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| February 3, 2006 | HITS | Barry Dances Back to the Top: Manilow Will Beat Out Blige, Who Soars Thanks to Oprah Appearance |
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| He may not have written these songs, but Barry Manilow doesn't care because his Arista Records release, "[Greatest] Songs of the '50s looks like it'll go #1 on next week's HITS Top 50 Album chart, and seems a shoo-in for a Grammy nod next year in the Traditional Pop Album category. As of this moment, he's slated to sell in the 140-150k area, which he hasn't done since the heyday of "Mandy" and "Copacabana." To add to the heat, the man is singing three songs on tonight's smash ABC series "Dancing With the Stars." Wonder if he can get us invites to Clive's pre-Grammy shindig. Meanwhile, Mary J. Blige's appearance this past Wednesday on Oprah has given her album The Breakthrough a huge boost to the 125-130k range, which should nail the #2 slot. That's more of a hike than Jamie Foxx, who'll be #3 next week with between 95-100k sold for his Unpredictable blockbuster, got from two prime-time NBC specials. Here's a very early look at what could be next week's Top 10 albums... Manilow: 140-150k
Blige: 125-130k
Foxx: 95-100k
Il Divo: 85-90k
Headley: 80-85k
Bocelli: 80-85k
Eminem: 70-75k
Carrie Underwood: 70-75k
James Blunt: 60-65k
High School Musical: 50-55k
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| February 3, 2006 | The Associated Process | "Manilow Tells AP About New 50s Album" by Steve Knight |
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| Following in the footsteps of Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow is back in the spotlight with his new album "The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties". On the record, Manilow covers 14 pop classics. "The reason why I connected with it," Manilow says, "was because when I looked at the list of songs that came out if the 50s, it seemed to me that they had been neglected." Manilow said it was a relief to sing songs written years back: "I think there's some great records out there though and some great artists out there but I think the craft of songwriting has taken a nosedive." But despite his feelings on existing songwriting, it's still his favorite part of the recording process: "It's the writing actually that is the most satisfying and then they go up the ladder: it's the writing, the arranging, the producing, and then finally the performing in front of audiences." Manilow has had more that 25 Top 40 hits and remains one of the top draws in Vegas. |
| February 3, 2006 | Reality TV Magazine | Dancing With The Stars Results |
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| Barry Manilow is the musical guest, and he gets things started by performing "Copacabana." The hosts then reveal the first two couples who are safe: Stacy & Tony and Lisa & Louis. Host Tom Bergeron asks the judges who surprised them the most during last night's performance show ... World Mambo champions, Emmanuel Pierre-Antoine and Joanna Zacharewicz, entertain the crowd by dancing the "Ran Kan Kan" ... Barry Manilow returns to perform "Unchained Melody." The hosts announce the second two couples who are safe: Drew & Cheryl and Jerry & Anna. The couples with the lowest total combined scores are George & Edyta and Tia & Max. Host Tom Bergeron announces that Tia and Max received the lowest vote, and they are eliminated from Dancing with the Stars. Barry Manilow once again returns to perform "Can't Smile Without You" for Tia & Max�s last dance. |
| February 3, 2006 | Reality TV Magazine | Barry Manilow To Perform On Dancing With The Stars Results Show |
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| He "writes the songs that make the whole world sing..." and we're bringing him to you live from the "Dancing with the Stars" stage. He's none other than pop icon Barry Manilow. Don't miss a beat on the "Dancing with the Stars" results show, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. International superstar and singer/songwriter Barry Manilow performs three songs, including his hit "Copacabana," as professional dancers Louis van Amstel and Cheryl Burke dance the Samba. He'll also serenade us with his rendition of the classic "Unchained Melody," from his latest album, "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties." To end the evening, he will accompany the eliminated couple, singing "They Dance" as they take the floor for their final dance. |
| February 1, 2006 | ABC Local Web | Barry Manilow will perform on "Dancing with the Stars" |
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| Barry Manilow will serenade the dancers on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" on Friday. Manilow will perform "Copacabana" as professional dancers Louis van Amsel and Cheryl Burke dance the samba. He'll do his version of "Unchained Melody" off his new album "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties." He'll also sing "They Dance" as accompaniment to whichever couple gets eliminated for their final dance. |
| January 31, 2006 | The Associated Press | "Manilow Releases 50s Cover Album" - Ed Donahue |
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| Barry Manilow is back with a new album, "The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties". As the title implies, the album covers pop classics that have endured for 50 years; the problem is, most of these songs will always belong to their original owners. But if anything, Manilow shows guts by recording these beloved and even sacred tunes. Manilow's voice still has that pleasant friendly sound that helped him pump out all those hits in the 70s and 80s. This is a TOP NOTCH playlist and these songs are always good to hear, even if doing so makes us long for the real thing. |
| January 29, 2006 | Billboard.com | Barry Looks Back |
