Barry Manilow Reflects on Losing His Voice After Lung Cancer Surgery as He Prepares for Farewell Tour Dates, New Album What a Time and a June Comeback

NEW YORK, NY — Barry Manilow says he is ready to get back onstage, but he is still worried about one of the most important tools in his career: his voice. In an interview that aired on Good Morning America, the Grammy winner said lung cancer surgery changed the way he sounds, and he is not sure whether that familiar tone will fully return.

The longtime pop performer, known for hits including “Copacabana” and “Mandy,” said he recently completed a first sound check and was stunned by how different he sounded. As he heads toward a farewell tour, Manilow said the experience made him realize how much he had taken his voice for granted.

Manilow says the surgery left him unsure whether his old sound will return

Manilow said the uncertainty became clear during a sound check about a month ago. He expected to hear the voice fans have known for decades, but instead he felt as if it were gone.

“My voice — I don’t know whether it’s coming back,” he said in the ABC News interview. He added that the result was upsetting because he does not want his singing career to stop. The comments were part of a candid update about how lung cancer and a left lung lobectomy have affected him physically and professionally.

He also said the change has altered how he thinks about performing. “I don’t take it seriously,” he said of his voice. “Now I do, because it doesn’t seem to be there the way it always was.”

A bronchitis illness led doctors to find a stage-one tumor in his left lung

Manilow’s cancer diagnosis became public on Dec. 22, 2025, through a post on his official website. He said the discovery came after he had dealt with about six weeks of bronchitis and then had an MRI after finishing a Las Vegas residency and a five-night run of charity Christmas concerts in Palm Desert, California.

Doctors found what he described as “the dot, the spot” in his left lung. He said the tumor was diagnosed as stage-one lung cancer and removed successfully in surgery. According to Manilow, his doctors did not recommend chemotherapy or radiation.

Even after the operation, his recovery was not straightforward. He later developed pneumonia and ended up in the ICU, adding another frightening chapter to an already difficult period.

The singer says the experience was terrifying and deeply emotional

Manilow did not hide how serious the ordeal felt to him. He said there were moments when he thought he might be saying goodbye, and he described the experience as terrifying.

He also spoke warmly about the medical staff who treated him, saying the nurses and doctors were “angels” and “saints.” The emotional weight of the recovery stayed with him long after the immediate danger had passed, and he said he still thinks about the care he received with strong feelings.

Despite everything, Manilow said he is now “doing good.” Still, he acknowledged that it took longer than he expected to fully recover from lung cancer and its complications.

At 83, Manilow is thinking about his life, his fans and what music has meant

With his 83rd birthday approaching on June 17, Manilow said he has been reflecting on bigger questions about his life and legacy. He said he has been asking himself whether he has done everything he wanted to do and whether he has been good to the people around him.

For him, the answer has always been tied to how his music makes people feel. He said that has been the point all along: to help listeners feel better. The response from fans after his diagnosis left a major impression on him as well.

Manilow said he was shocked by the flood of support, describing message after message from people around the world saying they were praying for him. That reaction, he said, meant a great deal during a period when his health was uncertain.

A new album and a busy summer schedule remain on track despite the concerns

Even with those worries, Manilow’s release schedule and live plans are still moving forward. His song “Once Before I Go,” released in September 2025, reached the top 10 of Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart earlier this year and will be included on his upcoming album, What a Time, due June 5.

He said he cannot wait to return, and he believes he is in great shape. The only question, he said, is whether his voice will cooperate when the spotlight is back on him.

His first stadium show is set for June 25, and additional Las Vegas residency dates are scheduled for July. Manilow said that if he sounds good, that will be enough — though he admitted he is not sure he will be able to hold back tears onstage.

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