Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus) is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and producer best known for chart-topping hits like “Mandy” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).” Manilow was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he later attended the City College of New York before briefly enrolling in the Juilliard School of Music. He studied musical theater and composition, which helped shape the polished sound that would later define his career.

He began his professional career writing advertising jingles, composing well-known commercial music before moving into the entertainment world. Manilow gained early exposure as the musical director and accompanist for Bette Midler in the early 1970s. His solo breakthrough came in 1974 when “Mandy” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, launching him into mainstream success and establishing him as a major pop artist.

Over the decades, Manilow released a string of successful albums, including Barry Manilow II (1974), Tryin’ to Get the Feeling (1975) and Even Now (1978). His catalog includes enduring hits such as “I Write the Songs,” “Looks Like We Made It” and “Can’t Smile Without You.” He has won multiple Grammy Awards, including an award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, in 1979 for his hit “Copacabana (At the Copa).” He has also received an Emmy Award and Tony Award, and he was awarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980.

Manilow was married to Susan Deixler from 1964 to 1966. He later came out as gay and entered a long-term relationship with Garry Kief, whom he tied the knot with in 2014.

In December 2025, Manilow revealed he was diagnosed with lung cancer.