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| February 26, 2015 | The Columbus Dispatch | "This is last tour but not retirement for Manilow" by Kevin Joy |
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| Looks like he made it. After more than four decades of lively shows that evoke the hottest spot north of Havana and writing the songs that make the whole world sing, Barry Manilow is ready for his curtain call. "This is the end; I won’t ever do another big tour," a nonetheless upbeat and insightful Manilow maintained earlier this month during a phone call with The Dispatch. "Keeping me out for weeks and weeks at a time -- that’s enough of that." The beloved Mandy crooner, who will offer his 13th and last Columbus concert on Sunday in Nationwide Arena, insists he isn’t pulling a Motley Crue or a Cher -- that is, a high-profile farewell followed by a sudden comeback several years later. Manilow, a former ad-jingle man who ultimately sold more than 80 million copies of his own music, has plenty on his resume to signal a satisfying exit. Still, "I’m not retiring," said the 71-year-old New York native known for his enduring arsenal of unapologetically emotional ballads. "If I make another album, I’ll do a one-nighter or a TV thing." Not fading out, meanwhile, are the memories. He reflected on his past and present as a showman. Columbus Dispatch (CD): Emotionally, how do you approach your final tour? Do you feel nerves or pressure? Relief, perhaps?
Barry Manilow (BM): It’s not a sense of relief. It’s the end of 40 years of roaming the Earth. I think I paid my dues - and, God knows, it’s been the most thrilling and exciting 40 years I could have ever imagined. I look back on this life, this career of mine, and it’s something I never, ever would have predicted. I’m very grateful. You get to be my age - ... even though I’ve still got my hair, the energy - it’s enough. CD: What will you miss most about being on tour?
BM: Standing on that stage with thousands of people cheering. You’ve got to be dead to not be moved. When the curtain opens and I get that wave of sound coming at me - yes, I’m going to miss that. Right from that moment on, it’s 90 minutes to two hours of a party. If I’ve ever had nerves, it goes away. I feel comfortable up there - especially with what’s going on outside. All you hear is awful things on the TV and radio, just horrible things. In that room, it’s not horrible. It is just full of joy. CD: What has changed through the years about how you put on a show?
BM: You know, I’ve tried blowing up the show, making a big deal out of it. One year, we went out and the stage split apart in two; we had a 50-piece orchestra, girls coming down a stairway with feathers. But, in that same show, I’d do a little talk about my grandfather. This is a big production - 25 trucks - and everybody who came backstage would only talk about my grandfather. I learned a big lesson: The audience doesn’t want me to fly through the air. They come just to be moved. CD: Can you recall a gig where things didn’t go right?
BM: There was a "massacre" in Manchester, England, about 10 years ago. It was the big flu season. I had made it up to the very last show; it was sold out to the rafters. I knew I was coming down with bronchitis. When you come down with that, it’s over. You cannot sing. I thought I would be able to get over it. And I had broken my toe the night before. They shot me up (with pain meds); the doctor said: "It’ll last for 40 minutes." Well, 40 minutes into the show is when Copacabana happens. I hobbled around the stage not being able to sing. It was the worst night of my life. CD: Any particular memories of past Columbus concerts?
BM: I have been to Columbus 12 times. That’s a lot of Columbus. If I’m there, that means it’s one of the cities that we have a good time in; otherwise, my agents wouldn’t be booking it. I told them: "Put me in the places where audiences are great." CD: Have you maintained any pre-show rituals over the years?
BM: It’s so funny - I don’t consider myself a singer. It never dawns on me to warm up or to play piano or anything. There is no routine that I have. I just wait in the wings, I get out there, I sing, and whatever comes out comes out. There are so many great vocalists out there. I’m not one of them. I do connect with an audience; they connect with a lyric. I love telling the story of a lyric; that’s what I study and what I rehearse more so. CD: What will you do with your newfound downtime? Take it easy?
BM: Please; I make music. Any musician will tell you that. I live in Palm Springs, Calif., where it’s beautiful. Sometimes, I chain myself to the chaise longue to sit outside and read a book. Or I try to watch some TV. I make it for 10 minutes. These days, with all the fantastic technology used to make music, it is thrilling. CD: Speaking of new studio tools, how did they affect your 30th and most recent album, 2014’s My Dream Duets?
BM: It was daunting. We were stuck with scratchy old records. But music technology has come so far. We had these geniuses that were able to remove the orchestra from each record, leaving me with the vocals that we made into duets. Now and again, I would forget these people weren’t next to me - Sammy Davis Jr. singing and smiling through my headset. With Whitney (Houston), I had to go for the Kleenex. Singing with Judy Garland, how dare you mute her voice? I didn’t take the lead. I was trying to honor them and show an audience why they were legends. CD: Your Manilow Music Project charity this month donated a new Yamaha piano to Columbus City Schools and also allowed concertgoers to trade used instruments for free tickets. Why support music education? And, many moons ago, how did such teachings shape your destiny?
BM: I realized over the years that the schools are running out of instruments and cutting music classes. The thought of kids not having ... (that) kills me. I speak to the teachers and they all tell me that, when the kids take music, their grades go up, they become better students. It’s not just playtime. It makes them into better people. I know from experience. I wasn’t good at sports; I didn’t have many friends. When I found out I was good at music, I was home. If I didn’t have that, I don’t know what would have happened to me. Barry Manilow: NATIONWIDE ARENA, 200 W. NATIONWIDE BLVD. Contact: 1-800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com. Showtime: 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $19.75 to $129.75. |
| February 25, 2015 | The Oakland Press | "Instruments donated by Barry Manilow arrive in Pontiac schools" by Dustin Blitchok |
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| About 20 instruments donated by Grammy Award-winner Barry Manilow arrived at Pontiac High School Tuesday, and they come as the district works to rebuild its music program. Manilow, who played The Palace of Auburn Hills on Feb. 15, uses his Manilow Music Project Drive to help offset cuts to music programs in public schools. “It’s an outlet for the kids,” said Vince DeLuca, the band and choir director at Pontiac High School and Pontiac Middle School. “There’s a lot of talented kids in Pontiac schools that need an outlet such as this.” The donated instruments include a Yamaha piano, percussion pieces, string instruments such as violins, guitars and a cello and wind instruments such as flutes, clarinets, saxophones, a trumpet and a trombone. “This couldn’t come at a better time. This is my first year at the high school, and they’re looking to build up the program to put Pontiac school bands back on the map.”  The string instruments will likely go to the International Technology Academy, which has a string program, DeLuca said. Some of the instruments need new strings and minor repairs, and DeLuca said any donation of instrument repair services to the district would be welcomed. Anyone who brought a new or gently used musical instrument to Manilow’s Palace concert received two free tickets to the show. The singer behind No. 1 hits such as “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs” and “Looks Like We Made It” told The Oakland Press earlier this month that he started the program when he realized many schools were running out of instruments and cutting back music classes. “I’m just trying to make the public aware of the fact that this is a problem, that they’re running out of instruments and how important it is for kids to have music in their lives,” Manilow said. “Every time I speak to teachers or principals, they always tell me the kids’ grades go up, they learn how to interact with other kids. It’s a life-changing thing, and even if they never become a professional, it will never leave them and they become better people from it.” Pontiac High School Principal Burdena Johnson said she’s appreciative of Manilow’s contribution to her school. “We’re absolutely ecstatic to have opportunities for our students to grow in the performing arts.” Superintendent Kelley Williams and Pontiac School District administrators are supportive of music programming, DeLuca said. “There’s more of a push to put music back in schools, despite the financial problems we’re having.” |
| February 24, 2015 | WTOP - Washington's Top News | "Barry Manilow farewell tour hits Verizon Center" by Jason Fraley |
