Saturday show. Instruments must be playable. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said in a release. "It is always an honor and encouragement to me personally when our students are provided with music tools and opportunities that help them grow in their appreciation of the arts and be intelligent consumers of music, whether they sit in the audience or perform on stage," said MPS music curriculum specialist Douglas Kuepper. "To have a legendary singer-songwriter such as Barry Manilow play such an active role in the music education of our youth is truly exciting and encouraging." Milwaukee High School of the Arts principal Barry Applewhite said the gift of music becomes an integral part of students’ educational lives. "Giving them resources to think intensively and critically, which gives many of them a voice in our society. These precious gifts of instruments will truly create a better tomorrow for our students," Applewhite said. August 3, 2012 Journal Sentinal Online "Barry Manilow donates piano, concert tickets to Milwaukee Public Schools" by Piet Levy Typically concert goers pay to see a performer, not the other way around, but Barry Manilow is giving 200 tickets to his Aug. 4 Milwaukee Theatre concert to Milwaukee Public Schools students, and has donated a new Yamaha piano to Milwaukee High School of the Arts. Additionally, anyone who donates a new or gently-used instrument to the Milwaukee Theatre box office through Saturday will receive two tickets to Manilow's concert. "It is always an honor and encouragement to me personally when our students are provided with music tools and opportunities that help them grow in their appreciation of the arts and be intelligent consumers of music," MPS music curriculum specialist Douglas Kuepper said in a statement. "To have a legendary singer-songwriter such as Barry Manilow play such an active role in the music education of our youth is truly exciting and encouraging." Manilow made the donation on behalf of his Manilow Music Project charitable organization, which provides musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and provides music scholarships to universities. Manilow's show at the Milwaukee Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave., starts at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $9.99 to $174.99, and available at the Milwaukee Theatre box office, (800) 745-3000 and ticketmaster.com. August 3, 2012 Journal Sentinel Online "Manilow donates piano, tickets to MPS" by Erin Richards of the Journal Sentinel Singer Barry Manilow has donated a new Yamaha piano to Milwaukee High School of the Arts and given the district 200 tickets to his Saturday night concert at the Milwaukee Theatre, according to a news release from Milwaukee Public Schools. Also, anyone who donates a new or gently used instrument to the Milwaukee Theatre box office through Saturday will receive two free tickets for the show that night, according to MPS. The instruments must be playable. The push to provide more musical instruments to middle and high schools is part of the Manilow Music Project, which is part of the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. Of the 200 tickets provided for MPS students (who must be accompanied by a parent), half went to High School of the Arts to be distributed and the other half went to Central Services. Tickets are still available and interested MPS families can get them Friday until 4:30 p.m. from the music department at Central Services, 5225 W. Vliet St. August 3, 2012 The News-Herald Barry Manilow at Blossom Music Center Barry Manilow made a stop Thursday night (August 2, 2012) at Blossom Music Center. August 2, 2012 Canadian Jewish News "Barry Manilow joins Songbook Hall of Fame" by Marvin Glassman When Barry Manilow decided to make music his career, his goal was to create music that would endure beyond his lifetime. That goal was reached as Manilow was formally enshrined into the Great American Songbook Hall Of Fame this past June. Manilow’s music is now deemed on a par with fellow Great American Songbook composers such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter. It is an honour that Manilow does not take lightly as he prepares for his upcoming concerts on Aug. 20 and 21 at Casino Rama. "What I love most about the Great American Songbook composers is the respect they all gave to the lyrics in a song. Today, the stars in music are not the songwriters or singers, but the engineers and producers who give a groove and a good rhythm in songs. I miss the art of songwriting and it’s sad. So, I am deeply appreciated of being inducted into the Great American Songbook Hall Of Fame and to be respected in music," said Manilow, 69, in a phone interview. "Barry cares about the classic way of writing a song, telling a story with emotion with a melody to go with poignant lyrics. The Manilow songs continue the tradition of the great songwriters of the 20th century," said singer-songwriter Michael Feinstein, who inducted Manilow into the hall of fame and was an archivist for Ira Gershwin. The Manilow song catalogue featuring 25 top 40 songs, such as "Copacabana," "Even Now" and "Mandy," are standard fare in many pops orchestral shows, and a number of Manilow tribute shows have been presented in Canada, England and the United States. "The many tribute shows indicate the acceptance of Barry Manilow as a standard bearer of the classic song," said Alan Jacobson, who produced I Am Music: The Songs Of Barry Manilow, which featured 10 vocalists performing Manilow’s hits at the Plaza Theatre in Palm Beach, Fla., last May. "Barry’s music has melodies that stick in your head. His music is timeless, and the Manilow songs will endure for many generations to come," Jacobson added. "My fans really love those big hit songs, so I will go from 'It’s a Miracle' to 'I Write the Songs' and also throw in album cuts such as '15 Minutes' at both Casino Rama shows. My hits never get old for me, and I always go back to basics – find the meaning of the song in the lyric and sing believing in the words," Manilow said. Manilow was raised by his mother, Edna, and grandparents, Esther and Joseph Manilow, Jewish immigrants from Russia, in a small Brooklyn apartment. Although born as Barry Pincus, he changed his surname to Manilow shortly before his bar mitzvah out of love for his zayde. Manilow honed his music first on accordion and refined it on the piano that he received as a bar mitzvah gift. For a time, things were traumatic for Manilow financially and emotionally. He nearly went bankrupt twice and had married and divorced his high school sweetheart by the age of 25. In the 1960s, Manilow coached singers who wanted to audition on Broadway and wrote commercial jingles, before becoming musical director for Bette Midler. Manilow produced Midler’s first album, among many more for several singers before starring on his own in 1973. Very little has gone wrong in Manilow’s career. In addition to selling 80 million albums over his career, Manilow showed his theatrical flair by co-writing a musical based on his hit song Copacabana, which also became a made-for-television movie, and recorded concept albums on jazz, Broadway standards, big band and swing music. Barry Manilow stars in concert at Casino Rama, Aug. 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. For tickets, call 1-800-832-7529 or go to www.casinorama.ca. August 2, 2012 The 330 "Blossom welcomes Barry Manilow" by Malcolm Abram Tonight, Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls welcomes a master of pop song craft, a man who declared many years ago that he writes "the songs that make the whole world sing" despite the fact that he didn’t write the song whence that quote came (that was Beach Boy Bruce Johnston). Nevertheless, Barry Manilow has written many, many songs that much of the whole world indeed does sing, and he’ll be bringing a couple hours worth of them to the stage tonight. Manilow has had a pretty good century professionally, so far. Back in 2003, he produced his former employer’s gold-selling album "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook" the same year he hosted a television special, "A Barry Manilow Christmas: Live by Request." Then, in 2005, Manilow joined other pop music legends such as Carlos Santana, Celine Dion and Elton John in securing a Las Vegas residency presenting the multimillion-dollar production of "Manilow: Music and Passion" at the Las Vegas Hilton. In 2010, after a very successful run, Manilow moved to the Theatre des Arts at the Paris Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, where he opened another Las Vegas style spectacle. It has also been very successful. During that time, Manilow released a series of five cover albums under the aegis of "The Greatest Songs of the ..." covering classic songs from the ’50s through the 1980s. Four of the five albums made the Billboard Top 5, with the set dedicated to the 1950s going platinum and three others selling gold. Manilow followed up his 2010 gold-selling "The Greatest Love Songs of All Time" collection with an all-original concept album called "15 Minutes." The 2011 album was his first collection of all new songs in a decade and was inspired by Andy Warhol’s classic quote about fame and the very public 2007 breakdown of Britney Spears. "I was watching Britney Spears being driven crazy by the paparazzi," Manilow said in a 2011 USA Today interview. "This young, beautiful, talented girl was just trying to live her life, but she was being followed around everywhere. I asked myself is that the price of fame these days?" Musically, the album is a bit edgy for Manilow with some traces of rock, a near rap song and a power ballad. That’s a pretty bold move for the now 69-year-old performer who could easily spend the rest of his working days in victory lap mode. Manilow was rewarded for his ambition with some good reviews. The album peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Now Manilow, who had hip surgery last year, is taking a rare road trip. Anyone expecting a big-traveling Manilow circus may be initially disappointed to discover that he’s touring with only a six-piece band, but for fans of Manilow’s music the relatively compact setup should allow his song craft and still strong voice and piano playing to shine through. In addition to the show, Manilow has also started the Manilow Music Project, a program to help local music school programs. He will donate a Yamaha piano to Akron Public Schools to jump start an instrument drive. