Barry Manilow announces lung cancer diagnosis
(NBC, KYMA) - Barry Manilow announced he has lung cancer and will reschedule his January shows to undergo surgery.
The 82-year-old singer-songwriter revealed the diagnosis in a statement shared via Instagram Monday.
He said that he recently had bronchitis for two periods of multiple weeks, so his doctor ordered an MRI out of precaution.
"The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed," he wrote.
"It's pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early," he added. "The doctors do not believe it has spread, and I'm taking tests to confirm their diagnosis."
Manilow is "going into surgery to have the spot removed," forcing him to reschedule the January shows on his "Christmas: A Gift of Love" concerts.
His new schedule of shows will begin after his Valentine's weekend concerts in Las Vegas, and will run from the end of February through April.
A New York City native, Manilow is a Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning musician whose hits include "Copacabana" and "Mandy."
In 2002, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Manilow has been married to his husband Garry Kief since 2014. The couple's primary residence is in Palm Springs, California.
