Articles and Reviews - Archives 95

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February 15, 2019 Las Vegas Magazine"Meet a few of Barry Manilow's most dedicated friends" by Matt Kelemen
When Barry Manilow returned to the storied Paradise Road hotel renamed Westgate Las Vegas (née The International and, later, The Hilton) in 2014, his career received one of it’s many 21st century boosts. A talk show punchline after his string of Top 40 hits ended in the ’70s, Manilow’s performances at his latest Westgate residency, Manilow Las Vegas: The Hits Come Home, lend serious credence to the moniker his devoted fans bestow him with. To the Fanilows, the Brooklyn Boy—whose career started as a boy when his grandfather paid for a session in a coin-operated recording booth—is nothing less than The Showman of a Generation.

Although the Las Vegas Chapter of the Barry Manilow International Fan Club ($9.99, “good for 365 days from the day you purchase your membership”) calls itself “The Fanilows” on its splash page, many Manilow superfans consider it a pejorative. “It was originally a derogatory term that was coined by the writers for the show Will & Grace,” says Deanne Bell of North Carolina. “When it was first born, all the fans, along with Barry, hated the name. As years have passed, some have warmed to it but I still don’t care for it. I would rather be called a ‘friend’ of Barry’s, as he has often called his fans.”

It’s safest to defer to the point of view of the Friends of Barry, as they are a force to be reckoned with. Every Manilow show becomes electrified by the energy of his devout congregation, who follow their idol like Deadheads used to follow Jerry Garcia. “I’m a strong, devoted fan of Barry Manilow,” says Dan Lornitis of Chicago. Lornitis, who has seen The Showman of a Generation more than 60 times, doesn’t like the term Fanilow either. “I do support him 110 percent, that’s for sure. … my mother and aunt really pulled me into it as a young kid.”

Many Friends of Barry became converted from the get-go when “Mandy” put Manilow at the top of the pop charts in 1974. They are the first to rise to their feet, cheer the loudest and dance most ecstatically during “Copacabana” when Manilow sings to them like an angel from above thanks to a mezzanine catwalk that stretches over the audience. If they are fortunate.

“I have seen him well over 100 times in Las Vegas and every other city from New York to Los Angeles,” says Bev Edelstein of St. Louis.

“Each time I see the show, I walk away with such an amazing respect for Barry’s performance,” says Eloise Sasala of Columbus, Ohio. She says her concert tally is well into the triple digits. “Barry always walks on the stage in full throttle and that energy seems to radiate through the audience. Watching Barry perform his classic hits like ‘Even Now,’ ‘Weekend in New England’ and ‘I Write The Songs,’ are always highlights for me.”

“My fandom has enhanced my life,” says Maria Mikol of Middle Village, N.Y. “It has shaped who I am. All these years, all the shows, the friends, the love. It is all because of Barry. I am forever grateful for all the gifts he has given me. If only he knew.”

Westgate Las Vegas, 7 p.m. Feb. 21-23, $43.33-$216.91 plus tax and fee. 800.222.5361

February 14, 2019 ELLEMichael Kors Ends Fashion Week With Barry Manilow and a Disco
The first clues were the disco balls hanging in between the chandeliers at Cipriani’s in downtown Manhattan. Michael Kors was going full-on disco for his fall 2019 collection, and the looks that followed—fluffy-collared wrap coats and slinky one-shouldered sequin dresses—were an on-the-nose ode to Studio 54. Fashion has long been obsessed with the ‘70s, but this season Kors doubled-down.

According to show notes, the Fall's Kors woman was a dancer on Broadway by day, and Studio 54 gal by night. For the former, there were wrap sweaters that looked plucked off the set of Fame, hooded bodysuits, fishnet tights, leg warmers, and all-around drapey layers. For the latter, sequin halter dresses and jumpsuits made for the dance floor, satin dresses with feather trim, and the kind of faux fur coat you’d need to top all your going-out looks.

Most shows end with a finale walk and a quick bow from the designer. But this is Michael Kors and the ‘70s were his era. Patti Hansen closed the show. And as the models started their finale walk, a sequin curtain in a corner of the space lifted to reveal Barry Manilow performing 'Copacabana' (which sounds as strange and amazing as it actually was). Unexpected at 10:30am, but after a week straight of shows it was a nice way to energize sleepy show-goers, this one included.

February 14, 2019 New York Post"Michael Kors’ star-studded show had some very groovy surprise guests" by Anahita Moussavian
Michael Kors has an enduring love affair with the ’70s. It’s so strong that the American designer time-traveled to Studio 54 Thursday morning when he unveiled his fall collection at Cipriani Downtown under a set of giant, spinning disco balls. His front-row glitterati was equally fab: Kate Hudson, Olivia Wilde, Priyanka Chopra, Kerry Washington, Regina King, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. The VIP list goes on (and on).

Models smiled as they slinked around the curved runway in looks that screamed the last days of disco: Gold lame frocks! Feather boas! Jumpsuits! More than one outfit boasted a piece emblazoned with the “Studio 54” logo on it (in sparkles, of course). The event closed when ’70s supermodel Patti Hansen, 62, stormed the runway in a shimmery gold pantsuit and joined surprise guest performer Barry Manilow on stage. For his part -- and to the delight of the audience -- Manilow performed his hit “Copacabana” dressed in a bold orange jacket dripping with crystals. Groovy baby.

February 13, 2019 The Daily Beast"NYFW: Barry Manilow Sang ‘Copacabana’ at Michael Kors’ Show. It Was Amazing." by Tim Teeman
At his Fall '19 show, the designer Michael Kors raised the bar significantly on what a New York Fashion Week show needs to have. Simply put: something better than Barry Manilow singing 'Copacabana' as the surprise finale to the show. In fact, if it were possible for every morning to start like this, all the better.

Yes, it happened, and yes, the response—when attendees realized what the hell was going on, and yes that was Barry Manilow standing on stage in a orange, bejewelled jacket—was rapturous. There was a gorgeous moment when everything went silent, Manilow was revealed, and the truth stood there, ready to rouse us from the runway.

February 13, 2019 L.A. Times"Michael Kors does a ’70s rewind for fall, Barry Manilow sings it to a close" by Adam Tschorn
The mix-and-match mentality of the fall and winter 2019 collections presented during the current run of New York Fashion Week shows circled back and swallowed its own stylish tail with the Michael Kors Collection that came down the catwalk here Wednesday morning, by pulling inspiration from the Big Apple itself, which the designer called in his show notes “the melting pot of style.”

Well, a very specific slice of the Apple during a very specific time, anyway, what Kors’ show notes describe as the “swinging West 50’s in the Seventies,” a world inhabited by pre-Instagram influencers who occupied the intersection of dance, theater and fashion ... For anyone unclear about the season’s inspirational starting point, Kors hammered it home with a range of pieces emblazoned with the logo of the famous (and later infamous) Studio 54 nightclub, including sleeveless glitter cashmere intarsia T-shirts and sweatshirts, embroidered motorcycle jackets, crepe de chine blouses, poplin shirts and duffel bags. The heavy-handed homage to the decade of disco and debauchery felt creaky and clichéd in places even though there were a lot of beautiful clothes in the mix.

But then, as the runway finale walk ended, a familiar nightclub classic started to play and the black curtains off to one side of the venue parted and Barry Manilow -- in the flesh, mind you -- began singing “Copacabana,” surrounded by models new (Bella Hadid) and veteran (Patti Hansen) and eventually Michael Kors himself.

The show’s attendees leaped enthusiastically to their feet, enraptured by the music and the proximity, adrenaline rushing, neurons firing. Suddenly the idea of dressing with abandon, embracing the wild mix of patterns and boogieing until sun-up in a purple sequin felt like the most natural — and desirable — thing in the world. Who could ask for anything more?

February 13, 2019 Billboard.com"Watch Barry Manilow Perform 'Copacabana' for Michael Kors NYFW Finale" by Taylor Weatherby
Barry Manilow made a surprise appearance at New York Fashion Week on Wednesday morning (Feb. 13), closing out Michael Kors' Fall 2019 show with a glittering rendition of his hit "Copacabana."

The show's theme was "dreaming," reflected in both the decor (disco balls and chandeliers hung overhead) and the 74 looks showcased, from oversize fur jackets to sparkly evening gowns. Kors also made sure to soundtrack the show -- which featured garments with the famed Studio 54 logo and a cameo from '70s supermodel Patti Hansen -- with disco-inspired hits from Chic, Donna Summer and The Pointer Sisters, recruiting Manilow for an epic finale. “Barry Manilow is a legend and 'Copacabana' was one of the iconic songs of my youth,” Michael Kors tells Billboard in a statement. “It was such a thrill to have him perform at my Fall 2019 show.”

