Barry Manilow opens up about the strain of his recovery from cancer.
In an interview with The Times on March 29 Copacabana The singer revealed that waiting for his voice and breathing to return has been “torturous” after being forced to postpone several shows following lung cancer surgery.
“I’m not completely well, the doctors said it would take a while, but I have no patience and the waiting is painful,” said Manilow, 82. “I tried to sing my show, but I haven’t been able to get to the end without getting so confused that I have to stop.”
The setbacks come after what was initially described as a straightforward procedure to remove a cancerous spot on his left lung, discovered during an MRI last December. The scan followed a difficult stretch of bronchitis that lasted nearly three months.
Despite avoiding further treatment, Manilow admitted that recovery has been tougher than expected. He is still unable to complete a full 90-minute set, although there are signs of progress.
“I get closer and the doctors say it will come back, but they say, ‘Barry, you’ve been through hell. Don’t worry!’ And I’ve never heard a doctor say that, so it must have been harder than I thought,” he said.
For now, the iconic singer is taking things slow, with postponed Las Vegas residency dates and tours being gradually rescheduled as he works towards a return to the stage later this year.