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| Barry Manilow re-teams with longtime collaborator Clive Davis on his new album, "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties," which revisits hit songs from the pre-rock'n'roll era. The 13-track project comes out this week via Arista, for which Manilow is recording for the first time in five years. The track list features such songs as the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream," Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight," Tony Bennett's "Rags to Riches," Dinah Washington's "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea" and Johnny Mathis' "It's Not for Me To Say." The McGuire Sisters' Phyllis McGuire guests on a medley of "Sincerely" and "Teach Me Tonight." "Being given the opportunity to co-produce, co-arrange and sing these rarely sung golden standards is a privilege," says Manilow. "I hope they affect a new generation of listeners as deeply as they did those of us who were there." Manilow is presently encamped in Las Vegas performing his revue "Music and Passion," which has dates on tap through December 2006. |
| December 15, 2005 | USA Today | "Manilow mines the '50s for new CD: Barry Manilow's CD of '50s standards arrives Jan. 31" by Elysa Gardner |
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| Barry Manilow was responsible for some of the biggest hits of the 1970s, and has since paid homage to the '30s and '40s with various projects. Now the singer/songwriter is set to present some of the Greatest Songs of the '50s, a CD due Jan. 31. "I didn't get (the idea) at first," Manilow says, "because the '60s were more my era, when The Beatles came around. But the '50s had more music than I gave it credit for." Manilow, who is co-producing and co-arranging, selected all chart-topping hits, among them Young at Heart, Beyond the Sea and It's All in the Game. "I tried to stay faithful to the originals, but find myself in them, which was challenging." |
| December 12, 2005 | Las Vegas Review-Journal | "Shooting Stars: Manilow tapes show for PBS" by Carol Cling |
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| Music and passion are always in fashion -- especially during PBS pledge weeks. Which makes Barry Manilow a no-brainer headliner for an upcoming PBS special shooting today at the singer's showroom home, the Las Vegas Hilton. The two-hour special -- which airs next March -- tapes at 4 and 9 p.m., commemorating the 100th performance of "Manilow: Music and Passion." It will feature not only hits but new numbers -- or, more precisely, old numbers -- from an upcoming album of '50s favorites, notes executive producer Troy P. Queen of Stiletto Television, which has co-produced Manilow's numerous TV specials during the past three decades. "We think PBS is a great fit for Barry," Queen says. And PBS officials who caught his Hilton show agreed. Director David Mallet, meanwhile, adds another Las Vegas-based show to his credits, which include "Elton John: The Red Piano" (which airs Wednesday on NBC) and "Celine Dion: A New Day." Today's taping also represents a return to PBS for Manilow, who made his TV debut in 1974 on "Soundstage," then a local production of Chicago's public television affiliate. |
| December 2, 2005 | The Desert Sun | "Manilow delights fans at McCallum gala" by Bruce Fessier |
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| Barry Manilow brought his Las Vegas orchestra and backup singers home for a holiday show Thursday. And they gave the capacity McCallum Theatre crowd a concert as different from Manilow's casino show as the Coachella Valley is from Vegas. The show wasn't bereft of razzle dazzle. But it had a community feel that isn't possible in Vegas -- even with Manilow's international family of fans. Manilow actually led a sing-along to Christmas favorites such as "Deck the Halls," "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Feliz Navidad," with lyrics projected on overhead screens, at a point in his concert where he's usually building to a sexy big finish. The big finish at this concert was Manilow singing "Because It's Christmas" with Leslie McMillan's All Valley Children's Choir filling a stage decorated with red poinsettias and a hanging Christmas wreath. He segued into his usual finale, "It's A Miracle," but, with the choir providing a gospel feel, this version sounded more like a reminder of the miracle of Christmas than a miracle of technology. Manilow created this original, one-time only program, titled "Home for the Holidays," for the McCallum's annual fund-raising gala. The tickets ranged from $75 to $100,000 (the sponsorship fee paid by theater champions Jim and Jackie Lee Houston), so the crowd ranged from fans in tuxedos to jeans. But Manilow brought them all together with humble, self-deprecating charm and impeccable musical taste. Instead of coming out of a smoke-filled vacuum like David Copperfield, Manilow made his first appearance on the McCallum stage in silhouette. Instead of a knee-length black tuxedo coat and turquoise vest, he was wearing a holiday-flavored red-sequined coat that looked like velour from the back of the orchestra seats. Manilow didn't forsake show biz flash, he just toned it down. He set the tone for the show with an opening medley of "Happy Holiday" and 'White Christmas." But Manilow gave the crowd as many musical surprises as visual. His third song was a Rodgers & Hammerstein classic that John Coltrane turned into a jazz anthem, "My Favorite Things." Manilow, starting at his piano and moving up stage, sang it fast while keeping it more accessible than Coltrane's multi-layered instrumental. His big band arrangement had a Stan Kenton feel with great section playing. The subsequent song, his debut hit, "Mandy," also went places Manilow couldn't take it in Vegas, where he did an audio-video duet. Manilow sang around the beat, like a jazz-influenced singer, and reversed his usual big buildup to end it softly with a falsetto. His version of "Jingle Bells," with a Teddy Wilson-styled piano intro, also reflected his attraction to Concord jazz. But his obvious love of the simple songs in his "Bandstand" medley, including three numbers from his upcoming "Greatest Hits of the Fifties" CD, showed why he's returned to Arista Records. But his inclusion of Joni Mitchell's "River," about a lover who "made my baby say good-bye" as the holiday season arrives, showed Manilow is much more than two-dimensional. Manilow's dear friend and neighbor, Suzanne Somers added to the community feel with her section of the program, even adding some unexpected spontaneity with a wardrobe malfunction (broken strap) on "Santa Baby." Manilow's arrangement of that song was as important to its success as Somers' relaxed professionalism. It was perfect for her. Manilow always appears relaxed on stage. He's a consummate trouper. But there was a warmth to this show that didn't make it sound like show biz dribble when he said he was playing in his favorite theater in his favorite town. He obviously really meant this is his favorite community. The Manilow song list from Thursday's performance at the McCallum Theatre:
Happy Holiday/ White Christmas
Home for the Holidays
My Favorite Things
Mandy
I Made It Through the Rain
Jingle Bells
Can't Smile Without You
Bandstand Boogie
Venus
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
River
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
All I Need is the Girl
Santa Baby (Suzanne Somers solo)
Baby It's Cold Outside (with Somers)
White Christmas (with Somers)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
I Write the Songs
Copacabana
Joy to the World (orchestra)
Deck the Halls
Jingle Bell Rock
Feliz Navidad
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Because It's Christmas
It's A Miracle
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| December 2, 2005 | The Desert Sun | Manilow is icing on the cake for gala |
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| A truly once-in-a-lifetime gala event took place at the McCallum Theatre Thursday night with exactly 1,127 guests taking part. That's the number of seats in the theater. The gala sprang from a 3-year-old fundraiser with a simple formula: A deluxe dinner-and-concert package, priced from $450 to $1,000 per person, including an exquisite gourmet dinner at one of four exclusive, nearby restaurants, followed by a headliner concert at the theater. Last year's headliner was the Boston Pops, this year it was Barry Manilow, who created a 90-minute "Home For The Holidays" concert just for this one-night event, bringing his entire Las Vegas orchestra and production crew with him. After a leisurely dinner at either Cuistot, Jillian's, Le St. Germain or Wally's, four caravans of Rolls, Jags, Lexuses and BMWs made the short drive to the McCallum for the concert - plus lively conversations about who ate where and which dessert was the most heavenly. "Manilow was the magic ingredient," said manager of special events Judi Pofsky. "The 500 concert-only tickets ($75 to $100) sold out weeks ago and the 625 deluxe-dining packages sold out last week. We could have sold twice as many of each." Manilow delighted his adoring local audience by saying, "I see so many familiar faces out there. I think I know all of you." His performance mixed all-time favorites like "Mandy," "I Write the Songs," "Can't Smile Without You" with holiday standards like "Home for the Holidays" and "Jingle Bells." Encountering a little trouble whistling the intro to "Can't Smile Without You," Manilow quipped, "They shouldn't have Botox-ed my tongue." Manilow's close friend Suzanne Somers made a surprise appearance, performing Barry's special arrangement of "Santa Baby," and joked with him about their friendship of more than 20 years. McCallum board chairwoman Isabel Bigley Barnett, a Tony-award winning actress, said of Manilow, "I've been a fan of his since the very beginning and he hasn't changed. He is so giving and knows who he really is." ... For information on next year's gala, phone 346-6505, Ext. 126. |
| November 27, 2005 | The Desert Sun | "Manilow delivers the magic: Las Vegas show moves audience in 'Music and Passion'" by Bruce Fessier |
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| Barry Manilow's Vegas show, "Music and Passion," comes not from the folk roots of rock and rap, but from the old tradition of Broadway spectaculars. It's not about keeping it real, although much of it is autobiographical. It's not about revealing his personal issues, although his positive personal philosophy is revealed bigger than life. His life story is used as a device to present the songs people travel the whole world to hear. Bells and whistles are added to make them more entertaining. The show starts like an Imax film with images on a giant screen and electronica samplings of his songs that are the 2005 equivalent of Elvis Presley's opening on this same stage with his "2001: Space Odyssey" theme. There's a puff of smoke and Manilow arrives to applause in a black, knee-length tuxedo coat with a turquoise vest and matching handkerchief in his chest pocket. The first song is - what else? - "It's A Miracle," his second No. 1 adult contemporary hit after "Mandy" from 1975. But there's nothing pretentious about Barry. He does a dance twirl and acts surprised he completed it. He introduces himself, as if anyone doesn't know who he is, and adds self-effacingly: "For those who have never seen me before, I'm Brad Pitt." The show title is taken from his still playing stage musical, "Copacabana," which helps explain the Broadway sensibility. But he gives the show a subtext with his second song, "Daybreak." He says, "We call the show 'Music & Passion' because that's what my life is about. I think that's what Las Vegas is about, too." But he says in "Daybreak" this could be the dawn of a new day around the world if you want to believe it. So the show also is about the magic of the power of believing. Barry sings about 20 of his hits, including "Could This Be Magic," "Somewhere in the Night" and his very personal "I Made It Through the Rain." His duet of "Mandy" to one of his taped performances from 1974 is a highlight of the show. He also includes segments with songs from his next album of '50s hits, including "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing," which got one of his biggest ovations; a jumping disco set, and tidbits of TV jingles that got him started, including McDonald's "You Deserve A Break Today." He doesn't cover his years as Bette Midler's accompanist, but again, this isn't just his life story. Barry has dropped - at least for the moment - his popular bit in which he invites a girl from the audience to sing "Can't Smile Without You" with him. Instead, he sings it at a piano bar on stage left. Returning to his lounge pianist days, he says he can't play happy songs because "I'm an artiste." Then a guy plops a coin in his request jar and, with classic comic timing, he breaks into a big ending. Barry features as many key changes in one night as you'll see in a season of "American Idol." But he's a master of modulations. He also makes about a half-dozen costumes changes. He does what he must to entertain his fans. In the end, singing on a platform over the audience with an electronica beat to "Copacabana," it's more than you expect. |