Manilow's performance was appriopriately backdropped by gold fringe, with the singer sporting a bedazzled orange leather jacket (with "Copa" emblazoned on the back, naturally) as models joined him one-by-one on stage for the show-closing dance party. Though Manilow had never been to a fashion show before, he knew performing at Michael Kors' show was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. “When Michael called and gave me his vision for his upcoming fashion show and asked if I would come perform 'Copacabana,' I was very flattered -- how could I say no?" Manilow adds. "It was a thrilling experience, and I was happy to be a part of it."

New York may not be the hottest spot north of Havana in February, but music and passion were definitely the fashion at Michael Kors' New York Fashion week show.

February 13, 2019 Daily Mail"Barry Manilow, 75, gets model Bella Hadid, 22, to dance on stage to his song Copacabana at the Michael Kors NYFW show as her sister Gigi looks on" by Heidi Parker
Barry Manilow has been singing his hit songs like "Copacabana" and "I Write The Songs" for the past 50 years. And on Wednesday the New York native proved he still has that special touch as he won over fans at the Michael Kors show during New York fashion week. The 75-year-old entertainer made 22-year-old model Bella Hadid smile as she joined him on stage.

As if the runway stars weren't enough showcase the upcoming range, Manilow performed at the fashion event. The singer sported a bright orange blazer featuring studs and colorful jewels fastened to the lapel and sleeves as he performed the Copacabana. The closing of the show featured all the runway models - including Bella who was right next to him - dancing to the 1978 classic.

February 13, 2019 ET Canada"Barry Manilow Closes The Michael Kors Collection Fall 2019 Show At New York Fashion Week" by By Cat Williams
Barry Manilow just brought a touch of the tropics to snowy New York City. On Wednesday morning, the legendary singer-songwriter closed the Michael Kors Collection Fall 2019 runway show with a performance of his 1978 hit song “Copacabana” during New York Fashion Week.

Following the models’ finale walk, Manilow was joined on stage with Kors and supermodel Patti Hansen, as well as models Fran Summers and Bella Hadid. “Barry Manilow is a legend and ‘Copacabana’ was one of the iconic songs of my youth,” said the New York-born designer in an official press release. “It was such a thrill to have him perform for my Fall 2019 show.”

Set against a backdrop of gold tinsel and disco balls, Kors’ latest runway show was an ode to the the Studio 54-era of New York City.

Meanwhile, other stars to attend the show included: Priyanka Chopra, Michael Douglas with Catherine Zeta-Jones and their daughter Carys Zeta Douglas, as well as Kate Hudson, Kerry Washington and Regina King.

February 13, 2019 Hollywood ReporterNYFW: Michael Kors Throws Studio 54-Like Fashion Show, Barry Manilow Performs
Michael Kors threw a fashion show worthy of Studio 54 with Barry Manilow belting "Copacabana" on a glittery stage and rock muse Patti Hansen walking the runway Wednesday. His crowd, seated inside a Wall Street ballroom, went wild for both on the closing day of New York Fashion Week as he rolled out shaggy coats and feather boas, sparkly gowns in neon purple and electric blue, and flirty ruffles on dresses and skirts, all worthy of the heady '70s.

Sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid took to the catwalk to help move the bash along, but the surprise of Manilow's performance had the crowd on its feet. The 75-year-old legend is still going strong, proudly showing off his orange bedazzled "Copa" jacket backstage after the upbeat show. It's just what the fashion crowd needed on the eighth day of racing from show to show during fashion week, and the day after an icy snowstorm made that even more challenging.

Kors fall collection celebrated the city's melting pot of style and the kings and queens of the era: Bette, Bianca and Baryshnikov among them. The designer's impeccable tailoring and eye for details were plentiful in the clothes, from his delicate slip dresses to a killer patchwork leather jacket with black shearling sleeves.

Hansen, a '70s superstar model, is married to Keith Richards and took her turn on the catwalk with a smile on her face, dressed in an iridescent trouser suit of black and gold. There was star power on Kors' front row as well: Kerry Washington, Catherine Zeta-Jones and her husband, Michael Douglas, along with "If Beale Street Could Talk" Oscar nominee Regina King.

After the show, Kors called Manilow's appearance the cherry on the cake. "We met him exactly a year ago. It's very bizarre, backstage at a concert. I like everyone else am a huge fan," Kors told The Associated Press. "I said to him, 'Have you ever gone to a fashion show?' And he said no. I said 'Watch a few of our shows on YouTube, maybe we can do something in the future.'"

The theme didn't come together until Kors found himself perusing his old yearbook and got to thinking about his start in New York in the late-70s, and "just this whole convergence of glamour." At the time, the city was "pretty gritty and pretty dangerous," he recalled, "and music was a huge part of it, and dance. And Patti Hansen was all over my walls. I think the last fashion show she was in was in 1994."

Ultimately, Kors said, he wanted to put together an optimistic collection. Perhaps his crushed satin charmeuse blouse in cocoa would boost your mood and not bust your budget.

There were banker looks as well, in cropped plaid trousers and belted jackets. And, always, Kors showed a few great bags, for the shoulder and for a quick trip out of town. "I wanted joy," Kors explained. "I think maybe I'm a Pollyanna but you know I think that the right clothes and the right attitude can just lift your spirits."

February 13, 2019 TIME"Barry Manilow Singing 'Copacabana' at Fashion Week Is Truly the Perfect Winter Escape" by Cady Lang
The temperatures outside were frigid, but inside the Michael Kors runway show at New York Fashion Week, viewers were invited to escape the city’s gray snow and winter dreariness by enjoying a live Barry Manilow performance of “Copacabana” on Wednesday morning.

The soft rock superstar brought down the house when he appeared during the finale of the show to perform his hit song. The disco-themed show included runway turns by the likes of Bella Hadid and OG supermodel Patti Hansen, who closed the show to thunderous applause, and a collection of looks that would have looked perfectly at home on the dance floor of Studio 54. Manilow’s wore a heavily embellished, glitzy orange blazer to take the stage, which was covered in gold tinsel; Hadid and other models joined Manilow on stage to dance as he crooned, fittingly, that “music and passion were always the fashion.”

February 13, 2019 Harpers Bazaar"Here Is Barry Manilow Singing 'Copacabana' at New York Fashion Week" by Lauren Alexis Fisher
Nobody asked for a live Barry Manilow performance of "Copacabana" at New York Fashion Week, but sometimes the universe sends us a blessing we didn't know we needed.

On the final day of Fall 2019 shows at NYFW, Manilow unexpectedly showed up on the Michael Kors runway to snatch wigs, take names, and sing your Aunt Carol's favorite drunk karaoke song. And it was incredible.

After a collection featuring Studio 54-inspired disco glamour, Barry joined Bella Hadid and Fran Summers to dance and sing "Copacabana" against a flashy gold backdrop. It's unclear how fashion shows have ever ended before this. In fact, every runway from here on out should end with a live Manilow performance. Designers, please take note.

Because you asked, Manilow wore an orange jacket bedazzled in rainbow jewels for his big NYFW runway debut. Likely a custom Michael Kors Collection design, the look was the cherry on top of a glitzy collection.

Was the vision of Barry performing "Copacabana" at a New York Fashion Week show completely ridiculous? Of course. But if designers are going to resort to runway gimmicks to get our attention, please let more of them spark as much joy as a surprise Barry Manilow performance. Now please excuse me while I go listen to "Copacabana" for the rest of the day.

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February 10, 2019 KESQ"Desert Aids Project hosts 25th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala" by Madison Weil
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Desert Aids Project hosted their 25th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala Saturday at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Over 2,000 fashionably-dressed guests attended, arriving and taking photos on the red carpet. The fundraising event featured several speakers recognizing the efforts in the community as well as a performance by Barry Manilow.

“The idea is giving back to the community...this is a community that’s lifted up Desert Aids Project for years. Actually much longer than 25 years...when we started in a basement and everybody was afraid of HIV/AIDS," said Patrick Jordan, a Gala Co-Chair.

“It’s a great honor to be able to service a community that is so willing to support the efforts of dap,” said Lauri Kibby, also a Gala Co-Chair.

The Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala has raised millions of dollars to care for people living with HIV over the years.