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| WASHINGTON — He sang about the Copa ... Copacabana. But soon, Barry Manilow is at Verizon ... Verizon Center. Manilow’s "One Last Time" farewell tour stops here March 4 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $19.75 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his smash hit "Mandy" in 1975. WTOP caught up with Manilow to discuss his long career. "They’ve become more than just pop ditties," Manilow says. "When I hit 'Mandy' or 'Could it Be Magic' or 'I Write the Songs' or 'Copacabana,’ for me, it becomes memories about this young guy who didn’t know what was about to happen to him." Manilow estimates he’s played in D.C. about 25 times, including a 1975 show at The Cellar Door, where he came out for a sound check but was stunned to find no piano. He had to cancel the show. On another occasion, he played at the MCI Center -- now the Verizon Center -- which had just opened. Unfortunately, there were only two restrooms in the entire arena. "They were crossing their legs for my entire show," he jokes. Now, Manilow is excited to be coming back to the nation’s capital, though he thinks music has changed over the years, shifting to more dance-oriented records. "I do what they call music and lyrics; isn’t that odd?" Manilow jokes. "I can’t get enough of 'Uptown Funk.' It’s unbelievable. But I do miss a song that’s got a beautifully written lyric and a beautifully written melody. It seems to have taken a nosedive. I guess people call it old-fashioned, but to me, I like feeling something ... Not just music that makes me tap my toes. I do miss that kind of songwriting." Listen to the full interview with Barry Manilow below (Editor’s Note: The interview with Barry Manilow was conducted prior to his D.C. show being rescheduled to March 4). [ WTOP's Jason Fraley chats with Barry Manilow ] |
| February 20, 2015 | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | "Barry Manilow on quitting touring, angering the Smithsonian and 'that stupid Copacabana shirt'" by Piet Levy |
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| Barry Manilow said he has performed in Milwaukee 14 times over four decades. "I've played just about every place except Chuck E. Cheese," he said in a Journal Sentinel interview. On Oct. 20, 1982, when the Brewers played the last game of the World Series, Manilow updated the audience with the score - but wisely didn't break the news when the team lost. And Manilow treasures a July Fourth in Milwaukee when he said he bribed a guard at an unfinished condo building so he and the band could drink wine and beer on the rooftop terrace and watch fireworks. But the 71-year-old's BMO Harris Bradley Center concert Tuesday could be his last in Milwaukee, because after June, he'll never tour again. Manilow talked to the Journal Sentinel about giving up life on the road, how "Mandy" changed his life and what he did to anger the Smithsonian Institution. Here's an edited transcript of the interview. Journal Sentinel (JS): Is this really the last time you're going to be touring? Really?
Barry Manilow (BM): It's the last of the big tours. That's definite. I'll still make records and still do one-nighters. I'm not retiring, believe me, and I always enjoy the energy of a live audience. It's just that after 40 years, it's enough. Being away from home, being away from your life, it really does get old. I'm going to try and squeeze in as many of the well-known songs as I can (on this tour), even the rare ones that made it onto the top 10 that I hardly ever do. JS: You're also giving away tickets to people who donate used instruments, and you're donating a piano to Milwaukee Public Schools.
BM: It's very important for kids to learn how to play an instrument. It certainly changed my life, and whenever I speak to principals and teachers, they always tell me the kids in music classes, their grades go up, they learn to interact with other students, it does change their life for the better. So I put together the Manilow Music Project and give instruments to schools all over the country and do benefits and get enough money to buy instruments, and when I go on the road, we ask audiences to give their own instruments, we fix them up and we donate them to the school district. JS: It's the 40th anniversary of "Mandy." What stands out from that experience?
BM: It was my second album, which I didn't think I would get, because the first one didn't do anything. Clive Davis took over Bell Records and changed it to Arista, and he gave me this rock 'n' roll song called "Brandy" because he thought it would be a hit for me. I tried to record "Brandy" the way the demo was, and it wasn't right. I changed it around and rearranged the whole song, made it into a ballad with me singing at the piano. We changed the name. Clive loved it that way. I went home, picked up the dry cleaning, walked the dog. I was so young and so inexperienced and was just clueless as to what was about to hit me. JS: What do you hope your legacy is?
BM: I think I'd like to be remembered as the guy who made you feel something, who made you feel good. JS: Is there anything you regret?
BM: I'm very proud of the fact that I stayed a gentleman. You can get into loads of trouble when you have a successful career, and I never did. If there's one thing I regret, it's that stupid "Copacabana" shirt! JS: Where is it these days?
BM: We hung it in my manager's office. You want to hear a funny story? About 10 years ago, the Smithsonian called and said that they'd like to have the jacket to display, which I thought, "Really? Really? That's what's going to represent me?" But I couldn't turn it down. So I sent it to them, and I said in an interview, "I always knew that jacket would wind up in an institution some day." And the Smithsonian got so insulted, they sent it back to me. They have no sense of humor over there. IF YOU GO... Who: Barry Manilow with Dave Koz. When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, 1001 N. 4th St. Tickets: $16.75 to $126.75 at the box office, (800)745-3000 and ticketmaster.com. |
| February 21, 2015 | Hartford Courant's Hartford Magazine | "Q&A with Barry Manilow" by MaryEllen Fillo |
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| It was 40 years ago this year that Barry Manilow’s "Mandy" hit the top of the Billboard music chart and it was followed by a stellar career. The musician-producer-songwriter-performer has created hit after hit during his decades-long career, garnering a collection of Emmy, Grammy and American Music Award nominations and wins and a reputation as one of America’s most beloved singer-songwriters. [Manilow]’s "One Last Time Tour" stops at the Grand Theater At Foxwoods Resort Casino March 28. The Brooklyn-born Manilow recently released a new album, is poised to bring his long-awaited musical "Harmony" to Broadway and has some plans for another album. Still, he took time to spill the beans with Java. Q: You have got to be kidding. Is the "One Last Time Tour" REALLY going to be your last tour? Why?
Barry Manilow (BM): I'm just tired of doing so much packing. We are talking 40 years of luggage. You know the last big tour doesn't mean I am retiring. The word retire is not in my vocabulary. But this tour will be the last big one. As far as touring, I might do one or two cities once in a while if I do an album. There is always another album in my future. Q: Do you ever wake up in the morning and say, 'Damn, what a good life?
BM: I have been very fortunate. My career has been a wonderful ride and an unexpected one. When I was young and living in Brooklyn I knew my life was going to be somewhere in music. I figured if I was lucky I would be an arranger or composer. I was comfortable being the guy in the background, doing jingles, studio work. Then this new thing happened where I turned into a performer and recording artist. That was a...total surprise. And now I would like to take this wonderful musical called "Harmony" to Broadway. Q: Do you ever think about how many people have fallen in love, or lament a broken relationship to your songs? And if you do, how do you feel about that?
BM: I get these letters and people stop me and they say the most beautiful things to me about what songs of mine mean to them or the memories they stir. I am proud and grateful that I have made them happy or feel better or even [been] unhappy because all I wanted to do is affect people in a positive way, make music that had an impact and I think that is what I have done in my life. All I ever wanted to do was make the most beautiful music I could. Q: Your album "My Dream Duets" put a new spin on the trend of singers taking old songs and doing them with someone else. In your case, the duets are performers who have passed on although thanks to modern technology you get to sing with Sammy Davis Jr., Mama Cass, Louis Armstrong and Marilyn Monroe among others. Which duet touched you the most?
BM: The Whitney Houston cut. Maybe because her death was so recent and the other performers went way back. Whitney was a friend and it was shock to lose such a friend and such a talent. I did the song from the movie "The Preacher's Wife," "I Believe in You and Me." I had on headphones and as I sang it with her I kept forgetting that she wasn't standing next to me. I kept reaching for the Kleenex during that one. Q: You can have dinner with five musicians, living or dead. Who would they be?
