First Single Autumn In New York

Barry was going to give his fans an early Christmas present with a single from the Night Songs album. However he decided instead to surprise them by making the Cd single a part of their membership kit. They would still get their membership card, pin and welcome to the club card. He  told the fan club he wasn't going to tell them about this. That way it would be a complete surprise when they got their kit.

When It's Over That's The Time I Fall In Love Again.

Barry wondered was he unlucky in love. First it was Abigail who broke up with him. Now it was   Julie who had broken up with him. Maybe he should lay low when it comes to women for a while. Guess what the gay rumors has started up again. Maybe that's why Julie dumped him. Who really knows except Julie. At least Max and Maggie his two dogs would never dump him. Barry decided to concentrate on his Borgata shows.  That he figured would take his mind off of Julie. Barry was on his way to the studio where he was meeting up with Rett Turner his costume designer. He was going for his first fitting. Barry was not watching where he was going. Thud he bumped into something or so he thought. When he looked up it turned out to be a person. That person turned out to be a woman. Oh I'm sorry he said. That's ok said Skylar. When your minds somewhere else your not paying attention to where your going or what your doing she said. Barry looked up and there was this angel. Barry said if you're ever in Atlantic City come to the Borgata. I'm starting my show on February 14th of next year. Just go to the box office and tell them Barry Manilow sent you. I'll let them know you might come and they can give you a comp ticket. Oh! One more thing I need a name to leave at the box office. So when you say I'm whatever your name is they can say we have your name on the list and give you your ticket. My name is Skylar Herzbach she said. That's an interesting name said Barry. Skylar means scholar she said. I guess my parents thought something different was in order when they named me.  Well I've got to get going Skylar said. Nice to meet you Barry Manilow she said. Nice to meet you too Skylar Herzbach said Barry. Barry started down the sidewalk when he turned around. He said wait a minute. Yes said Skylar did you forget something. Well sort of said Barry. Herzbach is your last name right. Right said Skylar. You aren't related to recording engineer Andrew Herzbach by any chance asked Barry. Yes I am Andrew Herzbach is my uncle said Skylar. My dad is John Herzbach he's an airline pilot.I know your uncle he was the recording engineer for my Here At The Mayflower album. When I see him on Sunday I'll tell him I saw you said Skylar. Skylar went on her way. Come Monday now wasn't that a title of a Barry Manilow song? Yes it was Skylar thought as she walked home.

Platinum Packages

 Barry Manilow decided for the first time ever to do platinum package for his fans. Barry decided his platinum packages would consist of the following.  Front row seat, Backstage pass lanyard, Manilow wine glass and Manilow's Night Songs program autographed by Barry Manilow. Each platinum package cost $500.00 with the entire amount going to Barry Manilow's own charity The Manilow Music for Kids Fund. The wine glass would be filled with wine instead of  champagne. The wines would be from his own wines called Manilow. There would be two reds a merlot and a cabernet sauvignon. Two whites melody and a Riesling. Along with sparkling red and white grape juice plus ginger ale.

Manilow's Night Songs Show

 

Barry Manilow's new performing home. The Music Box at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. Barry's starts his new show Manilow's Night Songs on Thursday February 14, 2019. During the months of January, March, May, July, September and November Barry's doing two weekends each of these months. Then during the months of  February, April, August, October and December Barry's doing three weekends each of these months. Shows are Thursday through Sunday and they start at 8PM.  Barry is doing a total of eighty-four show a year.  June is Barry's off month. The only time a show will not fall on a Thursday through Sunday is on New Years Eve. That is when New Years Eve falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday. If New Years Eve falls on a Monday the New Years Eve show will the day before.