February 10, 2019 Desert Sun"Barry Manilow and friends fete those who helped DAP make it through the rain" by Bruce Fessier
The Desert AIDS Project brought out its big guns Saturday to turn the 25th anniversary of the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards into a dynamic celebration of the light at the end of the dark, four-decade tunnel of the HIV/AIDS tragedy.

Internationally significant figures, including entertainer Barry Manilow and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Gunilla Carlsson, honored the leading lights of local efforts to combat the deadly virus in a razzle-dazzle, floridly-attired black tie benefit for DAP services at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Steve Chase himself, whose 1994 death from AIDS inspired the namesake event to start in 1995, was perhaps the biggest honoree of the weekend. A nationally-significant interior designer and philanthropist whose life inspired as many people as his money helped, Chase was given a spot on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on Friday and posthumously presented with the humanitarian award named after him Saturday night.

[Some] 1,500 people packed an ornately decorated room that needed three-foot-tall centerpieces to help people find their tables. They raised more than $1 million to support DAP's almost 5,000 HIV and low-income clients. That number is expected to increase to 10,000 after the completion of a $20 million capital campaign to expand its Palm Springs campus. It currently has raised $13 million.

Many of the attendees came to see Manilow perform a show custom-designed for this benefit. Manilow, who donated his services, performed most of his hits, starting with the appropriate "Miracles" and "Somewhere in the Night," and ending with his duet with his younger self on video singing "Mandy" and his fun hit, "Copacabana."

He sang a song about self esteem, the tender "All the Time" from 1976, and the Four Seasons' "Let's Hang On," from a 1981 recording, providing two deeper tracks for his set. But the bonus was his idea to recognize some DAP pioneers he called heroes.

Manilow noted that he was honored by DAP 10 years ago and "it was one of the greatest nights of all." He also recently took a tour of the DAP campus and "everybody was so great." So Manilow wrote a speech about the contributions of early DAP contributors George Sonsel, Kathy McCauley, Bruce Lloyd, Ron Christenson and Donald Beck and all but Lloyd were able to attend. Sonsel, a therapist, said DAP flew him all the way from the Netherlands.

Thank yous from event co-chairs Patrick Jordan, Kevin Bass and Laura Kibby, and board chairman Steve Kaufer were heaped upon people who have helped DAP grow from a group of volunteers that formed in 1984. They included producing sponsors Sherrie Auen, Catharine Reed, the Auen Foundation and Walgreens and the more than 400 volunteers that make DAP [work].

January 16, 2019 AZ Big MediaBarry Manilow will headlines 25th annual Celebrity Fight Night
One of the nation’s most legendary ballad singers and composers will be performing at one of the country’s most renowned charity events. Make plans now to attend a once-in-a-lifetime experience as Barry Manilow performs in front of special guests, celebrities and VIPs at the 25th Annual Celebrity Fight Night on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

Grammy Award-winning leading lady of country music Reba McEntire will host Celebrity Fight Night for the 15th year. This exciting evening will take place at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix with the red-carpet festivities starting at 5:00 p.m. All proceeds raised will support the Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute, as well as several other charities.

One out of 20 people at the age of 65 will have Alzheimer’s. That number increases to 1 out of 3 when a person reaches the age of 85. The medical professionals at Barrow’s Alzheimer’s Program and Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center are housed in the same area and are working diligently and collaboratively to find cures for both diseases.

The Barrow program is actively involved in researching and testing promising new treatments; and is committed to providing continuing care and counseling to Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers.

For the 25th year, celebrities, dignitaries and professional athletes from all over the world will unite for an action-packed evening filled with incredible live auction items and musical performances by many of today’s hottest stars. Sixteen-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer, David Foster will return as Celebrity Fight Night’s Musical Director for his 20th year. In addition to Manilow and McEntire, other marquee entertainers headlining the event will include contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith, actress and performer Rita Wilson, singer Pia Toscano, America’s Got Talent rising star, Angelica Hale, violinist Caroline Campbell and Shawn King.

More celebrities and entertainers will continue to be announced.

Special honorees for the evening include fabled American music producer and 27-time Grammy Award-winner Quincy Jones, Arizona State University President Dr. Michael Crow and Dr. Abraham Lieberman, the medical director of the Movement Disorders Clinic at Barrow Neurological Institute.

“For 25 years, we’ve treated Celebrity Fight Night audiences to the world’s greatest entertainers and this year will be no different as we welcome Barry Manilow,” said Jimmy Walker, Founder of Celebrity Fight Night. “With the help of our celebrity friends and incredibly generous donors, we are once again excited to raise millions of dollars and make a difference in the lives of those who need our support.”

Individual tickets for Celebrity Fight Night start at $1,500 – $10,000. To purchase tickets or to get more information on the event, please visit www.celebrityfightnight.org, or call (602) 956-1121.

December 2018/
January 2019
I Love Las VegasMANILOW Las Vegas: The Hits Come Home!
Welcome to Las Vegas! ... Here at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, you'll encounter the finest entertainment on the strip without ever leaving the resort! Experience a beloved entertainer in an unforgettable way. Act now to see the one, the only, Barry Manilow in The Hits Come Home! With 50 Top 40 Hits and 85 million albums sold, Barry Manilow returns with a night of nonstop hits.

Here at the lavish, historic Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, guests will experience the classic vibe and thrill of Vegas while being treated like a high roller. "We may not be the newest resort in Las Vegas," Founder, CEO & President, David Siegel said, "but we are the friendliest."

At the time of its opening on July 2, 1969, Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, then known as the International Hotel, was the largest resort and casino in the world ... The hotel became the Las Vegas Hilton from March of 1971 through 2012 ... After its purchase [by Siegel] in 2014, the hotel became, and will remain Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.

The hotel was at its full glory in 1970 when Siegel first stayed there. Barbra Streisand performed an exclusive black-tie event for the hotel's grand opening in the International Showroom, now the International Theatre ... From the opening of the hotel in 1969, it became home to musical powerhouses like Liberace, Barry Manilow, Wayne Newton and none other than the King himself - Elvis Presley. The King's debut performance at the hotel was on July 31, 1969.

As a host to these legends and many more, Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a historic landmark that will forever be treasured and preserved. Thousands of shows have taken place since the grand opening in 1969, entertaining millions of people. The resort is alive with the sound and spirit of icons that once called this hotel home.

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December 27, 2018 The Desert Sun"Barry Manilow will perform at 25th annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala in Palm Springs" by Robert Hopwood
Music legend Barry Manilow will perform a special concert at the 25th annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards on Feb. 9 for what is expected to be a sold-out crowd. The Palm Springs resident, who has sold more than 85 million albums worldwide, will be the featured performer at this February's gala, which raises money for the Desert AIDS Project.

The local charity offers an array of health care services to people living with HIV and AIDS. The fund-raising gala has been re-imagined for its silver anniversary, said Steven Henke, the director of community development for the Desert AIDS Project. "We're making a lot of changes, focusing on the experience of attendees," he said. It will be a "fast, tight-paced show."

The gala is part of a series of events starting Feb. 8, when the City of Palm Springs will posthumously honor interior designer and local philanthropist Steve Chase with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. An invite-only, VIP party for about 500 donors and celebrities will follow the dedication, which will be held at the Palm Springs Art Museum, Henke said. The festivities continue on Feb. 9 with a fashion show outside the Palm Springs Convention Center. It will be followed by a pre-party, which will focus on 25 years of memories from the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, Henke said. During the awards show that follows, Steve Chase will be posthumously honored with the Steve Chase Humanitarian Award. Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Geoff Kors and his husband, James Williamson, will receive the Partners for Life Award. The name of the final honoree has yet to be released, Henke said.

After the awards are handed out, Manilow will perform for the expected crowd of 1,500 attendees. An after-party will follow the gala. "People are going to remember this for a very long time," Henke said.

Manilow has been a longtime supporter of the Desert AIDS Project, according to Henke, and in 2017 he posthumously presented Elizabeth Taylor with the Partners for Life Award. The septuagenarian loves spending time at his secluded home in the Palm Springs Mesa district, but he continues to sing the songs loved by Fanilows around the world. After returning from a short tour of Great Britain earlier this year, Manilow performed his holiday show, "A Very Berry Christmas," in San Diego and Rancho Mirage. He also performs at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.

Tickets start at $500 and are on sale now at stevechase25.eventbrite.com.

