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| June 23, 2006 | Blogcritics.org | "CD Review: Barry Manilow - Even Now" by Rebecca Wright |
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| As my reviews of Barry Manilow's newly remastered albums continue, I've spent the last few days listening to Even Now, Barry's fifth studio album. Originally released in February of 1978, it soon became impossible to escape the semi-disco beat of "Copacabana (At the Copa)" on the radio. Even Now was the second Barry Manilow album to achieve triple-platinum status. The first single, "Can't Smile Without You" was the first of four songs to reach the Billboard charts. The others were "Even Now," "Copacabana (At the Copa)" and "Somewhere In The Night." "Copacabana (At the Copa)" also appeared on the soundtrack for the Goldie Hawn-Chevy Chase film Foul Play, which also included Manilow's "Ready To Take A Chance Again." Manilow shows significant growth as a songwriter on his fifth studio effort. "I Was a Fool (To Let You Go)," is a stripped down vocal about the regret of lost love. "Copacabana (At the Copa)," which is one of Manilow's most beloved songs of his career, shows an ability to mix pop and disco music with a Latin flair to create an enduring record. This expanded edition of Even Now includes two previously unreleased tracks; "I'm Comin' Home Again," an unfinished song written by Bruce Roberts and Carol Bayer Sager. Barry just sings a guide vocal with no orchestration. Though the song is unfinished, it's a beautiful story about rekindling love. The second track, "No Love For Jenny" is a sad song about a young woman forced to work as a prostitute. Barry Manilow is an extremely accomplished artist. He is ranked the number one Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time (with 12 number one records), and had 25 consecutive top 40 hits to his credit between 1975 and 1983, on the Billboard charts. There are not a lot of musicians who have had that many songs on the Billboard charts, particularly when a majority of them are written or co-written by the artist. Even Now is yet another excellent album in the Barry Manilow canon. Aside from the previously unreleased tracks, the newly remastered version also includes Barry's original liner notes, some new notes from Barry, and a fan's notes from Rolling Stone's David Wild, complete lyrics and previously unreleased photos. The newly remastered Even Now would be a welcome edition to any Barry Manilow fan's CD collection. |
| June 16, 2006 | Blogcritics.org | "CD Review: Barry Manilow - Live: Legacy Edition" by Rebecca Wright |
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| Arista has beautifully restored Barry Manilow's 1977 album Live from the original 1976 concert recordings. The concert was recorded at the Uris Theatre in New York City in December 1976. Released as a two-LP album in May of 1977, Live was Manilow's first number one album (his second was 2006's The Greatest Songs of the Fifties), sold over 3 million copies and managed to displace Fleetwood Mac's classic Rumours -- one of the biggest-selling albums of all time � from the top of the charts. Live was also Arista's first platinum-selling double-LP. The album would eventually score platinum status four times over. Barry Manilow was one of the biggest stars in the music business that year. For the first time ever, Live is available in the sequence as it was heard by the audience at the Uris Theatre in 1976. Live: Legacy Edition makes three significant changes to previous releases of the album. This edition has been expanded into a two-CD set, allowing for the restoration of all three-parts of "Beautiful Music" as the theme of Act II, which fills all of disc two by itself. The new edition includes five previously unreleased songs, all in their original places in the concert: "Let Me Go," "I Am Your Child," "Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again," "Lady Flash Medley," and "One Of These Days." Resequencing the concert back to its original order of performance makes the concert flow more evenly. Having owned previous versions of the Live album, I've noticed that the restored version no longer has the brief, choppy pauses where material was moved or edited. One of the highlights of Live: Legacy Edition is "A Very Strange Medley," also known as "(V.S.M.)." It is in this medley that Manilow sings several of the commercial jingles he wrote while trying to get a break in the music business. Barry wrote [and/or performed] some very well-known jingles for McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Band-Aids, and Dr. Pepper, among others. Manilow started playing the medley after he left his job as Bette Midler's musical director and started playing clubs as a solo artist. "I didn't have a hit single at the time, so I decided to include the only material I was associated with that the audience knew: my commercials." Thirty years later, "The Very Strange Medley" is still a highlight of Manilow's live shows. By the time of the Uris theatre concert, Manilow had seven hit singles in a row, all of which are performed on Live: Legacy Edition. Listening to the album, it is clear that the live concert gives Manilow an opportunity to show his musicianship, showmanship, and singing ability. Barry is responding to the audience and they are responding in turn. Manilow shows vocal skills when singing a ballad like "Mandy," a sense of humor when delivering the "Very Strange Medley," and a fun interpretation of pop-infused music when singing the "Jump Shout Boogie Medley." The Medley includes Manilow's 1975 reworking of "Bandstand Boogie," which was used as the theme song for the long-running television show American Bandstand. Live: Legacy Edition has been restored to show Barry Manilow at the height of his success in the 1970's. The double-CD includes a four-color booklet, Barry Manilow's original liner notes, new liner notes from Rolling Stone's David Wild and previously unreleased photography. Live: Legacy Edition is a must-have for any Barry Manilow fan or anyone who enjoys live concert music. |
| May 26, 2006 | Press Release
(SOURCE: BARRY MANILOW) | Manilow Grows! - Manilow Store at Las Vegas Hilton Expands to Meet Growing Demand |
