Music Legend Barry Manilow Scheduled for Surgery for Cancer in His Lung.
The singer has disclosed that he received a diagnosis with cancer of the lung and will be having an operation.
Early-Stage Diagnosis
The legendary 82-year-old artist, famous for his series of beloved anthems from "I Write the Songs" established him as one of pop music’s most beloved entertainers, will have an operation to remove part of his lung in an effort to treat the disease, which is in its early stages.
“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of a severe cough followed by a relapse of another five weeks.
“Even though I was recovered from the illness and performing again for my residency, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to ensure that everything was OK.
“The MRI discovered a tumor on my left lung that needs to be removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a great doctor) that it was discovered so early.”
Rescheduled Shows
He has postponed a string of planned shows, but stated he would be on stage again by mid-February for his long-running residency in Las Vegas.
He continued: “The physicians do not believe it has spread and I’m undergoing further tests to verify their assessment. So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just rest and recuperation and classic TV.
“I’m eagerly awaiting until I come back to my second home at the Westgate Las Vegas for our Valentine’s weekend concerts.”
Decades in the Spotlight
Manilow is now in the 16th year of a residency on the Las Vegas Strip. The singer has been in the public eye and revealed he is gay in 2017, after marrying his longtime partner and manager confidentially in 2014.
The duo were in a clandestine romance for more than 35 years. Recently, Manilow spoke about how vital his husband had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.
“When my fame skyrocketed, it was just hectic. And, you know, going back to an lonesome hotel suite, you can find yourself in a lot of trouble if you, you know, you’re by yourself repeatedly,” he said.
“But I met Garry right around when it was blowing up. And I didn’t have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had a partner to be vulnerable with or to celebrate with.
“I desire that aspiring artists don’t have to go back to those suites by themselves, because you can make poor choices. I never did. But it was very solitary until I met Garry. And then it was a shared adventure.”
