Barry Manilow: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Barry Manilow is often filed as soft-rock schmaltz, but his roots are Brooklyn piano lessons, Juilliard-adjacent arranging work, jingle sessions, and the gay bathhouse cabaret where he backed Bette Midler. This mix traces the saloon singers and classical preludes behind the hits, the Harlettes-era scene that made him, and the crooners who later picked up his torch.

The Kynda mix for Barry Manilow

• Key Influence · In the Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra (1955). Manilow's model for the album as emotional arc rather than hit collection: Sinatra's Capitol-era concept records, with Nelson Riddle's string writing, taught him that a ballad singer could build a whole LP on one mood. He later pursued Sinatra directly for his jazz project 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe, and his phrasing, rubato intros and conversational delivery on the big ballads descend from this saloon-song tradition more than from rock.
• Influencia Obscura · Eli and the Thirteenth Confession by Laura Nyro (1968). The hidden template for the piano-driven, Brill-Building-meets-gospel songwriting of early Manilow: Nyro's tempo-shifting suites, her Bronx-bred theatricality and her way of treating the piano as a dramatic instrument shaped a whole generation of New York songwriters working the same clubs. Her songs circulated as hits through other voices, the same arranger's-ear route by which Manilow first made his name behind other performers.
• Local Roots · Hot August Night by Neil Diamond (1972). Brooklyn's other great pop songwriter-showman, and the clearest parallel career: Diamond also came out of New York publishing-house songwriting before turning himself into a theatrical arena performer with strings, horns and audience-sing-along architecture. Recorded at the Greek Theatre, this live album is the blueprint for the kind of grand, emotionally direct concert staging Manilow built his own touring reputation on through the late 1970s.
• Beyond the Medium · Preludes, Op. 28 by Frédéric Chopin (1839). Manilow built "Could It Be Magic" directly on the Prelude in C minor, Op. 28 No. 20, keeping Chopin's chord progression as the song's harmonic engine and crediting the inspiration openly. It is the single most revealing fact about him: a chart balladeer whose signature early song is a piece of Romantic keyboard literature in disguise. The Preludes' compressed emotional intensity is the source code for his ballad writing.
• Peer · The Stranger by Billy Joel (1977). The decade's other New York piano man, working the same territory of narrative songs, character sketches and unashamed melody while rock critics sneered at both. Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" shares Manilow's taste for multi-part song structure and theatrical sequencing; both men answered the singer-songwriter era with Brill Building craft rather than confessional minimalism, and both dominated 1977-78 radio simultaneously.
• From the Canon · 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe by Barry Manilow (1984). The album that explains the whole career: Manilow wrote an original set of after-hours jazz standards, recorded live to tape with Mel Tormé, Sarah Vaughan and jazz veterans including Shelly Manne and Mundell Lowe, no overdubs. It reveals the saloon-song musician underneath the hit factory and declares his real allegiance to the Sinatra-Cole tradition rather than to 1980s radio, years before standards albums became a mainstream commercial strategy.
• Key Collaborator · The Divine Miss M by Bette Midler (1972). Manilow was Midler's pianist and music director at the Continental Baths and co-produced this debut, arranging the girl-group pastiches and torch numbers that defined her persona. It is the single most important collaboration of his pre-fame life: the campy, period-hopping showbiz vocabulary of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Chapel of Love" is the same sensibility he later turned into "Copacabana."
• Legacy · It's Time by Michael Bublé (2005). Bublé's whole career rests on the premise Manilow proved commercially viable twice over: that a contemporary pop singer can inhabit the Great American Songbook and the lush orchestral ballad without irony. He has spoken warmly of Manilow as a model showman and ballad interpreter, and his big-band-plus-strings records follow the path Manilow opened with 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe and his later standards albums.

What influenced Barry Manilow

• Home to Myself by Melissa Manchester (1973). Home to Myself (Melissa Manchester) — ghost for Barry Manilow “Manchester played the Manhattan club scene, where Barry Manilow, a friend and fellow singer of jingles, introduced her to Bette Midler.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Andrews Sisters. Manilow credited the members of the Andrews Sisters as inspirations. “Manilow has credited Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne Andrews as inspiring him, perhaps most evident in his recording of "Jump, Shout Boogie".” (Wikipedia)
• In the Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra. In the Wee Small Hours (Frank Sinatra) — titan for Barry Manilow “In the 1970s, Frank Sinatra predicted: "He's next." As well as producing and arranging albums for himself and other artists, Manilow has written and performed songs for musicals, films, and commercials for corporations such as McDonald's…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Black Coffee by Peggy Lee (1953). Black Coffee (Peggy Lee) — titan for Barry Manilow “The album went gold, and they collaborated again in 2005 on Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. Rhapsody in Blue (George Gershwin) — culture for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Eli and the Thirteenth Confession by Laura Nyro. Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (Laura Nyro) — ghost for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Judy at Carnegie Hall by Judy Garland (1961). Judy at Carnegie Hall (Judy Garland) — culture for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Love Is the Thing by Nat King Cole (1957). Love Is the Thing (Nat King Cole) — titan for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Preludes, Op. 28 by Frédéric Chopin (1839). Preludes, Op. 28 (Frédéric Chopin) — culture for Barry Manilow