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| LAS VEGAS /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary performer Barry Manilow is about to celebrate yet another milestone -- the expansion of the very successful Manilow Store at the Las Vegas Hilton. After selling out many of the items of memorabilia at the Manilow Store in the Las Vegas Hilton, the hotel has been quietly renovating and expanding Manilow Central to give fans even more Manilow! The newly expanded Manilow Store, located inside the Las Vegas Hilton, home of the hit show "Manilow: Music and Passion," is scheduled to be completed on May 28 and will boast numerous products for fans of the performer. In addition to the previously popular items such as Barry bobble heads and Manilow calendars and towels, the store will launch the new M Line of fragrances, which includes a woman's perfume, unisex cologne, and candles for the home. The fresh M Line will also introduce a new section for M Line Wine, which will include Cabernet, Zinfandel and Pinot Grigio wines as well as glassware, wine chocolates and accessories. And just in case fans still want more, the M Line will bring in to the Manilow Store a number of new pieces of jewelry. "Manilow: Music and Passion" at the Las Vegas Hilton was recently extended through 2008. To view upcoming show dates visit www.musicandpassion.com. |
| May 23, 2006 | About.com | Review: Big Bundle of Barry Manilow |
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| It's a great time to be a Barry Manilow fan. A #1 hit album, a high profile appearance on American Idol, the completion of the first year of his resident Las Vegas show all give fans reasons to celebrate, and now Music and Passion, a DVD of the stage show and 3 reissued early albums will help you fall in love with Manilow all over again. Barry Manilow II: Stick the Barry Manilow II CD into your player, and it will take you back to the days when only music industry cognoscenti had an idea of who Barry Manilow was. Then there was that song titled "Brandy" that Clive Davis suggested to the young performer. With a slight change of the title to "Mandy," Barry Manilow became a star and Clive Davis' legend was enhanced ... "It's a Miracle" is still irresistibly joyful after all of these years and the vocal version of Count Basie's "Avenue C" still works. Tryin' To Get the Feeling: The next album Barry Manilow released still stands as one of his most consistent artistic achievements. Tryin' To Get the Feeling consolidated the momentum from Barry Manilow II and featured the smash hit "I Write the Songs," another suggestion from Clive Davis. The album includes the moving ballad "Lay Me Down," and "Beautiful Music." One of the 2 bonus tracks has Barry Manilow indulging his love for Broadway with his version of Stephen Sondheim's "Marry Me a Little." The album makes Manilow's artistic vision clear anchored by ballads and spiced with a bit of jazz and a lot of showmanship. Tryin' To Get the Feeling is a good starting point for the Barry Manilow fan looking to delve a bit deeper beyond greatest hits packages. Even Now: By the time Even Now, Barry Manilow's 5th studio album, was released, he was a superstar ... The hits "Copacabana (At the Copa)," "Can't Smile Without You," and "Even Now" feature the pristine backing work of veteran Artie Butler. Music and Passion (DVD): If you wish to see the kind of show Barry Manilow puts together today, the 2-disc DVD collection Music and Passion is a useful purchase. With an adoring audience, it would be difficult for Manilow to go wrong, but he manages to take the show beyond the simply mundane and shows flourishes that will maintain the interest of the most casual of fans. Barry Manilow dispenses with a number of the major hits in a medley early in the show which leaves more room for slightly more challenging material. A Fifties Medley featuring songs from The Greatest Songs of the Fifties album is pleasantly entertaining, but an extended segment influenced by Barry Manilow's Here at the Mayflower album is even more intriguing and involving. Beyond the show, a second disc includes all of the extras a true fan could want. By the time a production number of "Copacabana" including a hip hop section winds down to a close, you'll realize Barry Manilow's gift of showmanship is alive and well. |
| May 12, 2006 | Video Business Online | Manilow DVD triple platinum: Release part of Rhino's deal with Stiletto New Media" by Susanne Ault |
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| Selling 150,000 units, Rhino Entertainment's Manilow: Music and Passion is the top-performing stand-alone music DVD so far this year. The March 28 release also is the first triple-platinum certified DVD for its star Barry Manilow. Manilow is part of Rhino's recently inked multi-year agreement with Stiletto New Media to distribute the singer's live catalog on DVD. "This is a milestone for all of us, and we are delighted that Barry's success transcends multiple platforms," said Mark C. Grove, principal in Stiletto New Media. The Manilow DVD is one of many milestones for the contemporary artist. Manilow has sold 75 million album copies, 28 of which were certified platinum records. |
| May 5, 2006 | Press Release
(SOURCE: RHINO ENTERTAINMENT) | #1 Album Recording Artist Barry Manilow and Rhino Entertainment Announce "MANILOW: MUSIC AND PASSION" DVD Has Gone Three-Times Platinum in Just One Month! |
