New York State Of Mind Album

 

 

 

Barry Manilow's new album New York State Of Mind was coming out on Tuesday January 5th. Barry was already for the media blitz. The day before the album was to be released Barry was  going to be Rachel Ray's  co-host. Barry was doing her "What's for dinner" segment since he was a decent cook. He was also doing The Today Show.The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Barry refused to do The View because he hated Rosie O' Donald with a passion. Barry liked Whoopie Goldberg. In fact Whoopie stared in one of Barry and Bruce's musicals on Broadway years ago. He also wrote the score for her movie On The Fly. Plus back in the late eighties he was on her half hour talk show. It was Rosie's loud mouth Barry didn't like. Not her sexual orientation. Then he was going to LA to do the west coast talk shows. Good Morning LA and  Ellen and. Along with Access Hollywood and The Insider. Plus the usual radio blitz. Then next year starting in January Barry was going on the road to promote his album. The tour was called the Brooklyn Blues Tour . Just then Marc called to tell Barry that Brian Murphy was doing his One Last Time Tour. Oh really said Barry. Yeah said Marc he' quitting his performing career.  Interesting said Barry. We'll see  how long that lasts.  Is he going to announce he's retiring after he finishes his tour however long that takes. He just can't do the US and UK without doing Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Mexico and Canada. Now tomorrow I have an appointment with Leslie Hamel  to try on my concert attire. Leslie is the step daughter of his dear friend Suzanne Somers. Susanne is married to Leslie's dad Alan Hamel. After talking to Marc Barry was going Manhattan to meet Bruce for lunch at Del Posto's. One more thing said Marc. They're  talking about your face again. Really said Barry I've been open from day one about what I've had done to my face. I had a little melanoma on my face removed from laying out in the sun and that's it. No Botox or plastic surgery ever. Brian Murphy's the one who's had Botox and three plastic surgeries 1995, 2003 and 2006. Well I've got to go. I'm meeting Bruce for lunch at Del Posto's.  I need to take Max and Maggie out before I leave said Barry. Barry took the dogs out and put them inside. He then left for the subway station near his house. He boarded  the train to go into Manhattan. He got off the train and took the cab down to Tribecca where Del Posto's is. He meet Bruce in front of the restaurant. Hi said Bruce  What's new with you? he said. Not much said Barry I'm having my fitting  for my tour attire tomorrow. Then I'm going to get some new shoes to go with my tour attire.  On Saturday I'm going out to get my Christmas tree.  I decided to get a fresh cut tree this year. I've always gotten a real tree. But this is the first time I'm getting one that has to be cut down first. I'm also going to decorate the outside of my house for Christmas. I'm doing the front window and the bushes below the window with lights. I'm also putting a wreath on my front door.  Oh I also got asked to be on the Rockefeller  Tree lighting show Wednesday December 3rd on NBC. I'm doing a duet with Melissa Manchester on My Favorite Things and I'm singing Joni Mitchell's River.  So what are you doing for Christmas asked Bruce. Well I'm having family over tor Christmas. dinner. Cousin Dennis,  his wife, cousin Olivia and her husband are coming. Dennis's son's Greg and Jordan are spending Christmas with their in-laws. Dennis is coming from Boca Raton Florida. That's where Dennis retired to. Olivia lives out on Montauk Long Island. I'm cooking prime rib with baked potatoes, roasted asparagus. I'm getting sick of having turkey. Then later on we'll have coffee and cookies for desert.

Holy Mackerel!!

