[ January 15-21, 2006 ]
LV Showbiz Weekly - Man Made Of Music

Barry Manilow rises as the showman of our time
By Heather Bieber / Staff Writer

Barry Manilow made his television debut in 1974 at a Chicago PBS affiliate on "Soundstage." Now, it seems fitting that in December PBS recorded his live Las Vegas Hilton show, Music and Passion, to commemorate his 100th performance.

Following in the footsteps of Las Vegas headliners Celine Dion and Elton John, the award-winning singer worked with veteran concert director David Mallet. The PBS special features Manilow standards as performed in his show, as well as added picks from his fabulous '50s tribute album set for release at the end of this month.

Although the man himself says the hottest spot north of Havana is the Copacabana, since February 2005, the hottest spot here in Las Vegas is the Hilton showroom. With consummate flair, and a number of costume changes, Manilow is always at the top of his game, never yielding the spotlight. A night never goes by when fans from around the globe don't show their love and adoration, most of them howling from the up-close-and-personal seats that flank the stage.

The icon of '70s pop ballads has also gained a new generation of fans, who are discovering the remix dance version of "Copacabana," which he performs vivaciously as the finale of his show. Manilow told Yahoo's entertainment reporter Victoria Recaño, who celebrated with him during the shooting of his 100th performance: "The whole thing is a big surprise, that I'm still here, and there is an audience still out there interested in what I'm doing."

For more than four decades, Manilow has been writing the songs that make the whole world sing. Starting in his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., at the age of 7, he learned to play on a neighbor's piano. Later, he attended the New York College of Music and then Julliard in Manhattan. While working in New York, he befriended the young Bette Midler and became her pianist and musical director. From there, the two created musical memories on her Grammy-winning album, The Divine Miss M, as well as her second platinum album, Bette Midler.

Two years later, in 1974, he began his own recordings with "Mandy," the first in an unprecedented string of 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." His tours sold out, and Manilow was the man of the hour.

Although he's been ribbed by critics since the beginning, Manilow's lifelong commitment as an artist is reflected through his career and fame.

Enthusiasm and professionalism run through every facet of his music and even more so in his performances for the devoted fans he adores.