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| BURBANK, CA -- Superstar Barry Manilow, who recently held the #1 album position on the charts, and Rhino Entertainment announce that "MANILOW: MUSIC AND PASSION" has just gone three-times platinum -- just one month after its release in late March. This represents the first triple-platinum DVD for Manilow. "MANILOW: MUSIC AND PASSION" was the first title released under the new multi-year agreement with Rhino Entertainment, an industry leader in marketing and distribution of music and television on DVD, and STILETTO New Media. "MANILOW: MUSIC AND PASSION" had a street date of March 28. This two-disc DVD is priced at $24.99. "This is a milestone for all of us and we are delighted that Barry's success transcends multiple platforms," Mark C. Grove, principal in STILETTO New Media, commented. Legendary songwriter and performer Barry Manilow celebrated the 100th performance of his hit show, "MANILOW: MUSIC AND PASSION," at the Las Vegas Hilton, and PBS was there to capture all the excitement on stage and behind the scenes. Barry gives his audience the show of a lifetime, delivering favorites such as "Mandy," "Copacabana" and "I Write The Songs" in a high-energy party -- Vegas style! Plus, Barry sings songs from his new No. # 1 album "The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties," which has recently gone platinum, such as "Unchained Melody" and "Venus," as well as songs that have never been captured on film: "If I Can Dream," "The Best Seat In The House," "See The Show Again," "Do You Know Who's Livin' Next Door?," "Come Monday" and "Here's To Las Vegas." Shot in high-definition, "MANILOW: MUSIC AND PASSION" is an exciting, multi-faceted production that features contemporary hi-tech music and effects mixed with the classic entertainment values of Las Vegas legends such as Sinatra, Presley, Davis and Martin. "MANILOW: MUSIC AND PASSION" is the latest masterpiece from the Showman of our Generation that has people from every generation on their feet, dancing and clapping along, as only he can do. Special features include exclusive, never-before-seen interviews with Barry. The cameras never stopped rolling. They followed Barry everywhere -- before the show and after the show. This intimate look at Barry's work has been compiled into two compelling featurettes that not only give the fans an inside look at what goes into producing his live Vegas show and the PBS Special, but also the outtakes during the shoot -- like when Barry lost his voice singing "Unchained Melody" and didn't know if he could go on with the show. Barry Manilow is the #1 Adult Contemporary Artist of all time. He has sold 75 million albums, has performed over 3000 concerts and has had 28 platinum records. Barry is a Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award winner, as well as an Academy Award nominee. |
| May 4, 2006 | USA Today | "Manilow gets the feeling for the '60s" by Thomas K. Arnold |
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| Having topped the album charts with a CD of classic songs from the 1950s, Barry Manilow has begun work on a follow-up, The Greatest Songs of the Sixties. The BMG album will revisit 1960s songs Manilow grew up with; the song selection hasn't been finalized, but candidates include compositions from Burt Bacharach and the Mamas & the Papas. The veteran pop singer also is working on a new music DVD, First and Farewell, to follow Manilow: Music and Passion, which came out in late March. Having sold 150,000 copies, the two-disc concert set is the top-selling music DVD so far this year. "I'm stunned at the incredible success I've had this year," says Manilow, "and deeply grateful to the public who continue to allow me to make the music I love so much." First and Farewell is a two-DVD set featuring an hour-long black-and-white video of Manilow rehearsing for his first concert tour in 1973, as well as a two-hour compilation from his 2004 "farewell" tour. The rehearsal DVD features Manilow singing his Commercial Medley for the first time, plus a rare clip of him discussing his early work with Bette Midler in the bathhouses of New York. The 2004 disc includes backstage and behind-the-scenes footage from his final road trip. |
| May 7, 2006 | The Desert Sun | "Manilow brings Vegas magic to Palm Springs" by Bruce Fessier |
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| Barry Manilow was planning a simple concert Saturday at O'Donnell Golf Course. The Palm Springs resident said in March he thought he might sit at a piano and just sing for the hometown folks -- in contrast to the pull-out-all-the-stops, confetti and fireworks shows he's done in Las Vegas and the McCallum Theatre. Instead, Manilow found a few more stops to pull for one of his favorite charities, the AIDS Assistance Program, a grassroots organization that provides food vouchers for HIV/AIDS patients in the Coachella Valley. Manilow brought his singers, dancers and full band from Las Vegas, and performed almost his entire Vegas show in a breathtakingly beautiful outdoor setting. He even flung confetti for the finale and arranged with the city of Palm Springs to have Fourth of July-type fireworks blast off from O'Donnell before the city's 10 p.m. curfew. Barry performed songs from "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties," his CD that entered the Billboard pop chart at No. 1 on Jan. 31, and "Manilow: Music and the Passion," his DVD that recently went triple platinum. He's probably the first artist since Frank Sinatra in 1993 to perform a benefit concert in the valley within weeks of having the No. 1 album in the nation. And he got to tell his many friends and acquaintances in the audience what that felt like. "I think the album has done so well because people are just starved for a good lyric and a good melody," he said to enthusiastic applause. Manilow shares personal sentiments and accentuates the positive at every concert. But, at the base of the San Jacintos, with just an occasional breeze to rustle his dyed blond hair, the positive vibes seemed especially powerful. He talked of hope and the daunting challenge of finding a cure for AIDS. Then he sat at the edge of a stadium-sized stage and sang his song of overcoming challenges, "I Made It Through the Rain." As he does in Vegas, he started and finished his concert with his classic, "It's A Miracle." The live big screen images of him singing ["Mandy"] in front of a giant fan lit with all the colors of a rainbow resonated with a unique, Coachella Valley vibe. The image of him singing the Righteous Brothers hit, "Unchained Melody," wearing a white coat over a black shirt, was as powerful as listening to him construct the song with his legendary modulations. He called the people of the Coachella Valley "the most generous, most giving people I've ever met anywhere," then singled out valley philanthropists and event sponsors Jim and Jackie Lee Houston as "the most inspiring people I've ever met." He dedicated a song to them, but said he forgot to bring the band arrangements. So he sang the difficult modulations and melodic navigations of "One Voice" to minimum accompaniment, with little or no instrumental guides. "All it takes is One Voice," he sang, "Singing so they hear what's on your mind. And when you look around you'll find/There's more than one voice/Singing in the darkness." |
