Barry Manilow said coming out sooner than he did would have “killed” his career. He explained he was never part of the “guys,” did not focus on awards, and felt grateful for his life and long relationship with his husband, Garry Kief. He said the world treated his sexuality as a “non-event,” adding that people already knew and he did not fully hide it, but he avoided talking about it in the 1970s and 1980s because it could have ended his career. He also described being diagnosed with lung cancer and undergoing treatment, including surgery that required canceling shows and taking a long break to recover his voice and breathing.
"“Nobody gave a s***,” he continued. “They all knew. I never really hid it, but in the 70s and 80s, that would have killed the career, and I didn't want to do that. So I just never talked about it.”"
"“I've never been one of the guys,” he told the publication when discussing why he has never been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “I don't think about awards and parties and stuff like that,” he continued."
"“I'm very lucky - I live in the most gorgeous place I've ever seen and I have the most wonderful partner that you can imagine. I'm grateful he's chosen to share his life with me. We've been together for over 46 years, and we still laugh and we still love each other. That's the greatest award I'll ever get.”"
"“Since the surgery, I can't go on the road,” he said. “Ninety minutes of screaming in tune, which is what I do for a living, I'm not up for that yet. I will be, but it's taking a long time to get my voice back. They warned me that I'd have to learn to breathe again. So these days, I get up, I go to my piano and I try to be creative. Before I know it, the afternoon's over.”"
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