An Offer He Couldn't Refuse

Barry wondered what his fans were going to do when they find out he canceled his world tour. The main reason the tour got canceled was because Barry got an offer to headline at the Borgata in Atlantic City.  Barry had said many times in interviews that he hated Las Vegas. But this was not Las Vegas. No this was Atlantic City and he loved Atlantic City. The Atlantic City  hotel/casino was the Borgata. The venue at the Borgata was the Music Box. Barry would in  permanent residence for as long as he wanted to stay. Boyd Gaming and Marina District Development  who owned the Borgata contacted Barry and asked him if he'd like to have permanent residence at the Borgata's Music Box theatre. Barry didn't hesitate to say yes to their offer.  For a number of reasons. One it wasn't in Las Vegas. Two it was in New Jersey which was close to New York City where he lived. So he could go home after his last show on Saturday night. Three Amtrak now had direct train service to Atlantic City. So no flying or even driving down there if he didn't want to do either.. Four The Music Box was an intimate 1,000 seat theatre which he liked. The unobstructed views from every seat in the theatre was another thing Barry liked. So he happily signed the contract. Then he got together with his writing team of Ken and Mitzi Welch. Together they came up with the perfect show. The show was being  called Manilow's Night Songs. This was going to be a very jazzy show. Because that's what Barry Manilow was a jazz artist on the side. Not a pop artist like Brian Murphy was. The other thing Barry kind of wondered about was what Brian Murphy was going to say when he discovered he lost four of his band members for good. In fact the four band members Barry snitched Russ McKinnon drums, Ron Pedley keyboards, David Rosenblatt percussion/vocals and Mike Lent guitar/vocals were thrilled to be working with Barry. It must have been because Russ, Ron David and Mike were all crazy about jazz like Barry was. Barry and Marc went down to Atlantic City to check out the Music Box to what it looked like. Once inside the theatre Barry said to Marc I'm going to really like it here. Barry was calling his Borgata show at the Music Box Manilow's Night Songs. Which was going to open on Valentines Day Thursday February 14, 2019. Fan club tickets would go on sale Friday November 30, 2018 at 1:00PM eastern time. With tickets for the general public going on sale Thursday December 13, 2018 at 1PM eastern time. Barry was going do something he'd never done before  platinum packages. Barry knew Brian Murphy did platinum packages during his road trips. Barry decided the package would consist of  a backstage meeting with him, front row seat, wine glass with your choice of wine, ginger ale or sparkling grape juice and an autographed program. Barry thought four different wines would be nice instead of champagne. Which is what he had heard Brian Murphy did for his platinum's. Barry decided on two red wines and two white wines. The reds were a cabernet sauvignon and a merlot. The whites were a Melody and Riesling . Plus ginger ale and sparkling red and white grape juice for those who didn't drink wine. Barry had decided that January, March May, July, September and November he would do two weekends. Then February, April, June, August, October and December he would do three weekends. The shows would be Thursday through Sunday except in December. Because he wanted to be there on December 31st to ring in the new year. Barry was even thinking platinum's on New Years Eve would be nice for his fans to do. Platinum's would cost five hundred dollars with the money going to his Manilow Music Fund for Kids. The Manilow Music Fund for Kids raises money for musical instruments that go to schools that needed them. Also for his Manilow Music Scholarship at Julliard Music school. Every year a deserving high school student gets a twenty-five thousand scholarship to Julliard Music school. Barry thought charging one thousand five hundred for platinum's was to much. He knew a lot of fans couldn't afford that amount. So that's why he was going to charge five hundred for his platinum's. All 

he needed to do now was rehearse with the band. Have them try on their costumes to make sure they fit. Then get ready for his third musical to open on Broadway. Harmony was still on Broadway at the St. James Theatre. Copacabana was back on Broadway and playing at the Music Box. Copacabana had been at the Music Box since February.  And now Here At The mayflower was going to open in December at the Gershwin Theatre. Wow three musicals on Broadway at one time. That's something no other Broadway songwriter had ever done. That should be one for the Guinness Book of World Records. The first Broadway songwriter to ever have three musicals on Broadway at one time.