BM: I couldn't do it. I couldn't just name five. There are too many I would want at the table. But I will say I would have liked to perform with John Lennon and Nelson Riddle. They are my heroes. Q: Who do you listen to?
BM: I am stuck on NPR radio. There is an app and it has some of the greatest pop and classical and electronic music. I am nuts on this station. It's very hip. Q: Please take this as a compliment. There are 71-year-old men everywhere who want to know what you use on your hair?
BM: I am a very lucky guy. I would be an ugly bald man. I have this hair that grows like weeds. It doesn't stop. My grandfather had a big bald spot on back of head but so far I'm good. Q: What's your guilty pleasure?
BM: I sit at my computer and watch YouTube episodes of "What's My Line?" I love the mystery guest. Q: What is something most people don't know about you?
BM: I am very, very good at using a computer. I make my own records without engineers. I am my own engineer, do all the arranging and vocals by myself until it's time to go to the recording studio. Tickets for the "One Last Time Tour" start at $19.75. Visit foxwoods.com for more. |
| February 21, 2015 | Franklin NOW | "Have a yellow feathers in your hair and a dress cut down to there weekend!" by Kevin Fischer |
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| Barry Manilow appears next Tuesday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in what’s being billed as his “One Last Time” tour. “I’m not retiring or anything like that. This is the last big tour,” says Manilow. "It’s been 40 years... of roaming the Earth... I don’t like the idea of retiring. I’ll probably be making records and I’ll do one-nighters and all, but this is the last of the touring for me." A review of Manilow’s Valentine’s Day concert in Chicago called the show "A theatrical presentation focusing on the sappy but memorable love songs that made Manilow one of the most successful adult contemporary artists in music history." [The] singer certainly continues to be active. Manilow recorded two albums last year, including one featuring duets with stars that have passed like Marilyn Monroe and Whitney Houston. His virtual duet with Houston might be included in the Milwaukee show. Following the 2002 death of legendary singer/actress Rosemary Clooney, Manilow approached Bette Midler telling her he had a dream he would produce a tribute album to Clooney and Midler would [perform] on it. Midler wrote [in] the liner notes of [Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook]: "When Barry approached me ('I had this dream!') about recording an album of Rosemary's standards, I was excited, but apprehensive. I wanted to be respectful, but I felt we had to find something new to say as well, and in these (mostly) new arrangements...I believe we have." During his second network TV special in 1978 and a segment dedicated to the 1940s, Manilow said, "I swear I am a freak for that kind of music," and "I swear I was born about 30 years too late." There were several departures from Manilow’s highly polished pop vocals. He did tribute albums to the Big Bands and Sinatra. Then there was "2:00 AM Paradise Café," an album filled with original torchy, smoky jazz songs. And then there was that album of Broadway hits (Showstoppers). Opening for Manilow in Milwaukee next week is one of my favorites, saxophonist extraordinaire Dave Koz. |
| February 19, 2015 | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | "BARRY MANILOW" by Piet Levy |
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| Oh, Mani, well you came and you gave without taking, but you've sent yourself away, oh, Mani. Yes, it's true, or so Barry Manilow insists. Four decades after becoming an adult contemporary star with his first big hit, "Mandy," the former jingle writer and musical director for Bette Midler is going on his final tour, hence the name "One Last Time!" Not that Manilow plans to retire anytime soon. In fact, he released two albums in 2014: "Night Songs," which he correctly predicted would lose the Grammy for traditional pop vocal album this month to Tony Bennett; and "My Dream Duets," where Manilow was able to join late singing greats like Whitney Houston and Judy Garland. A Vegas residency seems inevitable, and Manilow has said he'll still do gigs here and there. Anyone who donates a new or gently used instrument to the Bradley Center's Potawatomi Gate ticket office through Tuesday will receive two complimentary tickets. Donations are accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday, Monday and Tuesday, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. Grammy-winning saxophonist Dave Koz opens. BARRY MANILOW. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, BMO Harris Bradley Center, 1001 N. 4th St. $16.75 to $126.75 at the box office, (800)745-3000 and ticketmaster.com. |
| February 17, 2015 | Windy City Times | "Manilow, Koz bring 'Magic' to Chicago" by Vern Hester |
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| On Feb. 14, Valentine's Day was turned into a massive Barry Manilow love-in when the pop star hit the United Center for the Chicago stop of his "One Last Time" tour. With a career that has spanned more than 45 years and a track record of 27 platinum albums and 26 top 10 hit singles, it could be assumed that this would be a "greatest-hits" show, but in actuality it was a grand celebration of the man and his music. The show got off to a big start when out saxophonist and cookie king (Cookies for a Koz) Dave Koz took the stage and tore through a torrid set that peaked with his call-and-response cover of The Beatles' "Got to get You into My Life" with an arrangement inspired by Earth, Wind and Fire. The nearly SRO crowd was on its feet when Manilow appeared accompanied with a full band (with a full-time pianist behind the keys who allowed Manilow to stay front and center) and a trio of back-up singers for a disco-spiced version of "Could It be Magic?" and a strong reading of "It's a Miracle." Between songs, Manilow displayed a saucy wit reminiscent of his old musical partner Bette Midler when he commented that the weather was "tits-cold." After thanking his audience for braving the weather, he joked, "With it being Valentine's Day, I expect a lot of nuzzling and fondling before the night is over." None of that took place right away as Manilow had his adoring audience singing along on a raucous but sincere "Can't Smile Without You." |
| February 16, 2015 | Billboard.com | "Barry Manilow Proves He's Still Got It As 'One More Time' Tour Hits Detroit" by Gary Graff |
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| As Barry Manilow worked his way into the chorus of "Weekend in New England," asking "When will our eyes meet? When can I touch you?," screams of "Now!" erupted from the Fanilows at the Palace of Auburn Hills in suburban Detroit. "Really?" a grinning Manilow said, briefly interrupting the song as he exulted, "I still got it!" Forty years after hitting pay dirt with "Mandy" and in the midst of his One More Time! tour, which he insists will be his last "big" road trip, Manilow proved that he is indeed still a genuinely consummate showman, as gracious and engaging as ever and perhaps even smoother thanks to his recent Las Vegas residencies. Moreover, the 71-year-old entertainer clearly knows why he's still (metaphorically) touching those fans, and he's not about to change his tune, or tunes, even now. [Manilow delivered his] 90-minute show with breezy, well-honed confidence. And he invested even his most reliable and familiar schtick -- the bouncing-ball singalong to "Can't Smile Without You," inviting a fan to dance with him on stage during Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" and dueting on "Mandy" with his 1975 video self -- with convincing, and infectious, enthusiasm. The repertoire also played on Manilow's winning past [with] proven fare such as "Even Now," "Somewhere In the Night" and "I Made It Through the Rain." He also rolled through 15 of his biggest singles in a jaw-dropping 15-minute "Gonzo Hits Medley" that wrapped up with a red-robed choir accompanying him on a reprise of "I Write the Songs." But Manilow also won by digging deep into his catalog for material such as the lively "Jump Shout Boogie," a medley of the Four Seasons' "Let's Hang On" and [Frankie Valli's] "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and a biographical segment that included "Brooklyn Blues" (featuring a saxophone solo by opener Dave Koz), "I Am Your Child" and another bookended by "[They] Dance!," that touched on Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland," Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours." The Fanilows couldn't have asked for much more, except...and they got it, with a show-closing rendition of "Copacabana (At the Copa)" that ended with a quick reprise of "It's a Miracle" and an arena-filling explosion of streamers. Music, and smoothly rendered passion, are still Manilow's fashion, even after all these years. The One Last Time! tour continues through June 17, wrapping up with a show at the Barclays Center in Manilow's home town of Brooklyn. |
