Barry Manilow

Early Life

Barry Manilow, born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, is an iconic American singer and songwriter. He is the son of Harold Kelliher, a truck driver of Irish descent, and Edna Manilow. After his parents divorced when he was a baby, Barry was raised by his mother and her family, who were Russian Jewish immigrants. He grew up in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn and graduated from Eastern District High School in 1961. Manilow briefly attended the City College of New York and later studied musical theater at Juilliard, all while working at CBS to support his education.

Career

Manilow's career took off in the 1960s when he began writing and arranging music for commercials, creating memorable jingles for brands like State Farm and Band-Aid. His breakthrough came when he wrote an original score for the Off-Broadway musical "The Drunkard," which ran for eight years. By the 1970s, he had released several successful albums, including "Barry Manilow" and "This One’s for You," featuring hits like "Mandy" and "I Write the Songs." Over his six-decade career, Manilow has become known for his powerful voice and emotional ballads, earning numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Personal Life

Manilow's personal life has been as colorful as his music. He married his high school sweetheart, Susan Deixler, in 1964, but their marriage ended after a year due to his commitment to his music career. In 2017, he publicly came out as gay, revealing that he had been in a long-term relationship with TV executive Garry Kief, whom he married in 2014. Manilow has also been active in philanthropy, raising funds for disaster relief efforts and supporting various charitable causes throughout his career.