| May 4, 2006 | ChicagoPride.com | Barry Manilow Releases Expanded 70s Classics Editions: Expanded Editions of Three 70s Classics Include Previously Unreleased Tracks and Rare Photos |
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| Following up on a chart-topping album debut in February, an "American Idol" appearance and a PBS special, Barry Manilow is set to release expanded editions of three '70s classics: Barry Manilow II (1974), Tryin' To Get The Feeling (1975) and Even Now (1978). All three albums will hit stores on May 9th on Arista/Legacy and will include previously unreleased bonus tracks, rare photos and liner notes by David Wild of Rolling Stone. His first new expanded edition CDs in ten years, covering three of his most popular best-sellers of the '70s, BARRY MANILOW II (1974, featuring "Mandy" and "It's A Miracle"), TRYIN' TO GET THE FEELING (1975, with "I Write The Songs" and the title tune hit), and EVEN NOW (1978, with "Copacabana (At The Copa)," "Somewhere In The Night," "Can't Smile Without You," and the title tune hit) - each containing a previously unreleased bonus track - will arrive in stores May 9th on Arista/Legacy, a division of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. All three titles were produced for reissue by Al Quaglieri and feature individual liner notes written by Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild. More than three decades after he made his debut as the premier artist on Clive Davis' new Arista label in late 1974 - and turned the company's first single, "Mandy," into its first RIAA gold #1 hit - the Barry Manilow juggernaut is stronger than ever. It began with the release of The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties on January 31st, which went on to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. After his surprise appearance at Clive's annual pre-Grammy bash in Beverly Hills the following week, it was announced that PBS stations across the country would begin premiering the "Manilow: Music & Passion" live special (Stiletto Television) during the first week of March. Two weeks later, Barry was the surprise music guest on Fox's American Idol, one of the highest-rated nights in the show's history. Brooklyn-born Barry Manilow's music-filled childhood took him to Juilliard and a fledgling career as a jingle writer, performer and music producer in the late 1960s. His association with Bette Midler, which began in 1971 as her pianist, music director and arranger on her first two albums in 1972-73, eventually led to Manilow's own self-titled debut LP on Bell Records in '73. When Bell Records came under the aegis of Clive Davis in 1974, and was reborn as Arista, Manilow was the first artist welcomed to the new label by Davis. Ever the song maven, Davis suggested to Manilow a tune called "Brandy" by British popster Scott English. With a few tweaks (the Looking Glass already had a 1972 hit with an identically-titled though different "Brandy" on Epic), the new song became "Mandy" - and a career at the top of the pops for Barry Manilow was born. He is currently ranked as the undisputed #1 Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time (with 12 #1's under his belt), and has no less than 25 consecutive top 40 hits to his credit between 1975 and 1983, on the Billboard Hot 100. With worldwide record sales exceeding 65 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. In June 2002, he was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside Ashford & Simpson, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman, and Sting. Coming June 13th, look for the 2-CD deluxe Legacy Edition of Barry's first #1 album, LIVE (1977). BARRY MANILOW II "Mandy" became the lynchpin for BARRY MANILOW II, which soon spun off a second solid pop and Adult Contemporary chart hit in early '75 with "It's A Miracle." Spurred by the album's platinum success (and an 87-week stay on the chart), Arista repackaged and re-released the debut, re-titled as Barry Manilow I, and it launched a summertime hit with "Could It Be Magic" (based on Chopin's Prelude in C Minor). There are many other gems to be found on BARRY MANILOW II including co-writes with lyricists Hal David ("Early Morning Strangers") and Enoch Anderson ("I Want To Be Somebody's Baby," "Sandra"); a tribute to Martha & the Vandellas ("My Baby Loves Me"), and a show-stopping arrangement of Count Basie's "Avenue C," with the 1960s lyrics by Jon Hendricks, a portent of Barry's big band projects to come in the '80s. This expanded edition of BARRY MANILOW II adds "Halfway Over The Hill," a tune written by Barry that did not make the cut for his second album and "Good News," a song that he wrote with fellow Arista singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester. TRYIN' TO GET THE FEELING In the summer '75, Manilow was completing his third album. 