| February 16, 2015 | Cleveland.com | "Barry Manilow's 'One Last Time!' tour stops at CSU's Wolstein Center" by Chuck Yarborough |
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| Barry Manilow has always been a commercial success. Literally. Most people know he's the guy who sang (but didn't write) McDonald's "You deserve a break today" jingle. He's also the composer - and singer - behind State Farm Insurance's "Like a good neighbor" and wrote the music and sang "I am stuck on Band-Aids, 'cause Band-Aids stuck on me." But the fellow who plays Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center on Thursday, Feb. 26, has also had a lot of success away from the jingles. He's written for and produced scores of artists and got his start as Bette Midler's music director ... He's been nominated for 14 Grammy awards, had 50 top 40 hits in a career [and] is ranked as the No. 1 adult contemporary chart artist of all time by Radio & Records and Billboard magazines. No wonder he's decided that this tour is his last. Hence the name, "One Last Time!" "Yeah, this is it," Manilow said with a laugh in a call from his home in Palm Springs, California. "This is the end of those big tours. No more packing!" That's bad for "Fanilows," the people who love his music, but good for those who will be at Wolstein Center on Thursday because he's going to try to pack as many of the hits as he possibly can, he said. "I remember going to see Sinatra when he was in his 60s and I couldn't wait to hear all the songs my parents played when I was growing up," Manilow said. "That's where I've gone to now." But that doesn't mean he's folding the cover over his piano keys or turning off the microphone. "It's a young person's gig to be away from home for weeks and weeks at a time," he said. "I'm done with that, but I'm not retiring. Don't get me wrong. I will still be making records." He's going to have a tough time topping his latest, a technical wonder called "My Dream Duets" that has him singing 11 songs with 11 artists who have gone to that great nightclub in the sky. "Verve asked me if I wanted to do a duets album, and everybody and their mother is doing a duets album," he said. "I thought, 'How am I going to make MY duet album any different?'" His "crazy idea?" Singing with his favorite dead people. "I made a list of everybody I could've possibly thought of, and made about 30 or 40 demos," he said. He found a company that was able to take the original recordings, clean up the scratches and remove everything but the vocals. That allowed him to write new arrangements and record the songs with new orchestras. One of the sweetest tunes on the album, which was nominated for best traditional pop album in this year's Grammys, is John Denver's "Sunshine On My Shoulders." "That was his first single," Manilow said, "and he was singing so high. I was harmonizing higher, in a totally different range than I was used to singing in. I tried to stick to the original record on all of them," Manilow said. There were some chord changes and some added choruses, but fans of the originals won't have any trouble recognizing them. "I wanted to honor them," he said. "Yes, it's my record, but my goal was to introduce them to an audience that doesn't know them or honor them with the people who love them." That's why he's the harmony singer on all 11 tracks. The original artists -- Jimmy Durante, Mama Cass, Judy Garland, Whitney Houston, Andy Williams, Dusty Springfield, Sammy Davis Jr., Louis Armstrong, Marilyn Monroe, Frankie Lymon and Denver -- sing lead. Wait, there's one name conspicuous by its absence - Ol' Blue Eyes himself. "I wanted to do 'Strangers in the Night' with Sinatra, but I couldn't get permission because it was his 100th birthday," Manilow said. "That's the only one I had trouble with." Can you "Dream Duets, Vol. 2?" Barry Manilow. When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26. Where: Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center, 2000 Prospect Ave., Cleveland. Opener: Dave Koz. Tickets: $19.75 to $129.75, at the box office, online at Wolsteincenter.com and by phone at 1-877-468-4946. |
| February 13, 2015 | The Detroit News | "Barry Manilow saying goodbye to touring" by Patrick Dunn |
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| At 71, Barry Manilow is ready to throw in the towel on touring life. "I’ve been roaming the Earth for 40 years, packing and unpacking in hotels and dressing rooms," Manilow says. "After a while it’s enough." The chart-topping pop crooner is embarking on his "One Last Time" tour, which stops Sunday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Although Manilow says the tour will be his last, he hastens to note that he’s not retiring and will continue to do one-off performances and make records. Last year was a particularly productive year for Manilow’s recording career, as he released two very different records. The first, "Night Songs," has been nominated for a Grammy in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. Manilow says the stripped-back standards album, which features him accompanying himself on piano and bass, was initially just a "private project" that he pursued in his free time. But it took off when he played the songs for his manager. "They said, ‘Would you put it out?’" Manilow says. "I said, ‘Sure, what the hell?’, never having any idea that anybody would even discover this album, no less the Grammy committee finding it." Manilow’s other recent release, "My Dream Duets," was a considerably more complicated project. When his record company asked him to do a duets album, Manilow brainstormed to come up with an approach that would make his record stand out from other duets collections. He settled upon the idea of using technology to resurrect the voices of some of his favorite now-dead vocalists, interspersing his own vocals to create otherwise impossible duets. Manilow tested the idea by creating about 40 self-described "bad demos" of himself with various vocalists. He whittled down his list of fantasy duet partners to 11, including Whitney Houston, Jimmy Durante and Judy Garland, and hit the studio. "I had a bunch of geniuses working with me that made these songs sound like they were done yesterday and I was standing right next to Jimmy Durante," Manilow says. "It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever been involved with, and very creative, and very emotional, too." In the recording process, Manilow says he strove to keep a respectful spotlight on his now-deceased duet partners. "This was not my album," he says. "This was their album. I was honoring them, and I stayed pretty far away. Every time I would mute their voice I would say, ‘How dare you? These are legendary people.’" Manilow even found a way to take some of the "Dream" duets on the road with him. In Detroit, a video of Whitney Houston will appear to perform "I Believe In You and Me" with Manilow. In addition to the newer material, Manilow says he’s aiming to perform "every hit song I have" on the tour. Although he’s about to quit life on the road, he says he’s still looking forward to this last ride. "There is nothing like that curtain opening and being hit with the roar of thousands of people that are in your corner," Manilow says. "You’ve got to be dead not to be affected by this. And I will miss that." Barry Manilow with Dave Koz. 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The Palace of Auburn Hills. 6 Championship Drive, Auburn Hills. Tickets $19.75-$149.75. (248) 377-0100. www.palacenet.com |
