Barry Manilow in 2024. (Photo: Dana Holland; used with permission)
Doctors announced today (Dec. 22, 2025) that a stage-one cancerous tumor has been discovered on the left lung of singer-songwriter Barry Manilow. The singer of such popular songs as “Mandy,” “Copacabana (At the Copa)” and “Looks Like We Made It” had just completed a Christmas charity concerts residency in Palm Desert, Calif. Thanks to the early detection, his medical team is optimistic. Manilow, 82, posted the following statement on Facebook:
“As many of you know I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks. Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK.
“The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed. It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early. That’s the good news.
“The bad news is that now that the Christmas A Gift of Love concerts are over I’m going into surgery to have the spot removed. The doctors do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.”
Following surgery doctors have prescribed a month of recovery. Anticipating no further treatment and a full recovery, Manilow is expected to return to the stage for Valentines Weekend Concerts at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.
His schedule of ten arena concerts initially scheduled for January has been rescheduled for March and April.
“Ironically,” Manilow said, “I feel great and have no symptoms. I’m thankful that my doctors were proactive and ran tests that typically wouldn’t be done. They caught it very, very early. And remember, if you have even the slightest symptom… get tested!”
Manilow was born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, NY. He enjoyed a successful career as a commercial jingles writer for such clients as State Farm (“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”) and Band-Aid (“”I am stuck on Band-Aid, ’cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me!”), among others. In 1969, he was signed to a talent contract by Tony Orlando who, at the time, was a vice president for Columbia/CBS Music. Bette Midler selected Manilow to produce her hugely successful first two albums, 1972’s The Divine Miss M and 1973’s Bette Midler.
This ad for “Mandy” appeared in the Jan. 11, 1975, issue of Record World.
That same year, Bell Records released Manilow’s self-titled debut solo album. When longtime CBS Records president Clive Davis started Arista Records, he took over the Bell catalog including Manilow’s contract. The long-standing relationship proved fruitful for the label and the artist leading to decades-long success.
This photo of Barry Manilow and Clive Davis appeared in the Dec. 21, 1974, issue of Record World.
Barry Manilow 2026 Tour Dates (Tickets are available here and here)
Feb 12-14, 19-21 – Las Vegas, NV – Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
Feb 27 – Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
Mar 06 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Mar 11 – Charleston, SC – North Charleston Coliseum
Mar 13 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center
Mar 14 – Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena
Mar 16-17 – Estero, FL – Hertz Arena
Mar 26-28 – Las Vegas, NV – Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
Apr 2-4 – Las Vegas, NV – Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
Apr 24 – Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum
Apr 27 – Jacksonville, FL – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
Apr 29 – Duluth, GA – Gas South Arena
May 7-9 – Las Vegas, NV – Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
May 14-16 – Las Vegas, NV – Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
Jul 9-11 – Las Vegas, NV – Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
Jul 16-18 – Las Vegas, NV – Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino
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