Music Legend Barry Manilow Will Have Surgery for Lung Cancer.
The singer has disclosed that he was diagnosed with lung cancer and will undergo an operation.
Cancer Caught Early
The octogenarian performer, famous for his series of upbeat chart-toppers from "Copacabana" has made him one of pop music’s enduringly popular performers, will have a procedure to remove part of his lung in an effort to combat the condition, which is at an early phase.
“As my fans are aware, I recently suffered from six weeks of a severe cough followed by a recurrence of another five weeks.
“Although I was recovered from the illness and performing again at the Westgate Las Vegas, my attentive medical team ordered an MRI just to be certain that there were no issues.
“The MRI discovered a tumor on my left lung that requires removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a great doctor) that it was discovered so early.”
Rescheduled Shows
He has rescheduled a string of forthcoming shows, but indicated he would be back on stage by Valentine’s Day for his long-running residency in Las Vegas.
He continued: “The doctors do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to verify their assessment. So, that’s it. No chemo. Radiation therapy is off the table. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.
“I’m looking forward to until I rejoin my home away from home in Las Vegas for our February love-themed shows.”
Professional and Personal Journey
Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a show in Nevada. The singer has enjoyed a career spanning many years in the limelight and revealed he is gay in 2017, after tying the knot with his longtime partner and manager confidentially in 2014.
The duo were in a clandestine relationship for over 35 years. In 2023, Manilow reflected on how important his partner had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.
“As my career exploded, it was just crazy. And, you know, going back to an vacant room, you can land in a lot of problems if you, you know, you’re on your own repeatedly,” he said.
“But I encountered my future husband right around when it was taking off. And I no longer had to go back to those lonesome rooms. I had a partner to be vulnerable with or to celebrate with.
“I desire that young people don’t have to go back to those rooms by themselves, because you might succumb to pitfalls. I never did. But it was pretty lonely until I met Garry. And then it was a shared adventure.”