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Hi Everyone

Well, I’m alive!!

:-)

This horrible flu/bronchitis/head cold was a real big one. It’s gone through the band and crew like wildfire. It’s going through all the shows in Vegas. Even Donnie and Marie had to cancel their show.

Doesn't surprise me in the least.  Those resorts are petri dishes, I swear.  The older ones are the worst.  I have come home with something every time I stayed at the Hilton. I won't set foot in the Sahara.

On Thursday, I came in especially to light and stage the new Christmas segment with Chris Medvitz, my media/lighting designer.

Keely and a few of my crew told me that during the two weeks between Paris weekends, they were in bed feeling awful.

The whole country has it.  I won't bore (or sicken) you with the details of what it was like when three kids in the same house catch the same bug with different results.

But I was feeling fine all day Thursday. On Friday, I was still okay and started run-through’s with the adorable children’s choir from the schools in Vegas.

At 5:30 I did the very last run through with the kids and as I got to the last few notes of “Because It’s Christmas” I could feel my chest and vocal chords tighten up.

Within one hour –ONE HOUR- I had 102 degree fever, and I could barely speak, no less sing.

I will do anything not to cancel a show. I have performed with fever, flu, broken toes, death in the family, hurting hips – but if bronchitis hits a singer, there’s nothing to be done.

Two doctors said to me: “Barry. Go home.”

Ya didn't listen to the first one, did you?  He had to call in reinforcements to get you to rest?

So, feeling horrible Jewish Guilt, I canceled the show. And the entire weekend.

Just like when I passed on my "Vegas Bug" to my eldest and she came down with walking pneumonia.  Excet that was Catholic Guilt.  Same guilt, different holidays.

I want to apologize to all those people who planned on seeing our show. I am so sorry I had to cancel that weekend.

When you're sick, you're sick and since no one wants to watch you barf or pass out on stage, an apology isn't necessary.  But it's nice to hear it and the words mean a lot to those who had to miss you.

We all came back and did last weekend, but by the way, half of the band and crew are still suffering with this nasty strain of flu. Thanks everyone, for understanding.

I read that BMI printed the titles to the songs on Fifteen Minutes. The only titles that are part of Fifteen Minutes are the songs that were written by Enoch Anderson and myself.

Hey, we need something to chew on until the big unveiling.  Do you blame us?

The album is moving along. Very exciting.

Speaking of albums, Sony in Australia, is releasing a CD of all of my duets over the years. Listening to them all back to back is very entertaining and pretty powerful. From singing with Sarah Vaughan on “Blue” to Bette Midler on “Slow Boat To China” to Lily Tomlin on “The Last Duet”. The list goes on and on and it’s such an honor to have been able to write, arrange and sing with these great talents. I hope you like this CD.

Any chance it will hit iTunes in the USA?  Or maybe on starz.bz as an import? "Slow Boat to China" is my favorite in that list.

And by the way, the duet with Elaine Paige is out and I think it’s great. A beautiful song (“The Prayer”) and Elaine is just wonderful on it. I loved singing the song and singing with her.

I finished doing a very interesting project last week.

The BBC2 in Britain offered me to host my own series about great composers of the Great American Songbook. I’m calling it “They Write The Songs”.

Ten weeks. Tuesdays at 10:00PM.

Each week I talk about the life of a great composer – Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, etc. – play their music sung by great vocalists and play and sing now and then as I describe why their songs are different and lasting.

It was like writing a thesis on each composer, but I learned so much about these talented men who gave us some of the greatest songs ever.

It begins airing in the U.K. and on line in March. If you can find BBC2, check it out. I love it.

This is going to be great!  For the Yanks, bookmark this and listen online:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/  Someone post when they go up, 'K?
I'm glad you're into these types of shows.  I listened to your stint on "Desert Island Discs" as many times as I could before it was pulled from the BBC site.  I can't tell whether you were just talking or trying to teach the crowds something more about music than they (we) casually here, but I learned a lot from it.  In your book you talk a lot about Laura Nyro and well.....  I had no f*cking idea what you were talking about.  On the radio when you're describing what you liked and why, and the impact the music had on you, it made a lot more sense.  I can hear why she's one of your favorites.  I don't have the words, they probably exist, but it's something that even someone like me can hear.  Because of the music you made, new worlds opened up to me and others like me who otherwise wouldn't pay attention to these types of music that are outside of the mainstream. 

Have a great holiday, everyone and thanks for another wonderful year.

Same to you - especially that last part.  I think you're in Oslo now for the Nobel Prize presentation.  (Or lack of presentation.  We'll be perched by the news seeing how that plays out.)  Congrats also on the Grammy nomination!  You've gotten so many is it something that becomes routine?  Or that you get tired of?  Or is it still exciting when your name is on the list in the press release?

Just got an email from your people at Stiletto about your performing at the Grammys as well.  Not that you need any ideas but these "insider" type of shows would get a good response on Manilow TV.  Somehow it's easy to imagine that you perform differently for your peers and other "industry people" than you do for the average fan audience. 