December 16, 2018 The Desert Sun"Barry Manilow's 'Very Barry Christmas' is bigger, louder than before" by Bruce Fessier
You never see as many happy, smiling faces at a pop music show as you do at a Barry Manilow concert. And, even though we have long appreciated homages to human angst from Mavis Staples to R.E.M. to Mac Miller, that’s not a bad thing. Manilow staged a bigger, louder version of the “Very Barry Christmas” he performed last year at the McCallum Theatre Saturday at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. His modulations leading to massive crescendos on his classic power ballads seemed more dramatic. The projected fire in the chimney on the backdrop was huge.

But his masterful juxtaposition of big and small songs made his intimate material among the highlights of the show. Manilow kept the banter flowing from the beginning. Always appreciative of his audience for “getting” him, Manilow introduced himself as “your skinny Jewish Santa Claus.” Then he explained that his Jewish mother married a non-Jewish Irish-American when he was 12 that gave him an appreciation of Christmas and diverse holiday music. In a more private setting, he might have quoted his late friend, Bill Edelen, or Harvard philosopher George Santayana, saying the poetry of Christmas “feeds my spirit.”

He became introspective on “Even Now” and followed with Joni Mitchell’s song of holiday sadness, “The River,” to take us down to bring us back up again with holiday classics. He let a local child sing “Jingle Bell Rock” and it lit up the room. He sang “White Christmas” in a tuxedo with a white bow tie and carnation and we felt as warm as if that fireplace was really heating up this elegant joint. In the finale, with confetti flowing, he reminded us, this is “For the Children.”

Manilow’s energy at age 75 is amazing, and he acknowledged his astonishment at that. “When my grandfather was this age,” he said, “the best thing he could do was bring up phlegm.” Barry Manilow brings up our spirit. That’s priceless. He does it all over again at 7 p.m. Sunday night at The Show.

December 15, 2018 The Desert SunBarry Manilow: A VERY BARRY CHRISTMAS concert in Rancho Mirage
Barry Manilow performed at The Show at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California on December 15, 2018. The concert titled, A Very Barry Christmas, was a near sold-out at the venue.

December 10, 2018 The San Diego Union-Tribune"Thanks to Barry Manilow, Christmas comes early for Crawford High School students" by Karla Peterson
Barry Manilow brings his “A Very Barry Christmas” concert to San Diego State University’s Viejas Arena on Thursday, but for some local high-school students, Barry’s Christmas came even earlier. Last month, Manilow announced he was donating a Yamaha piano to Crawford High School. The donation was a very public gesture in support of the Manilow Music Project, the long-running program that focuses on providing musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to funding musical scholarships to universities in the U.S. and Canada.

It was also a personal reflection of the epiphany that happened when the 13-year-old Brooklyn kid sat down at a neighbor’s piano and saw a whole new future flash before his eyes. “It changed my life. Just changed my life,” Manilow said during a recent phone interview. “I sat down, and I just felt at home. I felt like I was where I belonged. I bet any musician would tell you the same thing. Suddenly, you know what you’re supposed to do. I was just lucky that I could actually make a career out of it.”

Music gave Barry Manilow one heck of a career. It gave him 28 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, including three No. 1 hits. He racked up 15 Grammy Award nominations and one win. Also five Primetime Emmy nominations and two Emmy Awards. And more concert dates than he can begin to remember, much less count.

Without that first piano encounter, the 75-year-old singer, songwriter, pianist and arranger would not have the life he has now, and the piano donation is just part of his efforts to make sure other budding musicians get the chance to find their fabulous selves. As he has in the past, Manilow is pairing his concert here with a musical-instrument drive. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument at the Viejas Arena on Thursday will receive two free tickets for the evening’s concert.

Instruments will be accepted at the arena box office from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday. The Manilow Music Project fixes them up and donates them to school districts, which distribute them to needy schools. And in addition to scoring donors free tickets, the instruments can make the kind of difference that truly lasts. “I speak to the principals and I speak to the teachers all the time, and they all tell me the same thing,” Manilow said. “They say that kids in music classes, their grades always go up. They learn to interact with other students. It’s not just playtime. It does change a young person’s life.”

Manilow knows this because he lived it. After sitting down at his neighbor’s piano, the boy who was already a pretty good accordion player took the first small step on the road to bigger things. Much, much bigger things. He got his professional start as an accompanist and arranger. He wrote, arranged and sang on commercial jingles. He composed the original score for an off-Broadway production of “The Drunkard.” He was Bette Midler’s pianist and music director. He was a busy behind-the-scenes bee, and he liked it.

During his stint with Midler, Manilow was offered a recording contract, something he wasn’t looking for and didn’t quite know how to handle. His first single — 1974’s “Mandy” — went all the way to No. 1. After that, the hits came at a dizzying clip. Getting comfortable in the spotlight was dizzying, too. And not in a good way. “In the beginning, I was terrible. Of course I was terrible. I had never done anything like that before,” Manilow said still sounding rattled by the memory of his early concert performances. “But from the beginning, the audience didn’t think I was as terrible as I knew I was. It just kept building, and it wouldn't stop. And the records kept getting bigger, and the audiences kept getting bigger. I didn’t know what was happening, and it just kept terrifying me night after night.”

About 10 years into his performing career, things changed. For years, Manilow’s fans had been telling him about the many ways his big, emotionally vulnerable songs had saved them. One night, while he was singing “Can’t Smile Without You” for the umpteenth time, the house lights in the theater went up, and the singer saw his fans. Really saw them. And that’s when the audience saved Barry Manilow. “For the first time, I saw the audience clearly, and I had an epiphany. And the epiphany was, ‘You are not doing this for you. You are doing this for them.’ Everything changed when I realized that was the job. Then I knew why I was standing on the stage. I was standing on the stage to make these people feel better, and from there on in, I loved this job.”

He still loves the job. He loves rearranging the holiday classics featured in his “Very Barry Christmas” show so that they sound new but still feel as comforting as ever. The Christmas shows include a generous helping of old Barry favorites, and he loves freshening those up, too. He loves his residency at the swanky Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, where he’ll be returning in February for a four-month stint.

But mostly, he loves those songs. The ones that first piano helped him find. The ones the fans never get tired of hearing and the man behind the keyboards never gets tired of playing. The gifts he will always try to give back. “I believe in what I’m doing. I believe in the lyrics of the songs that I sing. I believe that the audiences need to feel good. Certainly I need to feel good. The show makes me feel good, and my goal is to make them feel better when they leave than they did when they got there. You put that all together, how can I not do this?”

Barry Manilow: “A Very Barry Christmas.” When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Where: Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl, 5500 Canyon Crest Drive, San Diego State University. Tickets: $39-$159, plus service charges. Phone: (800)745-3000. Online: ticketmaster.com

December 10, 2018 The Sarasota"A Very Barry Manilow Christmas Comes to Tampa Bay, FL" by Vicky Sullivan
Christmas came to the Amalie Arena on Friday night in the form of Barry Manilow! Florida and California are the lucky states that are hosting Barry's Christmas tour this year. I was invited by a friend to see the show and quite honestly I was on the fence. At age 15, I loved Barry's first big hit “Mandy” but that was back in 1974 and my musical tastes changed over the years. Sure, I knew Barry's hit songs, I was a child of Top 40 radio but, at some point it became uncool to like Barry. He became my mother’s music. But on Friday night, Manilow brought me full circle, it’s funny how age, nostalgia and a great singer can do that!

Upon arrival, we were given glow sticks to wave around during the show. A fun way to set the tone for certain songs during the show or use as your applause meter by waving it around. The stage was set in Christmas décor. Barry arrived to the opening number of “It's A Miracle”. He moved right into Christmas mode with several holiday tunes including “Christmas is Just Around the Corner” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”. Extremely personable, Barry makes jokes including about himself. He clearly knows how it is to be Barry Manilow! At 75, Manilow has had an illustrious career. 12 number one singles, 27 top 10 hits and has sold over 80 million albums. He has been respected by both Sinatra and Bob Dylan. He started out with Bette Midler and has since produced her work.

In a beautifully poignant moment of the show Barry performed the Joni Mitchell penned “River” about a Christmastime relationship break-up. He also did a tribute to old blue eyes himself Frank Sinatra, complete with a drink and pretend cigarette. In between holiday tunes came the hits like “I Can’t Smile Without You” and “Daybreak”. Manilow has a great band of around 20 musicians backing him as well as his three background singers. He pays respect to the “talented and wonderful” people who work with him and introduces everyone individually.