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the Blossom Music Center Box Office will receive two free tickets for tonight’s show. The Box Office would prefer you call ahead to schedule your drop off of your instrument between 1 and 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday or two hours prior to the show. WAPS 91.3 the Summit (91.3-FM) will assist in any necessary refurbishing and the distribution of the collected instruments. I say anything that helps keep music and music education in public schools is a good thing, so if you’re willing to let go of that old guitar you haven’t picked up in years, or that saxophone your daughter never liked, you can do so knowing that some other kid may discover a love of music or even just the self-confidence and discipline that comes with studying an instrument.

When Where Articles/Reviews July 30, 2012 Louisville.com "Review: Barry Manilow basks in lovefest at the Palace" by Selena Frye From the moment Barry Manilow's back-lit silhouette appeared on the Palace stage to huge applause on Friday night until, literally, the final curtain when he led an a capella sing-along of "One Voice" to say goodnight, the theater felt suffused with a joyful, delighted energy. With banks of percussionists on each side of the stage and an array of backing musicians between them, Manilow moved easily from center stage to piano to keyboard, playing songs that are so much a part of the fabric of pop music history that you can't help but feel somehow at home, cocooned in warm nostalgia. Manilow obviously understands this about his own music, and he doesn't try to disguise it. He would introduce his songs by sharing an image of an old record cover or photo projected on the screen over the stage, and share brief anecdotes about his career and growing up in Brooklyn. He said his three choices were sports (which he was no good at), music, or joining a gang. "Can you imagine -- me -- in a gang?" he asked the audience with smiling incredulity. No, Barry, we can not. Clearly, you're a lover, not a fighter. With the ease born of many years of performing, he gave the audience what it wanted -- a set of greatest hits from "It's a Miracle" to "Could it Be Magic" straight through to "Copacabana" and "I Write the Songs." Often flanked by his two young, smiling dancers and backup singers, the music arced and soared over the theater, key changes abounded, and as my husband says, "The man can write a push." I kept wishing he would just sit at the piano and play an entire song (or two or three) unaccompanied, sort of Manilow Unplugged, but alas, Barry likes it BIG -- and that apparently will never change. I am at least old enough to remember when Manilow's songs were ubiquitous on mainstream radio, and while they may have receded into the distance of easy-listening oldies stations, hearing them from the man himself reminds you that these are really beautiful melodies and intricate arrangements -- a style that has gone out of vogue these days, especially when paired with unabashedly sentimental lyrics. There's no irony here, no bravado, no Adele-like defiance in "Mandy." I'm in love and I'm sad. The end. The simplicity and universality of that experience, perfectly rendered in a song, is precisely what made them huge, world-wide hits. When he launched into "Even Now," I had my eyes on a trio of women in front of me who were obviously attending the show together. One of them was crying and her friend had her arm around her shoulders as if to help bear her up through the song. Who knows what emotional chord it struck, or what memory it brought to the surface, but it reminded the cynic in me of the power that music has to root itself in you and wring you out. It was touching and genuine, and no number of smart-alecky, know-it-all critics can minimize the importance of that experience to the people for whom it has meaning. July 29, 2012 Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Barry Manilow canceled at Chastain" by Melissa Ruggieri Tonight’s Barry Manilow concert at Chastain Park Amphitheatre has been canceled. Refunds available at point of purchase. Venue sources have confirmed that 'production issues' are the reason for the cancellation. There is talk of rescheduling at another venue soon. July 29, 2012 CBS 46 News Atlanta "Barry Manilow show canceled" by John Pillow The Barry Manilow show scheduled for this evening (July 29) at Chastain Park Amphitheatre has been canceled due to production related issues, organizers say. Customers seeking a refund are able to redeem at the point of purchase. July 27, 2012 Courier-Journal "Barry Manilow's concert and music will show his gratitude to fans" by Jeffrey Lee Puckett Barry Manilow has made a living for 40 years by playing songs, which isn’t as obvious as it sounds. Manilow comes from a tradition where songcraft is