Concord Records

Barry was glad he was with Concord Records. He'd been with Concord Records since 2001. That's when Arista Records changed company presidents. Out was Clive Davis who founded the label and in as LA Reed. He was at a party where he met Glen Barros the head of Concord Records. He liked the idea behind Glen Barros' label. Barry signed on the dotted line with Concord Records where he's been ever since. His first album for Concord Records was Here At The Mayflower. Which debuted at number one on both the Billboard Hot 200 Album chart and the Billboard Jazz chart. Two years ago he was asked by Verve to join their label. Brian Murphy had joined Verve and suggested to them they ask Barry to join their label as well. Barry told them that he was happy at Concord Records. No he did not want to join Verve Records. Thank God he didn't join Verve Records. Since it seems they weren't really doing a good job of promoting Brian Murphy's latest album. It looked like Brian was doing all the promotional work himself.  Where as Concord Records had already put out two different TV ads. Two different radio ads. Ads in the LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, New York, Washington, Atlanta and Tampa newspapers. Magazine ads in Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and People. Barry was also scheduled to be on The Late Late Show with Seth Meyers on Tuesday April 18th, The Late Show with James Corden on Friday April 21st. and CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley. Reporter Tracy Smith was going to interview him during his sound check before his April 25th Barclay Center concert to promote his new album. Barry's CBS Sunday Morning interview would air on Sunday May 7th. Barnes and Noble album signing in New York. LA promotion Barnes and Noble at The Grove album signing. TV talk shows The Talk and Jimmy Kimmel. Radio morning show on KOST. Plus he was doing a bunch of radio interviews from his at home studio with radio stations here in the US and over in the UK. He
had talked to Dean Richards on WGN radio earlier this morning. Barry then heard his phone ringing so he picked it up. Hello he said. Hi Barry it's Marc. I'm calling to let you know Suzie was on The Ed McGuire Sirius radio show this morning. Oh really said Barry and what was she talking to Ed about? She was talking to Ed about you and Garry getting married three years ago in 2014. Wait a minute said Barry Garry's been married to his second wife Denise for 14 years since 2003. I got married almost two years ago 2015 to my wife Carly. So I don't know how Garry and I can be married to each other when we're married to our wives. I was too young when I married Susan back in the early sixties. After Susan I date a bunch of different women. But I never found anyone I wanted to settle down with until I saw Carly on GMA in 2011. I wonder if Suzie wasn't the one who went to People Magazine with that piece of information about you and Garry said Marc. People called me and told me they were not going to put the information Suzie gave them in their next issue.  In fact their going to put online the August 7, 2015 cover and article about our wedding.  That's in advance of the May  8th issue with me and Carly on the cover. I know that Brian Murphy is very happy in his relationship with Gregory Knofler his manager. Also he loves my Palm Springs home in the Mesa. I told him it was ok to live in. After moving back to New York I had forgotten how much I missed the changing seasons. The fast paced energy of New York. I'm glad I moved back to New York City and  found a town home in Brooklyn. When Carly and I were in San Francisco on vacation we looked at a few houses. But decided not to buy anything out there. When we do go out there we are welcome to stay with either Garry and Denise or Neil and Adrienne. I've got a bunch of dogs looking at me. It must be go outside and their business time. I'll see you on Tuesday at the Barclay Center concert said Barry.  I'll definitely be their said Marc.

