Studio MusicianBarry Manilow

Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus) is an internationally celebrated crooner, producer, arranger, composer and classically trained pianist from Brooklyn, New York, who has earned several gold and platinum certified albums, an Emmy, a Grammy, a Tony and a Clio Award in his 50+ year career. Originally an aspiring Broadway writer, Manilow became known at CBS as the ‘piano-playing mail boy’, later landing a job as musical director of two of the station’s shows. Meanwhile he wrote popular jingles for companies like McDonalds, Pepsi, State Farm, Band-Aid, Stridex and KFC.

After accepting an offer from Bette Midler to play piano for her act at a New York City bath house (as well as performing for the venue’s other acts), Manilow produced her 1972 top-ten Grammy-winning debut album The Divine Miss M and insisted on having his own featured spot as part of her touring act, to which she reluctantly agreed. Manilow’s own first releases came out under the band name Featherbed, which was initially a group of studio musicians assembled by Tony Orlando as a vehicle for Manilow to sing “Could It Be Magic” (a song he’d cowritten) for Bell Records. Bell then released the album Barry Manilow but it found little success.

However, Clive Davis saw potential in Manilow and insisted he cover “Brandy” by Scott English retitled as “Mandy” (to avoid confusion with the Looking Glass song of the same name) for his new label Arista Records. “Mandy” went to #1 in the US & Canada and reached the top 40 in three countries overseas, sending his album Barry Manilow II into the US top 10. His follow-up single “It’s a Miracle” became his second Canadian chart-topper, also reaching #12 in the US. The success of Barry Manilow II prompted a reissue of his debut (relabeled by Arista as Barry Manilow I), which featured a remixed version of “Could It Be Magic” that climbed into the US & Canada top 10.