revered, from his earliest days as Bette Midler’s musical director to a career that now stretches over more than 40 albums. He likes a song where the lyric and melody combine to tell a story, something that doesn’t often happen on today’s pop charts. People are "making great records, but the engineers and producers are the stars of the records; the songs aren’t anymore," Manilow said in an interview earlier this week. "Even the performers aren’t, because they’ve got nothing to sing so they doodle, they noodle. How many notes can you fit in a bar, you know? It’s not about a lyric and it’s not about a melody anymore. It’s about groove and the sound of the record, which is great, but I do miss songwriting, but it seems to be disappearing and it makes me sad." So Manilow, who performs tonight at the Louisville Palace, wasn’t surprised when Adele’s "21" conquered the world last year. It’s an album filled with finely wrought songs, emotionally compelling stories and great singing. "I was talking to my friend Dave Grohl about why Adele is so popular," Manilow said, "and it was because they were real songs. The public is starving for it." Dave Grohl? As in the Foo Fighters? Barry Manilow hangs out with the Foo Fighters? "What do you think I am?" Manilow teased. "I’m hip. I’m the hippest man in the country, but nobody knows it." And one of the most iconic. In the course of selling more than 80 million records, Manilow has completed the pop culture cycle, from adored (but not exactly hip) pop star to adored adult contemporary entertainer (who, by virtue of his longevity, has become hip). He’s still selling records, too. His latest, "Live in London," debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Internet Albums chart, No. 5 on its Independent Albums chart and No. 24 on its Top 200 album chart, which is the highest for a live album in 35 years. Last June, "15 Minutes," an album of new original material that deals with the concept of fame, debuted at No. 7 on the Top 200 and No. 1 on the Independent Albums chart. Manilow, at 69, is getting more hot chart action than Justin Bieber. "Not exactly," Manilow said, laughing, "but it is a big surprise for me that the audiences are still out there in this day and age, and seem to be paying attention to what I’m doing. I’m very grateful." Manilow’s gratitude is reflected on his current tour, which is visiting cities he hasn’t been to for years. While he could easily focus the set-list on "15 Minutes," Manilow instead is doing a show that caters to fans. "I know what they want to hear," he said. "They want to hear those great big hits that I lucked into, and I am happy to give it to them. I start with 'It’s a Miracle,' and 90 minutes later I end with 'I Write the Songs,' and everybody is very happy out there. Now and again, I throw in a song from '15 Minutes' or an album cut ... but I know they want to hear the ones that were really popular." During Manilow’s first decade as a solo artist, from 1974 to ’83, he had 25 Top 40 singles, three of which went to No. 1 -- "Mandy," "I Write the Songs" and "Looks Like We Made It." In 1978 alone, he had five charting albums simultaneously, which has only been done by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Mathis. Strangely, he didn’t have a No. 1 album until 2006’s "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties." Manilow also stays busy with The Manilow Music Project, which collects donations in the form of new and gently used musical instruments that are then given to middle and high school students. The project has given away thousands of instruments, including more than $300,000 worth to Joplin, Mo., schools in the wake of last year’s tornadoes. The project started eight years ago as a result of some soul-searching by Manilow about how he could best use his fame to do some good. "I think about that all the time," he said. "How can I use this fame that I’ve been so fortunate to have? How can I help? Those are four great words. I say yes to every benefit that I can possibly do. This one was really personal because I went through it." Manilow was raised in a modest home in Brooklyn and had no real aspirations until he joined his school’s orchestra. The Manilow Music Project has been dedicated to keeping school programs afloat. "When I joined the orchestra, I found it," he said. "I was grounded. I knew my way around that world of music, and I know that if they take away those orchestra classes, there are gonna be a lot of kids that are at sea. They’re going to be like me. They’re not going to know what they want to do with their lives." With a full touring schedule, charity work and eight albums in the last seven years, no one could fault Manilow for easing back on his schedule. But Manilow said that he’s still having too much fun. "I’m amazed that I’m still here," he said. "I’m amazed that I’m still standing up, and I’ve got my voice and I’ve got my hair! I’m a hundred years old. Shouldn’t I be out in the pasture somewhere?" BARRY MANILOW. When: Tonight, 8 p.m. Where: Louisville Palace, 425 S. Fourth St. Cost: $49.99, $74.99, $124.99, available at the box office and