Barry Manilow Scheduled for an Operation for Lung Cancer.
Barry Manilow announced that he was diagnosed with lung cancer and will be having an operation.
Spot Found in Initial Phase
The octogenarian performer, famous for his series of high-spirited hits from "Mandy" 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 treat the disease, which is in its early stages.
“For those who have been following, I recently went through six weeks of a bronchial infection followed by a return of another five weeks.
“Despite the fact that I was past the infection and performing again for my residency, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that there were no issues.
“The MRI detected a tumor on my left side that requires removed. It’s incredible chance (and a skilled doctor) that it was caught so early.”
Postponed Performances
He has rescheduled a series of forthcoming shows, but stated he would be on stage again by mid-February for his long-running residency at his Vegas home.
He added: “The medical team do not believe it has traveled and I’m undergoing further tests to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. No chemotherapy. No radiation. Just rest and recuperation and I Love Lucy reruns.
“I’m eagerly awaiting until I come back to my familiar venue in Las Vegas for our Valentine’s weekend concerts.”
Decades in the Spotlight
Manilow is now in the 16th year of a show on the Las Vegas Strip. The singer has enjoyed a career spanning many years in the limelight and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after tying the knot with his partner of many years, Garry Kief confidentially in 2014.
The couple were in a clandestine romance for in excess of 35 years. Recently, Manilow spoke about how vital his husband had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.
“When my fame skyrocketed, it was just hectic. And, you know, coming home to an empty hotel room, you can get into a lot of trouble if you, you know, you’re on your own evening after evening,” he said.
“But I found my partner right around when it was blowing up. And I didn’t have to go back to those isolated suites. I had a person to be vulnerable with or to enjoy success with.
“I hope that young people don’t have to go back to those suites by themselves, because you might succumb to pitfalls. I never did. But it was very solitary until I met Garry. And then it was a shared adventure.”
