Barry Manilow

Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, musician, producer, conductor, and actor whose career has spanned over six decades, marked by elaborate romantic ballads and soft rock anthems that propelled him to global stardom in the 1970s and 1980s. Best known for hits like "Mandy", "Copacabana (At the Copa)", and "I Write the Songs", Manilow has sold more than 80 million records worldwide and holds the record as the top Adult Contemporary artist of all time according to both Billboard and Radio & Records.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Manilow showed early musical talent, receiving accordion and piano lessons starting at age seven and later studying at the New York College of Music and Juilliard School while working as a pianist and arranger at CBS. His professional breakthrough came in 1971 as music director and pianist for Bette Midler, which led to his signing with Bell Records in 1972 and a pivotal move to Arista Records under Clive Davis in 1974. Manilow's self-titled debut album followed in 1973, but it was the 1975 release of Barry Manilow II—featuring his first No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single "Mandy"—that launched his pop dominance, resulting in 25 consecutive Top 40 hits on the Hot 100 from 1975 to 1983 and 13 No. 1 singles on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Barry Manilow was born Barry Alan Pincus on June 17, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, to Edna Manilow, whose family was of Russian Jewish descent, and Harold Pincus, a truck driver of mixed Jewish and Irish heritage who often used the surname Keliher from his own stepfather. His parents' marriage ended when Barry was two years old, with his father abandoning the family then, leaving young Barry without further contact. In the aftermath, Barry adopted his mother's maiden name, Manilow, reflecting the lasting influence of his maternal Jewish heritage.