Holy Mackerel was right said Barry. He heard through the grape vine that Brian Murphy's fans were begging him to tour again. Marc just then called Barry to tell him Brian was on QVC right now debuting his latest album.  So Barry quickly turned on his TV to catch Brian Murphy. Brian still recorded for Sony Music Corporation.  He was now on their RCA label. Now that Arista had folded
a few years ago.  Brian was placed on the RCA label. Clive Davis was still  executive producer of Brian's albums. Brian hadn't called Barry in a long while to ask Barry for new material. Barry and his songwriting partners wrote Brian's songs. Brian wasn't a songwriter just a singer  and performer. Marc mentioned that Brian was doing cover albums. Brain had done The Greatest Songs Of series. The 50's, 60's,70's and 80's. The Greatest Love Songs Of All Time. The Greatest Heart Break  Songs Of All Time. This latest one was called The Duets I've Always Dreamed Of. On the other hand. Interesting Barry thought. Barry on the other hand was finishing his latest album. This one was called New York State Of Mind. Barry took some of his favorite songs that dealt with New York City and gave them jazz arrangements. Barry was doing Chelsea Morning by Joni Mitchell, Avenue C by Buck Clayton, Jon Hendricks and David Lambert, Williamsburg Brooklyn by Barry Manilow (new song), New York State Of Mind by (good friend) Billy Joel. Do You Miss New York by David Freshberg, New York City Rhythm by Barry Manilow and Marty Panzer, On Broadway Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Remember Manhattan by (another good friend) Richard Marx,  Sounds Of Silence by Paul Simon, Autumn In New York by Vernon Duke, Brooklyn Blues by Barry Manilow, Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman and Meet Me In St. Marks Square by Barry Manilow. Avenue C was the only one he didn't have to fool around with. Since it was already a jazz song that was recorded by Lambert , Hendricks and Ross. Barry had the best band out there. Heck half of his band use to play for Brian Murphy till he took some much needed time off three years ago and Barry swiped them off Brian Murphy. Barry figured Brian wouldn't miss them. Which Marc heard Brian didn't. Barry's band now  consisted of Russ McKinnon on drums, David Rosenblat on percussion, Stan Sargent on bass, Mike Lent on guitar, Ron Pedley  on keyboards, Joey Malotti on keyboards, Jay Robbins on saxophones and flute, Kenny Martinez on trumpet, Brain Curtis on
trombone and leading the entire band musical director Ron Walters JR on keyboards. Backup singers were  Kye Brackett, Muffy Hendricks and Melanie Nyemma. Members of the band also sang too. David Rosenblat, Stan Sargent, Mike Lent, Joey Malotti,  Jay Robbins and Ron Walters JR. Barry and Marc were picking a batch of  theatres for Barry to play. Barry hated with a passion arenas. Barry was starting on west coast in Seattle at the Paramount Theatre and ending the road trip in New York City for a month on Broadway. Marc was still having trouble getting a Broadway theatre for one month. Well maybe one night a Radio City Music Hall would do. After Brian's QVC Q Sessions ended Marc called once again. What's up Marc asked Barry. Well someone leaked a story that you were going to play the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. Don't these people know I hate arenas with a passion said Barry. Oh BTW your 2015 calendar has come in. Rachel Kelly just called me to let me know the boxes with the calendars came in. Rachel  Kelly was the new director of the Barry Manilow International Fan Club. Rachel took over for Vikki Thomas who was now the director of the Manilow Music Project. Kirsten Kief who use to be the director was now president of Stiletto Entertainment. Kirsten took over for her dad Garry Kief who use to be the president. As well as Barry Manilow's manager. That now fell to Marc Hulett Barry's old personal assistant. Barry's new personal assistant was another Mark named Mark Harris. Barry decided his 2015 calendar would be all candid photos. Barry decided he would to go different places through out New York City to have his picture taken. Barry picked  Brooklyn Heights home (Barry in his at home recording studio.) Greenwich Village, Times Square, Chelsea, Williamsburg Brooklyn,  Brooklyn Heights (On the front steps of his home with his dogs Maggie and Max.) , Tribeca, Lower East Side, The Today Show Plaza (Fall concert series.) Central Park,  Little Italy and Brooklyn Heights inside Barry's home (Barry sitting in front of a Christmas tree in his living room. Barry knew his fans would love the candid shots of him through out New York City and at his home.

