Barry Manilow Reveals Lung Cancer Diagnosis
The 82-year-old says the cancer was caught early, surgery is planned, and no chemo or radiation is expected.
Barry Manilow announced in an Instagram post that he has lung cancer.
“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks,” wrote the 82-year-old singer-songwriter. “Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK. The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed.
“It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early,” Manilow continued. “That’s the good news.”
The “Copacabana” singer, who married his husband, Gary Kief, in 2014, added that he will undergo surgery to “have the spot removed” and will need to take about a month off from touring to recover at his Palm Springs home.
“The doctors do not believe it has spread, and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis,” Manilow wrote. “So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns.”
Manilow said he will reschedule the January shows that are part of his “Christmas: A Gift of Love” concert series. His revised schedule will begin after his Valentine’s weekend concerts in Las Vegas and run from late February through April, according to NBC News.
The Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning pop star urged fans to be proactive about their health, telling them, “[I]f you have even the slightest symptom, get tested!”
Manilow was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2020. The cancer was treated at an early stage and did not compromise his singing career.
In May 2024, he was forced to cancel a concert in London for health reasons. He performed at the London Palladium the next day and rescheduled the canceled date for the following month.
Manilow previously touted his “The Last Concerts” series, originally scheduled to run from January through April 2026, as his farewell tour in an interview with Billboard, reflecting on the status of some of his contemporaries in the music world.
“It’s like, ‘What? Am I the only one left?'” he said. “It’s Billy Joel, and Elton [John] is not well and Rod [Stewart] and Neil [Diamond]. Diana Ross is still in great shape, I think. There must be only a handful of people in my world that are still there.
“I’m still healthy,” he added. “I’m strong and I’ve still got my voice and my energy. The night I can’t hit the F natural on ‘Even Now,’ that’s the night I throw in the towel. But I can still do it.”
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