Put A Ring On It

Marc came into JFK airport around 2:45PM. He had taken United flight 265 earlier that morning. Barry was there waiting for him. Hi Marc how was your flight asked Barry. Fine said Marc. You know you should move out eat said Barry. Yeah I know said Marc. Lets got get your bag said Barry. So off they went to the baggage claim area. Marc found his bag and off they went to catch a cab. Barry gave the cab driver his address. The driver went off to Barry's town house. When the cab driver pulled up to the town house Barry paid the driver. The drover got out of the cab and got Marc's bag out of the trunk. Marc's bag and marc gave him a tip and thanked him. Barry and Marc headed into the town house. Barry showed Marc to the guest bedroom. Marc said I want to show you something Barry. Marc unzipped his suitcase and found the small bag with the box in it. He took the box out of the bag and opened it up. Inside was a light blue topaz ring with diamonds around it. WOW said Barry that sure does sparkle. Remember the last time I was here I meet Julie Anne Berkovic's friend Susan Barrett. Yes I remember. Well Susan and I exchanged phone numbers. Since then we've been talking on the phone just about every day. Susan even came out to LA twice. Besides coming here for business I'm putting a ring on it. You're doing what said Barry. I'm putting a ring on it. said Marc. The it being Susan's left finger. You're going to propose to Susan said Barry. Yes said Marc. Congratulations said Barry. I not only fell in love with her cupcakes but I fell in love with her said Marc. Of course Barry I want you to be my best man. Why sure I'll be your best man said Barry. If Susan says yes I'm going to talk her into a destination wedding said Marc. Wherever she want to get married is fine with me. The only thing I'd like is something small and intimate said Marc. I thought we'd go to the empire state building before dinner. That's where I'll pop the question. From there we'll go to the Copacabana for dinner. Are you going to get down on one knee asked Barry. I guess I should said Marc. Well I think your ring is gorgeous said Barry. She'd be a fool not to say yes. I hope you're right said Marc. The next day Darren Griffin called and Barry told him the news about Marc proposing to Susan Barrett. Darren said I know the perfect place to get married Martha's Vineyard. I'm a member of the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club. Samantha and I have a summer home there so I can get the yacht club for Marc's wedding. They can get married on the beach and have their reception inside the yacht club building.  Let me know the date so I can reserve the yacht club for them.





First There Was HARMONY

Julie Anne decided since there wasn't a local Barry Manilow Fan Club in New York City she would start one. There was one sort of but Brooklyn wasn't Barry's home town. Brooklyn was one of the five boroughs in Barry's home town of New York City. The other four were the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.  Barry definitely need a local fan club in his home town of New York City. Julie Anne got her BFF's Susan Barrett, Lu Ann Heiner Drebot  and Tracy Quagieri Herbert to be her co-directors.  Julie Anne knew she couldn't call her group just Harmony . Then there was a FB page called First There Was Harmony. Which she knew she couldn't use or so she thought. When Julie Anne called Vikki Thomas to tell her she had started a local fan club for Barry in his hometown of New York City. Vikki said well it's about time. Julie Anne told Vikki the name she wanted to use First There Was Harmony. She also mentioned there was a FB page using that name and she figured she better not use it. Vikki told her to go ahead and use that name for her fan club. Vikki reminded her she needed to support a local charity. That's when Julie Anne told Vikki they already had a local charity. Plus they just had their first charity raffle. Grand prize was a pair of tickets to see Harmony on Broadway and the original Harmony cast album. First prize was an autographed Harmony poster. Second prize was an autographed Harmony playbill. Third prize was the original Harmony cast album autographed. Fourth prize was the Harmony t shirt and key chain.  Fifth prize was a Harmony coffee mug and a fridge magnet. We raised twenty thousand for the Harmony Program Inc. Julie Anne told Vikki the Harmony program Inc. is an after school music program for communities in New York City where there were no  after school  programs. Since she knew Barry Manilow she asked him if he would get everyone to sign the Harmony Broadway poster, Harmony Broadway playbill and Harmony original cast album. Just then Barry walked in. Vikki told him she was talking to Julie Anne Berkovic. Julie Anne started a local New York City fan club for you said Vikki. Oh she did said Barry. Yes said Vikki she has one hundred and fifty local New York City members. Plus two hundred members from outside New York City. Wow three hundred and fifty  that's a lot of members said Barry.  Just then the mailman came and left a large package. Are you going to open the package said Barry. Vikki replied not now while I'm talking on the phone. Vikki looked at the package and noticed it was from Julie Anne. I see you sent a package to us Julie Anne. Oh good said Julie Anne. You can open it up. So Vikki opened it up. Inside was some tee shirts with the fan clubs logo on it. All but one had Barry's photo on it. The one without Barry's photo on it was for Barry to wear. Also inside was copies of  the First There Was Harmony BMFC newsletter called The Quarter Note. There's one for Barry, Marc, Kirsten and you Vikki said Julie Anne. You can visit our group over on Facebook said Julie Anne. Barry asked Vikki for the phone which she gave him. Hey Julie Anne can I join your group? asked Barry. Julie Anne said sure Barry you can. In fact I'll make you an honorary co-director said Julie Anne. Wow I've never been a co-director of anything before said Barry. Well now you are said Julie Anne.