364 days after "Mandy" first hit the chart, he logged his fourth hit single in the space of one year. The #1 gold "I Write the Songs" came from the pen of the Beach Boys' Bruce Johnston (formerly of the legendary Columbia duo Bruce & Terry - Doris Day's son, producer Terry Melcher - they doubled as the Rip-Chords). This fourth hit in 12 months ushered in the new LP, TRYIN' TO GET THE FEELING, which raised the ante to double-platinum when the title tune (written by New York singer-songwriter David Pomeranz, an Arista artist) hit the singles charts in the spring of 1976. In addition to new co-writes with Enoch Anderson ("She's A Star," "A Nice Boy Like Me"), Barry once again utilized the album as a tableau for a wide range of material, including "Lay Me Down" (by Larry Weiss, of "Rhinestone Cowboy" renown), "Why Don't We Live Together" (by the American Gypsies duo of Galdston & Thom), and his immortal vocal update of Les & Larry Elgart's Columbia big band classic, "Bandstand Boogie" (aka the theme of Dick Clark's American Bandstand). "Marry Me A Little" from the original album sessions, a Stephen Sondheim composition (from the Broadway musical Company, which Barry claims to have seen 17 times from the SRO section!) has been added here as well as "I'll Make You Music," co-written with lyricist Adrienne Anderson, who co-wrote one of the original LP tracks with Barry, "As Sure As I'm Standin' Here." His track record continued unbroken that year, as the summer brought a mid-chart entry with "This One's For You," from the LP of the same name, his fourth in three years. Into the winter, "Weekend In New England" was the perfect choice for a new single, and it rose to #10. As plateaus continued to be broken, This One's For You, became Manilow's first album to log a third hit single - and a major one at that - when "Looks Like We Made It" hit #1 (and RIAA gold) for him in July '77. He gained some breathing room with the May release of his first live album. Davis strategically released the album's live version of "Daybreak," a song first heard on This One's For You. The move finally gave Manilow his first #1 LP, as the live album collected triple-platinum sales during its 67 weeks on the chart. EVEN NOW Manilow returned in early 1978 with a new studio album, EVEN NOW, and a new #3 RIAA gold hit, "Can't Smile Without You." It turned out to be the first of four singles chart entries from the LP, followed by the title tune, and then "Copacabana (At The Copa)" and "Somewhere In The Night." At the same time, "Copacabana (At The Copa)" was put to work in the Arista soundtrack of the Goldie Hawn-Chevy Chase film Foul Play, which also included Manilow's "Ready To Take a Chance Again." EVEN NOW was a treasure trove of Manilow readymades, including two songs that originated with Nashville publishers, namely "Somewhere In The Night" (by Richard Kerr and Will Jennings) and "Where Do I Go From Here" (by Parker McGee). EVEN NOW became the second Barry Manilow LP to cross the triple-platinum threshold. This expanded edition includes "No Love For Jenny" (another Adrienne Anderson lyric, who co-wrote one of the original LP tracks with Barry, "Sunrise") plus a rough unfinished version of "I'm Comin' Home Again," composed by Bruce Roberts and Carole Bayer Sager. The roots of Barry Manilow's art can be traced back to these early albums, BARRY MANILOW II, TRYIN' TO GET THE FEELING, and EVEN NOW. His perennial appeal to every cross-section of society, from the working girl to sophisticated jazz cognoscenti - he sits on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Jazz - from teens to teens-at-heart, has won him a unique place in the pantheon of American entertainers of the last quarter-century. He is ranked as the undisputed #1 Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time (with 12 #1's under his belt), and has no less than 25 consecutive top 40 hits to his credit between 1975 and 1983, on the Billboard Hot 100. With worldwide record sales exceeding 65 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. In June 2002, he was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside Ashford & Simpson, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman, and Sting. |
| April 28, 2006 | The Bottom Line
(Palm Springs) | "Evening Under The Stars / Music and Passion: The magic of Barry Manilow lights up the desert night" by Steven Housman |
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| Four years ago I wrote a piece on Barry Manilow that profiled his illustrious career. At that time, he was riding the success of a greatest hits package titled Ultimate Manilow, which covered 20 of his greatest chart achievements. It was his highest debuting album of his career, entering the Billboard charts at #3. The success of the album took the industry by surprise, but no one was more surprised than Manilow himself. At the time, he confessed in an interview that he was "shocked and delighted." Three months ago Barry released his latest album, The Greatest Songs of the Fifties, which debuted at #1, superceding all of his previous chart achievements and is on its way to becoming Barry's best-selling album ever! The idea for the album was presented to him by record mogul Clive Davis, the man that saw stars in his eyes upon hearing Manilow back in the early '70s. As a matter of fact, Davis was so sure about Barry's talents, that Manilow was the very first artist to be signed to his new label, Arista Records. Since that time, Barry Manilow has become the #1 Adult Contemporary Artist of all time. About two years ago, Manilow was anxious to retire from touring and was actually organizing his Farewell Tour. "Unlike Cher, I meant it," he said persistently. He was then approached by the people at the Las Vegas Hilton, who offered him a very lucrative contract to perform exclusively in the showroom that was most famous for headliners such as Elvis and Sinatra. The money was incidental -- the fact that he could stay in one place and be close enough to go home each night to his beloved Palm Springs was more than enough to convince the veteran showman to sign on the dotted line. At the Hilton, Barry is performing and selling out five shows a week, including two on Saturday evening. He's enjoying the engagement so thoroughly that he recently agreed to extend his contract through 2008. His latest DVD, Manilow: Music and Passion - Live from Las Vegas, debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts a couple of weeks ago and he is still "shocked and delighted" over the enormity of his resurgence. Between his Las Vegas shows and his numerous television appearances, he barely had the time to stop and answer our questions. But he did. He's very aware of how important his upcoming performance is for the AIDS Assistance Program's benefit "Evening Under The Stars," and felt that this interview would assist getting the word out to as many people as possible... The Bottom Line: First of all, congratulations on your latest album, The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties. Did the immense success exceed even your wildest expectations?