| November 27, 2005 | The Desert Sun | "Barry Manilow finds the perfect gig" by Jos� Omar Ornelas |
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| It's just past 6 p.m. in Vegas. The 1,600-seat Barry Manilow Theatre in the legendary Hilton Hotel is empty except for a few technicians and Manilow's trusted assistant, Marc Hulett. Dancing on the stage, amid the ghosts of Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand and the dozens of music legends who came before him, is Manilow, rehearsing less than three hours before he must perform on this stage in regalia in "Manilow: Music and Passion." The best-selling adult contemporary recording artist of all time is shouting out questions, trying to solve a puzzle. "Hey, Marc? Do you hear that? Is it rocking?" yells the Palm Springs resident. "Who's in charge of wardrobe?" Outside the theater's locked doors is a small Manilow gift shop filled with Manilow souvenirs, photographs and clothing. Beyond that is a room devoted to Elvis, who began a seven-year run at this high-rise hotel in 1970. Beyond that are slot machines, poker and roulette. Manilow flies here from Palm Springs nightly during his four-to-15-day-a-month work schedule in a rented, catered jet. Manilow, who has sold 60 million albums and has 60,000 fan club members worldwide, is oblivious to the gaming world beyond the walls of his theater. He's at work, seeking perfection for a show that has become one of the hottest in the neon-splashed entertainment capital of the country. This is Vegas, and make no mistake, Manilow is a player in this town. And yet, this performer who relentlessly protects his privacy is allowing a warts-and-all look into his process of creating miracles. Three hours before the spotlight hits the stage, The Desert Sun was given a rare glimpse into not only the performance, but also the musician. "My favorite times are those times," he says in an interview after the rehearsal. "My more pressured times are when I have to put the makeup on and go out there. It's fun. I'm still having a great time, but this is I get lost in it here." Preparing for PBS: Manilow, who reportedly underwent surgery for an atrial fibrillation after falling ill in Palm Springs last year, looks almost rugged in his tan slacks and open-collared shirt over a white undershirt. He's worked out with a local personal trainer and, with his bleached blond hair and contagious energy, appears younger than his 59 years. He's actually rehearsing scenes from an upcoming PBS special he'll tape live Dec. 12 at the Hilton. It will air during pledge week in March after the Jan. 31 release of a reunion album with legendary music executive Clive Davis on Arista Records, "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties." He's incorporating some of those oldies into his Vegas act that was recently extended through 2006. But letting someone see those songs develop is tantamount to a magician revealing his tricks. Less than three hours later, Manilow would begin and end his 90-minute show with "It's A Miracle," his second No. 1 adult contemporary hit after "Mandy" from 1975. He would play "Mandy" as a duet with video footage of him from 1974, a scene-stealing highlight of the show. But he'd also add several songs from this rehearsal to give fans who had seen him even hundreds of times another amazing experience. Even sometimes-skeptical critics are applauding Manilow's efforts. Jessica Kruse of the alternative news weekly, the Las Vegas Mercury, wrote in March, "Go ahead and make fun of Barry Manilow (but)... 'Music and Passion' is a top-notch show that spotlights some great musicians and performers," she wrote. "Manilow's voice is still unbeatable and his energy, charm and love of performing are evident." Manilow's love of performing in this theater is indeed evident. He watched when they put his gigantic image on the marquee of the Hilton and said, "It was thrilling." He's honored to be working on the "Elvis" stage. "I say it on stage every night, they haven't changed the stage," Manilow says. "They've been blowing up every building here and putting up brand new ones, but they've left this one alone. You can feel the ghosts of all those people that were there." Flashback to the '50s: Manilow actually goes back in time to take this show to another level for his PBS special. During rehearsal, he creates a scene for his 1950s hits and transports himself to Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" like a method actor calling on an emotional memory. He's playing the theme song he arranged, "Bandstand Boogie," and reciting lines that fling him back to 1974 for his first appearance on Clark's music show. But a splinter of reality hurtles him back to 2005. He needs a line! No worries, he tells his crew with the calm of a chief surgeon during rehearsal. "I'll think of something to say here." Then it's back to "American Bandstand," singing a version of "Unchained Melody" that no longer belongs to the Righteous Brothers and all the others who all had hits with it in the past 50 years. The new songs, also including The Four Aces' "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" and Frankie Avalon's "Venus," seem to fit well in the show. Bookended between "Bandstand Boogie," they make one understand why Manilow would want to record these warhorses again. But Manilow suggests that's part of his illusion. "What you saw was a way I figured out of presenting the songs that made sense to me," he says. "(The concept) started with Clive having this idea of me doing these songs from the '50s. What you saw was, 'How do I present that album and make it my own and put it into a context that belongs to me?' I didn't do (the album) because of 'Bandstand Boogie.' We haven't been doing 'Bandstand Boogie.' But when I finished the album, I figured, 'Oh, this would be a good way to showcase the songs on the album - by bookending them with 'Bandstand Boogie.'" The show hardly seems ready to be taped for a national broadcast. The drummer asks Manilow, "How do you go from 'Bandstand' to 'Love (Is A Many Splendored Thing)'? Manilow asks the choreographer if he can change a routine. "It will magically pull itself together," Manilow insists. "It's like building a house and it looks like it's never going to be done. And they say, 'We're done,' and you say, 'You can't be done. There's all this crap over it. Sawdust and plywood.' Then