Last Name Please

Last name please. Fans wondered about Barry's last name of Manilow. Now was really a Jewish name.. Just for them Barry looked up his last name of Manilow to see if it really was a Jewish last name. Barry checked out one site which had many different spellings. Manlow, Manilow, Manilo, Manlove and Menlow. According to that website it was an interesting surname which was English. it talked about the name Mann leof  from the pre 7th century. Leof meant dear while Mann meant friend. Then there was another website which said his last name was Jewish (from the Ukraine). patronymic from the personal name Manele, a pet form of Emanuel. Now Barry was even more confused than ever. His mom's parents Joseph and Ester were gone. So was his mom Edna and his aunt Rose. Of the three grandkids Dennis was the oldest, Olivia was the middle and he was the youngest. He figured Dennis and Olivia didn't know anything about their grandfather's last name of Manilow. He even wondered if his grandfather's dad Louis Manilow changed his last name to Manilow once he got to the US. Barry had met his great grandparents Louis and Anna Manilow Joseph's parents. As well as Abraham and Bertha Yanoff Esther's parents. They were Esther's parents. Bertha was just like her daughter Esther a real tough lady. Barry knew the meaning of his first and middle names. His first name was actually Barack a Hebrew name meaning lighting. Alon was his middle name a Hebrew name for tree or oak tree. Barack could be shortened to Barry. His mom's parents Joseph and Esther were Jewish. They came over from some city in Russia to America. Both Joseph and Esther's parents settled in Baltimore. That's  why both his aunt Rose and his mom Edna were born in Baltimore.  How his aunt, mom and grandparents ended up in Brooklyn New York was beyond him. Barry was never given his biological dad's last name of Pincus which Harold use to marry Barry's mom Edna. His grandmother Esther hated her son-in-law Harold Pincus with a passion. Barry birth certificate read Barack Alon Manilow. Very rarely did his grandpa, grandma and mom call him by his full name. But then a kids full name was only used when their relatives were mad at them for something they did. His grandpa and grandma always called him Barack. While his mom called him Barry. Last year Carly did the Ancestry DNA test to see what her pie chart looked like. Her pie chart showed she was 100% Jewish. Her dad's last name was Simon and her mom's last name was Rosenberg. Barry knew Carly's mom Norah Rosenberg Simon's parents were from the Ukraine. Carly's dad John Simon's parents were from St. Petersburg or Leningrad as it was originally called. He had thought about doing the Ancestry DNA test on himself. A few fans had  said they would like to see him do TLC's Who Do You Think You Are program. The program took celebrities on a journey so they could discover their roots. Where their ancestors came from. Most of the celebrities who did the show had their DNA test done for the program. His father-in-law wondered if Barry's last name was really Malinowitz since that was definitely a Jewish last name. Manilow didn't sound like a Jewish name to Carly's dad. Barry kind of agreed with his father-in-law John Simon. But the name Malinowitz was a weird last Barry thought. To Barry that name sounded more Polish than Jewish.  He knew he was 3/4th Jewish and 1/4th Irish. His mom's family was Jewish. That included his mom. her parents and sister. His biological dad's parents were 1/2 Jewish and 1/2 Irish. His grandpa on his dad's side was Jewish. While his grandma on his dad's side was Irish. Barry had nothing to do with his biological dad or his parents. He did wish his mom was still around to answer the question about the nationality of his last name. Barry had gone into some websites that had Jewish last names.  But he never found his last name of Manilow listed under the M's. So maybe Manilow wasn't a Jewish name. Barry figured he might never know the truth. He had called his cousin Dennis and asked him if he knew if their grandfather's last name of Manilow was Jewish Dennis said he really didn't know if  the name Manilow was Jewish or not. There was one surname site that mentioned the following. This (Manilow) is an interesting surname is English. It is baptismal and derives from the pre 7th century Old English 'Mann-leof' a compound name whose elements translates as 'Dear Friend' with leof' meaning dear and 'mann', a friend. So maybe his last name was actually English and not Jewish. He knew some people screwed up his name by pronouncing it wrong. Then those same people would
ask how do you pronounce Manilow?. However you say it is fine with me said Barry. He figured he was stuck with a last name that didn't know where it originated from.

