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Manilow Barry Biography

American musician, singer, author and songwriter who achieved mega-pop stardom in the 1970s. Music critics and comedians like to punish his sweet lyrics by calling him, "the sultan of schmaltz." Despite the lack of respect given to him by music writers, Manilow has sold more than 58 million records worldwide. He posted a string of 25 consecutive Top 40 Billboard hits and five of his albums were listed on the pop charts simultaneously. Manilow won a Tony award in 1977 for his Uris Theatre show. In 1977, he won an Emmy for his TV special and a Grammy the same year for his hit song, "Copacabaña." In 1990, Rolling Stone magazine called the singer-musician, "the showman of our generation." His many hidden fans include heavy metal rocker Axl Rose, TV host Arsenio Hall and singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. He wrote his memoirs, "Sweet Life: Adventures on the Way to Paradise" at the age of 41 and talked about the rise and fall of his pop career and financial fortunes. Manilow never knew his father, Harold Kelliher, a truck driver who divorced his mother when Manilow was only two years old. The boy was raised by his mother Edna and his maternal grandparents in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. At the age of seven, he took up accordion lessons. At 13, his mother married Irish truck driver, Willy Murphy, who introduced the boy to his jazz and big band records. Manilow took up piano lessons at this time and developed a great relationship with his step-father as they both shared a love of music. As a youngster, Manilow played the records of stage shows and performed alongside the songs. He knew that he would somehow make a career in music. Manilow idolized his travel agency secretary mother. When she returned from work with her familiar, "Hiya Babe," it made Manilow imagine she was a martini-drinking sophisticated woman to be adored. He went to New York College of Music and the Juilliard school. While going to school, he supported himself by working a day job in the CBS mailing room. At 18, he wrote the original score for a musical adaptation of a melodrama called "The Drunkard" which became a long-running off-Broadway success. In the sixties, Manilow arranged and conducted television and live cabaret acts. He also wrote many commercial jingles for companies such as State Farm Insurance and McDonalds. In 1972, he worked as pop singer Bette Midlers musical director, arranger, and pianist. He co-produced her two records "The Divine Miss M." and "Bette Midler" in 1972. In 1973, he persuaded Bette Midlers staff to allow him to be the opening solo act for Midlers U.S. tour. His opening solo performance caught the attention of Clive Davis at Arista Records. In 1974, Arista Records signed Barry Manilow to a recording contract and Clive Davis became the architect of Manilows pop singer career. He scored a huge hit with his first song, "Mandy" in 1974. Soon hit songs by Barry Manilow were all over the nations airwaves in the mid-1970s including "I Write the Songs," "Looks Like We Made It," "Cant Smile Without You" and "Could It Be Magic." By the 1980s, his popularity began to decline, and he tried to do other material such as releasing his jazz inspired album "2:00 AM Paradise Cafe" in 1984. In the early 80s, he discovered he was in financial straits. His investment advisors were careless and after selling 50 million records he only had $11,000 to show for it. He had to tour and continue to make records to clRead less