Barry Manilow Scheduled for Surgery for a Lung Cancer Diagnosis.

Barry Manilow announced that he has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will be having a surgical procedure.

Early-Stage Diagnosis

The legendary 82-year-old artist, famous for his series of beloved anthems from "I Write the Songs" cemented his status as one of pop music’s most beloved showmen, will have an operation 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 endured six weeks of bronchitis followed by a recurrence of another five weeks.

“Even though I was recovered from the illness and back on stage for my residency, my wonderful doctor requested an MRI just to ensure that there were no issues.

“The MRI detected a malignant lesion on my left side that requires removed. It’s sheer fortune (and a fantastic physician) that it was found so early.”

Postponed Performances

He has postponed a string of planned shows, but stated he would be back on stage by the February holiday for his longstanding concert series at his Vegas home.

He continued: “The medical team do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to verify their assessment. So, that’s it. Chemo is not needed. Radiation therapy is off the table. Just chicken soup and classic TV.

“I’m looking forward to until I return to my second home in Las Vegas for our special weekend performances.”

Decades in the Spotlight

Manilow is currently in the 16th year of a concert series in Nevada. The singer has been in the spotlight and publicly identified as gay in 2017, after marrying his longtime partner and manager privately in 2014.

The couple were in a discreet romance for more than 35 years. In 2023, Manilow discussed how vital his husband had been to him during his ascent to stardom in the 1970s.

“During my rapid rise to fame, it was just overwhelming. And, you know, going back to an lonesome hotel suite, you can find yourself in a lot of difficulty if you, you know, you’re alone night after night,” he said.

“But I found my partner right around when it was exploding. And I didn’t have to go back to those empty hotel rooms. I had somebody to be vulnerable with or to share joys with.

“I hope that aspiring artists don’t have to go back to those hotel rooms by themselves, because you get yourself in trouble. I never did. But it was quite isolating until I met Garry. And then it was fun.”