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Barry Manilow, one of pop’s most enduring icons, is hitting pause on his concert tour after a recent health setback, forcing him to cancel shows just weeks before his highly anticipated arena dates.
The 79-year-old singer revealed the disappointing news in a candid message to fans, sharing details about his struggle to get back on stage after a serious health scare.
In a heartfelt statement, Manilow opened up about the tough conversation he had with his doctor.
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“Just got home from visiting the surgeon. Very depressing visit,” Manilow shared on X.
Despite being committed to his recovery — exercising daily and pushing himself to sing longer sets — the legendary performer revealed he was still far from ready for the physical demands of his upcoming tour.
“I told him that I have been using the treadmill three times a day (I have), but that I still couldn’t sing more than three songs in a row before I had to stop,” he continued.
But when he asked if he’d be good to go for his upcoming arena shows, the prognosis wasn’t what he’d hoped.
“He said, ‘Barry, you won’t be ready to do a 90-minute show. Your lungs aren’t ready yet,’” Manilow continued.
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“You’re in great shape considering what you’ve been through, but your body isn’t ready. You shouldn’t do the first arena shows. You won’t make it through.”
Manilow continued, “I had a feeling he’d say that. Deep down … my body knew what my heart didn’t want to admit: I wasn’t ready.”
As a result, Manilow is rescheduling his shows from February 27 to March 17.
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But he’s eyeing his Las Vegas residency at the end of March and his arena tour beginning again in April.
“When I do come back, I will COME BACK!!!” Manilow vowed, giving fans a reason to hold onto their concert tickets and optimism.
He concluded his message in part, “The doctor said that my body had been through hell and that it needed time to heal. So, I’m going back to healing.”
Manilow signed his note with, “All my love and gratitude, B.”
The news comes on the heels of an earlier health scare in December, when Manilow revealed he’d been diagnosed with a cancerous spot on his lung, discovered after weeks of battling bronchitis.
While the diagnosis stunned his fans, he assured followers the spot was caught early and hadn’t spread.
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“It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early,” Manilow said at the time.
He explained that no chemo or radiation was necessary — just rest, recovery and a bit of humor to keep spirits high.
“Just chicken soup and ‘I Love Lucy’ reruns,” he joked.
Manilow rose to fame writing iconic jingles like McDonald’s “You Deserve a Break Today” and creating chart-topping classics like “Mandy” and “Copacabana,” cementing himself as one of the most successful pop artists of the 1970s and 1980s.
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