Barry Manilow Will Have Surgery for Cancer in His Lung.
The singer has disclosed that he was diagnosed with lung cancer and is set to have a surgical procedure.
Cancer Caught Early
The 82-year-old singer, whose parade of beloved anthems from "Mandy" established him as one of pop music’s most beloved entertainers, will have surgery to take out a section of lung tissue in an effort to fight off the illness, which is detected early.
“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of a severe cough followed by a return of another five weeks.
“Even though I was past the infection and performing again for my residency, my wonderful doctor insisted on an MRI just to make sure that there were no issues.
“The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my lung that requires removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a fantastic physician) that it was discovered so early.”
Concert Delays
He has delayed a series of planned live performances, but stated he would be on stage again by Valentine’s Day for his enduring residency at his Vegas home.
He went on to say: “The physicians do not believe it has metastasized and I’m having examinations to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiotherapy. Just rest and recuperation and I Love Lucy reruns.
“I’m looking forward to until I rejoin my home away from home for our Vegas run for our Valentine’s weekend concerts.”
Decades in the Spotlight
Manilow is presently in his 16th year of a concert series on the Las Vegas Strip. The singer has enjoyed a career spanning many years in the public eye and came out as gay in 2017, after marrying his longtime partner and manager privately in 2014.
The couple were in a clandestine relationship for more than 35 years. Recently, Manilow reflected on how important his partner had been to him during his explosion in popularity in the 1970s.
“When my fame skyrocketed, it was just hectic. And, you know, coming home to an lonesome hotel suite, you can get into a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re alone night after night,” he said.
“But I encountered my future husband right around when it was taking off. And I was spared from having to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had somebody to cry with or to celebrate with.
“I hope that young people don’t have to go back to those hotel rooms by themselves, because you can make poor choices. I never did. But it was quite isolating until I met Garry. And then it was a shared adventure.”