No Longer Californicated

You got that right Barry was no longer living in California. Barry had sold his Palm Springs house. Now he would be living out east for good. Why live out on the west cost when everything he did was on the east cost.  He even recorded his albums in New York City studios. Barry was going to take the money he got from selling his house and buy a house in upstate New York. Barry had been looking in booth Schenectady and Saratoga Springs New York. Yes his ex girlfriend Abigail's parents used to live in Saratoga Springs. But they don't any more. They moved to San Juan Puerto Rico. In fact Abigail's parent were featured on an episode of HGTV's House Hunters International. Barry was going to look for a home in either city. Gregory Nelson kept suggesting Barry buy property on Long Island. Barry didn't want to live there. Barry want to live in a quaint little town or city in upstate New York. Barry had taken up a new sport mountain biking. Since moving back east Barry did a lot more biking than he did when he lived in Palm Springs. Barry bought himself two bicycles. One was a Raleigh Detour 5.5 urban city bike for the sidewalks  and streets of New York City. Two was a Rocky Mountain Flatline mountain bike for  when he went mountain biking. Barry was also in the middle of doing a commercial for the New York State Of Mind campaign. It was a joint effort between New York state governor Andrew Como and New York City mayor Bill de Blasio to create new ads for New York state and New York City using Billy Joel's song New York State Of Mind. Barry's  commercial  was going to have the following celebrities singing and playing along with him. Actresses/singers Liza Minnelli and Lorna Luft, actress/singer/dancer Chita Rivera,  Wyntom Marsalis musician/musical director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, jazz singers Nancy Wilson and Cassandra Wilson and Dave Koz saxophonist. Liza and Lorna were doing their part at the Gershwin theatre, Wynton was doing his at Lincoln Center, Chita was doing hers at the Minskoff theatre, Nancy and Cassandra were doing theirs at the Blue Note jazz club. Barry and Dave were doing  theirs at Radio City Music Hall. Barry was also in New York City for the premier of the motion picture musical Here At The Mayflower. Barry was taking his dear friend Lorna Luft with him. Lorna Luft was in the movie playing the part of Esther the older lady married to Joe (Joseph Bologna). Diane Degramo (Diane)  and Ace Young (Ken) were going to there too. Along with the rest of the cast.  Barry was in the movie too playing the part of  the Shadow Man. Barry's songwriting partners Adrienne Anderson, Enoch Anderson, Jack Feldman, Marty Panzer and Bruce Sussman who wrote the lyrics and book would be there.  Plus Garry and Nina Kief , Rob and Susan Kief,  manager Marc Hulett, Suzanne Somers, Alan Hammel, Kirsten Kief head of Stiletto Entertainment, Vikki Thomas head of the Manilow Music Project and Robin Naughton director of the Barry Manilow International Fan Club.. Here At The Mayflower was Barry's second acting gig and his first on the big screen. Barry's first acting gig was on the big screen in his movie musical  called Copacabana. Copacabana was about songwriter Tony Starr who wanted to write musicals for Broadway and Lola Lamarr who wanted to be an actress on Broadway. Along comes Rico Castilli owner of the Tropicana in Havana Cuba to sweep Lola down to Havana to star in his Tropicana show.  Barry won his first acting Oscar for lead actor in a movie for Copacabana. Besides the Oscar Barry has many Tony's for his Broadway musicals,  Grammy's for his record albums and Broadway cast albums. After tonight's movie premier of Here At The Mayflower Barry was getting ready to promote his new jazz album Paradise Café II. This album was all about the people  who worked at the Paradise Café night club in the Greenwich New York neighborhood. Tomorrow he was doing Kathie Lee and Hoda in the morning at 10AM. Then Rachel Ray at 3:30PM. Barry was going to be Rachel's mystery taster. Next Monday was going to be Mystery Taster Monday. So that's when Barry was going to be on Rachel Ray's show. Then at the end of week he was doing The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Plus he was doing  an interview on 88.7 WBGO (Jazz 88) on Thursday. Then on Sunday he was debuting his album Paradise Café II at the Village Vanguard. There would be one hundred fans and twenty of his friends there to hear his latest album.