Manilow moves around the stage, does a little dancing, hikes himself up on the piano for a tune and sounds great. He holds several notes at length and jokes “What is your 75 year old grandpa doing tonight?” The audience laughs along with him, many of them his age. His fan base is a mixed bag of everyone mostly over 40. One of the highlights is Barry leaving for a costume change and the big screen displays a 1974 Manilow on the TV show “Midnight Special” playing that first big hit “Mandy”. Barry returns to finish the song with both young and current selves singing together. A goosebump time travel moment that has that 15 year-old singing along. “I Write the Songs” has the whole crowd singing and I find I know the words to a song I hadn’t heard in many years.

Of course, everyone is waiting for that classic dance number “Copacabana” that has almost become Manilow’s theme song. Barry and his band deliver a rousing rendition. Taking a bow and leaving the stage, he sends Santa Claus and sleigh out for the encore of Christmas tunes to come including “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas” complete with snow blasting out into the arena! Children come to the stage and Barry says “Christmas is all about the children” and shares his mic singing with a young girl. Streams of colorful confetti falling from the ceiling, Barry waves goodnight to audience. A great feel-good holiday show, Manilow is actually pretty cool after all!

December 8, 2018 The Sunday Post"Barry Manilow may be 75, but he has no plans to stop playing for his army of devoted music fans" by Billy Higgins
The candles are still burning brightly for Barry Manilow and he plans to keep them lighting up the world without a flicker in 2019. “I am already excited about next year,” the popular singer said. “The season in Las Vegas is going well and that will last at least until the summer and I have other shows planned plus a return to the recording studio, which means that I am going to be doing what I love the most – singing, dancing and performing for all the wonderful people who come to see me.”

The Las Vegas season started at the magnificent Westgate Las Vegas Resort a few months ago and Barry has been enjoying every minute of his shows there. “I was not very well at the start, nothing serious but it was disappointing to have to postpone,” he said. “We have made up for it since and the season has been going well. I am not on stage every night, but do shows for three nights in succession and then have a break for two or three weeks before the next three-night session. That’s great for me because I can do other shows or recording or just rest in between times and constantly have the Westgate shows to look forward to.”

Many of Barry’s loyal British fans have made the trip to see him in Las Vegas and he really appreciates that. “I always know when there are British fans in the audience as they are such fun, they are the loudest when everyone sings along and they are just great to be with. That is why I like touring Britain. I have said many times British audiences are the best. I still get goosebumps when I remember that special night at Blenheim Palace when there were 40,000 people there and in the encore I sang 'We’ll Meet Again.' Suddenly there were thousands of candles lit and the whole crowd joined in. I couldn’t sing, the emotion of it all just got to me. That was 35 years ago and it still gets to me. I am sorry to go on about it but that was such a magical moment. My trips to Britain have always been like that whether it has been touring or flying over for a Royal Variety Show, the welcome is always a very warm one. When the fans fly over to Vegas to see the show, they are just the same – fantastic.”

It is amazing that Barry’s Las Vegas season is due to end two days before his 76th birthday on June 17 – that is unless the season is extended. “It’s incredible and great at the same time,” said Barry. “The options are open for what comes next, but it is going to be a full year whatever. I cannot believe that I will be 76, I don’t feel it. What is nice is that the audiences who come to see the show are mixed ages. There are those who have been with me throughout the years, but there are young ones, too, in their teens. I love them, but it must be like seeing their grandad up on stage. I don’t think it is me they come to see, I think it is the music. We put a lot of the favourites in the show and as we perform them it is almost as if time has stood still and we are the same as when they were first performed or recorded. Those songs are old friends to me and I think it is the same for the audiences – well, they all sing along and there is a lot of love in their voices. I am sure that my songs will outlive me, but I plan to go on enjoying them for as long as possible. That doesn’t mean that there will be no more new songs. I am still writing, I can’t help it. If you are a creative person, you cannot help but go on creating. Not everything proves great, but every now and then a little gem pops up.”

Barry’s zest for life is as powerful as ever and it is refreshing that he has never become unapproachable. “I have always been grateful to the people who have bought my recordings or tickets for the shows – they are the real stars,” he said. “I don’t think you should ever forget that when the lights go out and you leave the theatre, you are just the same ordinary guy who went to the same schools as everyone else and did the same things as everyone else. Your path just took you in a different direction [than] most and you were able to follow your star. That doesn’t make you special, that makes you very lucky.”

Although he is so very down-to-earth, Barry is aware he has to take care of his health and fitness so that he can give his best with each energetic performance. “I am not a health fanatic, but I believe in being sensible,” he said. “Your body and mind will look after you if you treat it with respect. I do try to take care of myself and keep fit without being enslaved to diets and daily trips to the gym. I jog a little and I have a lot of help with that from my dogs, part of my family. We spend a lot of time together and they help me keep fit. Perhaps they should have a credit in the tour programme!”

Another quality of Barry’s is that he always looks good – you’ll never find him with a stubble on his chin or sprawling about in ragged clothes. “That’s not me at all,” he said. “Of course I wear casual clothes, but I would never like to look like someone who just doesn’t care about themselves. I don’t like not shaving either, that just isn’t me. It is hard enough to look at myself in the mirror without being scared of what looks back at me.”

So Barry is still enjoying life and is excited about 2019. “Oh yes, I am having a great time and I cannot wait to see what happens during 2019 and 2020 too,” he said. “I have talked about retirement a few times, but how can I? I might have to one day, but when you see the lights go up, the music starts and you go out on stage, you just feel the love of your audience and suddenly age has nothing to do with it. “As I said, my music is timeless. Could It Be Magic? Well, who knows, but it’s been a good year and next year will be, too. May I wish your readers and everyone a really great and happy 2019! Perhaps 'We’ll Meet Again' in Vegas – if not, maybe in Britain once more.”

December 5, 2018 The Desert Sun"Fanilows are clamoring for another book...But Barry Manilow is happy writing songs for now" by Bruce Fessier
Barry Manilow is in a good place right now. Unlike contemporaries such as Neil Diamond, Elton John and Paul Simon, Manilow, 75 and as long and lanky as he was when he was 50, hasn’t found the need to put an expiration date on his career. He seems to have found a good balance of work, relaxation and philanthropy.

The holiday concert he performs once every three years as a benefit for Coachella Valley charities at the McCallum Theatre has proven so popular, he’s taking his “A Very Barry Christmas” show on the road. His Dec. 15-16 stops at The Show at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa have also become a charity drive. He’s donating a Yamaha piano to Palm Springs High School and giving away two concert tickets to people who donate new or gently used musical instruments to his Manilow Music Project, as long as tickets last. He's also looking forward to returning to the McCallum, he said, with 2020 being the next date on his "A Gift of Love" schedule of benefits.

Manilow does only a limited number of concert dates on his tours to have more time to spend at his beautiful, secluded compound in the Palm Springs Mesa district. But he loves performing every few months at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, and he’s been offered a long-term contract to continue his residency there. “They want the George Burns contract,” he said with obvious delight over the telephone. “That means until I’m 100! Listen, this Vegas show has turned out to be a very entertaining and exciting show for the audience. It’s doing for the Westgate what they hoped it would do, and it’s doing for me what I was hoping it would do. So, it’s a great gig. I would stay there until they throw me out.”

Manilow is planning a Christmas album, and he’s started work on an LP of original songs and a sequel to his Grammy-nominated “Night Songs” LP. The latter will feature more Frank Sinatra-styled saloon songs, including a version of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life” that Sinatra couldn’t get right for his famous “For Only the Lonely” concept album.

“When I was practicing it, I went on Spotify and it said, “Sinatra: ‘Lush Life’,” Manilow said. “He stopped singing. He couldn’t get it. It’s like the craziest melody you’ve ever heard. You’ve got to be a musician or at least really know how to sing the thing. It gets to a very tricky line and he says, ‘Stop, stop, stop. Boy, am I wrong.’ And he says, ‘Let’s go to the next one.’ The chart was great and he was great. He just hit a couple of wrong notes and gave up.”

Literary aspirations - Manilow has always juggled multiple projects, but he's put plans to write a sequel to his 1987 autobiography on the back burner, although not necessarily on the shelf. “Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise” chronicled his career through 1984, when he began tackling risky passion projects such as his jazz album, “2:00 AM Paradise Café,” a CBS film version of “Copacabana,” producing jobs for other artists such as Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick and Diane Schuur, and writing a musical intended for Broadway, titled “Harmony.”

