To The Hilt

Friday, Feb. 18, 2005 | 5 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

February 19 - 20, 2005

Who: Barry Manilow in "Manilow: Music and Passion."

When: 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays; 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturdays.

Where: Hilton Theatre at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Tickets: $85 to $145.

Information: 732-5755.

Fans of pop sensation Barry Manilow can exhale Wednesday.

Their idol will step into the spotlight on the Las Vegas Hilton Theatre stage at 9 p.m., and one of the world's most famous performers will become a member of the Las Vegas entertainment family.

Manilow will perform five times a week for 24 weeks, with the weeks spread throughout this year and into 2006, for a total of 120 shows.

The question on many minds, even Manilow's, is whether he will be able to fill the 1,700 seats at the Hilton Theatre for each performance.

Based on the popularity of his albums, and the success of his concert tours, the question should be moot. But this is Vegas, baby. There are no rules. Manilow, 61, began his career in the late '60s as a rehearsal pianist on and off Broadway and as a commercial jingle writer. For a time in the early '70s he was pianist for Bette Midler before going on to release more than 50 albums.

He credits Clive Davis, at the time president of Arista Records, with having faith in his talent and getting his career on track.

Manilow is also a producer, producing Midler's first album ("The Divine Miss M," which won her a Grammy in 1973 for Best New Artist) and her most recent ("Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook," which received a Grammy nomination in 2003).

Although Manilow says he has retired from concert tours, he is far from retired from show business. In addition to his Hilton gig he continues to write and produce records.

He and Bruce Sussman have co-authored the musical "Harmony," which is expected to make its Broadway debut this year. The story is based on the lives of the Comedian Harmon-ists, a specialty singing group popular in Germany until the Nazis rose to power in the 1920s and '30s.

Manilow recently took time out from his busy schedule to talk to the Sun about his upcoming gig.

Las Vegas Sun: So what's it going to be like being stuck in Las Vegas after touring for so many years?

Barry Manilow: This is a dream gig. I wouldn't consider it "stuck." It's an honor to be here in Vegas, on the same Strip with Celine (Dion) and Elton (John). It's an easier gig than being on the road -- I get to go back home.

Sun: What can your fans expect? Will it be anything like the concerts you performed on the road?

BM: It will be a different premise. I have geared it to this gig, the Las Vegas Hilton. What I also have geared it toward is that I will be performing in the same place and so a lot of audiences, fans, will come back to see the show again. I can change songs around every night -- you won't see the same exact show every night. I have 30 years of songs that I would love to be able to do.

Sun: Will the show be anything like Celine's, with pianos floating in the air?

BM: We have quite a production -- beautiful and extravagant, but nowhere near Celine's.

Sun: Why did you decide to quit touring? I heard it was because you have some health issues.

BM It really had nothing to do with health issues. It was 30 years of being on the road. All of us are feeling it -- Phil Collins has given that interview; so has Gloria (Estefan). After a while you lose your life. I wanted my life back for a while -- you're never home, you can't develop a relationship with your family, your dog. You're always on your way to the next city.

After a while I just said, "I'm done with this." And after I said it I got the offer from the Las Vegas Hilton to settle down.

Sun: How did the offer come about? Did your people contact them, or did they contact you?

BM: David Brenner called me and said he had gotten wind of the Las Vegas Hilton looking for a name they could build a show around. I had just come off my final farewell tour ... I said, "David, I just unpacked."

But I put my manager in touch with the Hilton and we got together.

Sun: The show has been the talk of the town. You have a lot of fans out there.

BM: I just hope somebody comes to see me.

Sun: Is everything moving smoothly?

BM: The Hilton is giving me everything we want. It's becoming more and more beautiful.

Sun: When you listen to music, what do you listen to?

BM: I have never been able to get into pop. Sometimes something jumps out, but I have no patience to wade through all the crap. I have discovered Groove Armada and the Scissor Sisters. They seem to be breaking the rules.

Sun: What's your opinion of today's music?

BM: I'm still looking for a good lyric. They seem to be abandoning the craft of songwriting.

Sun: Which of your own songs are your favorites?

BM: My favorites change every day, every week. Today it's "One Voice," which seems to say what I need to say. But next it might be "Could it be Magic."

Sun: Besides this show, what projects are you involved with?

BM: I have a Broadway show going this year. And I may be producing Bette Midler's next album.

Sun: Who has had the most influence on your music?

BM: The people who influenced me the most were people like Nelson Riddle and David Rose, great arrangers and composers of the '50s and '60s. Jonathan Tunick, Jerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck.

Sun: How did you get into pop music?

BM: My pop music career was a big surprise. I never in a million years would have been attached with Clive Davis (president of Arista Records). But his commercial ears and my own little style catapulted me onto the radio.

Sun: If not for that, what would you be doing today?

BM: I would be in some lounge playing piano. But his commercial ears and my own little style catapulted me onto the radio."