Brian Murphy On TV

One of Carly's friends Rita called her to see if she was watching QVC. Pop singer Brian Murphy was on their Q Sessions program with Carolyn Gracie. Carly told Rita no she was not watching QVC. I'm not a huge Brian Murphy fan said Carly. Unlike some of my other friends who are huge fans of his. Brian asked Barry once why he never did a QVC Q Session. Barry he wasn't interested in hawking his albums on any online place. HSN, QVC, Shop NBC and ETC. Now Suzie used to be on HSN. The last I heard she was on Shop NBC. Now he has done PBS during their pledge breaks.  Besides I'm busy getting Brooklyn Pet Care Veterinary Hospital up and running.  Next Monday April 17th is our open house. That's where you can come meet the veterinarians who will be working there. You'll also get to meet PJ and Sam. Sam is a Labrador Retriever who is training to become a seeing eye dog with Guiding Eyes For The Blind. PJ Curtis is Sam's puppy raiser. We are also connected with  the Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition animal rescue place. I do know that Kathy, Janice, Abigail and Tracy went to QVC's Chester PA headquarters. They got tickets to see Brian Murphy on QVC. Now you're coming with me to Barnes and Nobel's Union Square store for Barry's album signing on April 24th? Yes Zoey and I are going with you to Barnes and Noble's said Rita. Great said Carly. Oh and by the way Barry's taking us to lunch before the album signing. The album signing is at the Barnes and Noble's Union Square store at 33 E. 17th St. So Barry decided he's taking us to the Shake Shack at Madison Square Park. That's at Madison Ave & E. 23rd St. Barry also said it's his treat. Barry just loves their barbeque bacon cheeseburgers, onion rings and chocolate shakes. Actually Barry and I get ours without the bacon since Jews don't eat pork. Barry really can't understand why Brian Murphy hates to eat. When Barry was in high school he said his mom gave his grandmother extra money for groceries. Then during the week when Barry's mom and step-dad went out after work. Barry went over to his grandmother's apartment for dinner after school. He his mom wasn't crazy about Swanson frozen TV dinners. Not enough food for a growing teenage boy she use to say . Barry said he always got a box of cookies to take home once a week. Barry did give me all of Esther's recipe's for her cookies. But the thing is Barry is an excellent baker. He makes the best peanut butter chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies. Also he makes a mean cinnamon roll. That's besides being an excellent cook. Barry knew he needed to learn how to cook so he wouldn't starve to death. The last time he was on the Rachel Ray show he made his oatmeal raisin cookies. Rita asked Carly if Barry was going to do any other promotion for his new album other than the album signing on Monday April 24th. Carly said he's doing the Barclay Center concert April 25th. Then it's Late Night With Seth Meyers on Tuesday April 18th and The Late Late Show James Corden on Friday April 21st. In fact when he does The Late Late Show with James Corden their doing carpool karaoke. I do know Barry said he and James are singing New York New York from the movie On The Town and On Broadway. New York New York and On Broadway happened to be Barry's picks. James Corden also picked two songs. Barry doesn't know what two songs James picked. I heard that Brian Murphy is doing a bunch of promotion. In New York he's doing The Today Show, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with Stephen Cobert. In LA he's doing Jimmy Kimmel , Ellen and The Talk. Then he's got two album signings one in LA at The Grove and one in Palm Desert at Westfield. Then he goes across the pond for some promotional stuff over there. Album signing at Rough Trade East record store. Also the Graham Norton Show. Barry mentioned that fan club tickets for the Barclay Center went on sale Wednesday Rough Trade East in The Old Truman Brewery and The Graham Norton Show. Tickets for Barry's Barclay Center concert went on sale Wednesday January 18th at 10AM for the fan club. Those tickets tickets were sold out in fifteen minutes. Tickets for the general public went on sale Thursday January 26th at 10M. The tickets for the general public sold out in just thirty minutes. Barry is going out to LA on Wednesday April 25th. He's doing The Talk and Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy Kimmel is Thursday April 26th and The Talk is Friday April 27th. Plus KOST FM the morning show with Ellen K. Thursday April 26th. Barry said when he goes out to LA he hopes he doesn't run in to Suzie.  He did tell me Lorna is coming to New York for his Barclay Center concert. I told Barry she's welcome to stay in one of our spare bedrooms while she's here. I like Lorna she's one
classy lady just like her sister Liza Minnelli. Barry got tickets for the official opening night of Hello Dolly. Then Bette called to invite us to the cast party afterwards. Barry gave Bette $5,000 dollars to her New York Restoration Project last year. Bette in turn helped Barry turn an empty lot here in Brooklyn into a community vegetable garden. I remember Barry saying Bette said "Really Manilow your getting your hands dirty.!" Barry replied to her and said Bette I started growing raspberries on my Manhattan terrace. Then when I moved to Los Angeles I started growing other stuff. I also had a large vegetable garden and some fruit trees at the house in Palm Springs. My garden is much smaller here in Brooklyn Heights. Last year Barry made home made marinara sauce. So he gave Bette a jar.
He said before you say anything I do bake and cook.  You have to when your a single. Now I tried my hand at making spaghetti sauce with the tomatoes I grew last year. You can call me "Mr. Green Thumbs." if you want he told her. Barry also does housework, laundry, yard work and ETC. The only thing Barry won't do is ironing. So he has his dress shirts, dress pants, jackets and suits done at the dry cleaners. I remember the one time I caught Barry vacuuming. He was singing and dancing to the song Copacabana while he was vacuuming.  I taped that on my cell phone and posted it to Youtube. That video clip got a million hits in just one day. I titled that clip "The Domestic Dude Vacuuming." My friends Janice, Kathy, Hannah, Stacy and Julie went to the Today Show today to see Brian Murphy on the plaza. Brian seems to be on everything promoting his new album. He's at Barnes and Noble tomorrow for an album signing. Barry's doing his on Monday April 24th between 1PM and 4PM. Then on Tuesday he's doing his Barclay Center concert to promote his New York State Of Mind album. Carly told her friend Rita Now remember Barry's treating me, you and Zoey to lunch at the Shake Shack on Monday.  Barry going to try something new on Tuesday night. He's going to invite three lucky fans up on stage to be backup singers when he sings New York City Rhythm. The video guy Steve will make three copies one for each fan that Barry will autograph.