| February 13, 2015 | The Kansas City Star | "Barry Manilow takes a Sprint Center crowd through a final arena extravaganza" by Timothy Finn |
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| For his final arena tour, Barry Manilow spared little extravagance or kitsch. His show at the Sprint Center on Thursday was a slick, sparkling display of nostalgia: a 71-year-old pop star lavishly celebrating 40 years in the entertainment business. For about 100 minutes, he showered more than 6,000 rabid 'fanilows' with 100 minutes of music and memories. The show opened in gaudy fashion: The enormous red velvet curtain parted, revealing all the trappings that would assist Manilow in his retrospective journey: a small orchestra, three backup singers/dancers and a large video screen that would broadcast an array of images, including footage of Manilow at the launch of his stardom. During "Can’t Smile Without You," a smiley face bounced over the lyrics, leading the crowd through the first of many loud sing-alongs. Dressed in a cherry-red smoking jacket over a black shirt, he opened with "It’s A Miracle," then an uptempo rendition of "Could It Be Magic," two hits that go back to the mid-1970s. He sustained a brisk pace throughout the night, showing some impressive endurance and agility for a guy his age who had hip surgery three years ago. He played keyboards and piano on several songs, including his stripped-down version of "Even Now"; otherwise he prowled the stage, playing to fans on both sides of the arena. Several times he joined his dancers in some low-impact choreography. Amid one of two medleys, he danced atop his piano. During his cover of Glenn Miller’s "Moonlight Serenade," he was lowered on a platform at the end of a short catwalk to near floor-level and invited a woman to join him in a slow dance. He would deliver all of his best-known songs, either in full version or as part of a medley. Most prompted loud ovations, wild waving of glow sticks and hearty sing-alongs, especially "Weekend in New England," "I Made It Through the Rain" and "Mandy." Before that one, the video screen showed footage of Clive Davis, on "Midnight Special," introducing a 30-something Manilow, who then performed the song. Eventually, the live Manilow emerged from offstage, now in a white dinner jacket, and took over the song. He was joined by Whitney Houston via the video screen for the version of "I Believe in You and Me" on "My Dream Duets," compilation of duets with legendary singers who have passed on. "I thought about calling it 'Dead Duets,'" he wisecracked. He closed with a second medley. This one reduced to long snippets [of] some of his best-known songs: "I Write the Songs," "American Bandstand," "This One’s for You," "Trying to Get the Feeling." He followed that with a lively version of "Copacabana (At the Copa)," one of his last Top 10 hits. He enlivened that one by enlisting a 24-person choir from the University of Missouri. As streamers spilled over the crowd on the floor, he delivered a quick reprise of "It’s a Miracle," then took a bow and waved goodbye. If it was his last arena show in Kansas City, it was a memorable farewell. |
| February 12, 2015 | Omaha World-Herald | "Barry Manilow works his magic in Omaha with farewell tour kickoff" by Kevin Coffey |
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| Nearly 8,000 roaring, dancing and singing fans greeted Barry Manilow one last time Wednesday. It was an epic send-off full nearly three dozen hit songs, swaying fans waving green glowsticks and the slow dances of lots of loving couples. The king of cabaret singers kicked off his farewell tour Wednesday night at the CenturyLink Center, and the unstoppable 71-year-old kept the crowd singing and dancing through his 90-minute set. Sporting a sparkling blue suit coat and an ear-to-ear smile, Manilow stepped onstage singing "It’s a Miracle" and assured the audience, "It’s gonna be magic tonight." In front of his 10-person band, Manilow pulled in his audience with hip thrusts, blown kisses, winks, jokes and a lively, powerful voice that could outpace many young singers and certainly most of his contemporaries. A showman who knows how to keep an audience engaged, Manilow moved deftly from singing "Mandy" and "Moonlight Serenade" to cracking about his age or commenting on just how much he loves those old songs. "Oh, Omaha. We’re back," Manilow said. "It’s cold in Omaha, but you’ve come to the right place because I’m here to warm you up." Even if it’s not what you’d normally listen to and even if you think it’s cheesy, Manilow’s farewell show was a fine piece of entertainment. Anyone with a favorite Manilow song almost assuredly heard it. Two lengthy medleys collectively ran through 20 songs including covers, songs from his 2001 album "Here at the Mayflower" and hits such as "One Voice." It meant a lot to the Manilow fans, who jumped to their feet at their favorite songs and waved green glow sticks. Manilow still made sure the show’s big pieces were still the best. During his version of "Moonlight Serenade," Manilow invited a fan onstage to slow dance. He sat down at his baby grand in a white jacket to sing "Mandy," and he finished the song in a duet with a video of a golden-voiced version of himself singing on a 1975 episode of "The Midnight Special." "I Write the Songs" capped off the last lengthy medley, and included 33 members of the Midland University choir. Manilow nailed the song’s final notes, and the audience roared to its feet. "Thanks, Omaha," Manilow said at the end of the evening. "Thanks for all the good years. I’ll never forget you." As he blew kisses, and reached out to touch his fans, the band started back up, and looking around it was hard to deny his status as a legendary and popular singer. The "fanilows" -- those dedicated Barry Manilow superfans -- did their best approximation of the cha-cha as Manilow crooned "Copacabana" for them one last time. But they weren’t the only ones dancing. Even the arena’s security staff couldn’t keep their feet still at the "Copacabana." |
| February 12, 2015 | The Kansas City Star | "This week in Kansas City: Barry Manilow" by Bill Brownlee |
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| Barry Manilow, Thursday at the Sprint Center: Although Barry Manilow is 71, he still possesses the cheerful exuberance of the young man who initially dazzled the world with a string of sunny pop songs in the 1970s. Released in 1978, Manilow’s first greatest hits album contained gems like "Mandy," "Looks Like We Made It" and "I Write the Songs." The latter composition, a ditty about creating a "worldwide symphony," is Manilow’s statement of purpose. Manilow has pledged that his current One Last Time tour is his final arena campaign. Smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz opens the show. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12. Sprint Center. 816-949-7000. sprintcenter.com. $19.75-$129.75. |
| February 12, 2015 | Wisconsin Gazette | "Barry Manilow" by Matthew Reddin |
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| Barry Manilow’s had a long, lucky career, working regularly as both a singer-songwriter and adaptor of others’ works since the ’70s. But he’s also entering his 70s, and has decided to scale things back accordingly. Cue the “One Last Time!” tour, one last run around the nation with all his greatest hits, including “Mandy,” “Copacabana” and more. Manilow will be joined on the tour by Dave Koz, a man as talented on the saxophone as Manilow is on the vocal chords. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee. $17–$127. bmoharrisbradleycenter.com. |
| February 12, 2015 | Yahoo! News | Manilow hits road for last time |
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| Barry Manilow has assured fans his days of mounting large tours are over. The beloved crooner, 71, kicked off his final tour in Nebraska this week and he'll wrap up his last trek in his native New York City in June. Manilow insists he won't be extending the string of dates or returning for another farewell. "It's the last big tour. It doesn't mean I'm retiring or anything. I'll do shows and I'll promote albums if I make any more, but no more big tours. That's it," he tells Billboard.com. "It's too much packing. It's 40 years - more than that, really - of packing and waiting for room service. "People think it's glamorous, but glamorous is the last word I would use for this job. You don't see anything; you see the inside of your hotel room, you see the inside of a car, you see the inside of your dressing room and then you're gone. I haven't gone sightseeing, ever. It's a job... So I'm calling it One Last Time! and I mean it." The tour coincides with the 40th anniversary of Manilow's first number one hit, Mandy. |
