Manilow, Barry/Expert Profile

Expertise

I will do my very best to answer any and all questions about Barry Manilow and his phenomenal career in a timely, informative and professional-like manner.

Experience in the area

I have been a Barry Manilow fan ever since "Mandy", and I have an extensive collection of his recordings, videos and DVDs from his first album to the present date. I have also had the pleasure of meeting Barry, and I respect and admire him tremendously.

Organizations

I have been a member of the Barry Manilow International Fan Club for 30 years, and I have been a lifetime member since 1991. I am also the Owner and Co-Moderator of the All4BarryManilow Group on Yahoo! Groups. http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/All4BarryManilow
You can find me on My Manilow Network at http://manilow.ning.com/profile/LaurieWheeler
Please check out my Barry Manilow web page at http://www.lauriesbarry.homestead.com/index.html
Please feel free to contact me on Facebook. My profile is located at facebook.com/Manilady, and I am the Administrator of the Manilow Magic BMFC (Barry Manilow Fan Club) on Facebook.

Education/Credentials

I am a graduate of Grand Blanc High School, and I have an Associate's Degree in the Medical Secretarial field from Baker College of Flint, Michigan.

What do you like about this subject?

Barry Manilow is a true musician, not just a singer or a songwriter. As Rolling Stone magazine says, Barry Manilow is "The Showman Of Our Generation". I also love the fact that Barry's music brings joy, hope and inspiration to people all over the world.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

I hope to learn more about other people who appreciate Barry's music, and how his music has meaningfully affected their lives.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

Barry started out on the accordion, then switched to the piano at the age of 13. He has also described his career as a singer and concert entertainer as a "beautiful accident", and that this career chose him. He likes oddball musical instruments such as the kazoo, musical saw, Jew's Harp, etc. As for Barry's marital status, he is divorced from a lady named Susan, and he has no children.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

Despite his extraordinary success and fame, Barry Manilow has managed to remain down-to-earth, and to keep his private life "out of the spotlight" so to speak. There has been a lot of speculation over the years about certain issues such as his sexual orientation. However, there has never been any conclusive proof that any of this rumor and/or speculation has one iota of truth.