Sunday, January 29, 2017

A New Year

Yes it was a New Year two thousand seventeen to exact. Tonight Friday January 6th Barry was playing Key Arena in Seattle Washington. He was then off  to Oakland California for a concert on Sunday January 8th. The Phoenix concert was canceled. So after Oakland Barry and company had time off until they needed to be in Vancouver on January 21st. Barry needed to be in Vancouver on Friday January 20th for a two hour radio interview with Matt Sutton on CKZZ 95.3 FM from 8pm to 10pm. Matt was interviewing Barry.  Playing songs from his latest album Here At The Mayflower (Many more stories inside.) Allowing Barry's fans to call in and ask him questions. Prior to that Barry
and David Taylor were spending time in Napa Valley with Garry and Denise at their home. After Garry retired from being Barry's manager he and Denise moved up north to the wine country of Napa Valley. Garry had told Barry if he had time off before he went up to Canada. He and David Taylor were welcome to say at his home.  Barry loved northern California from Carmel-By-The-Sea all the way up to the California/Oregon border. He had begun to realize just how much he hated southern California. Barry felt a lot of the people from southern California were too plastic. So he was glad he
left Palm Springs for good. Now some of his friends who still lived in Palm Springs were not happy that Barry left. Especially Suzanne and  her new BFF Scott Nevins. Barry loved being back on the east coast and the fast pace of New York City. Barry had already got tickets from Bette Midler to see opening night of Hello Dolly at the Shubert Theatre. He and Carly had even bee invited to the cast party. Barry heard through Garry that Brian Murphy had gone to the Palm Springs Film Festival. He took his partner Gregory Knofler to the film festival. In fact Garry mentioned that Brian now has a beard. I'm sure his fans won't be too happy about that said Barry.  Most likely not said Garry. How was your two Madison Square Garden concerts? he asked. Super said Barry. Standing room only both nights. On New Years Eve Saturday December 31st the concert didn't end until twelve forty five. I lost count of how many encores I did said Barry.  Now your picking me and David up tomorrow at the hotel? asked Barry. Yes said Garry. Your staying till when? he asked. David and I are staying till Wednesday January 18th said Barry That's when we depart Oakland on Amtrak's Coast Starlight at 9:39PM. We'll arrive in Seattle on Thursday January  19th at 8:12PM. We'll stay over night. Then on Friday January 20th we depart on Amtrak's Cascades at 7:40AM from Seattle WA. We'll arrive in Vancouver BC at 11:40AM. The Vancouver concert is on Sunday January 22nd. Oh I saw your word photo on your Facebook page. I get the New Year. I get the New Tour. But New Albums I don't get. New Albums is my romance album Keep Each Other Warm 2/14, My  Barry Manilow Live In New York City deluxe four disco set. Friday December 30 CD and DVD. Saturday December 31st. CD and DVD. I didn't tell the fans we were taping those shows for the deluxe set. I'm aiming for May 8th said Barry. Then there is one more album due out at the end of this year. Plus I'm singing on Kenny G.'s new album. I'll be in the studio with Kenny sometime at the beginning of April said Barry. Marc called me today to let me know that I was on list of democratic artists performing at a concert on  the day the new president gets sworn in. It's a concert to get people not to go to President Elect Trump's inaugural. But instead go to this free concert somewhere in Washington DC. Marc told the promoters I couldn't to this concert because I'll be in Vancouver. The promoter figured that since my Vancouver concert wasn't until Sunday. That I could still do the concert on January 20th. They even told Marc they would fly me to and from Washington DC. Marc then went on to explain to this person  that I do not preform for political reasons. He then mentioned that I keep my politics to myself. So actually I don't know whether my client is democrat or republican, liberal or conservative." Oh but you're suppose to know that the person said. Even Garry Kief who use to be his manager before me didn't know. That's because Barry never told any of his managers Miles Laurie, Garry Kief and myself his political choices. So I don't know who he voted for on November 8th. Barry feels that celebrities should not stick their political views out there for everyone to see. Brian Murphy  performed at the end of Bill Clinton's first inaugural concert not Barry Manilow.  I feel the public doesn't need to know which political party I voted for. They're just making fools of themselves said Garry. I know said Barry they're still upset because their candidate didn't win the election. Robert Kohl who lived next door to me in Palm Springs said a lot of people are still upset about the election. I said to Robert they need to move on and quit complaining about it. But you know they won't said Garry. That's why I'm glad I moved back east said Barry. The people here don't air their politics out like dirty laundry. That's not to say that some people don't stick their politics out there for everyone to know. But most people don't do that kind of thing. Actually no one knows which political party I belong to not even Carly said Barry. Oh and one other thing I found out was that Hillary Clinton asked Brian Murphy to do a fund raiser dinner for her. Brian mentioned she asked him to sing Copacabana. She then told him to keep the melody and have new lyrics written to bad mouth Donald Trump. Brian told Hillary no he wouldn't do that. Why not? she asked. Brian replied Copacabana was written by Barry Manilow, Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman for their 1978 Broadway musical of the same name. I don't think Barry would like me taking one of his songs and changing the lyrics to bad mouth your opponent. Besides he stays out of politics except to vote. Hillary wasn't to happy about that.  So Carly is flying up to
Vancouver for the weekend said Barry. Our next door neighbors Kevin Stevens and his wife will be
taking care of the dogs. Carly text me earlier in the week that she was invited to the woman's march in New York City. I knew Carly wouldn't want to participate in the woman's march. Carly keeps her political views to herself.  Carly got invited to the march because the person who invited her thought Carly voted for Hillary Clinton. I have no idea who Carly voted for. Besides she had to work that weekend at the zoo. That woman even invited Debbie our next door neighbor to the march. Debbie had to also work that weekend. So both Carly and Debbie got lucky they had to work. I could never do what either Carly or Debbie do. Being in the operation room during surgery on a person. Or doing surgery on an animal like Carly does. However I admire them for what they both do. Going into the operating room to work on animal and human patients. I did get to watch Carly deliver a bunch of puppies. Late one night our neighbor down the street Jake  Steinberg called to ask Carly if she would help deliver Golda's puppies Golda is Jake's Golden Retriever. Golda had ten puppies six girls and four boys. I walked down to Jake's house with Carly at three am. Golda's puppies were so cute. In fact Golda and her ten puppies were on an episode of Animal Planets  Too Cute. Golda and her  litter of puppies were in the Brooklyn Brownstone segments. There were also two other puppy coming of age stories on that program.