| February 11, 2015 | Broadway.com | "Barry Manilow Learns Broadway Lessons From Sting" by Imogen Lloyd Webber |
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| Barry Manilow on Sting & Bringing Harmony to B'way: Barry Manilow still hopes that his musical Harmony, which has previously played in Atlanta and L.A., will come to the Great White Way. However, the Grammy—and honorary Tony—winning icon is wary about the move to New York. “You just don't play around with this Broadway musical thing unless you just want to lose everything,” Manilow told Billboard. “Look what happened to Sting (and The Last Ship)... he did a beautiful job and they lost everything.” Harmony tells the story of a group of young men in 1920s Germany who formed one of the world’s first boy bands and rose to superstardom around the globe. |
| February 11, 2015 | Billboard | "Barry Manilow on His Final Tour: 'For Me, It's Enough'" by Gary Graff |
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| Barry Manilow says he's not kidding about the One Last Time! title of his latest -- and, he maintains, final -- concert tour. "It's the last big tour," Manilow tells Billboard. The trek starts Wednesday in Omaha, Neb., and plays 27 dates before wrapping up June 17 in his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y. "It doesn't mean I'm retiring or anything. I'll do shows and I'll promote albums if I make any more, but no more big tours. That's it. It's too much packing. It's 40 years -- more than that, really -- of packing and waiting for room service. People think it's glamorous, but glamorous is the last word I would use for this job. You don't see anything; you see the inside of your hotel room, you see the inside of a car, you see the inside of your dressing room and then you're gone. I haven't gone sightseeing, ever. It's a job. "Listen, Tony Bennett seems to be wonderful at it and he has no problems doing it. For me, it's enough. I'll probably miss the excitement, but I won't miss the touring. So I'm calling it One Last Time! and I mean it -- today, at least," he adds with a laugh. The One Last Time! Tour also coincides with the 40th anniversary of "Mandy," Manilow's first No. 1 hit and a song that launched a string of 16 top 10 hits between 1974 and 1981. Accordingly, Manilow plans to give fans what they came for during the shows. "I'm trying to do as many of the well-known songs as I can, hardly any album cuts this time," he says. "I'm doing the longest show that I've done for a while. The last tour rehearsal we did was over two hours. I'm trying to get in as many of the big hits as I can. Hopefully people will remember them, but I'm going to do them anyway." After a prolific 2014 during which he released two albums -- the Grammy Award-nominated "Night Songs" and the "My [Dream] Duets" set on which he sang to recordings of late artists -- Manilow has "a couple of ideas for future projects." Chief among those, he says, is finally bringing Harmony, his musical about Germany's the Comedian Harmonists, to Broadway. "I'd like Harmony to get to the finish line," he says. "We opened in Atlanta to brilliant reviews. Then we opened in L.A. to brilliant reviews, and we've got producers who are trying to get it into New York, which I would love to finally see." But Manilow also recognizes that bringing a show, especially an original story, to the Great White Way has become a "very, very dangerous" proposition. "Look what happened to Sting (and The Last Ship)," he says. "I saw his show. It was beautiful -- beautiful score, very interesting show, he did a beautiful job and they lost everything. You just don't play around with this Broadway musical thing unless you just want to lose everything. You put your heart and your soul into it, and when it doesn't work, as most of them don't, it just takes a piece out of you. But I've been working Harmony for so many years and I so believe in it and it's such great work I'd just like to see it through to the end." |
| February 11, 2015 | WOWT NBC Omaha | "Fanilows Unite!" by Jim Minge |
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| I didn't know what a "Fanilow" was until a colleague explained that she was one and that there are millions just like her all over the world who adore pop crooner Barry Manilow. Really? Fanilows? Like Deadheads? Or Juggalos? Well, they don't wear tie-dye, smoke mammoth amounts of weed or paint their faces like clowns. More like leisure suits and wine coolers? And yes, they follow Manilow cross-country to attend night after night of his shows. Now, I know what a Fanilow is and I know that there will be thousands of them at the CenturyLink Center on Wednesday, February 11th when Manilow brings his "One Last Time" tour to Omaha. With the 71-year-old Manilow, who scored hits with "Mandy," "Copacabana (At the Copa)" and "Can't Smile Without You," among others, will be award-winning saxophonist Dave Koz and a 13-piece band. Will this be the nine-time Grammy Award-winner's last hurrah? "(This tour) is my way of thanking everyone for their years of support...one last time!" Manilow said in a press release. What: Barry Manilow. When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 11th. Where: CenturyLink Center, 455 North 10th Street, Omaha. Tickets: $19.75 to $129.75. Web: centurylinkcenteromaha.com |
| February 10, 2015 | Omaha World-Herald | "A Q&A with Barry Manilow" by Kevin Coffey |
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| It’s Barry Manilow’s last hurrah. The "Mandy" and "Copacabana" crooner is hitting the road for one last big tour, and he’ll start off in Omaha. "In Omaha, they’ve always been good to me," Manilow told The World-Herald. Before he arrived in town to kick off his farewell tour, we spoke to him about "Mandy," Fanilows, his long run and hitting the road one last time. The World-Herald (WH): So, this is your last tour ever?
Barry Manilow (BM): It’s the last of the big tours. This is the last time I’m packing for a tour. I’ve been doing it enough. I’ll be making albums and doing stuff, but no more of these big tours. We’re going to places that have been good to me, and we’ll say goodbye that way. I thought, "If I could get all the old charts out and do all the hits that I could possibly could, to do that would be a good way to go out. WH: Are you tired of the long road tours at this point?
BM: It’s a lifestyle. It’s not glamorous — it’s the farthest word you’d use. You get into a car, they take you to the gig. It’s a bad dressing room. You don’t go sight-seeing or go somewhere gorgeous. It’s a different kind of gig. It’s a real job. WH: I can’t believe "Mandy" is 40 years old. Does that blow you away?
BM: I think back to that day in the recording studio, this young guy sitting behind the piano figuring out how to sing this song. Clive (Davis) gave me this song called "Brandy." I tried to do it the way the composer did it, and it didn’t sound good to me. I changed the chords around and changed the structure around. It sounded great to me. Later we added strings. I turned it into the power ballad — it was the first power ballad. It was just a normal day for me, this young guy trying to get something happening for me. After I put "Mandy" down, I went home and picked up the dry cleaning and walked the dog. One month later, when this thing came out, this thing exploded and so did my life. When I think back on my life, this young guy didn’t know what was about to happen. It does seem 40 years ago for me. WH: You have a huge and dedicated following. What do you think about your fans.
BM: I’m a very grateful guy. They’ve been with me for many, many years. These people have stayed with me through thick and thin, through every album, every crazy thing I’ve done, every bad outfit I’ve worn, every bad hair color. They don’t care. The critics just killed me, and (the fans) wrote to me saying, "Don’t listen to them. We like what you do." They are the reason that I’m still here. I’ll never be able to thank them enough. WH: You’ve had a long run of success.
