Name: BarryNet Articles & Reviews Date/Time: 1/10/2020 10:53 PM Subject: Las Vegas Magazine Hall of Fame 2020: Barry Manilow Las Vegas Magazine Hall of Fame 2020: Barry Manilow Las Vegas Magazine, 10 January 2020 Las Vegas has long been a city that does things differently. Where else are you going to find gaming in grocery stores? Or movie theaters and bowling alleys within the confines of a large resort? And in what other city can you get anything you want whenever you want, 24 hours a day? It’s in that spirit that Las Vegas Magazine decided to launch its inaugural Hall of Fame -- the normal rules do not apply. Unlike the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (where you’re only eligible 25 years after the release of your first record) or the National Football League Hall of Fame (where you must be retired for at least five seasons to be eligible) Las Vegas Magazine’s honorees are eligible once they set down roots in town -- it could be three years, it could be 50. If they made a significant impact on the history and culture of this town, they’re up for consideration. There’s only one other key criteria -- our readers have to be able to enjoy them here and now. That said, any discussion of a Hall of Fame would not be complete without a nod to the legends that came before and paved the way for the current crop of honorees. There are far too many to mention here, but the Rat Pack, Liberace, Celine Dion, Elvis Presley, Les Folies Bergere, Siegfried & Roy, Elton John, Jerry Lewis and Louis Prima have all cemented their place in that pantheon. One more twist: This class of honorees will have a hand in choosing the 2021 Hall of Fame class. As Las Vegas continues to evolve, we personally can’t wait to see who makes this list next year... Hall of Fame: Barry Manilow - Barry Manilow, who holds a special place in the hearts of his fans and Vegas visitors, is an important presence here in Las Vegas. His residency continues to evolve -- after all, at times, it’s difficult to pinpoint what works in this town. But Manilow’s superior showmanship acts as a guide to all performers seeking a successful residency in Vegas. In a recent interview with Las Vegas Magazine’s Brock Radke, Manilow said that within the last six years, he’s noticed a change in his audiences. “I would try to throw in an album cut and they’d be okay with it,” he explained, “but then I’d do ‘Can’t Smile Without You’ and the roof would cave in.” Audiences were telling Manilow exactly what they wanted—the hits. Moreover, they simply want to be in his presence, singing along to the songs that defined their lives. He offers his fans (or friends, as Manilow prefers to call them) everything he has to give, from the hits, to tender and sentimental stories that contextualize his musical journey, from an uncanny ability to connect with his audiences, to the intimacy he cultivates during his shows, making every audience member feel as though Manilow is singing directly to them. To prospective musical artists seeking a Strip residency: This is what works in Vegas.