Manilow said he couldn’t find an artistic reason to compel him to write it. “I tried and I have bored myself to tears,” Manilow said. “I really haven’t got the drama for another book. My life is just not made of drama. I was very happy with that first book. It was a very interesting story about a guy who didn’t expect success and ended up with my career. That ended in ’84. And you would think between ’84 and 2018 there would be a lot more stories. But I just couldn’t find the angle.”

Manilow’s fans are hoping he finds a way to tell the story they've been hanging on for decades. “Fanilows” from France to Japan told The Desert Sun this week there’s a strong appetite for a portal into Manilow's personal journey.

“Why does Barry have to have drama in his book?” asked Merridith Ryan Karpen of Chicago. “There is enough drama in the world. I'm 100 percent sure that his friends, fans (and) admirers would love to read his experiences on the road. A day in the life. How he stays wonderful, positive and genuinely true to himself. Does he know how much his music has helped me, personally, and so many other millions of people that have similar stories of growing up, dealing with illness and hardship? We understand how private he is and are grateful for anything he shares.”

Michael Cavacini of Philadelphia said he’d like to read more about the private life Manilow shares with his husband, Garry Kief, who Manilow said in his last book saved him from financial ruin after becoming his manager more than 40 years ago.

Keiko Sakai of Tokyo sent a copy of an article Manilow wrote for Writer’s Digest in 1987 about his struggles to write his first book. In a creatively-written essay, Manilow talked about how his friends and agents encouraged him to turn his anecdotes about the music business into a book. But, the first time he sat down at a typewriter, he said, “I couldn’t find one word to write.”

His writing process - So, Manilow said he turned to a process he often employed when confronting an unfamiliar project: He began asking what he called “Stupid Questions.” He went shopping for a computer and bought a book on how to write a book. Ultimately, he transferred his musical techniques to the way he conveyed anecdotes.

For example, when writing about how he met Bette Midler, who hired him as her musical director and gave him an opportunity to sing several of his original songs at her concerts, he said he used a counterpoint technique. But, instead of intertwining two independent melodies, he related a conversation with parenthetical statements about what each person was thinking. It made for a clever arrangement of words.

Manilow wrote that his book was the most personal thing he ever created and he was so proud of it, he put copies of it in every room of his house until he heard guests exclaim, “Oh brother, there’s his damn book again.”

Interestingly, few people knew Manilow owned one of Palm Springs’ greatest architectural marvels when he was writing “Sweet Life.” He bought a smaller Palm Springs home with Kief around 1978, Manilow said. Then someone showed them a house on West Vista Chino designed by mid-century modern architect Richard Neutra. It was already known as the Kaufmann Desert House, named after Pittsburgh department store tycoon Edgar Kaufmann, who had it built in 1946. Legendary architecture photographer Julius Shulman took famous pictures of it as early as 1947. House owner Nelda Linsk was photographed there in a 1970 photo by Slim Aarons that has become famous under the title, “Poolside Gossip.”

Manilow and Kief sold the house in 1993 for $982,500, according to public records showing Kief as the trustee/conservator with the Barney Property Trust as joint tenants. It was renovated by the buyers and it became known as the most prominent mid-century modern design in the town that has been called a mid-century modern mecca.

“We realized after we bought it it was a magnificent architectural diamond,” said Manilow. “There were pictures of this house all over the place. When (Kaufmann) built it, it was in the middle of nowhere. It was this modern, magnificent piece of work in the middle of nowhere and then, little by little, houses started to be built around it. By the time we got to it, it was a small neighborhood. When we sold it, it was tripled in size. Across the street from the Neutra house, there was nothing. You could see for miles. But, by the time we sold it, there was a lot of traffic going in and out. We had to sell it.”

Helen M. Holdun of Tustin said she’d like to read about the lessons Manilow has learned – “via his career, touring, and just living. How is he different or the same now than when he was a young man starting out?” she said she’d like to know. “If he had to do it all over again, what if anything would he do differently? How have the fans, their labeling him as ‘super mega sex God,’ affected who he is as a person when he’s not on stage and how can young performers find balance in their own lives? Does he wish he’d been able to come out earlier in life? (He should) offer advice, based on his public and private life, to people who are on the fence about sharing their truth.”

Janet Fauret, of Strasbourg, France, said she'd like to hear the details behind his many tours and the people he’s worked with. She notes, “A little name dropping and anecdotes about other famous people is always good! “It’s funny that Barry thinks you need drama in your life to write a biography,” she said. “He’s had an amazing career. To what does he attribute it? All those tours: He says it was hard, but he kept doing it. Why? The connection he has with his fans is exceptional, but that can’t be the only reason."

She calls the news of his 2014 marriage to Kief "the elephant in the room" and asks, "Can he write a book and call it a biography if he doesn’t? “I know a lot of fans would be interested – sincerely interested, not morbidly curious – about what it was like all those years being one person on stage and another behind the scenes," she said. "Was it hard or did it just become second nature? I know his relationship with Garry was an open secret to many, but, I do know people who were genuinely amazed when he came out. So, it must have been hard sometimes leading what was almost a double life.”

Manilow says he'll revisit the idea of a memoir when he figures out the best way to approach it, just as he usually waits to record a concept album suggested by his friend and Sony Music label chief, Clive Davis, until he's figured out how to solve the puzzle of making it musically viable. "I'll go back to it now and again," Manilow said. "I think I write pretty well. I know how to do it. But, the big question I couldn't answer is, 'Why am I doing it?' So, maybe one of these days, it will hit me."

Manilow in concert: What: A Very Barry Christmas concert. When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16. Where: The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage. Tickets: $100-$250.

Manilow Music Project component: Donors may drop off new or gently used musical instruments to be given to student musicians in need from 7-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15 and 6-7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16 at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa. Information: (888) 999-1995 or hotwatercasino.com/barry-manilow. Westgate concert info: manilow.com.

December 5, 2018 Orlando Sentinel"Barry Manilow's holiday show includes gift for Jones High School" by Trevor Fraser
Barry Manilow loves Christmas music. “These songs are standards that come from the ’40s and ’50s and I’m crazy for music like that,” said the iconic singer. This explains his three studio albums of Christmas music recorded over his 45-year career, and his show A Very Barry Christmas, coming to the Amway Center on Saturday, Dec. 8.

But the Brooklyn native’s penchant for the holidays goes beyond the music. “It seems like it’s the only time of year that people stop hollering at each other,” said Manilow. And demonstrating his commitment to the season of giving, his foundation, The Manilow Music Project, will be donating a piano to Orlando’s Jones High School.

The piano won’t be alone. Manilow and the Amway Center have invited the community to bring new and slightly used instruments to the arena for donation. “I beg the audiences that if they have any instruments in their garages or their attic that are collecting dust to bring them down to the arena,” said Manilow.

“It means the world to us,” said Jones band teacher Jamaal Nicholas. “It’s an opportunity for the children to play on an instrument of quality and it is a demonstration that someone in the community cares about their participation in music and is supporting them.” Jones was recommended to the project by the staff at the Amway Center.

Chorus teacher Andrea Green, who teaches piano classes on keyboards, is looking forward to giving her students time with the new instrument. “For students to actually feel a piano, that brings it to a whole new level,” she said.

Manilow, 75, started the project more than 10 years ago when someone asked him to get a sax for his daughter because her school was out of instruments. “So I started to do a little investigation and, sure enough, at high schools and middle schools all around the country, the first thing that goes are music and arts,” said Manilow. The Manilow Music Project has conducted music instrument drives all over the country to assist local schools with their music programs.

This is the second time in a year that a celebrity has aided the Jones High music program. Earlier this year, Ellen DeGeneres presented them with $100,000 from Walmart to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Senior Jevon Baldwin was part of the group that went. The percussionist says that anything people donate to the music program will have a positive impact on the high school, located in Orlando’s low-income Parramore neighborhood. “Being in the neighborhood that we’re in, a lot of people can’t afford these instruments,” he said. “[Manilow is] helping generation after generation that’s coming in.”

Known for hits such as “Mandy” and “Can’t Smile Without You,” Manilow easily recalls the impact a piano had on his young life. “I was the geek of the neighborhood until I played the piano,” he said. “And then suddenly everything changed. I became popular because I was good at it and I was in demand.”

Baldwin, who also plays at his church, concurs on the benefits of music in his life. “God and music ... really made me who I am,” he said. “It changed my in drastic ways. It made me not go the bad route that I could have went.”

“I hear it from teachers and from principals,” said Manilow. “These kids that take music classes, their grades go up, they learn to interact with other students and they become better people.”