What The Bleep!

What the bleep! thought Barry as he was surfing Facebook. Skyscraper the story and he was one of the investors. Oh really yeah right I don't think so thought Barry. Barry wished fans would quit making up fake stories with him involved in them. Just like the Agent Manilow story. Barry was not a super spy nor did he ever want to be one.  Now Barry had just gotten back from a much needed vacation in Mill Valley California. Barry went there to visit his friend and songwriting partner Adrienne Anderson and her husband Neil. While there he did mix in a little business. He and Adrienne finished up the two songs for Barry's next album Paradise Café II. This sequel to 2:00 AM Paradise Café was going to be about the people who worked and came to the Paradise Café night club in Greenwich Village New York. Plus while he was there the three of them caught a showing of the movie Here At The Mayflower. Barry, Adrienne, Enoch, Jack Marty and Bruce's movie musical based on Barry's album Here At The Mayflower which came out in 2001. Barry, Enoch and Marty wrote the script for the movie. That was the first time Barry had ever written a script for a movie and he loved it. Of course Barry loved the writing process no matter whether it was a book, movie or a musical. That's why he started his own blogger blog called  It's Barry Who?. So he could write down stuff about himself that the fans would like to read. Like the time he went into a local Brooklyn record store and stole a copy of Why Do Fools Fall In Love by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers for a friend. Thank goodness he didn't get caught stealing the forty-five. That was the one and only time he ever stole something. Barry went outside to check his mailbox. On his front porch was a box. Barry looked at the return address oh it's from Suzanne Somers. It must be her new Suzanne Organics for men line. Facial cleanser, shaving cream, facial lotion and facial toner. The line came in two strength's regular and sensitive formulas.   Plus products for male acne . Barry hadn't had zits since he was in high school back in the late fifties early sixties. Barry would have to call Suzanne later to let her know he got her package. He also got a postcard from Garry Kief who was relaxing down in Costa Rica. Barry also finally got manager Marc Hulett to move to the east cost from the west cost. Marc found a brownstone up in Queens neighborhood of Middle Village. So now business meetings with Marc could be in person at the Stiletto offices in midtown Manhattan. Kirsten Kief had taken over the Stiletto offices in Inglewood California. Vikki Thomas was the new head of the Manilow Music Project. While Daisy Bennett was the new head of the BMIFC. Marc was thinking all of Stiletto's operations should be located out east.  He needed to talk to Barry about that one. On the girlfriend front Barry wasn't so lucky in that department. There was Abigail the photographer, Julie the chef and Skylar who worked for Amtrak. All three of them dumped him. Barry decided not to get involved with women for a while. Just then his phone rang. Hello said Barry. Hello yourself said Suzanne. Did you get the box I sent you she said. Yes said Barry I got your box. Once I've tried your organics I'll let you know what I think of them he said. Ok said Suzanne. Just then he heard another beep. He told Suzanne he had another call coming in so he'd have to let her go. Hello said Barry. Hi Barry it's Jack Martin from Caldwell Banker. Oh hi Jack what's up. Well said Jack we sold your Palm Springs house for more than what you were asking for it. Oh really said Barry. Yes said Jack. You put your house up for thirty-five million and it went for seventy million. Jake Cutter the  CEO of Sony pictures bought it. Now all I need to do is to take everything out of the house that I didn't bring back to New York yet Barry told Jack.

Oh Brother!

