One Last Time with Barry Manilow!

by Nathalie Sczublewski

Published in Club Lexus Artist Profile for BB&T Center presented by La Croix

The legendary Barry Manilow brings his One Last Time! Tour to BB&T Center tonight with special guest, saxophonist Dave Koz.

Manilow was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. His passion for music developed at an early age. By age seven, Manilow took up accordion and piano lessons. He attended New York College of Music and Julliard School of Music while he worked in the mailroom at CBS. Manilow became the musical director for the program “Callback” and worked on writing advertising jingles.

In 1971, Manilow became Bette Midler’s music director, arranger and pianist. The following year, Manilow signed a contract with Bell Records to record his debut solo album, which was released in 1973.

In 1974, Clive Davis acquired Manilow to Arista Records. Manilow released Manilow II, which featured his breakthrough hit, “Mandy.” “Mandy” was the beginning of the string of hits, like “Copacabana (At the Copa) and “Could it Be Magic,” that lasted through the 1970s and early 1980s.

In 1978, five of Manilow’s albums were on the best-seller charts simultaneously, a feat conquered only by The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Herb Alpert, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Johnny Mathis.

Manilow recorded an original jazz album, 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe, featuring Sarah Vaughan, Gerry Mulligan and Mel Tormé. The album received rave reviews from music critics. Manilow released a few albums in the early 1990s which included Showstoppers and Singin’ with the Big Bands.

Twenty-nine of Manilow’s albums have been certified platinum. He also won two Emmys, a Grammy for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance and a Tony Award for “Barry Manilow on Broadway.” In 2002, Manilow was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music’s Songwriters Hall of Fame alongside Ashford & Simpson, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman and Sting. In 2012, Manilow was inducted into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame.

Manilow created the Manilow Music Project in 2008, a charity that raises money to fun music and arts programs across the U.S. that have been affected by drastic budget cuts. The Manilow Music Project has given away more that $3 million in instruments to more than 50 high schools across the nation.
His most recent album, My Dream Duets, was released on October 28, 2014. The album is nominated for a Grammy in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. The album is a collection of posthumous collaborations with his idols.