About
Brooklyn-born Barry Alan Pincus, better known as Barry Manilow, built one of the most commercially dominant careers of the 1970s, even if he's rarely the first name that comes up in rock circles. Starting out as a jingle writer and arranger — yes, the guy behind those earworm McDonald's and Band-Aid commercials — Manilow honed a craftsman's ear for melody long before he became a household name. His early work as Bette Midler's pianist and musical director gave him serious chops that often get overlooked by critics who dismissed him as soft pop fluff.
His run of hits through the mid-to-late 70s was genuinely staggering. Albums like Tryin' to Get the Feeling and Even Now produced an almost absurd string of chart-toppers including Mandy, Could It Be Magic, and Copacabana. The guy had 28 top-40 hits before the decade was out. Stylistically, this is adult contemporary and pop balladry at its most polished — orchestrated, lush, and meticulously produced. Not exactly Zeppelin territory, but if you respect songwriting craft and studio precision, there's something to appreciate here. His cultural footprint is undeniable, and his devoted fanbase, the Fanilows, rivals any rock following for sheer loyalty.