Oh Brother! Was right. Barry couldn't believe how crazy these fans were getting. Here was this whole new crop of fans that Barry had. He wondered so where in the bleep did they all come from? Then there was the words they came up with to describe him. The Sex God, Your Awesomeness and etc. Barry didn't consider himself a Sex God nor did he think he was Your Awesomeness I'm just a normal person just like everyone else. Barry had checked out his Facebook page. Fans begging him to come here and  fans begging him to go there. One fan even wanted to know what he was doing after the holidays were over. Heck if he knew. Barry hadn't even thought that far a head. His US mini tour to promote his surprise album Let's Get On With It was starting at the beginning of June and going till the end of September. Then he wanted to take some much needed time off Shoot he deserved it. But oh no. These Japanese fans were begging him to come over there. We'll see thought Barry.  Barry was on Amtrak's Southwest Chief heading to Chicago. From there he was getting on the Lake Shore Limited to New York City. Barry went into the lounge car to ask the attendant if could get his microwave popcorn popped. Barry was a huge popcorn fanatic. So he brought his own box of three bags of microwave to eat. Barry loved the buttered kind. The attendant popped the bag and Barry put a five dollar tip in his plastic cup. Barry also got himself a diet coke to drink. Barry had brought his iPad and ear buds so he could watch some movies on Netflix. Barry wanted to see Mitty with Ben Stiller and Gypsy with Barbra Streisand. Plus the HBO bio pic of Mae West staring his friend Bette Midler. Barry went back to his sleeper car to watch some movies and eat his popcorn. Barry's favorite popcorn brand was Jolly Time. Barry changed into his pajama pants and tee shirt. Which is what he usually wore to bed. He put a hooded sweatshirt over his tee shirt for extra warmth. Barry chose to watch Mitty first. Barry finished his popcorn and movie. He put the popcorn bag into a grocery bag he was using for garbage. He brushed his teeth and rinsed his mouth. Barry then crawled into bed. He turned off the light and fell to sleep. The next morning Barry got up and pulled up the window shade. He got dressed and went to the dining car for breakfast. Barry ordered coffee, tomato juice  raisin bran and a bagel with light cream cheese. Barry had also brought his Mac book pro so he could work on his second book. Barry was calling it Sweet Life (More stories on the way to paradise.) This book had all of his first book Sweet Life Adventures On The Way To Paradise plus so much more. Barry knew the fans were going to love it. Plus all the photos from a little baby to an old geezer. When the train stopped in  Albuquerque Barry got out and bought Skylar a bracelet. Barry had been in Los Angeles producing Brian Murphy's latest album with co-producer Eddie Arkin. Brian was doing a concept album that contained his favorite rock and roll songs. Barry swore he was going to send Amtrak a letter telling them he wanted their Broadway Limited train back. Barry chose to take Amtrak back to New York instead of flying. Barry went back to his room to work on his book.