Peers and kindred spirits

• The Divine Miss M by Bette Midler (1972). The Divine Miss M (Bette Midler) — collaborator for Barry Manilow “Manilow — who produced Midler’s first two breakthrough albums, The Divine Miss M (1972) and Bette Midler (1973)” (Columbia Records press release, reproduced by Peggy Lee Associates)
• Bette Midler by Bette Midler. Manilow produced Midler's second album. (also via I Love Being Here with You, The Divine Miss M) “Bette Midler saw Manilow's act in 1971 and chose him as her pianist at the Continental Baths in New York City that year, [ 35 ] and subsequently as a producer on both her debut and second record albums, The Divine Miss M (1972) and Bette…” (Wikipedia)
• Dionne by Dionne Warwick (1979). Manilow produced Warwick's album Dionne. “Also in 1979, Manilow produced Dionne Warwick 's "comeback" album Dionne , her first to go platinum.” (Wikipedia)
• Jingle Bells. Manilow and Exposé recreated an earlier recording of the song. “The version of “Jingle Bells” on the album is a cover of the 1943 recording by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters with the girl group Exposé taking the Andrews Sisters’ part.” (Sessiondays)
• Jack Feldman. Manilow composed songs with lyricist Feldman. “5  Excerpt From Handel’s Messiah (“For Unto Us A Child Is Born…”) / Because It’s Christmas (For All The Children) (Barry Manilow; Bruce Sussman; Jack Feldman) 05:27” (Sessiondays)
• Exposé. Manilow and Exposé recorded together. “The version of “Jingle Bells” on the album is a cover of the 1943 recording by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters with the girl group Exposé taking the Andrews Sisters’ part.” (Sessiondays)
• Bruce Sussman. Manilow composed songs with lyricist Sussman. “Bruce: It’s a marriage—a collaboration in its highest form. Most collaborations fail because of trust, and I would say that’s true of marriage as well.” (SoCalPulse)
• Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. Manilow produced Midler's Rosemary Clooney songbook album. “In 2003, Manilow — who produced Midler’s first two breakthrough albums, The Divine Miss M (1972) and Bette Midler (1973) — helmed Bette’s Grammy-nominated, RIAA gold-certified Columbia Records debut, Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Cloon…” (Columbia Records press release, reproduced by Peggy Lee Associates)
• Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook. Manilow and Midler collaborated on the Peggy Lee songbook album. “Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook reunites Bette with producer Barry Manilow, her original piano accompanist and musical director.” (Columbia Records press release, reproduced by Peggy Lee Associates)
• Kid Creole. Manilow recorded a duet with Kid Creole. “The LP featured several guest stars and many of them would appear in the TV special with Manilow including Kid Creole & the Coconuts, who helped out on this single.” (PopRedux80)
• I Love Being Here with You by Bette Midler. The album’s track description identifies Manilow as Midler’s duet partner. ““I Love Being Here with You” (duet with Barry Manilow)” (Columbia Records press release, reproduced by Peggy Lee Associates)
• Let's Hang On! by The Four Seasons. Manilow covered the Four Seasons hit. “a third single that became a hit in the UK, a cover of the 1965 The Four Seasons smash " Let's Hang On! ".” (Wikipedia)
• Sugar, Sugar by The Archies (1969). Sugar, Sugar (The Archies) — collaborator for Barry Manilow “According to album liner notes, Manilow did, however, perform co-production as well as arrangement duties on all the above tracks along with Ron Dante, most famous for his vocals on records by The Archies.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Finder of Lost Loves. Manilow produced six songs for Warwick's album. “Barry also produced more songs for Dionne Warwick 6 songs on her Finder Of Lost Love album and 1 on her Friends album both albums released in 1985.” (Wikipedia)
• Don Bluth. Manilow joined Bluth's animated-film projects as a songwriter. “In the early 1990s, Manilow signed on with Don Bluth to compose the songs with lyricists Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman for three animated films.” (Wikipedia)
• Friends by Shawn Colvin (1989). Manilow produced one song for Warwick's album. “Barry also produced more songs for Dionne Warwick 6 songs on her Finder Of Lost Love album and 1 on her Friends album both albums released in 1985.” (Wikipedia)