Barry Manilow: Yes. I think it even shocked Clive Davis, president of Arista, my record label, whose idea it was. I think it has become so popular because the public is starved for a good melody and lyric. The '50s had some great songs. Clive came backstage at the Hilton where I'm performing. He told me he had an idea that could be a hit for me and handed me a list of songs that came out of the '50s. At first I just didn't get it. But when I got home and started playing and singing some of them, I began to like them. I really finally understood what he was hearing when the orchestra began to play back my arrangements in the recording studio. They sounded so beautiful and, believe it or not, fresh, that I realized what he had been hearing. TBL: Out of all the great songs to come out of that era, how did you narrow it down to the ones you chose to record?
BM: We began with around 70 songs. When I began to work on them, it was pretty obvious which songs I was going to sound good singing and which ones I wouldn't. For instance, "Get A Job" didn't work. And neither did "Sh-Boom." But "Beyond The Sea" sounded great. TBL: Are you the type of artist that records more songs than will end up on an album? If so, can you tell me what songs didn't make it on the album and why?
BM: Edith Piaf's "If You Love Me, Really Love Me" didn't make it. Although it's a beauty, it was just too dramatic. "Mr. Sandman" didn't make it. Too cute. TBL: I understand you're already preparing material for The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties. Is that accurate?
BM: Yep. I'm already done with all the arrangements. I'm having fun with this one because the '60s were the decade that I began to listen to music. The Beatles, Bacharach, Motown, Jimmy Webb. Great writers and great songs. TBL: Do you ever perform a song you're thinking of recording to get an audience reaction, or do you just trust your instincts?
BM: Before the '50s CD was released, I tried out "Unchained Melody" on my audience in Vegas. They went nuts. NUTS! I said to myself, "Whoa, I might be on to something with this!" TBL: You had this huge resurgence beginning with Ultimate Manilow a few years ago, then Vegas, and now this album. What do you make of the public's response to you and your music in the past five years?
BM: What took them so long?! It makes me grateful to all the people that stood by me during those hard years. TBL: What recording artists influenced you as a child growing up in Brooklyn?
BM: Not many singers. Arrangers and writers turned my musical motor on. Arrangers like Nelson Riddle, David Rose, Roger Edens. Jazz musicians like Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan. Performers like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand. Writers like Gershwin, Loesser, Styne, Sondheim. You'll notice I haven't included any pop artists. I never listened to pop music until I was on the radio! And when I turned the radio on to see if they were playing "Mandy," I heard "Kung-Fu Fighting," "Disco Duck" and "Boogie Oogie Oogie!" I said to myself, "Oh my God, these people NEED me!" TBL: Please tell me how you decided to make Vegas a permanent destination for the next couple of years?
BM: At the end of last year I went on my "Final Farewell Tour," and unlike Cher, I meant it! I was done living out of suitcases, waiting for late airplanes, living on bad room service. I had been doing that for 30 years. I wanted my life back. So I decided to stop touring. But the Hilton called and asked me if I'd put together a show for them. That meant that I could still perform, work with my wonderful band, and stay in one place. And since it's so close to Palm Springs, I could stay home! So I agreed to give it a try. I'm glad I did. It's a fantastic gig. TBL: Out of your vast catalogue of hits, what are your favorite songs to perform and why?
BM: "One Voice," because I wrote it in a dream, really! "Could It Be Magic," because it was the first "pop" song I wrote (even though it ran seven minutes long!) and "Copacabana," because of the incredibly clever lyrics written by Bruce Sussman and Jack Feldman. TBL: You've also had enormous success producing several other artists over the years, most notably, Bette Midler's first couple of records and her latest songbooks. How did you and Bette decide to collaborate together again after so many years?
BM: I woke up one morning with a dream that I produced a tribute to Rosemary Clooney for Bette. We both knew her and loved her. I called Bette after not having worked with her for decades and told her of my dream. She said, "Let's go!" TBL: I recall seeing you on Phil Donahue back in the '80s and you mentioned you'd like to work with Barbra Streisand one day. That happened a few years ago with the duet you recorded ("I Won't Be The One To Let Go"). What was that experience like?
BM: Fantastic! It was like an out-of-body experience for me. To hear her perfect voice sing a song I wrote was heaven. When it came time for me to sing I just stood there. I said, "What do ya need me for?! Keep singing!" TBL: I know many of Barbra Streisand's fans would love for you to produce an entire album for her. Is that something you'd like to do?
