Barry Manilow’s voice could be permanently ruined after the legendary singer underwent surgery in order to save the musician after he was diagnosed with lung cancer
Barry Manilow has been left fearing he may permanently lose his voice. The singer, 82, has been undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with lung cancer, which resulted in an operation.
It was announced in December last year that Barry had been diagnosed with the condition, and just weeks later, he underwent a lobectomy, during which a large portion of his cancerous left lung was removed. Manliow smoked from the age of nine until he was 39, before starting to vape in recent years.
During an appearance on Good Morning America this week, the singer said: “My voice – I don’t know whether it’s coming back.” The singer spoke in a raspy voice and explained that he was starting to lose hope of ever singing again.
He said: “I did my first sound check about a month ago, and I didn’t sound like me at all.” Just a few weeks ago, Manilow explained that he was trying to strengthen his voice again, but that “no patience and waiting” was “agony” for him.
After his soundcheck, which left him deflated, he considered whether he would ever be able to belt out his iconic tracks in the same way. “I just couldn’t believe that it’s over,” Barry said, adding: “That is really upsetting. Because I don’t want it to stop.”
The singer says that he had “taken my voice for granted” after his iconic tones helped him belt out songs including Copacabana, Mandy, and Looks Like We Made It. In a heartbreaking admission, he went on to say: “I don’t take it seriously. Now I do, because it doesn’t seem to be there the way it always was.”
Manilow had previously visited his doctor in November but after suffering from bronchitis, his doctors ordered an MRI scan. He said: “They checked my lungs, and they found the dot, the spot, that thing that you don’t want to, you don’t want to ever have.
“They said I had lung cancer and we have to get it out.” But the diagnosis was “too heavy” for the singer. However, the surgery was a success as the tumour was discovered to be stage one and was fully removed, meaning that he wouldn’t be required to undergo chemotherapy or radiation.
But he did suffer a “terrifying” experience, which ended with a stint in the intensive care unit, after developing pneumonia following his operation. Sharing the horrific experience, Barry said: “There were a couple of moments there that I thought this may be goodbye. But these people at this hospital, they were just angels, saints. I could cry so hard every time I think about these nurses and doctors.”
Despite the pain, he was optimistic and said he was “doing good”, but had no idea his recovery from lung cancer would take so long. And while he fears he may not be able to sing properly again, he’s looking ahead to his 83rd birthday on June 17.
He said: “Have I done everything I wanted to do? Have I been good to people? Have I made people feel good? That’s all I ever wanted to do with my music.” And although he has millions of fans across the globe, he was still shocked to recieve countless letters from fans who were “praying” for him after his diagnosis.
The crooner is eager to get back on stage again soon, despite the fears around his voice, saying: “I can’t wait to get back. I’m in great shape, I’m ready to go. I just hope my voice is there. If I sound good, that would be just great.” But he’s all too aware that his voice could cause setbacks, although he’s determined not to become emotional on stage, saying: “I really don’t want to cry on stage, but I don’t know whether I’ll be able to hold that back this time.”
Barry is due to kick off the UK dates on his farewell tour in Glasgow on June 9 before completing the rest of the tour in the States.
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