We're not going to forget about "Fifteen Minutes".  If your heart is in that work the way it was in "Paradise Cafe" or "Mayflower" it will be incredible.  That's the way it always is with your music.  I know you're not going to "rest" so I'll just say I hope you have a good holiday season (whatever you're celebrating) with family and friends.

Love,
Barry

YBA

Giving Thanks Down Under

Courtesy of TPTB via Hotline.
There's going to be a lot of happy Australians in April!  Great deal, considering "tours" allegedly don't happen anymore.  Whoever's going, make sure to post your story somewhere!

After 15 years, Barry is returning to Australia with his brand new orchestra show!


Starting on 7 April, Barry, his band, and singers will be travelling to various cities in Australia and performing with local orchestras in each city. That’s right…Barry…his band…his singers…60 musicians….all of the hits….and you!

Here is the complete schedule:

Brisbane
Performing with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Thursday 7 April 2011 - Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Sydney
Performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Saturday 9 April 2011 - Sydney Acer Arena

Melbourne
Performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Monday 11 April 2011 - Rod Laver Arena

Adelaide
Performing with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday 13 April 2011 - Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Perth
Performing with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Saturday 16 April 2011 - Perth Sandalford Estate

BMIFC members always get the first chance to buy the best seats in the house before they are available to the general public. BMIFC Tickets are available on Wednesday, December 1 at 12 PM (Eastern Australia – Sydney) and 9 AM (Western Australia – Perth) and Tuesday, November 30 at 5 PM (Pacific – Los Angeles). BMIFC tickets are only available by calling 0011-1-310-957-5788 or going to www.starz.bz/bmifc.

Front Row tickets will also be available on December 1 ONLY at http://www.frontrowmanilow.com/!

Barry can’t wait to see all of his Australian friends and share this incredible new concert with them!

So, don’t delay, grab your great seats before they are available to the public!

See you down under!

All it Takes is One Voice

From the Washington Examiner:

Manilow, Jamiroquai to perform at Nobel peace concert

Associated Press

11/16/10 6:21 PM EST OSLO, NORWAY — Barry Manilow and Jamiroquai have joined the lineup of artists to perform at the annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo.

Organizers say Indian musician A.R. Rahman, who did the score for "Slumdog Millionaire," will also feature in the Dec. 11 show honoring this year's peace laureate, imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington will host the concert, which is always held a day after the prize ceremony.

Previously announced performers include British pop band Florence and the Machine, U.S. pop singer Colbie Caillat, pianist Herbie Hancock and singer-songwriter Elvis Costello.

A quick bio of Liu Xiaobo

"One Voice" and "Let Freedom Ring" are the obvious choices for this performance, unless Barry has something else up his sleeve.

Every year, we bitch and moan about politics in the USA. We complain about how "uncivil" politics are, but only when the politicians WE support are on the receiving end.  (Those we opposed, well - who cares how they get treated, right?)  For nearly ten years, the USA has become more and more divided along party lines and the news media has abandoned any illusion of objectivity.  But our political system is still a beacon of hope that others around the world give their lives every day to attain.  We all have the right to bitch and moan.  In public.  On blogs.  On street corners, even.  The news media has the right to be biased if they want, or if their business model encourages it.    Media personalities can hold rallies right in Washington.   New movements can start (like the Tea Party) and they can be derided by those in disagreement (like MSNBC).  The worst anyone has to worry about is the court of public opinion.  No one ends up in a labor camp in Siberia, or in a shithole prison in the armpit of China.

I think we're frakkin' spoiled over here.  It takes a spotlight on an activist such as Liu Xiaobo to remember how fortunate we are - even as we complain about USA politics and politicians.

The Power of Reminiscing

Late night, the first time I've been able to check into ManilowTV for a while.  This month's video is a special made for VH1 promoting the Summer of '78 record.  Guess who didn't have cable at the time?

I never get tired of this type of show - up close, a very intimate feel, lots of storytelling.  Serious fans know most of the anecdotes Barry was telling in this episode but there always seems to be something new that gets thrown in.  (If anyone is taking requests, I'd get a giggle out of the "Richmond, Indiana" story.)

After blogging for going on 3 years, I've learned there's a fine balance in telling personal stories.  Some things are just too personal, complicated, or embarrassing to put out there.  Or so I think - it's always worse to me than it is to people reading it.  On the other hand, taking the time to develop personal stories for public consumption is cathartic.  There were some serious tough times that just would NOT go away for me, until I organized them into chapters and put them out for 6 billion people to see.  Now it's over and I don't have to think about it anymore.  Unless I want to - and it's easy.

But I always hold something back.  Whether it's names or specific places or something like that.  In my mind that small barrier makes being open about myself easier.  It's like being open without being vulnerable.

I wonder if it's the same or even similar for anyone in entertainment when they decide to tell personal stories.

M&G Contest from the Desert Sun Newspaper

Short and sweet:

The Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs is hosting a contest.  The prize is a weekend in Vegas including Barry's show and a spot in the meet and greet.

Here's the main link

Here's where you can sign up

(To the Desert Sun web folks - not *everything* has to open in a new window, K?  Just my 2 cents.  Otherwise great site!)

Good luck to everyone jumping at this chance.  Post your story if you win for the rest of us!