BM: It may happen sooner than anyone thinks. TBL: Are there any other artists you'd like to produce an album for that you haven't yet? If so, who's on your wish list?
BM: I'd like to produce Michael Feinstein, Celine Dion and Shelby Lynn. TBL: I understand when you're not in Vegas, Palm Springs is your permanent residence. Why is Palm Springs so special for you?
BM: Peace. Quiet. Beautiful. Kind people. I wish the world was like this. TBL: Speaking of Palm Springs, why was performing at this year's "Evening Under The Stars" a priority for you? Especially with the hectic schedule you keep.
BM: I was told that last year's entertainment was problematic. I didn't want the organization to be in any trouble because they do such wonderful work for so many needy people. I hoped that if I committed to performing this year it might get them back on their feet again. TBL: You are very generous and have supported many charities over the years, as well as giving your support to the youth of America. That was evident on your American Idol stint a few weeks ago. What was that like?
BM: I really loved it. These kids have to be good to win. They're so young and so inexperienced. I hoped that I could help them learn some techniques that I use. TBL: Are Simon, Paula and Randy as supportive as they can be to those kids -- or would you like to see Simon go a bit easier on them?
BM: I'd like to see him go easier on them, but that's who he is. Very smart, doesn't suffer fools gladly, direct, great sense of what the public will respond to. He's always been great to me. TBL: I could go on asking you questions forever -- you've had a remarkable career and it's just getting better all the time. Any words you'd like to say to your Fanilows before we wrap this up?
BM: A huge thank you to all of them for allowing me to continue to do what I love to do. TBL: Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this interview. I look forward to seeing you perform in Vegas and in Palm Springs at "Evening Under The Stars."
BM: My pleasure. "Evening Under the Stars" is May 6 at O'Donnell Golf Club in Palm Springs and benefits the AIDS Assistance Program, located at 1276 N Palm Canyon Drive. To contact AAP or for more information about the upcoming gala, call 760.325.8481 or log on to aidsassistance.org. |
| April 27, 2006 | Press Release
Source: Resorts Atlantic City | Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts Atlantic City present Barry Manilow at Boardwalk Hall, Saturday, October 14: Tickets to Go on Sale Saturday, May 6 at 10 AM |
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| ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- The Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts Atlantic City will present Barry Manilow at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, October 14. Barry Manilow will perform his blockbuster hits as well as highlights from his celebrated "Manilow: Music and Passion" show that he created for his long-term engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton that began in 2005. This one-night-only event will be Manilow's first performance in Atlantic City in nearly 10 years. Tickets for Barry Manilow will go on sale Saturday, May 6 at 10 am. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $275, $250, $175, $125 and $75 and will be available online at www.ticketmaster.com, via phone at 1-800-736-1420, and at the Atlantic City Hilton Box Office. "Resorts International's presentation of Barry Manilow at Boardwalk Hall signals a new beginning for Hilton and Resorts in Atlantic City, and demonstrates the incredible strength and resources of our company coast to coast," said Tony Rodio, president of the Atlantic City Hilton Casino. "This concert event is indicative of the nationwide benefits that our guests can expect, and they will continue to reap the rewards with our new company-wide players program that we are planning to introduce this summer." "This is an extremely rare and special opportunity for Manilow fans in the Atlantic City region, as he has been performing at our sister property, the Las Vegas Hilton, since February 2005 and will continue to do so through 2008," said Rodio. "I've been in Las Vegas performing for more than a year with an incredible new show," said Manilow. "I look forward to seeing my friends and fans in Atlantic City and performing highlights from that new show and many of my hits through the years." The Las Vegas Hilton has been the home of Barry Manilow's show "Manilow: Music and Passion" since February 2005. In March 2006, The Las Vegas Hilton joined Barry Manilow in celebrating the recent "platinum" certification of The Greatest Songs of the Fifties (with sales in excess of 1,000,000 units) and his one-year anniversary at the resort by extending his long-term engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton through 2008. Barry Manilow's unparalleled career encompasses virtually every arena of music, including performing, composing, arranging and producing. A Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Manilow has triumphed in every medium of entertainment. Industry charts rank him the undisputed Number One Adult Contemporary Artist of All Time with record sales exceeding 65 million world-wide. In 1974, Manilow's release of "Mandy" launched an unprecedented career and 25 consecutive Top-40 hits including "Even Now," "This One's for You," "Weekend in New England," "I Write the Songs," and "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again." Four years later, five of Manilow's albums were on the charts simultaneously -- a record rivaled only by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis. Among his 44 albums are such diverse musical styles as The Greatest Songs of the Fifties (2006), Manilow Scores: Songs from Copacabana and Harmony (2004), Manilow Sings Sinatra (1998), Singin' with the Big Bands (1994), Showstoppers (1991), Swing Street (1987), 2:00 A.M. Paradise Cafe (1984), and many others, including 38 Top 40 Hits. Albums he has produced for other artists, including Bette Midler, Nancy Wilson, and Dionne Warwick have been nominated for Grammy Awards. Resorts Atlantic City, The Atlantic City Hilton, Resorts East Chicago, Resorts Tunica, Bally's Tunica and the Las Vegas Hilton are all Resorts International casinos affiliated through Colony Capital LLC and Nicholas L. Ribis. Colony Capital LLC is a private investment firm whose affiliates are licensed in four gaming jurisdictions: New Jersey, Nevada, Indiana and Mississippi. MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5135133 |
