Music Legend Barry Manilow to Undergo Surgery for Lung Cancer.
Barry Manilow announced that he received a diagnosis with a cancerous growth in his lung and will undergo a surgical procedure.
Cancer Caught Early
The 82-year-old singer, famous for his series of high-spirited hits from "Mandy" cemented his status as one of pop music’s enduringly popular showmen, will have a procedure to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to combat the condition, which is detected early.
“As my fans are aware, I recently suffered from six weeks of a bronchial infection followed by a return of another five weeks.
“Even though I was past the infection and returned to the spotlight in Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor insisted on an MRI just to be certain that there were no issues.
“The MRI detected a tumor on my left side that must be removed. It’s incredible chance (and a fantastic physician) that it was found so early.”
Rescheduled Shows
He has postponed a number of planned shows, but indicated he would be on stage again by mid-February for his longstanding residency at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.
He added: “The medical team do not believe it has traveled and I’m undergoing further tests to support their conclusion. So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just rest and recuperation and classic TV.
“I’m looking forward to until I return to my familiar venue in Las Vegas for our Valentine’s weekend concerts.”
A Long Career and Personal Life
Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a show in Nevada. The singer has spent decades in the spotlight and came out as gay in 2017, after tying the knot with his partner of many years, Garry Kief confidentially in 2014.
The couple were in a private partnership for over 35 years. In 2023, Manilow spoke about how vital his partner had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.
“When my fame skyrocketed, it was just hectic. And, you know, returning to an vacant room, you can find yourself in a lot of trouble if you, you know, you’re by yourself 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 somebody to be vulnerable with or to share joys with.
“I hope that aspiring artists don’t have to go back to those hotel rooms by themselves, because you can make poor choices. I never did. But it was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was joyful.”