Facebook Post April 16th

Hi Gang

It's me Barry again. Just to let you know you can connect with me on social media. 1. Facebook which I've been on since 2007. 2. Instagram where I can share all my latest photos. 3. Pinterest where I have all my photo albums. Concert tour albums that deals with every tour I've ever been on. Photos from all my Broadway musicals. Travel photos of all the places I've visited over the years. New York City Rhythm photos of all five boroughs. 4. twitter where I can tweet stuff real quick from my cell phone. And no I don't own an iPhone  any more. Use to have an iPhone however I switched to a Samsung Galaxy Note 7. I got lucky with mine. I didn't have a battery that explode on me. Carly's always had Samsung cell phones. She never really cared for iPhones. Also she felt iPhones were more for the high school and college students than older adults. I just changed my Facebook profile photo with a current selfie of me. Right now I'm sitting on my comfortable computer chair. I have on a pair of dark blue wash Gap straight leg jeans, Gap tee shirt in medium grey, Gap pullover hoodie in moonless night color and navy Addis athletic shoes.  Brian Murphy sure loves the color black. I do have eight pairs of black dress pants that I wear on stage. But when I'm not on stage it's all about color for me. Did I tell you this week I'm going to be on Late Night With Seth Meyers on Tuesday April 18th and The Late Late Show with James Corden on Friday April 21st. Oh  James and I are doing carpool karaoke. My two choices for songs were New York New York from the Broadway musical/movie On The Town and On Broadway. I have no idea what two songs James picked. Then after the Barclay Center concert on Tuesday April 25th I'm headed to LA to do Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday April 27th and The Talk on Friday April 28th. Plus I'm going to be on Extra Friday April 28th. I'll be at The Grove with host Mario Lopez. So come on out for my mini concert there. I can't wait to see you guys. Oh and one other thing make sure you watch Rachel Ray on Wednesday April 19th for her mystery co-host. You just might know who her co-host is. Hint Hint he's kind of cute.
See you when I see you.
Barry