BM: I had 10 years of hit records. I lasted longer than many other artists. Usually you get five years. Then the music styles changed, of course, and my music didn’t fit on the radio stations any more. That let me out of prison. Then I could do whatever I wanted. That’s when I made my first jazz album. There were styles I always loved and was never able to do - big band, showtunes, swing. I’ve never been about hit singles or the money or that kind of success. It’s always been about making the most beautiful music I could make. |
| February 9, 2015 | The Kansas City Star | "Barry Manilow taking one more lap on the arena circuit" by Timothy Finn |
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| He is bringing his One Last Time Tour to the Sprint Center on Thursday, but Barry Manilow wants to make it clear it’s not a farewell tour. He is not retiring. "I’ve been roaming the earth for 40 years, and it’s not that I’m retiring," he told The Star recently. "I will still make albums and do one-nighters here and there. This is the last of the big tours that keep me away from home and living my life. It’s time to stop the big tours, not time to stop." It was 40 years ago in October that Manilow recorded "Mandy," a song that had been a hit for Scott English in Britain, although it was titled "Brandy." It became the first of 11 Top 10 hits for Manilow, and it propelled his career unexpectedly. "I was this young guy who didn’t know what was going to happen to him," he said. "The day I recorded ‘Mandy,’ it was just one song out of 10 I was going to put on my second album, hoping one of them would make it on the radio. But I had no confidence in it. It was a beautiful little ballad, and there were no little ballads on the radio then. I don’t know what was on the radio then -- 'Boogie-oogie-oogie' or something. So I thought, 'This one has no chance.' So I recorded it and went on with my life as a struggling musician. A month later, this record went No. 1 and my life exploded." "Barry Manilow II" sold more than 2 million albums and jumped to No. 9 on the charts, the first of five successive Top 10 albums for Manilow. The most successful of those was "Even Now," which sold more than 3 million copies and hit No. 3 on the charts. He has released 28 studio albums since 1973, including two last year: "Night Songs," a compilation of his takes on songs from musicals and from the American songbook; and "My Dream Duets," a compilation of virtual duets in which Manilow sings with legends who have passed on, including Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Durante, John Denver and Cass Elliot. Both cracked the Top 10 — a sign that there is still demand for his recorded music. Manilow, 71, said he plans to write and record more but not in the immediate future. "This year is all about putting this show together," he said. "After the show is done, I’ll deal with what’s next." The show will be arranged for arenas and big crowds, although his preference is for smaller venues. "What I do is intimate," he said. "It’s difficult to be intimate in front of 15,000 people. But there’s nothing like the excitement of a huge audience. I can’t even describe it. It’s like floating on air. When they cheer you on, it’s exciting. Thank goodness we have a great sound system and a great band and screens so everybody can enjoy it." The set list will be a retrospective of his long career, and not just the hits. "I’m going to try to do as many of the big hits as I can, and even some of the smaller hits," he said. "I dug out some arrangements and had the band learn the songs that were on the radio and some of the songs I haven’t done in a long time. We’ve been rehearsing everything. I’m one of the lucky guys with a big catalog that people know. I’m going to try to sing as many as I can. Those songs are all more meaningful to me now." The tour comprises 28 shows. It starts Wednesday in Omaha; Kansas City is the second stop. It ends June 17 - Manilow’s birthday - in Brooklyn, his hometown. And he reiterates: It’s not a farewell tour. "I’m really not thinking about that (final show) right now," he said. "As it gets closer I’m sure I will. It’s on my birthday where I started. It’s the perfect ending -- of the big tours. I’m not stopping. I’d have to be nuts to stop. Walking on stage and being greeted with incredible energy: You’d have to be dead to not be moved by that." |
| February 11, 2015 | Detroit Free Press | "Barry Manilow plays the Palace of Auburn Hills on Sunday" by Brian McCollum |
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| He won't call it retirement, but at 71, the veteran tunesmith is declaring this to be his final major tour. It comes on the heels of a pair of Top 10 albums last year - "Night Songs" and "My Dream Duets" - but Manilow has vowed that this will be a set full of his best-known hits as he journeys back through a career that kicked into high gear 40 years ago with "Mandy." 7:30 p.m., the Palace of Auburn Hills, I-75 at exit 81. 248-377-0100. $19.75-$149.75. |
| February 9, 2015 | Digital Journal | Meyer Music Designated Music Instrument Drop off Location for Manilow Music Project: Donators to receive voucher for two free tickets to Barry Manilow Concert at the Center
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| Meyer Music, a family-owned music store, is designated as an official drop off point for new or gently used musical instruments. The instruments are being collected by The Manilow Music Project (MMP), which will donate them to Kansas City Public School (KCPS) children. Donators will receive a voucher to be exchanged at Sprint Center box office for two complimentary tickets (valid for pre-selected seats) to Barry Manilows ONE LAST TIME! concert on February 12 at the Center. The public may donate an instrument at any one of three Meyer Music locations in Blue Springs, Overland Park and Kansas City North during normal business hours now through February 12, 2015. The public can also drop off an instrument at Sprint Center Mon-Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-2pm; closed Sunday. Barry Manilow, legendary singer and songwriter, is donating a new Yamaha piano to kick off the music instrument drive. "I know firsthand how invaluable music education is. It is a privilege for me to help bring the gift of music to these kids," said Manilow. The Manilow Music Project (MMP) is part of The Manilow Fund for Health and Hope. Its primary focus is to provide musical instruments to high schools and middle schools and to provide music scholarships at universities throughout the US, Canada, and the UK. Meyer Music is honored to be a drop off location for such an important cause, says Meyer Musics, Mike Meyer. "MMPs mission is much like our Band of Angels project and we're happy to promote music lessons and education any way we can. Meyer Musics founders and my parents, Ted and Betty Meyer, were both former educators in Kansas City schools, so its a pleasure to help MMP put instruments in those children's hands." About Meyer Music: Meyer Music is a family-owned Kansas City music store founded in 1966. Meyer Music carries the largest selection of new and used Yamaha pianos in Kansas City. The store also rents band and orchestra instruments to students and offers more private music lessons and instructors than any other music store in the metro area. About Band of Angels: Band of Angels is a Kansas City based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that collects used instruments, restores them and gives them to children in need. About The Manilow Music Project: In response to the needs of the local public schools and their severely depleted music programs, Barry Manilow gathered some friends and formed The Manilow Music Project as part of his nonprofit Manilow Health and Hope Fund. The Manilow Music Projects mission statement highlights the importance of music programs in our schools and donates instruments and materials to school music programs. For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-579983.htm |
| February 9, 2015 | The Columbia Dispatch | Manilow’s generosity should spur donations |
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| Kudos to singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, who will deepen his musical legacy as he comes through Columbus on tour next month. Manilow will be donating a Yamaha piano to the Columbus City Schools in advance of his One Last Time! Tour, and he hopes to encourage others to donate new or gently used instruments to the district. In exchange, donors will get two tickets to see him perform at Nationwide Arena on March 1. People can drop their instruments off at the arena until March 1 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. And while they enjoy Manilow’s show, donors can feel good knowing that they have enriched the lives and unleashed the talents of the Columbus students who will learn to make music with the donated instruments. According to the National Association for Music Education, kids who study and perform instrumental music learn discipline, pattern recognition, hand-eye coordination, better spatial intelligence (good for advanced mathematics), teamwork and self-confidence, and reading music helps train the areas of the brain that deal with language and reasoning. |
| February 9, 2015 | Omaha World-Herald | "Donate a musical instrument, get free tickets to Barry Manilow's Omaha concert" by Kevin Coffey |
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| Barry Manilow wants more instruments in the hands of children. To do so, he’s asking people to donate instruments and in turn receive free tickets to his Wednesday concert. To kick-start donations for his Manilow Music Project, the singer donated a Yamaha piano to Omaha Public Schools. "When I found out that the high schools and middle schools are running out of instruments or the ones they have are broken down, I said, 'I gotta do something,'" Manilow told The World-Herald. To help the drive, you can donate a new or gently used musical instrument at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office. You’ll receive two free tickets to Manilow’s Omaha show. "It’s my way of doing something," Manilow said. "I know how important music is to young kids. I’m a living example of that." |
| February 5, 2015 | 41 KSHB Kansas City | Get free Barry Manilow tickets with instrument donation |
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| Barry Manilow is coming to Kansas City one final time, and you can get two free tickets by simply donating a musical instrument. People looking to get free tickets need to donate a new or gently used musical instrument to the Sprint Center Box Office before Sunday, Feb. 12, the day of the concert. The drop-off location is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. You can also drop off instruments at any of the three Meyer Music locations and receive a voucher for two complimentary tickets that can be exchanged at the Sprint Center Box office the night of the concert. Manilow donated a Yamaha piano to launch the drive for Kansas City Public Schools. “I know firsthand how invaluable music education is,” Manilow said in a press release. “It is a privilege for me to help bring the gift of music to these kids." Tickets for Manilow’s ONE LAST TIME! concert are available online at Manilow.com or axs.com, in person at the Sprint Center Box Office or by calling 1-888-929-7849. |
