I’ve been joking with Aline forever that I want to see Barry Manilow in concert before I die.
(Or before he does . . . )
But the cost of flying down to Las Vegas, tickets, a hotel room and food has always seemed to be an extravagant money splurge that I’ve resisted.
But there we were at my dad’s on vacation when we came across a brochure with his picture on the cover for Casino Rama in nearby Orillia which just happened to be advertising a Manilow concert while we were on vacation. And it fit perfectly with our schedule to leave the kids at Grandma Sue’s.
How could I resist?
The show highlighted Manilow’s lucrative career and his rise to the top.
Performing with a live band, two back-up singers and dancers and exhilarating video and production elements the show took you on a musical journey through some of Barry’s biggest hits like “Mandy,” “New York City Rhythm” and the Grammy Award-winning “Copacabana.” It also delved into his historical past with video clips of his first appearances on “American Bandstand” and a homemade video of how his grandfather first noticed his musical talent and brought him to a record studio every Sunday and asked him to sing.
Born as Barry Alan Pincus during 1943 in Brooklyn, New York, this iconic performer is a conductor, singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and musician. His genres include soft rock and pop, and he plays the accordion and keyboards. His discography features compilation, studio, and live albums, as well as soundtracks. Each of his 29 studio albums has ranked on the top U. S. Charts. His extensive catalog includes 15 compilations, four live albums, four soundtracks, and numerous chart-topping singles.
This talented performer has recorded many memorable songs. Among them are the “Mandy” (1974, reached the number one position on the U. S. Charts), “I Write the Songs” (1975, peaked at number one), and “Even Now” (1978, reached number one on the Adult Contemporary charts). His top-selling albums include his debut, eponymous release in 1973, “Trying to Get the Feeling” (1975), “This One’s For You” (1976), “Even Now” (1978), “The Greatest Songs of the 50s, ” and the “Greatest songs of the 60s” (each launched in 2006).