Fackbook Post April 14th

Hi Gang
It's me Barry coming at you from my at home studio in Brooklyn Heights, A slight change of plans. I decided instead of a weekend in San Francisco we'd have a five day New Years convention. The convention will start on Wednesday December 27th with a meet and greet cocktail party starting at 8PM and going till? I'll be there of course to meet and greet you fans. Then on Thursday we'll have our local fan club day. Local fan clubs can show off their charitable work and ETC. That evening we're having a costume party dinner at the Copacabana. You have to dress 1940's style. The San Francis ballroom will be decked out like the Copacabana night club. I'm coming as Tony Star who always tended bar. Carly is coming as Lola La Mar. Garry's coming as Rico Castelli. His wife Denise is Conchita Alvarez. Friday will be the blast from the past day. Breakfast. Then we're having a Barry fashion show. Barry Manilow fashions from the 1970's to the 2017's. Afternoon to checkout San Francisco. Then it's pizza and a movie. Assorted types of pizza. After the pizza you'll get to watch the New Years Eve 2016 Concert video from Madison Square Garden. I did my usual two hour show with the twenty minute intermission. Then I went back stage after the new years toast. David who was my personal assistant at the time. Had me come out into the hallway were I could her fans chanting Barry Barry Barry and stomping their feet on the floor. They didn't want to leave just yet. So I asked my group if they were up for doing a little more. They said yes. So we ended up doing ninety minutes more. Now you'll get to see the entire thing. Plus all of you who come to the convention will get a copy to the entire concert plus ninety minutes more to take home and watch again. Ice Cream Bar afterwards. Saturday NYC Deli lunch. after lunch there will be a Q&A with me, Adrienne, Enoch, Jack, Marty and Bruce my songwriting partners. After you get dressed for the first of two concerts. We're having an Italian Buffet before the show. You'll then go out to board the busses for the Oracle Arena. Sunday is the brunch with a Q&A with me. Then it's Barry Bingo time. I'll be calling the numbers. Our sit down fancy New Years Eve dinner. Board busses for the New Years Eve concert at the Oracle Arena. We'll come back to the hotel for a decadent desert bar. I told the people at the St. Francis that I'm not sure what time we'll get back from the new years eve show. If it's like last year I may end up doing another ninety minutes after the original concerts ends.
See you when I see you somewhere down the road.
Barry

Home Again

Ah yes Home Again. Barry and Carly enjoyed their over two week vacation in San Francisco. While there they toured a home that was for sale in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. They chose to buy the home. Barry and Carly put an offer on the home which was accepted before they left San Francisco. They also met up with Garry, Denise, Adrienne, Neil and Marty for dinner one night. They stayed at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.  Barry had signed to do two nights at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. He would be playing Saturday December 30th and Sunday December 31st. The BMIFC was going to have a weekend in San Francisco during Barry's two shows at the Oracle. The weekend would begin on Friday night with a meet and greet. Then on Saturday at noon there would be a New York deli styled lunch. An afternoon Q&A with Barry, his band and backup singers. Italian buffet. Then off to the Oracle for concert number one. Ice Cream bar after the show. Sunday  Q&A brunch with Barry. Afternoon Barry Bingo with Barry as the caller. Sunday sit down New Years Eve dinner. New Years Eve concert at the Oracle. Decadent desert bar after the show. Barry, his band, backup singers and tour crew would be attending the desert bar after the new Years Eve concert.  Barry was also thinking they should celebrate the holidays out in San Francisco.  Barry had been thinking about buying himself a private airplane. He looked a few different brands on line. He finally decided on the