Science tends to agree. A study published this year in the scientific journal Neuron found “musical training has the capacity to foster the development of non-musical skills across a host of domains, including language development, attention, visuo-spatial perception, and executive function.”

Jones’ music program was founded by Orange County teacher James “Chief” Wilson in 1950. “It was a time when there wasn’t much support for African Americans in the music classroom,” said Nicholas, who gradated as valedictorian from Jones in 2009. “We still have some instruments from way back then. Obviously we can’t use many of them because they’re in quite a state of disrepair.”

The school has one piano already, but Nicholas has plans for the new one. “We can use it for teaching of course,” he said. “And we can debut it at our concert in the spring.”

Nicholas does have something of a specific request as far as donations go. “I need a new oboe,” he said. But ultimately, he said they will be happy to care for anything that they can get. “Anytime we get something new it’s like Christmas around here.”

People who wish to donate instruments can bring them to the Amway Center in exchange for a pair of tickets to the show. The arena will be accepting donations from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday and then an hour before the show on Saturday. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $18.75-$246.25. Details can be found at amwaycenter.com.

When Where Articles/Reviews
November 30, 2018 Tampa Bay NewspapersBarry Manilow to perform at Amalie
TAMPA – As part of the Ruth Eckerd Hall on the Road series, pop music icon Barry Manilow will take the stage for a special “Very Barry Christmas” Friday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m., at Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Tickets start at $16. Call 800-745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com for tickets. For venue information, visit www.amaliearena.com.

Fans will be in for a treat when they hear Manilow perform his greatest hits like “Copacabana” and “Mandy” as well as Christmas favorites. Manilow has sold over 85 million albums and has 50 Top 40 hits. Manilow’s unparalleled career encompasses virtually every area of music, including performing, composing, arranging and producing. A Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Manilow has triumphed in every medium of entertainment.

November 29, 2018 Tampa Bay Times"Barry Manilow talks Christmas songs, retiring from touring and whether you’ll ever see him as a hologram: As he brings 'A Very Barry Christmas' to Tampa’s Amalie Arena, the legendary singer-songwriter talks reflects on holidays past and his future as a performer" by Jay Cridlin
Given his reputation for schmaltz and sentiment, it’s impossible that Barry Manilow could have made it through the ’70s without popping up on some cheesy network holiday variety special. Right? “I may have,” the legendary singer-songwriter said by phone recently. “I remember singing my version of Joni Mitchell’s 'River' on some TV show, so I must have done one of those variety things. I don’t remember which one.”

It could have been any of them. Manilow is a man made for the holidays, whose crowd-pleasing sensibilities square perfectly with the pageantry of the season. He has released three Christmas albums, two gold and one platinum, and last year launched his first full-scale holiday production, dubbed “A Very Barry Christmas.”

On Dec. 7, Manilow, 75, will bring the show to Tampa, mixing Christmas standards and originals in with hits like Copacabana and I Write the Songs. He’s also hosting an instrument drive benefitting local schools, offering tickets in exchange for gently used instruments at the Amalie Arena box office. Calling from his home in Palm Springs, Manilow reflected on Christmas songs, his holiday traditions with long-term partner Garry Kief, the likelihood of a Barry Manilow hologram and more.

Tampa Bay Times (TBT): This is the first time you’ve brought the holiday tour to Tampa. What’s special about these?
Barry Manilow (BM): Who doesn’t like the Christmas holidays? You’ve got to be Scrooge. After all the craziness that’s been going on, everybody needs a little Christmas. I’ve always loved the time of the year. Whenever I’ve been on the road, when it gets to November-December, I drag out the Christmas songs. We’d done this particular show last year and it went over really well. There’s snow and Christmas trees and presents and children. Everything you could imagine for a Christmas show.

TBT: You’re Jewish, are you not?
BM: I was raised Jewish, in a Jewish family, in a Jewish neighborhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. But my mother remarried and I got an Irish stepfather. The first year he was with me, when I was 13, he brought home a silver aluminum Christmas tree with blue balls. I’ll never forget it.

TBT: What was the first Christmas song you remember appreciating?
BM: Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters’ Jingle Bells.

TBT: It’s a classic.
BM: I did my own version of their arrangement on my first album. I love it so much.

TBT: So now how do you celebrate the holidays? You don’t have kids, so is it just you and Garry? How do you spend Christmas Day?
BM: We used to have a lot of people coming through our house over the years. It’s quieted down for Garry and I. People drop by. Palm Springs is a small town, and we have loads of friends here, so it’s always very festive. The business calms down, as you must know, so the phone stops ringing and I’m not running around. That lets me catch up with all the stuff that I haven’t done.

TBT: Back in 1984, you sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl here in Tampa. What do you remember about that experience?
BM: I’m not a sports fan, so I really don’t go to games at all. I didn’t realize how big this event was. Both teams stood on both sides of me, and I’m a tall guy, but I felt like a munchkin compared to the size of these men. I do remember feeling very small. The other thing I remember about it: They insisted that I lip-synch. I would have been happy to sing it live, but because of, I don’t know, technical problems or whatever, they always made the singer lip-synch, at least in those days. Somebody found out that I was lip-synching and it was a big deal. It was kind of a scandal.

TBT: Before your last performance in Tampa, I asked if it would be your last time here, and you said it might be. Now you’re back again. So I guess I’ll ask again: Do you think this will be your last time in Tampa?
BM: You know, I can’t say last. I have stopped touring the way I used to tour. We do one-nighters. We’re doing three in Florida and three in L.A., and that’s it. I used to go out for months at a time, then take a couple of weeks off, and go out again for months at a time. That was my life for 30-some-odd years. Well, I had had it. That was the end. So I did a “One Last Time” tour, and it was the end of my big days of touring. So when I spoke to you about it, I didn’t know whether we would ever be back anywhere.

TBT: There’s a lot of that now among performers of your generation. Elton John, Paul Simon, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss.
BM: Touring is a young guy’s thing. The kind of tours that I spent most of my life doing, you don’t have a life. You have a hotel life, or you have an airplane life. After a while, just like me, it’s getting to everybody. “What happened to my life?” I kept saying. “One more lousy dressing room in some arena with smelly socks and jock straps hanging in the closet.” But I always qualified it by saying I’m not done performing, because I do love it, and I don’t want to lose my band and my crew. It really is the touring, and that’s what I think most of my colleagues are feeling.

TBT: Have you ever talked about creating a Barry Manilow hologram?
BM: I beg your pardon? A hologram?

TBT: Yeah, a hologram of yourself. To perform in perpetuity.
BM: I haven’t. But I sure would love them to do it to some of the older singers, like Frank Sinatra. I wish they would do that. That would be great fun. But do they work? Aren’t they exorbitantly expensive?

TBT: They must be. There’s a Roy Orbison one.
BM: Roy Orbison as a hologram? Does it work?

TBT: Apparently. They’ve had success in Europe and across America.
BM: Wow. No, I never thought about it. After I croak, maybe somebody will think about it. I’ve got so many concerts on tape, they probably could get something like that. But not while I’m still working.

November 29, 2018 KESQ News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2"Barry Manilow to bring music project to Palm Springs High: Manilow to donate Yamaha Piano to PSHS" by Kelley Moody
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - Famed musician and valley resident Barry Manilow spoke exclusively with KESQ and CBS Local 2 this morning about his upcoming holiday performance at Agua Caliente Casino. He also shared his Manilow Music Project would be coming to Palm Springs High School.

The Manilow Music Project is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope and first began at Palm Springs High School more than a decade ago. The primary focus of the organization is bringing musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and scholarships to music students around the world.

The legendary singer and songwriter plans to donate a Yamaha piano to Palm Springs High School kick off the instrument drive locally. Manilow hopes the donation will motivate others to donate new or gently used musical instruments ahead of his "Barry Manilow: A Very Barry Christmas!" performance at Agua Caliente Casino. Those who do so will receive two free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations on a first come, first serve basis) for the December 15th and 16th show. Donations will be accepted at Agua Caliente Casino from 7-8 p.m. on Saturday, December 15 and 6-7 p.m. on Sunday, December 16.

Manilow shared in his interview that he recognizes how important music is for students. "Music will change a young person's life. That's what I believe," said Manilow, "If we can get kids to learn how to play an instrument, it will make them better people."

In response to the donation, Dr. Jason Powell from the Palm Springs High School Strings Programs shared his appreciation in a statement: "Because we live in such a diverse demographic area, many of our students cannot afford to purchase their own instruments. With over 80% or our students coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds and receiving free or reduced lunches, we need your help. The PSHS Strings program would like to extend a special thank you to Mr. Manilow. Your kindness and generosity serve as a huge inspiration to us all as human beings and your incredible musical talents serve as an encouragement to our craft and love for the performing arts."

