For years Barry Manilow has provided fuel for comedians, cartoonists, journalists, talk show hosts and the public in general. Yet for a man whose name is a punchline, Barry Manilow has an enormous fan base. His fan club has over 60,000 world-wide and to date he has sold over 50 million albums. Since first taking the entertainment world by storm in the late 1970s, with hits including Copacabana, I Write the Songs, and Could it be Magic, Manilow has completed several sell-out world tours. In 2000, he performed a successful US tour, in addition to several TV appearances and special events. He was also honoured in 1999 for his continuing musical excellence with two Grammy Award nominations. Yet for all his success, Barry Manilow, the man, remains shrouded in enigma. In his autobiography published in 1987, Manilow was less than forthcoming about his personal life, glossing over his love life and family life to concentrate on tales of his career. This biography tells the story of the singer's life with emphasis on his place in the music industry and explores and explains the scorn that Manilow is universally held agains his ongoing success. The story is told through various sources including past published accounts and reviews, as well as interviews with those from Manilow's personal and professional past and present.