www.livenation.com. July 26, 2012 WTHR-13 Manilow Music Project brings instruments to Indianapolis students INDIANAPOLIS - At a recent summer practice for members of the Crispus Attucks concert band, several students went over the notes and played a few songs. But getting the tune just right is a challenge. When asked if she was practicing on her own saxophone, Crispus Attucks junior Ashley Huntsman said, "Oh no, it's the school's." Most IPS students don't have the resources to rent an instrument, let alone buy one. Now they're getting help from people they don't even know. About a dozen instruments have been donated so far. They're currently in storage at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The donations were inspired by one man best known for his disco-era love songs like "Mandy" and upbeat tunes such as "Copacabana." Barry Manilow has brought crowds to their feet for nearly 40 years. Now he's calling them to action. "I'm just trying to make them aware that they could do something," Manilow said during a recent interview with Eyewitness News conducted at the Palladium in Carmel. When the legendary singer-songwriter performs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on August 3rd, some people in the audience will get free tickets. All they have to do is donate an instrument. That instrument will end up in the hands of an IPS student. It's part of the Manilow Music Project. "This will have a lasting impact on students for years to come. This is a really neat opportunity", explained David Ebersole, director of bands at Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School. "The fact that Mr. Manilow is willing to do this is really a life-changing event for our students," he said. "You know what happens with music classes," said Manilow, "I hear it from principals and superintendents of schools, these kids; their grades go up, they become better students. They become better people." Not all of the students are familiar with the benefactor. "His name sounds very familiar and I've probably heard at least one of his songs from my parents, but not really," said Crispus Attucks sophomore Mariah Mathews. He hopes to have an impact for years to come. "Didn't that happen to all of us?" Manilow asked rhetorically. "It was one night, somewhere somebody saw what you do and they said - that's what I want to do. There's a budding Barry out there every night that if they played that instrument, who knows what would happen for them?" His songs have stood the test of time. His legacy is to give budding musicians the gift that only an instrument can give. You must bring an instrument to the Bankers Life Fieldhouse box office between now and next Friday to receive those free tickets. They are club level seats, which normally start at $40 each. The tickets also get you in to the State Fair on any day. 13 WTHR Indianapolis July 26, 2012 Access Atlanta "Barry Manilow singing the old songs and writing new ones" by Melissa Ruggieri For the past seven years, Barry Manilow’s life revolved around his Las Vegas residency, first at the former Las Vegas Hilton, and then for nearly two years at Paris Las Vegas. In December, a day after wrapping his tenure on the Strip, he underwent hip surgery, a painful, complicated procedure from which he has recovered "about 90 percent." Now, the mega-selling Manilow (80 million records worldwide and counting) is back on the road playing three dates every other weekend - enough, he says to keep his band together and keep him fresh without sending him back to the operating room. One of those stops will be Sunday, when he visits Chastain Park Amphitheatre. As for those Vegas years, Manilow paused briefly when asked if he misses his regular gig. "It was great. But do I miss it? It was fun and I don’t remember one bad show or moment. We would come off the stage and celebrate every night," he said in a phone interview earlier this week. "They had warned me that Vegas audiences would be different, but I never had one of them. We had beautiful shows in both casinos." Any chance of a return? "When we were done at Paris, that was as good as I could do. We had put together a beautiful production. If I had gone to another [casino], I don’t think I could have topped that, so no... I don’t think so at this point," Manilow said. The singer behind many of pop music’s timeless lite-pop classics – do we really need to name "Could it Be Magic," "Mandy," "Copacabana," "I Write the Songs," "Looks Like We Made It" or his other 42 Top 40 hits? – has an unusually robust catalog to draw from. But while those swoony gems are the core of his concerts, he’s still eager to write and create. Last summer Manilow, 69, released "15 Minutes," a concept album about a young musician who wants to be a star, finds that fame and then experiences the crests and indulgences that inevitably lead to a free fall. It’s a sharp musical commentary on stardom and saturation in our media-obsessed times. "Nick [Enoch] Anderson, my lyricist for many years, is a great storyteller and he looked around and saw all of these entertainment shows going on, making stars out of young