Tickets are available online, at the box office, or by phone at 1-800-514-3849.

If you miss Barry Manilow's performance at Agua Caliente Casino, he has an ongoing Las Vegas residency at the Westgate Resort.

November 29, 2018 Tampa Bay WeeklyBarry Manilow helps launch music instrument drive in Clearwater
CLEARWATER - Pop music icon Barry Manilow hopes others will follow his philanthropic lead as he brings his Manilow Music Project to the Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts at Ruth Eckerd Hall. The legendary singer/songwriter plans to donate a Yamaha piano to launch a local music instrument drive. Anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument will receive two free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations on a first come first serve basis) for Manilow’s Dec. 7 Holiday concert at Amalie Arena in Tampa. Collected instruments will be distributed to local students and schools in need through the outreach efforts of the Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

The Manilow Music Project has conducted music instrument drives all over the country to assist local schools with their music programs. “I’m thrilled to bring the gift of music to these kids,” Manilow said in a press release. The designated instrument drop will be the Amalie Arena Box Office. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

“We are incredibly proud to be recipients of The Manilow Music Project’s efforts and support of our shared mission to keep the music playing in the lives of children everywhere,” said Sharon Reid-Kane, Education & Outreach Officer, The Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts at Ruth Eckerd Hall. “Through our work in arts education, we know first-hand that music indeed teaches, reaches, heals, inspires and changes lives. Mr. Manilow will forever have our heartfelt thanks.”

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. 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 www.manilowmusicproject.org.

November 21, 2018 The Press-Enterprise"Holiday concerts coming to Southern California this season" by Kelli Skye Fadroski
There are a lot of places to go and get your musical jollies this holiday season as numerous themed performances are happening throughout Southern California in December. It’s that time of year when our favorite venues transform into winter wonderlands and big-name and legendary artists come to town to spread holiday cheer by cranking out renditions of songs we all know and to share the occasional original holiday contribution as well. Sometimes Santa Claus visits during these sets, there is falling show, candy canes, brightly decorated Christmas Trees, ugly Christmas sweaters and we’re left dizzy with sugar plums dancing in our heads as we coast into the New Year. From the smooth, more traditional R&B stylings [and] the more rockin’ fare, to seasonal staples [and] more modern take on Christmas, these celebrations include all genres of music...

Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas! - Singer-songwriter and beloved performer Barry Manilow will bring his extensive Christmas repertoire to Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, and Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, and Sunday, Dec. 16. The show will include holiday classics and a few of Manilow’s biggest hits as well as a special appearance by Santa Claus, lots of snow and more. Tickets are $59.50-$249.50 in Los Angeles and $100-$250 in Rancho Mirage.

November 20, 2018 Broadway WorldMANILOW: LAS VEGAS 2019 Show Tickets On Sale
Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino announced today that tickets for GRAMMY, TONY, and EMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter, arranger, producer and musician, Barry Manilow and his MANILOW: LAS VEGAS - The Hits Come Home! at the historic Westgate International Theater in 2019 will go on sale this week. Tickets for performances through June 15, 2019 go on sale Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 10am P.S.T.

"Barry Manilow is the rare talent who can consistently deliver a concert of hits that thrills our guests night after night," said David Siegel, Founder & CEO of Westgate Resorts. "He is an iconic, once-in-a-generation performer and we are thrilled he has chosen to make our famed International Theater his home as part of the Westgate's 50th Anniversary year in 2019."

MANILOW: LAS VEGAS - The Hits Come Home! made its debut in May 2018 to rave reviews and sold-out audiences, and was awarded the Best of Las Vegas awards for Best Resident Performer/Headliner and Best New Show. The 85-minute show celebrates Manilow's greatest hits, which includes an astonishing 50 Top 40 singles including 12 #1s and 27 Top 10 hits.

NEW ON SALE SHOW DATES:
February 14-16
February 21-23
March 7-9
March 28-30
April 11-13
April 18-20
May 9-11
May 23-25
June 6-8
June 13-15

Tickets for MANILOW: LAS VEGAS - The Hits Come Home! performances through June 2019 range in price from $39.75 to $329.75 plus tax and applicable fees and will go on sale Wednesday, November 21 at 10am P.S.T. Tickets can be purchased at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino Box Office at (800) 222-5361 or online at www.barrymanilow.com or www.westgatelasvegas.com.

November 19, 2018 Las Vegas Review-Journal"Barry Manilow shows on sale" by John Katsilometes
Barry Manilow has announced on-sales dates for his 2019 performances at Westgate Las Vegas. Manilow’s shows are set for select weekends beginning Feb. 14-16 through June 13-15. Those shows range from $39.95 to $329.75 (minus fees) and are on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Westgate Las Vegas at 800.222.5361, or online at www.barrymanilow.com or www.westgatelasvegas.com.

Manilow’s return coincides with the hotel’s 50th anniversary. It opened as the International in 1969, with Barbra Streisand as the first headliner in the International Theater and Elvis Presley as the showroom’s first resident superstar.

“Barry Manilow is the rare talent who can consistently deliver a concert of hits that thrills our guests night after night,” David Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate Resorts, said in a statement. “He is an iconic, once-in-a-generation performer and we are thrilled he has chosen to make our famed International Theater his home as part of the Westgate’s 50th Anniversary year in 2019.”

Manilow closed his 2018 series at the hotel in energetic and mischievous fashion. On Friday, he kicked the lyrics to one of his famous hits, “Even Now,” re-starting the song while saying, “Now you know this show isn’t lip-synced!” After dancing through the Donna Summer/disco version of “Could It Be Magic,” he called his familiar line, “What is your 75-year-old grandfather doing tonight?”

November 9, 2018 Las Vegas Magazine"Barry Manilow creates magic onstage" by Brock Radke
If you’re a participant in the crazy holiday sweater trend, you’re going to need to head over to Westgate Las Vegas and check out the one at the Barry Manilow gift shop just outside the iconic International Theater. It’s bright red and white, covered in pine trees and snowflakes and emblazoned with “Barry Christmas,” and it’s certain to be the present you keep for yourself this year. Stuff your friends’ and family’s stockings with a 2019 Barry Manilow calendar or perhaps a “Copacabana”-inspired feather boa, but hold on to that glorious sweater.

You can catch Manilow wrapping up the fall 2018 leg of his new Westgate residency on Nov. 15-17, but after that he’s not scheduled to reappear in Las Vegas until Valentine’s Day. The superstar singer and songwriter recently announced some holiday concerts in a different desert: He’ll take A Very Barry Christmas! to the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on Dec. 15-16, with proceeds from the second show going to local Coachella Valley charities. It’s no doubt those shows will be stocked with music from Manilow’s varied holiday albums, including the latest In the Swing of Christmas from 2007.

Those festive concerts will mark Manilow’s debut in that area, but his return to Las Vegas with the new Manilow Las Vegas: The Hits Come Home in the spring of 2018 has already had a far greater impact. Selling out the Westgate International Theater night after night, Manilow’s presence brings a timeless vision of Vegas-style entertainment back to the Strip and cements this artist as one of the city’s all-time greatest headliners.

There’s stiff competition there, even if you’re only considering who has performed in this particular room. Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Liberace, Charo, Wayne Newton, The Righteous Brothers, Sheena Easton and Engelbert Humperdinck all starred on this stage, and Manilow performed a highly successful five-year run in the International Theater beginning in 2005. He’s returned in an era when a Vegas residency means the biggest stars in the biggest rooms, but for Manilow fans, there is no competition, no decision to be made. We’re all here for Barry.

Manilow Las Vegas is a true celebration of the music those fans adore. The show opens with “It’s a Miracle,” a song about coming home again after a long time out on the road without the love and comforts of the place where you belong. It’s about feeling like you’re finally where you should be and never wanting to leave again, and that song really resonates with fans who are overwhelmed to see Manilow in Las Vegas again. It also closes the show as part of a mash-up medley with “Copacabana” and “Dancing in the Streets,” a high-energy party that gets those fans out of their seats and brings the star as close as he can get to every member of his audience, thanks to a grand staircase that descends from the ceiling.

It’s a special moment you can’t get from any other Vegas show—or any other headlining artist. Westgate Las Vegas, 7 p.m. Nov. 15-17, $21.53-$216.91 plus tax and fee. 702.732.5111.

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