Legendary '70s Singer Announces Update Amid Health Battle
Barry Manilow shared some good and bad news on his Instagram story on Friday evening.
It was revealed last December that the 82-year-old singer was diagnosed with Stage 1 lung cancer, after an MRI scan revealed a spot on his left lung. He underwent a successful lobe-removal surgery, resulting in a cancer-free status and requiring no chemotherapy or radiation. But because of his health issues, Manilow had to reschedule many of his shows that were originally planned to take place during the first three months of 2026.
One of those was his ongoing Manilow: The Hits Come Home! Las Vegas residency, set to take place at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. He was supposed to start the run of shows next Thursday, but announced on Instagram that he is "not quite ready for Vegas."
"I went to the doctor yesterday and he said I'm making great progress and look great! All the training and exercising I've put in is paying off," the message read. "He did say, however, that I'm not quite ready for Vegas. This means I won't be able to return for our May shows at Westgate Las Vegas."
"The Westgate Las Vegas is my home away from home and I'll see you all in July," he concluded, providing a timeline for his fans expecting to see him in concert. The singer also said that he should be ready for his shows in the United Kingdom that are taking place this June. "It's going to be great to see you all in the UK," he added.
According to PEOPLE, Manilow first went to the doctor in November because of hip pain. The doctor ordered him an MRI for his pelvis, then for his lungs, when he learned the "Somewhere Down The Road" singer had recently battled bronchitis.
"If he hadn't done that, man...He saved my life, because there's no symptoms for what I had. I could go on, nothing hurt - but they found the dot in my lung," he told PEOPLE.
A month later, Manilow underwent the procedure and spent a week in the ICU. As of now, he is cancer-free, but still on his road to recovery.
"It has really, really made me take stock of my life. This made me stop and think about: Have I done what I wanted to do, and have I made people happy? Have I been a good friend? All of those cornball things that I've read for all of my life, I started to think about that, too. It really did stop me in my tracks," he said in his cover story in March. "And the answers are yes. And as a matter of fact, there are more yeses than I ever thought.
Manilow started his professional music career in 1964, when CBS director Bro Herrod asked him to arrange some songs for a musical adaptation of the drama, The Drunkard. At the time, Manilow was 21 years old, and instead, wrote an entire score. He then started working as a jingle writer and singer throughout the 1960s.
In 1973, he released his self-titled debut album through Bell / Arista Records, which peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard 200. He has since released more than 30 studio albums, with a new one titled What a Time on June 5, his first since February 2020.
Manilow also holds two Emmy Awards, a Tony, three American Music Awards and a Grammy for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance for his hit song "Copacabana." In addition, the successful singer has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is honored at the Songwriters' Hall of Fame and holds a Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award.
The first show for his upcoming Manilow: The Hits Come Home! Las Vegas residency is expected to kick off on July 9, and multiple shows will take place until October. Tickets for the upcoming residency can be purchased on Manilow's official website.
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 6:42 PM.