Barry Manilow Scheduled for an Operation for a Lung Cancer Diagnosis.

Barry Manilow announced that he has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will undergo surgery.

Cancer Caught Early

The octogenarian performer, famous for his series of upbeat chart-toppers from "Copacabana" established him as one of pop music’s most beloved showmen, will have an operation to extract a portion of his lung in an effort to fight off the condition, which is detected early.

“For those who have been following, I recently went through six weeks of a severe cough followed by a recurrence of another five weeks.

“Although I was over the bronchitis and returned to the spotlight at the Westgate Las Vegas, my excellent physician requested an MRI just to make sure that all was clear.

“The MRI identified a tumor on my lung that needs to be removed. It’s incredible chance (and a fantastic physician) that it was found so early.”

Rescheduled Shows

He has postponed a number of forthcoming live performances, but stated he would be on stage again by mid-February for his enduring residency at his Vegas home.

He went on to say: “The medical team do not believe it has traveled and I’m taking tests to verify their assessment. So, that’s it. No chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is off the table. Just rest and recuperation and I Love Lucy reruns.

“I’m looking forward to until I rejoin my second home for our Vegas run for our special weekend performances.”

Professional and Personal Journey

Manilow is now in the 16th year of a concert series at the Westgate Las Vegas. The singer has spent decades in the spotlight and came out as gay in 2017, after wedding his partner of many years, Garry Kief confidentially in 2014.

The pair were in a discreet romance for over 35 years. Recently, Manilow discussed how crucial his partner had been to him during his rise to peak fame in the 1970s.

“During my rapid rise to fame, it was just crazy. And, you know, returning to an lonesome hotel suite, you can get into a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re alone night after night,” he said.

“But I found my partner right around when it was blowing up. And I didn’t have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had a person to be vulnerable with or to celebrate with.

“I desire that young people don’t have to go back to those hotel rooms by themselves, because you might succumb to pitfalls. I never did. But it was very solitary until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”

John Pittman
John Pittman

A seasoned casino analyst with over a decade of experience in gaming strategies and industry insights.

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