| April 10, 2006 | Press Release
(SOURCE: ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL) | Legendary Singer and Songwriter Barry Manilow to Kick Off NBC's 'TODAY' Summer Concert Series Onboard World's Largest Ship |
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| NEW YORK -- Millions of NBC "TODAY" show fans are in for quite a treat when the morning show sets sail onboard Royal Caribbean International's newest ship, Freedom of the Seas. The top-rated three-hour show will bring Freedom in to New York Harbor on May 12, 2006 where she will be christened by foster mother to hundreds, Louise Calder. Mrs. Calder was selected by "TODAY" viewers to be the Godmother of the world's largest ship. Adding to the excitement, "TODAY" announced on Friday that legendary singer and songwriter Barry Manilow, currently topping the charts around the world with his recent album ("The Greatest Songs Of The Fifties"), will kick off the show's popular Summer Concert Series that morning. "We are thrilled to introduce Freedom of the Seas to 'TODAY' show viewers," said Adam Goldstein, president for Royal Caribbean International. "It is equally exciting to host world renowned superstar and icon, Barry Manilow onboard for a live performance." At 160,000 GRT and holding 3,634 guests double-occupancy, Freedom of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world when she debuts in May 2006 ... For more information or to make reservations, go to http://www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) 327-6700. |
| April 7, 2006 | Billboard | Billboard single review: Love Is A Many-Spendored Thing - Barry Manilow (Arista Records) |
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| There's a distinguishable line between schmaltz and melodrama. Push about five notches past the latter and you've got Barry Manilow's "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing," as close to pure camp as you're going to find without a wig and press-on fingernails. The classic 1955 movie theme, which hit No. 1 by the Four Aces, is taken from Manilow's No. 1 "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties," and it bows to its original with mountainous period-appropriate background vocals, harps and whispy, sentimental instrumentation that carry it to the skies. Add Manilow's forceful vocal and a key change that makes the heartbeat hasten, and you've got a quintessential guilty pleasure. Best of all, there's little doubt that Manilow knows exactly what he's playing with here (he co-produced); his humor, matched only by bravado, deserves a standing ovation. |
| April 6, 2006 | Entertainment News and Views | "Manilow: Music and Passion 2-DVD Set Showcases Musician at Best" by Marvin Glassman |
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| The expression "Whatever happens in Las Vegas stays in Vegas" is no longer true as far as Barry Manilow is concerned. Manilow, who recently extended his two-year contract with the Las Vegas Hilton through 2008, has given his fans more than a sampling on his Vegas shows in his Music and Passion two-DVD set now on sale in retail stores (at $24.99) throughout South Florida. Based on the Barry Manilow PBS special seen in March, the two-DVD set is a celebration of Manilow's 100th show in Las Vegas. Beyond the glitter and special effects of a Vegas show, the DVD enchants the viewer with Manilow's 30-plus years as a musician. The 2-DVD set features the best music from Manilow's career in a 2.5-hour presentation. Combined are highlights of Manilow's current CD, Greatest Hits of the Fifties, which went platinum, his most critically acclaimed CD Here at the Mayflower (2001), and Manilow's hit songs of the 1970s. The viewer is taken on an autobiographical journey of Manilow's life through a mix of jazzy up-tempo swing songs combined with sentimental ballads that make the show a celebration of Manilow's life. The show morphs easily from one musical style to another. Beginning with a medley of his 1970s hits, Manilow then sings with the 1974 Barry in a duet of "Mandy"/"Could It Be Magic" and speaks fondly of his grandfather in the ballad "I Made It Through the Rain." Manilow then showcases Here at the Mayflower as if it were a musical play with his backup singers recreating characters from the CD in the up-tempo songs "Do You Know Whos Living Next Door," "Come Monday" and climaxed with "They Dance" with Manilow singing on top of his piano. Next, Manilow introduces his Greatest Songs of the Fifties CD by singing "Bandstand Boogie" before dressing the backups in 1950s style clothes and then does a parody of then teen idol Frankie Avalon in "Venus" before crooning "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing" and "Unchained Melody. The show then returns to the Manilow 1970 hits and Manilow showcases his most well known song "Copacabana" by performing the song high on a platform. The concert closes with a stirring "One Voice" that is done with Manilow singing alone without accompaniment. The second disc has a documentary-style, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Vegas concerts and includes hit songs "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again" and "Even Now" among others. "What I try to do to make my shows fresh is to continually put in new routines. We had a presentation around the song 'New York City Rhythm' that was eventually replaced by the Mayflower Medley," said Manilow on the DVD. "I never, ever want the show or the songs to get stale. Each night I perform, I try to find the truth to the songs I sing. When that does not happen, I replace these songs until I can find the truth to them again," said Manilow in an interview for his PBS special. "Manilow: Music and Passion" 2-DVD set was released on March 28. For more information, go to www.manilow.com or www.barrynethomepage.com. For information on Barry Manilows Las Vegas concerts, call 800-222-5361 or go to www.manilow.com. |
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