| February 5, 2015 | 98.1 FM KMBZ | Barry Manilow offers free concert tickets with instrument donation |
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| Have a musical instrument lying around the house that you don’t use anymore? According to the Sprint Center's Facebook page, anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument will receive two free tickets to the Barry Manilow concert on Feb. 12. The mission of the Manilow Music Project is to highlight the importance of music programs in schools and to get instruments and materials donated to those programs. The Kansas City School District, Joplin High School, and School Service Center in Wichita, Kansas have all benefited from the Project. Just drop your instrument off at the Sprint Center box office to get your tickets. |
| February 4, 2015 | The Columbus Dispatch | "Manilow spearheads instrument drive for Columbus schools" by Charlie Boss & Collin Binkley |
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| The Education Insider has longed for an opportunity to talk about the musical legend behind "Copacabana," "Can’t Smile Without You" and "Mandy." That day has finally come. Barry Manilow, whose One Last Time! Tour is to arrive in Columbus on March 1, is donating a Yamaha piano to launch a musical-instrument drive for Columbus City Schools. Anyone who donates a new or gently-used instrument will receive two free tickets to his concert at Nationwide Arena. People can donate musical instruments at the arena from now until March 1. The drop-off location is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. "Columbus City Schools is greatly appreciative of Mr. Manilow’s generosity," Superintendent Dan Good said in a statement. "Our students and staff will take great measure to assure that his gift will enhance the creative spirit of Columbus City Schools’ families for generations to come." |
| February 6, 2015 | Lansing State Journal | Great concert hitting Michigan in February: Barry Manilow |
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| Barry Manilow is out on his "One Last Time!" tour, and, on Feb. 15, the legend brings his tunes to the Palace of Auburn Hills. The tour, he said, is a way of "thanking everyone for their years of support, one last time." The spectacle will have Manilow performing with his band of 13 musicians and singers. "We're having a great time putting the show together," Manilow said. "We hope to take everyone on an emotional roller coaster. I can't wait to see everyone dancing in the aisles." Expect to hear all the hits, including his chart-topper "Mandy," which made Manilow a household name in the '70s. Manilow also released a new album, "My Dream Duets," last fall, which has him performing "duets" with his musical heroes such as Judy Garland, Louis Armstrong and Whitney Houston via modern technology. Perfect for: The classic music fan. Show details: Barry Manilow, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15, The Palace of Auburn Hills, tickets $149.75, $99.75, $79.75 and $19.75 available via www.palacenet.com, www.livenation.com, The Palace Ticket Store, all Ticketmaster locations and by calling 800-745-3000. |
| February 3, 2015 | The Oakland Press | "Manilow Music Project keys on Pontiac schools for instrument drive" by Gary Graff |
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| Barry Manilow wants to put some musical instruments in the hands of Pontiac School District children. The Grammy Award-winning hitmaker is using his Feb. 15 show at The Palace of Auburn Hills as part of his Manilow Music Project Drive to help offset cuts to music programs in public schools. Anyone bringing a new or gently used musical instrument to the Palace box office will receive two free tickets for the show, with the donations going to Pontiac schools. Manilow -- whose No. 1 hits include "Mandy," "I Write the Songs" and "Looks Like We Made It" -- is also donating a Yamaha piano to the district. "I’ve been doing this for years," Manilow said on Tuesday, Feb. 3. "When I realized that the schools were running out of instruments or the instruments they had were broke down or they were cutting music classes, I just said, 'I’ve got to do something.' "I’m just trying to make the public aware of the fact that this is a problem, that they’re running out of instruments and how important it is for kids to have music in their lives. Every time I speak to teachers or principals, they always tell me the kids’ grades go up, they learn how to interact with other kids. It’s a life-changing thing, and even if they never become a professional it will never leave them and they become better people from it." Pontiac schools superintendent Kelley Williams said in a statement that, "We are honored and delighted to be the recipient of such generosity from the Manilow Music Project. Music promotes learning and enriches the lives of our youth and we are very appreciative to be able to share this gift with our students." Manilow’s show is part of his One Last Time! Tour, which he says will be the last of his extensive tours. For more information call 248-377-0100 or visit www.palacenet.com. |
| February 3, 2015 | OnMilwaukee.com | Manilow kicks off instrument drive by donating piano to MPS |
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| On Tuesday, Feb. 24, Barry Manilow will bring his music to Milwaukee for the final time, performing at the BMO Harris Bradley Center as a part of his "One Last Time!" tour. However, the legendary performer hopes to leave some music behind as well. Today, Manilow donated a new Yamaha piano to benefit Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), kicking off a local instrument drive to support music education. From now through the day of Manilow's show, anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument at the BMO Harris Bradley Center Potawatomi Gate ticket office will receive two free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations) to the performer's final Milwaukee concert. Manilow previously initiated a similar drive – including pairs of free tickets – prior to his 2012 concert at the Milwaukee Theatre. "I know firsthand how invaluable music education is," Manilow said. "It is a privilege for me to help bring the gift of music to these kids." "We are very appreciative of the support and generosity of the Manilow Music Project in their efforts to support music education in Milwaukee Public Schools," said MPS Music Curriculum Specialist Tony Soyak, who oversees music education in the district. "The donation of new and gently used instruments will help us as we continue to expand music programs and create more opportunities for all our students to explore and develop their talents." The drop off location for donated musical instruments is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Saturday from noon until 4 p.m. and closed on Sundays. |
| February 3, 2015 | The Detroit News | "Barry Manilow donates to Pontiac schools" by Melody Baetens |
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| Crooner Barry Manilow kicked off an instrument drive for the Pontiac School District by donating a Yamaha piano from his Manilow Music Project. The "Mandy" singer is encouraging folks to donate new or gently used musical instruments to The Palace of Auburn Hills in exchange for a pair of tickets to his Feb. 15 concert. Donations can be made at The Palace starting at 9 a.m. daily until the day of the show. Visit manilowmusicproject.org (for details). |
| February 3, 2015 | AM 730 KWOA | One Last Time! Tour |
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| Barry Manilow recently announced that he is going to "hit the road" and perform concerts across North America ONE LAST TIME!, along with special guest Dave Koz. Manilow will launch his multiple-city ONE LAST TIME! Tour beginning in Omaha, NE on February 11, 2015 at the CenturyLink Center. Tickets are ON SALE NOW and range from $18-$127 via www.manilow.com and www.aeglive.com. You can also tune in to AM 730 KWOA this week for chances to win tickets! Manilow's unparalleled career encompasses virtually every area of music, including performing, composing, arranging and producing. A Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Manilow has triumphed in every medium of entertainment. With worldwide record sales exceeding 80 million, Barry Manilow is ranked as the top Adult Contemporary chart artist of all time with over 50 Top 40 hits. Koz is no stranger to the touring stage or to Manilow. The two recently shared stages across the UK during Manilow’s tour this past May. As a solo performer, Koz sells out over 60 concerts a year in North America and he’s also a platinum-selling artist with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With seven No.1 Contemporary Jazz Albums, and host of the award-winning Dave Koz Radio Show (now in its 20th year), Koz will present a broad range of repertoire to his signature smooth Jazz style, which includes such smash singles as "You Make Me Smile," "Got To Get You Into My Life," "Together Again," "Faces of the Heart," and "Honey-Dipped." For more information on Dave Koz, please visit: www.davekoz.com. |
| February 2, 2015 | WBNS-10TV | Barry Manilow Donates Piano To Columbus City Schools To Kick Off Instrument Drive |
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| COLUMBUS, Ohio - Legendary singer-songwriter Barry Manilow has donated a Yamaha piano to launch a local instrument drive during his One Last Time! Tour for Columbus City Schools. "I know firsthand how invaluable music education is," said Manilow. "It is a privilege for me to help bring the gift of music to these kids." Nationwide Arena will be the base for the instrument drive in Columbus, from now through March 1, 2015. The instrument drop off location is open between Mon-Fri 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Closed Sunday. Meantime, anyone who donates a new or gently used musical instrument to the Nationwide Arena Box Office will receive two free tickets (valid for pre-selected seat locations) for Manilow’s March 1 concert in Columbus. "Columbus City Schools is greatly appreciative of Mr. Manilow’s generosity, and we truly applaud his commitment to education through the "Manilow Music Project," as well as his lifelong contributions to the music industry," said Superintendent/CEO Dr. Dan Good. "Our students and staff will take great measure to assure that his gift will enhance the creative spirit of Columbus City Schools' families for generations to come." |
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