you come in the next morning and it's perfect because all they needed to do was the vacuum. That's all we need to do is the vacuum. It's done." Bringing the concept to fruition, playing with it, polishing it and letting his talented supporting cast see his vision and run with it is what Manilow calls "the fun part." And now that he's not touring and has his own theater in Las Vegas, he can tinker and play with his valuable catalog of songs all he likes. "This is where I feel really creative, especially with these people around me who just top me," he says. "I come up with some little idea and, pow! It becomes funny or more beautiful or more musical. It's really my sandbox and they're my playmates." Musical success, personal balance: Recording "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties" was a left turn that surprised even devoted fans. Manilow was ensconced on Concord Records, apparently moving in a jazzier direction. "I know there are more than a few puzzled fans out there who are hoping the switch isn't permanent," said Alison Green, a longtime U.K. fan who saw "Music and Passion" in Las Vegas last month. But Concord isn't the pure straight-ahead jazz label of, say, Blue Note. And Manilow is more than just a jazz connoisseur. He was looking for something different when Davis, the music executive who resuscitated Carlos Santana's career in 1999, gave him 25 songs from the 1950s to consider. Manilow studied them and eventually connected to their innocence. "I've found myself in them," he says, "and I've found the dignity in the songwriting." When he began introducing the material in Vegas, even Green found herself enamored. "This music is perfect for Barry," she said in an e-mail. "It suits his voice. I just hope that Clive advertises the album not just in the USA but over here in the U.K., as well as the rest of the world." The next challenge was to make the songs fit into his Las Vegas show. "It took a while for me to figure that one out, and then to run it by everybody," Manilow says. "Then they came back and they're designing the costumes. That's a big deal. We have a real inventive costume designer, Leslie Hamel. We've been talking this now for months. So that's the bloodletting." The hard work during rehearsal pays off when the concert starts. It features a touch of Elvis, a puff of smoke and even electronica. Manilow and his 17-piece orchestra are in full swing, giving fans what they want - a hearty sampling of Manilow's impressive catalog of hits and an introduction to some of his new songs. "We call the show 'Music & Passion' because that's what my life is about," Manilow says. "I think that's what Las Vegas is about, too." Manilow takes a break from his Vegas show this week and plays a benefit concert for the McCallum Theatre on Thursday. He'll create another original concert "under the stars" May 6 at O'Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs to benefit the AIDS Assistance Program. It's clear that this performer, who started as a commercial jingle writer, has found a new harmony in his life, balancing his peaceful life in Palm Springs with the creative sandbox he's created in his Las Vegas theater. "It's my favorite gig I've ever had. Ever," he says. "Being in my own room. There is nothing like not being on the road." HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS means here in Valley Not had the chance to catch Barry Manilow's Las Vegas show? Just a few tickets remain for his Thursday benefit at the McCallum Theatre that's titled "Home for the Holidays." He'll bring 17 musicians and five singers from his Las Vegas production and deliver a holiday show totally crafted for his McCallum audience, said Mitch Gershenfeld, director of presentations and theater operations at the McCallum. "This is not his Vegas show," Gershenfeld said. "That's what's great about Barry. He's basically designing a show for this specific event and I'm excited to see what it's going to be." Manilow says his vision for Thursday's show is "emerging." "I've given everybody a list of songs that I'd like to rehearse," he said. "I've kind of got the ideas of what I want to do. The whole tone of the show is becoming more and more feasible to me. I'll know when I get into rehearsal exactly what I want to do." Manilow plans a rare second benefit this season May 6, for the AIDS Assistance Program. He's called that annual event at O'Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs his favorite of the season, and he's thinking of doing something intimate for them. "I've done big for them," he said. "That was fun. But it allows them to make more money if I can somehow tone down the expense. No one has complained if I just bring a small amount of people and just kibitz around the piano. They seem to get their money's worth. If I bring the whole band, the whole show, they have to pay for that. They don't have to pay for me, but someone has got to pay for the sound, the lights and the girls. So I figure, I'll entertain. I'll give the audience their money's worth." CHARITABLE WORK The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope Bracelet may be purchased for $2. The Fund has sold out of the $1,000 Platinum Packages for the 2006 "Manilow: Music and Passion" shows entitling fans to such privileges as attending a pre-show reception and having their photos taken with Manilow, but they can still support the Manilow Fund For Health & Hope by sending a check to P.O. Box 45378, Los Angeles, CA 90045. The Manilow Fund is a nonprofit organization created by Manilow to support local, grassroots organizations that promote education, health and care. It especially focuses on cancer, AIDS, children�s issues, victims of abuse, the homeless and music education. Disbursements are based on the results of the Fund�s Speak Out America Survey, in which donors list their favorite charity organizations. $800,000 for victims of Hurricane Katrina was raised by Manilow and the Manilow Fund separately. WHERE TO SEE HIM "Home for the Holidays," benefit for the McCallum Theatre
Where: McCallum Theatre. Gala tickets include dinner.
When: Thursday, 8 p.m. concert with dinner starting around 6 p.m.
Tickets: Concert-only tickets are sold out, gala tickets run from $450-$100,000.
Information: 346-6505, Ext. 126 "Evening Under the Stars," benefit for the AIDS Assistance Program
Where: O'Donnell Golf Club, 301 N. Belardo, Palm Springs.