people overnight and you just count the moments until they wind up on TMZ," Manilow said. "I thought it would be an interesting thing to write about because I’ve been down that road. No matter how mature you think you are, when this thing hits, it knocks you over. I was 29 [when I got famous]. These kids are 15, 16, 19. How are they handling it? How is it not blowing them over?" The closing song on "15 Minutes" called "Everything’s Gonna Be All Right" became a buzzed-about track on the U.K. version of his "Live in London" CD released here and overseas a few months ago. So the song has now been remixed and released as a U.S. single. Manilow, though, is nothing if not a realist. "How do you get a record on the radio these days? I don’t know. But it’s a wonderful single and I think it says something that people need to hear," he said. Manilow also hasn’t given up on his musical "Harmony," which was birthed in 1997 and went through a series of financial and legal headaches for the next few years. Manilow and co-writer Bruce Sussman hold the rights to the musical, of which Manilow said there is "some big news coming... but I can’t release it yet." He plans to spend the rest of the summer sporadically touring and then working with "Harmony." After that, "I don’t know. Probably another album," he said. Manilow is often confronted with a problem that he’s learned to manage over the years, because now he knows better. "There are so many offers out there all the time, but I say no to them because if I say yes, I dive in so deeply," he said. "I learned commitment from Bette [Midler, his most famous boss from the '70s], so I say no to most things because otherwise it’s going to consume me 24 hours a day until the project is over." Barry Manilow: 8 p.m. Sunday. $9.99-$85. Chastain Park Amphitheatre, 4469 Stella Drive, Atlanta. Non-table setup (no coolers or carry-ins allowed). 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com. July 25, 2012 The Tennessean "Music City Beat: Barry Manilow aids music students" by Cindy Watts Do you have a kazoo? What about an old guitar in the attic collecting dust? If so, and you’re willing to let go of it, you can get into Barry Manilow’s Saturday night concert at Bridgestone Arena free of charge. Through his charity The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope’s Manilow Music Project, the singer is gathering new and gently used instruments for music students in Nashville public schools. And he plans to kick off the instrument drive himself: The piano man is set to donate a Yamaha piano for local students. "I felt I needed to do something when I heard they were cutting music and arts classes all over the country," Manilow told The Tennessean. "I formed (The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope), where we raise money to get instruments into the hands of kids in schools that don’t have any. It’s been pretty successful over the last five years." Manilow explains raising money can be a lengthy process, but when he has the cash in hand, he makes the most of it. Most recently, he donated three truckloads of instruments to the students in Joplin, Mo., who lost their school in a tornado. This year, he expanded the charity to include the Manilow Music Project, which encourages instrument donations by offering free tickets. He was elated at a gig in Chicago when more than 200 instruments were collected. However, he says he’s thrilled if he gets 25 to 35 instruments in every city. "If in Nashville, someone has an old guitar up in the attic collecting dust, that’s the instruments I’m looking for," Manilow said. "As far as donated instruments, I’ll accept anything." The singer assures his show will be well worth the donation -- he plans to play as many hits as he can fit into his time slot. "It’s been so many years and I’ve had so many hit records, I know they want to hear that," he said. He also plans to squeeze in a few album cuts, as well as a few songs from his new album, "15 Minutes," which he says is based on "fame and what fame can do to you." "It’s a great idea for an album," he says. "People are seeing it all the time on reality shows, these people becoming household names overnight. And it was an interesting thing to do an album about." To donate an instrument for the instrument drive and receive free tickets to Manilow’s show, drop off the new or gently used item at Bridgestone Arena between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. today through Friday. Tickets for Manilow’s concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday are $9.99-$129.99 and are available through Ticketmaster, 1-800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com. July 24, 2012 WFMZ-TV 69News Barry Manilow donates new piano to Reading School District: Instrument donors can receive 2 tickets to upcoming show at Sovereign Center READING, Pa. - Legendary singer-songwriter Barry Manilow is sharing his love of music with local schoolchildren. Manilow, through his Manilow Music Project, has donated a new Yamaha piano to the Reading School District. "I'm thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," said Manilow, who will be performing at the Sovereign Center in Reading for the third time on September 6. Manilow's donation launches the Reading Musical Foundation's instrument recycling program, known as "Operation Replay." "Donated instruments are refurbished, cleaned up, sanitized and then given out in the Berks County schools to kids who can't afford to either purchase an instrument of their own or rent an instrument," said Keri M. Shultz, president of the RMF. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument will receive two free tickets for Manilow's concert. "This surge of instruments into Operation Replay, RMF's instrument recycling program, will allow 50 additional students in the Reading School District to begin their own music journey," said Shultz. The Sovereign Center box office on Penn Street will be the base for the instrument drive from now through September 6. Donors can exchange an instrument for tickets weekdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. "I would love to see this lobby filled with instruments people are bringing in," said Joanie Berney, marketing manager for the Sovereign Center. The Manilow Music Project is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. It was formed as a grass roots organization to assist local charities and programs with the primary focus of providing musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and music scholarships at universities throughout the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. July 24, 2012 Reading Eagle Barry Manilow donates piano to Reading School District Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow hopes others will follow his philanthropic lead after today's announcement that he has donated a Yamaha piano to launch a local instrument drive for the Reading School District. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the Sovereign Center Box Office, 700 Penn St., will receive two free tickets for Manilow's Sept. 6 concert at the Sovereign Center. "I'm thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," Manilow said. Partnering with the Manilow Music Project will be the Reading Musical Foundation. "The Reading Musical Foundation is extremely thankful to Mr. Manilow for giving back to the Reading community," said Keri M. Shultz, RMF president. "This surge of instruments into Operation Replay, RMF's instrument recycling program, will allow 50 more students in the Reading School District to begin their own musical journeys." July 24, 2012 Examiner "Trade a new or gently used musical instrument for free tickets to see Manilow" by Linda Brewer Legendary singer-songwriter Barry Manilow hopes others will once again follow his philanthropic lead as he donates a Yamaha piano to launch a local instrument drive for the Nashville Public Schools. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to Bridgestone Arena Box Office will receive 2 free tickets (valid for pre selected seat locations) for Manilow’s July 28thth concert in Nashville, TN. "I’m thrilled to be able to help bring the gift of music to these kids," states Manilow. The Bridgestone Arena will be the base for the instrument drive in Nashville, from now through July 28th. The instrument drop off location is open between 10am and 5pm Monday through Friday. "Mr. Manilow’s generous instrument donation program through the Manilow Music Project shines a light on Metro Nashville Public School’s exciting new music education initiative. Music Makes Us is a new approach to music education that focuses on enhancing the traditional music curriculum and adding a contemporary curriculum track that uses new technologies and reflects a diverse musical landscape. Reaching 79,000 students in Metro Public Schools, Music Makes Us pledges to make Nashville the worldwide leader in music education. The initiative is a public/private partnership among Metro Nashville Public Schools, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, the Music City Music Council and music industry leaders in Nashville. We are pleased to welcome Mr. Manilow to Nashville and wish to convey our gratitude for his contributions to the music education of our youth." - Dr. Jesse Register, Superintendent of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools The Manilow Music Project (MMP) is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. It was formed as a grass roots organization to assist local charities and programs. Its primary focus is to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to provide music scholarships at universities throughout the US, Canada, and the UK. More information on the Manilow Music Project can be found at http://www.manilowmusicproject.org/. Tickets are available online at Manilow.com or Ticketmaster.com, in person at The Bridgestone Arena Box Office or by calling 1-800-745-3000. With worldwide record sales exceeding 80 million, Barry Manilow is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time with 47 top 40 hits. Manilow has produced, arranged, and released over 40 albums over the course of his career.

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