Bombardier brand. He got a 2016 Bombardier Global Express Black Diamond private airplane. After he got his private airplane hehad it customized. Both sides of the tail got a treble cleft that had his name inside of it. Also with a I heart with arrow NY decal and I heart Brooklyn decal. Plus his name was along both sides of the plane done in the Chopin font. This was the first time for Barry having a private airplane. Brian was the one who used to have a Viscount private airplane. He used it during his Brian and Copacabana tours back in the 80's. The tour buses  that Barry used back in 2015 were rented ones. Now Barry could fly into smaller airports and avoid the bigger crowded airports. Like JFK, LAX, O'Hare, Sky Harbor and all the rest. Once they got home Marc called to tell Barry about the latest news. Which was that Suzie opened up her big mouth to tell everyone Barry's supposed personal business. What personal business was she telling everyone? asked Barry. It was about you and Garry said Marc. What about me and Garry asked Barry. Suzie  was talking about you coming out of the closet. Also that you and Garry have been married to each other for three years. She said it was so freeing for you said Marc. Garry and I are married but to our wives not each other. Garry's married to Denise and I'm married to Carly. Marc said to Barry he had to go back to work. Marc was getting things in order at Stiletto Entertainments New York City office. Marc mentioned to Barry he would called People and tell them that the information they got was false. Since Barry was in his home studio he decided to called WPLJ-FM Race Taylor was on air. Race said your our next caller and asked who is this. Hi Race it's me Barry. Hi Barry said Race. So what up. Well I called you so I can set the record straight. I found out from my previous manager Marc that I'm coming out of the closet. It's going to be in the April 17th issue of People Magazine. The thing is I'm not coming out of a closet I was never in. I'm not gay nor was Garry my one time manager. We're both happily married to our wives said Barry. That's why I called you to tell your listeners that the People article on me is false. Barry got off the air with Race and called David his manager to tell him the news. He also told David that Marc was going to handle People Magazine. I think Suzie would like it if was gay said Barry. Just like she wishes I still lived in my house in Palm Springs. I moved back to New York City in 2004 because I spent to much time flying back and forth between Palm Springs and New York. That is why I moved back here for good. I have a nice space for my home office/recording studio said Barry. There are also loads of super  recording studios here in New York where I can record my albums.  I check out the Westin St. Francis Hotel for the BMIFC function In San Francisco at the end of December.  That's great said David the contract is here for you to sign for the two nights at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. Ok I'll stop by tomorrow to sign it when I come by to see the new Stiletto offices here in New York. They're two floors up from the BMIFC's two floors. Vikki told me they just finished sending out the of the membership kits. In fact our next door neighbor Kevin brought over our mail. In amongst the mail was Carly's BMIFC 2017 membership kit. She got a 2017 sticker to put on her Club 99 membership card. The other kit pieces were the membership pin. Welcome to club postcard with contact information. Email, mailing address, phone number and website addresses. A 5X7 inch candid of me. Also a notebook with the new BMIFC's  logo.

Facebook Post April 1, 2017

Hi Gang
It's me Barry. Great news everyone. The BMIFC is having a San Francisco Weekend December 29th, 30th and 31st. This is to co-inside with my two nights December 30th and December 31st at the Oracle Arena in Oakland California. The weekend starts Friday night at 8PM with a meet and greet cocktail party. Drinks, munches and music. I'm coming to the meet and greet to meet with you fans.
Saturday NYC Deli Lunch from 12PM to 1PM. Q&A with the band and backup singers 1PM to 3PM.
Italian Buffet 5PM to 6PM. Board busses for the Oracle Arena at 6:30PM. December 30th concert starts at 8PM and goes to 10:30PM or whenever. Ice cream Bar 12:30PM to 1:30PM. Sunday 10AM to 12PM Brunch. Q&A with Barry 12PM to 2PM. Barry Bingo with Barry 2PM to 3PM. I'm the bingo caller. Sit down dinner 5PM to 6:30PM. Board busses for the New Years Eve Oracle Arena concert  7PM. New Years Eve concert 9:30 to 12PM or whenever. Decadent desert buffet. 1PM to 3AM. We will be staying at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. There are 1,200 rooms. We are opening the weekend up to the first 1,000 fans. You can go over to my Facebook page and go to BMIFC San Francisco Weekend to sign up starting Wednesday April 5th at 10AM eastern time. So find yourself some Barry Buddies to share a room with.  Don't forget the vinyl signing at Barnes And Noble on Monday April 24th. That's at the Barnes And Noble at 33 East 17th St.  Some fans asked about my doing a Q Session on QVC. I explained to them I'm not real crazy about QVC. Besides Brian Murphy is going to be on QVC on Friday April 21st to promote his new album called Brian Murphy Singing My Favorite Standards. He's doing a duet with Judy Garland on Easter Parade. I'd rather sing with the living instead of the dead.
Hugs,
Barry