When: 6 p.m. May 613
Tickets: $325, including dinner and show. Benefits voucher program
Information: 325-8481 "Music and Passion," the Las Vegas show
Where: The Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, 3000 Paradise Road, just off the strip
When: 9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturdays Dec. 14-17, Jan. 11-14, 18-21; Feb. 15-18, 22-25; March 1-4, 15-18, 22-25, 29-31; April 1, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29. Tickets on sale through 2006
Cost: December shows $85-$225 plus tax and service charge. 2006 shows: $95-$225 (plus tax and service charge)
Information: (800) 222-5361 or www.lvhilton.com PBS show, taping of the Vegas show for a March PBS TV broadcast
Where: Las Vegas Hilton Hotel
When: 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Dec. 12
Cost: Free, but requests must be e-mailed to pbstaping@manilow.com by Monday. You can request up to four tickets for each show, but you must specify which show you want to attend or request both shows. Tickets will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis. Confirmations should come by e-mail by Dec. 5. Information: www.barrymanilow.com [ Photo Gallery ]
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| November 27, 2005 | The Desert Sun | A typical 24 hours for Manilow |
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| A day in the life of Barry Manilow often looks like this when he's performing at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel: After midnight: Manilow's often watching Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" on one of his home TVs in Palm Springs. "I could be home (for Leno) every night if I wanted to. I don't because we are treated so beautifully (at the Hilton). When we get off stage, there's a feast awaiting us of either Chinese food or Japanese food or Italian food and we all hang out for a good hour coming down off of the show. Then I put my jeans back on, I get into this private plane and I sleep in my own bed." 6 a.m.: It's daybreak and Manilow soaks up his morning view of the mountains and canyons in South Palm Springs. "I get up at 6 to feed the dogs, then I sit and read the newspaper and go online." 10 a.m.: The business calls start coming. "Usually by 10 o'clock, when the phone starts ringing, it's because of some project I'm in the middle of." Manilow says he deals with business matters "all day long." But he trusts his business manager, Garry C. Kief of Stiletto Entertainment in Los Angeles, to handle most publishing and licensing matters. If someone asks to use his song, "Copacabana," in a movie, Kief or his staff will call "only if they think it might upset me," Manilow says. "I'd say, 'Well, is it a put-down?' If it is insulting to the piece, then I won't let them do it." He has similar feelings about merchandising his name and image on clothing, coffee mugs and more. "If it's got taste to it and a sense of humor to it, I'm all for it." "There's a store upstairs (from the Hilton Theatre) called the M Store, and month after month they run things by me ... for jewelry, wine, candles. Sometimes I laugh and say, 'Sure,' and sometimes I say, 'No.' But they always run it by me. I know everything that's up there and it's a great store." Lunch time: Barry says he rarely has time to go out to lunch or shop in the Coachella Valley, but he has been seen at dining spots such as El Mirasol in Palm Springs or Native Foods. "He sits at the least popular table and he's so quiet," said Barbara Thrasher, a waitress at El Mirasol who was one of several restaurant workers rewarded by Barry with tickets to his first "Music and Passion" show in November. "To see him in the show is just amazing." 2 p.m.: Manilow often is mastering or mixing a recording, or arranging a live performance, such as the holiday program he has planned for Thursday's McCallum Theatre benefit. "That's been taking up my afternoons this week. It will be geared toward 'Home for the Holidays,' a show I've never done. I've done those songs, but I've never done anything like that. We're rehearsing for two full days at the McCallum and we put it together just for that one night." 4 p.m.: Manilow guards his voice throughout the day when he's performing in Vegas. Even when his pace is hectic, he'll try to calm himself before leaving his serene surroundings in Palm Springs. "I'm like an athlete. I've got to take care of my throat. I'm drinking tea all day long and I'm not talking. I don't go anywhere. I try to just cool it in the afternoon and I try to do my best every night." Early evening: Barry flies from Palm Springs International Airport to the Las Vegas Airport. He changes into his formal work attire back stage at the Hilton and is on stage at 9 p.m. He does a sound check only the first day of his monthly runs. For the rest of the time he's in Vegas, his equipment is rarely touched so it's always ready to go. "It's my favorite gig I've ever had. Ever." "Being in my own room. There is nothing like not being on the road. I mean, certainly an audience of 20,000 at Madison Square Garden, I'm not complaining about that. On the other hand, getting there is a hassle. And, after 30 years on the road, even that didn't make it worthwhile." 10:30 p.m.: "Manilow: The Music and the Passion" is over after 90 minutes. On the night Thrasher and her El Mirasol colleagues saw the show, Barry and his assistant, Marc Hulett of Palm Springs, opted to "make like Elvis" and leave the building quickly to get back to Palm Springs before midnight. Manilow is one of the few Las Vegas superstars who still does two shows on Saturday nights, and he has seen his colleagues Elton John and Celine Dion in their Las Vegas theaters. But he's not one to party all night in Vegas. "I just don't get out. It's too much of a hassle for me to get out." |
| November 27, 2005 | The Desert Sun | The man, the souvenirs, the memorabilia |
