Barry Manilow to Undergo an Operation for a Lung Cancer Diagnosis.
Barry Manilow has revealed that he received a diagnosis with lung cancer and will undergo an operation.
Cancer Caught Early
The 82-year-old singer, famous for his series of high-spirited hits from "I Write the Songs" established him as one of pop music’s most beloved entertainers, will have an operation to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to fight off the disease, which is detected early.
“As my fans are aware, I recently went through six weeks of a severe cough followed by a recurrence of another five weeks.
“Although I was past the infection and back on stage in Las Vegas, my excellent physician ordered an MRI just to ensure that all was clear.
“The MRI detected a cancerous spot on my left side that needs to be removed. It’s incredible chance (and a fantastic physician) that it was found so early.”
Rescheduled Shows
He has rescheduled a string of forthcoming shows, but stated he would be back on stage by Valentine’s Day for his enduring engagement at his Vegas home.
He continued: “The physicians do not believe it has metastasized and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. Chemo is not needed. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.
“I’m looking forward to until I return to my second home in Las Vegas for our Valentine’s weekend concerts.”
Decades in the Spotlight
Manilow is currently in the 16th year of a concert series on the Las Vegas Strip. The singer has spent decades in the public eye and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after tying the knot with his manager and long-term partner confidentially in 2014.
The pair were in a clandestine relationship for in excess of 35 years. In 2023, Manilow reflected on how crucial Kief had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.
“As my career exploded, it was just overwhelming. And, you know, returning to an vacant room, you can get into a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re on your own night after night,” he said.
“But I met Garry right around when it was blowing up. And I no longer had to go back to those isolated suites. I had a person to be vulnerable with or to enjoy success with.
“I wish that newcomers today don’t have to go back to those rooms by themselves, because you might succumb to pitfalls. I never did. But it was quite isolating until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”