• Tony Orlando. Orlando co-wrote with and produced Manilow. “Tony Orlando , who went on to co-write with and produce Manilow and a group of studio musicians under the name "Featherbed" on Columbia Pictures 's newly acquired Bell Records label.” (Wikipedia)
• With My Lover Beside Me. Manilow produced Wilson's album. “Manilow produced the 1991 album With My Lover Beside Me by legendary jazz vocalist Nancy Wilson . [ 58 ] The record is based on lyrics left behind by famed composer Johnny Mercer that had never been set to music.” (Wikipedia)
• Sarah Vaughan. Vaughan participated in Manilow's album recording. “Showtime aired a documentary of Manilow recording the album with a number of jazz legends including Sarah Vaughan and Mel Tormé .” (Wikipedia)
• Ron Dante. Manilow and Dante shared production and arrangement duties. “According to album liner notes, Manilow did, however, perform co-production as well as arrangement duties on all the above tracks along with Ron Dante , most famous for his vocals on records by The Archies .” (Wikipedia)
• I Don't Want to Walk Without You by Jule Styne and Frank Loesser. Manilow remade the Styne and Loesser standard. “During the 1980s, Manilow topped the Adult Contemporary radio charts with songs such as " The Old Songs ", " Somewhere Down the Road ", " Read 'Em and Weep " (by Jim Steinman ), and a remake of the 1941 Jule Styne and Frank Loesser stand…” (Wikipedia)
• I Made It Through the Rain by Gerard Kenny. Manilow recorded a song that had earlier been a hit for its writer. “The album contained the top 10 hits " I Made It Through the Rain " (originally a minor hit for its writer, Gerard Kenny ) and " Bermuda Triangle ".” (Wikipedia)
• Dick Clark. Manilow and Clark worked together on multiple productions. “Beginning with Manilow's March 22, 1975, appearance on American Bandstand to promote the second album, a productive friendship with Dick Clark started. [ 44 ] Among their projects together were numerous appearances by Manilow on Clark's …” (Wikipedia)
• Mel Tormé. Tormé participated in Manilow's album recording. “Showtime aired a documentary of Manilow recording the album with a number of jazz legends including Sarah Vaughan and Mel Tormé .” (Wikipedia)
• Cloudburst by Jon Hendricks. Manilow's album includes Hendricks's song. “Among other songs on the album were Jon Hendricks ' vocalese jazz standard "Cloudburst", most successfully recorded by his group Lambert, Hendricks and Ross in 1959, and a slower-tempo version of "Could It Be Magic".” (Wikipedia)
• Mandy by Scott English and Richard Kerr. Manilow recorded a song previously recorded by its co-writer Scott English. “Manilow had not wanted to record the song, which had originally been titled "Brandy" when recorded by its co-writer Scott English , but the song was included at Davis's insistence.” (Wikipedia)
• Rosemary Clooney (1928). Clooney recorded a duet with Manilow. “She sang a duet of " Green Eyes " with Barry Manilow for his album, Singin' with the Big Bands (1994).” (Wikipedia)
• Read 'Em and Weep by Jim Steinman. Manilow recorded Steinman's song. “During the 1980s, Manilow topped the Adult Contemporary radio charts with songs such as " The Old Songs ", " Somewhere Down the Road ", " Read 'Em and Weep " (by Jim Steinman ), and a remake of the 1941 Jule Styne and Frank Loesser stand…” (Wikipedia)
• Lost in Love by Air Supply (1980). Lost in Love (Air Supply) — peer for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Tapestry by Carole King. Tapestry (Carole King) — geography for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Sedaka's Back by Neil Sedaka (1974). Sedaka's Back (Neil Sedaka) — geography for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• The Stranger by Billy Joel (1977). The Stranger (Billy Joel) — peer for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Hot August Night by Neil Diamond (1972). Hot August Night (Neil Diamond) — geography for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John (1973). Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Elton John) — peer for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)

Who Barry Manilow influenced

• I Need Your Help Barry Manilow. Stevens's song satirizes Manilow's musical style. “In 1979, Manilow's musical style was satirized in the song " I Need Your Help Barry Manilow " performed by Ray Stevens . [ 114 ] The song leads off with a musical phrase resembling the opening of " I Write the Songs "” (Wikipedia)
• Closer by Josh Groban (2003). Closer (Josh Groban) — legacy for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)
• It's Time by Michael Bublé (2005). It's Time (Michael Bublé) — legacy for Barry Manilow (musicbrainz.org)