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| A visit to Barry Manilow's Las Vegas Hilton gift shop (M Store) or a few minutes on his www.starz.bz/barrymanilow website reveal there's more to the Palm Springs resident than just his songs. There are calendars, posters, jewelry, boxer shorts, even bobbleheads. Here's a closer look at the souvenirs and memorabilia that are part of Barry Manilow Inc. Christmas items: Christmas socks, $15; coffee mugs, $5-$12; and ornaments, $5-$25 Collectibles: "Could It Be Magic" gold record wall hanging, $150; "Copacabana" bobblehead, $25; "Barry Fanilow" bear, $20; 2006 calendars, $15; and posters, $5-$15. Clothing: Boxer shorts, $15; hats, $10-$25; '97 Tour of the World jacket, $30; shirts, $10-$15; sweatshirts, $10-$55. Jewelry: Double alley cuff, $100; teardrop dangle necklace, $75; teardrop dangle earrings: $54; and geometric alley ring, $40. Wine accessories: M champagne opener, $30; M waiter's corkscrew, $25; and M wine stopper, $15. Books: "Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise" (autobiography); $20; "The Barry Manilow Anthology Music Book," $23; "Ultimate Manilow" Music Book, $18; and "Music and Passion" concert program, $20. Albums: "The Essential Barry Manilow," 2005 Arista; "Scores: Songs From 'Copacabana' and 'Harmony,'" 2004, Concord; "2Nights Live," 2004, BMG; "A Christmas Gift of Love," 2002, Columbia; "Ultimate Manilow," 2002, Arista; "Here at the Mayflower," 2001, Concord; "Manilow Sings Sinatra," 1998, Arista. Dozens more Upcoming CD: "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties," will be released Jan. 31 and is available for pre-order for $10.99 at www.manilow.com. |
| November 23, 2005 | Press Release
(Source: PBS and Barry Manilow) | PBS Special Marks 100th Performance of Barry Manilow's Music and Passion |
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| LAS VEGAS, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Superstar Barry Manilow's hit Las Vegas show, Manilow: Music and Passion, will celebrate a milestone on Monday, December 12th. Music and Passion, which opened at the Las Vegas Hilton in February of 2005, will celebrate its 100th show with two special performances that will be recorded for the PBS Special "Barry Manilow: Music and Passion." "Barry Manilow: Music and Passion" will be produced for PBS by Stiletto Television in association with Serpent Productions and PJM Productions and will be directed by David Mallet. Executive producers on the project will be Garry Kief, Mark C. Grove and Troy P. Queen. As director, Mallet's work includes "Elton John: The Red Piano," "Celine Dion: A New Day," "Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge," "Madonna: Blonde Ambition World Tour Live," "Janet Jackson: The Velvet Rope Tour," "U2: Zoo TV Live from Sydney" and "Cher: The Farwell Tour," for which he won an Emmy. Manilow's special will air on PBS in March 2006. Manilow, who just announced the release of his next album which brings him to more than 40 albums in his career, will headline Music and Passion at the Las Vegas Hilton through 2007. Music and Passion, starring Manilow and a cast and band of 14, offers not only a full-scale production but also the intimacy of a state-of-the-art 1,700-seat theater, unique "on-stage" seating, and a concert that changes on a nightly basis. Stiletto Television has co-produced Manilow's television specials for thirty years and is the exclusive distributor of the entire Barry Manilow video catalog. The catalog includes four programs for ABC, two for Showtime, two for CBS and numerous music specials for the BBC in England and NHK in Japan. |
| November 15, 2005 | Reuters / Billboard | "Manilow revisits the '50s on new album" By Jonathan Cohen |
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| NEW YORK (Billboard) - Barry Manilow re-teams with longtime collaborator Clive Davis on his new album, "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties," which revisits hit songs from the pre-rock 'n' roll era. The 13-track project is due January 31 via Arista, for which Manilow is recording for the first time in five years. The tentative track list features such songs as the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream," Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight," Tony Bennett's "Rags to Riches," Dinah Washington's "What a Difference a Day Makes," Bobby Darin's "Beyond the Sea" and Johnny Mathis' "It's Not for Me To Say." The McGuire Sisters' Phyllis McGuire guests on a medley of "Sincerely" and "Teach Me Tonight." "Being given the opportunity to co-produce, co-arrange and sing these rarely sung golden standards is a privilege," Manilow said. "I hope they affect a new generation of listeners as deeply as they did those of us who were there." Manilow currently is encamped in Las Vegas performing his revue "Music and Passion," which has dates on tap through December 2006. Here is the tentative track list for "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties": "Moments To Remember"
"All I Have To Do Is Dream"
"It's Not for Me To Say"
"It's All in the Game"
"Young at Heart"
"Love Is a Many Splendored Thing"
"Are You Lonesome Tonight"
"Rags to Riches"
"Beyond the Sea"
"Unchained Melody"
"What a Difference a Day Makes"
"Sincerely/Teach Me Tonight" (medley)
"Venus"
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| November 15, 2005 | Press Release
(Source: Arista Records) | New Barry Manilow Album, THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES, in Stores January 31st on Arista Records
Available as CD and as Dualdisc Release
New concept album is Manilow's return to Arista after five years and reunion with Clive Davis
13 Number Ones - 'ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM' (EVERLY BROTHERS), 'IT'S NOT FOR ME TO SAY' (JOHNNY MATHIS), 'ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT' (ELVIS PRESLEY), 'YOUNG AT HEART' (FRANK SINATRA), 'IT'S ALL IN THE GAME' (TOMMY EDWARDS), 'RAGS TO RICHES' (TONY BENNETT), 'WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES' (DINAH WASHINGTON), 'UNCHAINED MELODY,' 'LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING,' AND MORE!
Guest appearance by Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire Sisters on a medley, 'Sincerely/Teach Me Tonight'
#1 Adult Contemporary recording artist of all time revisits the greatest hits of the 1950s |
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| NEW YORK, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Barry Manilow has completed THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES, a 13-song tribute that will arrive in stores on January 31st.
THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES not only marks Manilow's return to the Arista Records label after five years, but also marks a reunion with Clive Davis, Arista founder and BMG U.S. Chairman & CEO. Davis has been a perennial collaborator with Manilow on virtually all his recordings, since they first worked together on "Mandy," Manilow's debut #1 single as the first artist signed to Arista by Davis in 1974, the first year of the label's existence. Comments Clive Davis: "No one can reinvent the great classics of the 1950's better than Barry Manilow. He breathes new life and vitality into these truly wonderful songs and they sound fresh and timeless. We are together on a mission to bring to a new generation the great songs of a different era, and reuniting with him makes it all the more special." Comments Barry Manilow: "Once again, Clive Davis astounds me with his brilliant ideas. When he suggested this idea to me, I slapped my forehead and said, "Why hasn't anyone thought of this idea?" But of course, there is only one Clive Davis. I feel honored and terribly fortunate to be working with him again after all these years. It's like coming home. Being given the opportunity to co-produce, co-arrange and sing these rarely sung golden standards is a privilege. I hope they affect a new generation of listeners as deeply as they did those of us who were there." Special pre-order campaigns at the http://www.manilow.com website and at Amazon will ensure fans of receiving the new album in its very first week of release. Highlighted by a guest appearance from Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire Sisters on the medley of 1954 hits, "Sincerely/ Teach Me Tonight," THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES is a veritable jukebox of favorites. Any one of them would be a treat to hear on a new Manilow album - from his remake of the Four Lads' "Moments To Remember" (1955) and the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (1958), to Bobby Darin's "Beyond The Sea"(1959)- but to hear them collected on one album is a dream come true. The project (just like the era it emulates) cuts across musical genres, from The Four Ace's "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" (1955), to Frankie Avalon's "Venus," to Johnny Mathis' "It's Not For Me To Say"(1957), to Tommy Edwards' "It's All In The Game" (1958), and Dinah Washington's signature "What A Difference A Day Makes" (1959). Some of America's greatest artists are evoked on songs that are forever associated with them, for example, Tony Bennett on "Rags To Riches" (1953) and the Four Aces on the motion picture title tune hit "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" (1955). More: the spirit of Frank Sinatra imbues "Young At Heart"(1954) and Elvis Presley is remembered with "Are You Lonesome Tonight." "Unchained Melody"(1955) remains one of the most-recorded songs in contemporary popular music. The album will be available as a CD and DualDisc release, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the record. For Manilow, THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES is a labor of love - by an artist whose career has encompassed every facet of popular music, from his own string of top 40 hits in the '70s and '80s to side trips into swing, jazz vocalese, Broadway show tunes, Christmas music, hits from the silver screen, even the special tribute Manilow Sings Sinatra. Barry Manilow is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time, according to R&R (Radio & Records); with no less than 25 consecutive top 40 hits to his credit between 1975 and 1983, on the Billboard Hot 100. Among these are songs that are now part of the standard songbook, including "Mandy," "It's a Miracle," "Could It Be Magic," "I Write the Songs," "Looks Like We Made It," "Can't Smile Without You," "Copacabana (At the Copa)," "Somewhere In the Night," "Ships," and "I Made It Through the Rain." All of these (and more) were anthologized on the commemorative 1992 4-CD boxed-set, Barry Manilow: The Complete Collection And Then Some. With worldwide record sales exceeding 75 million, his work as a singer, songwriter, arranger and producer over the course of more than 40 albums has earned Barry Manilow the highest honors. He sits on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Jazz, and in June 2002, he was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside Ashford & Simpson, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman, and Sting. In addition to his own foundation, the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope, other involvements include The Prince's Trust, United Way, the Starlight Foundation, numerous organizations fighting the battle against AIDS and many others. He is the national spokesperson for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Honorary Chairman of the Palm Springs Art Museum and a Founder of the Music Center of Los Angeles. Frank Sinatra once told the British press of Barry Manilow, "He's next!" and Rolling Stone magazine crowned him "a giant among entertainers ... the showman of our generation." With THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE FIFTIES Barry Manilow pays a loving and welcome tribute to some of the songs that inspired him to become one of the most beloved performers in pop music of the past three decades. Barry Manilow: The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties (Tentative track listing) Moments To Remember (1955)
All I Have To Do Is Dream (1958)
It's Not For Me To Say (1957)
It's All In The Game (1958)
Young At Heart (1954)
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (1955)
Are You Lonesome Tonight (1959)
Rags To Riches (1953)
Beyond The Sea (1959)
Unchained Melody (1955)
What A Difference A Day Makes (1959)
Sincerely/Teach Me Tonight (Medley) (1955)
Venus (1959)
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| October 27, 2005 | The Desert Sun | "More tickets to Manilow show go on sale Friday" by Bruce Fessier |
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| A limited number of tickets to Barry Manilow's Dec. 1 gala concert at the McCallum Theatre will go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday at the McCallum box office. The only available tickets are $450 and $500, but they include a dinner at a nearby restaurant. The concert is part of the McCallum benefit "Barry Manilow - Home for the Holidays." The choice of restaurants are Cuistot, Jillian's, Le St. Germain, and Wally's Desert Turtle in Palm Desert. The $450 tickets are good for dinner and a "preferred" show ticket, which is most likely mid-orchestra level. The $500 ticket is good for dinner and a "premier" show ticket, which is most likely in front of the "preferred" seats, said theater publicist Frank Furino. |
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