Barry Manilow to release Songs From The Seventies

Performing live in his old Brooklyn stomping grounds, Barry Manilow's latest DVD is the best sort of homecoming. A wonderfully entertaining television special, BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES was filmed in September 2007 at the old Navy Yard in Brooklyn, "right down the block from where I grew up in Williamsburg," as Manilow explains onstage. The special will premiere on PBS stations across the nation in early December.

Rhino, in association with STILETTO Television, captures the artist's triumphant return to his old neighborhood where he sings his biggest hits -- and some great covers -- from the decade that made him famous. The two-DVD set includes the television special in 5.1 Surround Sound on the first disc, plus a bonus disc featuring an unaired mini-concert of alternate performances, along with behind-the-scenes footage.

An excellent companion to Manilow's latest smash album, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies -which debuted in the Top 5 -- this special finds Manilow focusing on the music of the decade when he became one of music's biggest stars.

The hit-heavy set list is an inspired mix of Manilow's own '70s gems -- including "Mandy," "Could It Be Magic" and the especially fitting "New York City Rhythm" -- along with other memorable '70s smashes that Manilow makes his own. The superb selection of covers includes Albert Hammond's "It Never Rains in Southern California" and the Hollies' "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," plus an homage to Barbra Streisand with "The Way We Were."

BARRY MANILOW: SONGS FROM THE SEVENTIES also features Manilow performing a pair of crowd-pleasing medleys. In the first, he revisits his early years as a jingle writer singing some of his most memorable commercial melodies for Band-Aids, State Farm Insurance, McDonalds and Vicks. With the second, Manilow takes the audience on an impressive musical journey through some of his biggest hits, including "Can't Smile Without You," "Even Now," "I Made It Through The Rain," "This One's For You" and "I Write The Songs." The '70s were very good to Barry Manilow, and all these years later, Barry Manilow is great to the '70s.

With worldwide record sales exceeding 75 million, his work as a singer, songwriter, arranger and producer over the course of more than 40 albums has earned Barry Manilow the highest honors. He sits on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Jazz, and in June 2002, he was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside Ashford & Simpson, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman and Sting.

In addition to his own foundation, the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope, other involvements include The Prince's Trust, United Way, the Starlight Foundation, numerous organizations fighting the battle against AIDS, and many others. He is the national spokesperson for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, Honorary Chairman of the Palm Springs Art Museum and a Founder of the Music Center of Los Angeles.



"Songs From The Seventies" by Barry Manilow - release date: 01/29/08..