This Is How It All Began

This is how it all began. Someone Barry knew told him about writing jingles for commercials. So Barry auditioned for a Dodge jingle which Barry got.. That was the first jingle he ever wrote.  Soon after that he was writing jingles for other things. Like Band Aids and Stridex. Then he found out he could sing on the jingles and make even more money. It was while doing a Dr. Pepper jingle that he met a guy named Ron Dante. Ron and Barry immediately hit it off. Barry decided to show Ron some songs he wrote. Could It Be Magic, One Of These Days, I Am Your Child, Sweet Water Jones and Sweet Life. They decided to put the five songs on a demo record. Barry was going to sing the songs since he wrote them. Barry and Ron each paid four thousand dollars of the demo fee. After the demo was done they took it to different record labels. However no one was interested until they went to Bell records. The heads at Bell loved the songs and they had the perfect artist to record them singer Brian Murphy. Pretty soon the label changed president out was Larry Uttal and in was Clive Davis. Clive changed the label name to Arista. Clive kept the Bay City Rollers, Melissa Manchester and Brian Murphy. Clive found a song called Mandy for Brian and the rest is musical history. Brian Murphy loved the songs Barry wrote and asked him to write song exclusively for him. That was because Brian could sing and play piano but he wasn't a great songwriter.Barry agreed since writing songs paid good money. So that was how Barry was able to a Broadway songwriter. Barry wrote Brian Murphy's songs with his partners Adrienne Anderson, Enoch Anderson and Marty Panzer. Barry's other two songwriting partners Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman wrote Broadway musicals with Barry. Now once in a while Jack and Bruce wrote a songs for Brian Murphy with Barry. Barry decided to pull a Beyoncé on everyone by putting out a surprise album called Let's Get On With It. (The songs of songwriter Barry Manilow). Barry chose eighteen songs hat were album cuts on Brian Murphy's albums. The songs came from Brian Murphy/Brian Murphy I, Brian Murphy II, Trying To Get The Feeling, This One's For You, One Voice, Brian, If I Should Love Again and Here Comes The Night. Barry figured it was time to introduce his own fans who loved his musicals to his pop songwriter side. After the album came out Barry was going to put together a concert tour to promote the album. Barry was going to kick off the tour at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago. for a weeks worth of shows. Barry's band consisted of Russ McKinnon on drums, David Rosenblat on percussion and vocals, Stan Sargent on bass and vocals, Mike Lent on Guitar and vocals, Ron Pedley on Keyboards, Billy Kidd on keyboards and vocals, Dana Robbins on Saxophone andvocals, Bradley Fisher on trumpet, Kevin Ryder trombone, Amy Nickelson on vocals and Joey Malotti   keyboards, vocals and musical director.. Russ, David, Stan, Mike and Joey  were musicians from Brian Murphy's band. Barry actually pilfered these guys from Brian. Heck Brian was recovering from more plastic surgery. You know a nip here and tuck there. Lets get rid of the bags and sags. Barry thank God never had any work done on his face. Except to have some cists taken off because of sun damage. Should have never laid out in the sun to get a tan. So right now Barry and company were going through rehearsals for the tour. Rett Turner was doing Barry and company's stage attire. Black pants. black shirts and colorful jackets for the boys in the band. Colorful dresses for Amy and Dana. While Barry was going to wear black pants, colorful printed shirts with solid colored jackets. Barry and company were also putting together a promo video for the tour.

On The Road Again

Yes that's right Barry was going on tour again. This time it was to promote his latest album Night Songs. Which he put out in February 2018. Plus his surprise album that he was recording in March 2018.  The tour would kick off on Friday June 15, 2018. The first part of the tour would go through the middle of September. Barry would be off the rest of 20118. The tour was being called the I'm Coming Back Tour. The other thing he didn't like was the winning being done over on his Facebook page by fans outside the US as well as inside the US. When are you coming here or when are you coming there these fans would ask. Barry knew what he was going do tour wise so these fans need to just wait. Which Barry knew these fans could never do. Just sit  and just wait their turn.  Barry was however pulling a Beyoncé on them in January 2019. He was hitting the recording studio to record a new album. Only Marc knew all the details of the surprise album. One thing some people didn't know about Barry was that he and his songwriting partners wrote songs for pop singer Brian Murphy. Back in the early 70's Barry met a guy at a jingle session named Ron Dante. He showed Ron some songs he wrote. They decided to make a demo record with the songs on them. Each of them chipped in 4,000. Barry sang the songs on the demo. Which they then pushed out to different record companies. Bell records liked the songs and had the perfect artist to record the songs. The artist was Brian James Murphy. So began the career of pop singer Brian Murphy and the guy who wrote the songs he recorded Barry Manilow. Barry was taking 18 of the songs he wrote with Adrienne Anderson, Enoch Anderson, Marty Panzer, John Bettis and recording them himself. The 18 songs were ones that were neverput out as hits. Barry's two other songwriting partners Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman wrote Broadway musicals with him. Like Copacabana and Lola the sequel to Copa. Oh yeas they did do a few pop songs with Barry. Which ended up on a couple of Brian Murphy's albums. But for the most part they wrote Broadway musicals with Barry.