Far more revealing than Manilow's 1987 autobiography, this is a detailed assessment and record of both his personal life and almost a quarter century of chart and touring triumphs. Find out about his early work writing commercial jingles, his former role as pianist/producer for Bette Midler, and his big break into fame in the 1970s with his hit "Mandy," the first of 25 consecutive Top 40 Hits.
His fans adore him, the critics hate him and Barry Manilow just keeps going on! But the career of the man The Rolling Stone dubbed "a giant among entertainers" and "the showman of our generation" had the strangest of beginnings. Biographer, Patricia Butler, unravels the strange stories behind Manilow's Brooklyn upbringing, his shortlived marriage, his cautious career change from youthful executive to freelance musician and his dramatic partnership with Bette Midler. Manilow's private life has always been the subject of speculation, and here the many sides of his personality are explored, along with his rise from Seventies hit-maker to timeless showbiz legend.
The chief creative officer of Sony Music presents a candid assessment of his life and the past half-century of popular music from an insider's perspective, tracing his work with a wide array of stars and personalities.
One of the greatest songwriters of all time finally shares his story. From his tumultuous marriages and the tragic loss of his daughter to his collaborations with Dionne Warwick and the surprising stories behind the songs that generations have come to know and love, Burt Bacharach offers a frank, moving account of an unparalleled life. Over the past six decades, Burt Bacharach's legendary songwriting has touched millions of devoted listeners all over the world. In Anyone Who Had a Heart, Bacharach steps out from behind the music to give an honest, engaging look at his life—from his childhood in Forest Hills, New York, during the 1930s and 1940s to his rise as one of the most accomplished composers in modern popular music, working with Hal David, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Costello, and many others. While he soared professionally, Bacharach's private life was dominated by the never-ending search for love—and the heartbreak that comes when it is lost. His first three marriages ended in divorce. His long-running partnership with the late Hal David suffered a bitter split that lasted seventeen years. Throughout the highs and lows, Bacharach pursued his muse. Powerful and honest, Anyone Who Had a Heart illuminates the sensitivity and intelligence of a musical legend and offers a unique backstage look at the world of show business.
For the first time, music legend and humanitarian activist Dionne Warwick reflects on 50 years in showbusiness and the lessons she has learned from being an artist, a mother and a global icon. From her rise to superstardom to raising millions of dollars for AIDS research, she gives readers a glimpse into her dazzling, inspiring life. 'If you think you can do it, you can do it' was the advice she got from her grandfather as a young girl - words she has never forgotten. Like her music and humanitarian work, her story is guaranteed to give hope and inspiration to people across the world.
Charles Fox has composed more than 100 motion picture and television scores, among them the themes of many iconic series, including Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Love, American Style, and Love Boat. In this memoir, Fox recounts his development as a musician, describing the cornerstone events of his musical and personal life. He reflects on the highlights of his career, working with some of the greatest names in entertainment, film, television, and records, including Jim Croce, Barry Manilow, Lena Horne, and Fred Astaire.
This book is the definitive biography of the Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and political activist whose career rose rapidly in the 1970's, stalled in the 1980's, and resurged in the 1990's.
‘Live at the Continental’...The inside story of the world famous Continental Baths I built the Continental Baths in 1968 and discovered Bette Midler in 1969. The Baths were not only an expression of sexual liberation, but also heralded in a rebirth of Cabaret in the city of New York. Artists of the ilk of Barry Manilow, Manhattan Transfer, Peter Allen, Margaret Whiting, Melba Moore, Liz Torres, Patti LaBelle and countless others in addition to Bette got their first big break at the Continental Baths. The Baths and I are the subject of several chapters in the latest biography of Bette called Bette (1995 Birch Lane press, Carol Publishing Group). The Baths and I have also been extensively written about in Bette’s own book, A View From A Broad, Barry Manilow’s autobiography My Sweet Life; James Gavin’s Intimate Nights; The Golden Age of Cabaret, Stephen Maclean’s The Boy From Oz, and countless other books depicting the age of sexual revolution etc. In addition the Baths were the subject of a major motion picture The Ritz, which was released in the late seventies. The Continental was a phenomenon that came out of a pre-AIDS world that we will probably never experience again. But more than just being a bathhouse and showplace, the Baths were a place where people came out of their closets and found out who they were. It was the first gay establishment to treat gay people as equals and not exploit them. It was instrumental in having the laws against homosexuality rescinded and gave birth, along with Stonewall, to a whole generation where gay was in. Beyond that it ushered in an era of sexual liberation and alternative lifestyles that, to this day, has never been equaled. I feel that it is now time for me to tell the whole story of the Baths for the first time. The inside story of how and why it came about, and the whole subculture is engendered. But far from being just another chronicle of a bygone era, and as I was a rather prominent fellow in the gay world, having been crowned ‘King Queen’ in a 16-page Rolling Stone article, I also relate my own life story, leading up to what motivated me to create such a place and the ramifications it had on myself and my family as I, too, was liberated together with the Baths. Much has been written about the Baths, but the story of how it came about---the 200 raids by the New York Police Department; the pressures from the Mafia; the famous people who visited it; the relationships that were formed; the drug culture that existed in the city; the political upheaval in the city of New York---all of this has never been revealed. During the 8 years that the Continental was in vogue, over 1 million people a year came through its doors. I believe that there is a large market for this book in the gay world, where it is internationally famous, and in the straight world, because of the prominence of its stars. The gay population of the US, using Kinsey’s formula of about 10% to 16% of the population, would be well over 20 million. Latest census figures show that 25% of that population is over the age of 40. These 5 million people, I would presume, would be our primary target. The book, however, would not only appeal to those who lived through the 70’s, but also to the young amongst us to whom the 70’s, the Baths and Bette Midler represent a fascinating golden era that they will never experience, but can only read about. Woven through the book is my own journey as I simultaneously pursued an operatic career, having sung with some of the most famous opera stars in the world in Germany, France, the United States, Canada and Australia. I also try to explore and share the confusion and frustrations I have felt as a bisexual, not understood by the gay or the straight world.
Pop phenomenon Cher has had one of the most surprising and long-lasting careers in American entertainment. Her run of hits and comebacks have continued to defy expectations, right up to her Grammy Award-winning song "Believe" and subsequent tour and HBO special. Cher's string of successes includes dozens of hit songs from the '60s onward, two top-10 rated television shows, a critically acclaimed appearance on Broadway, and a succession of award-winning films roles, the latest being in Tea with Mussolini. In this brand new book pop music authority Mark Bego tackles all the recent developments including her well-documented grief after ex-husband Sonny Bono's tragic death. Cher: If You Believe also includes the most complete discography ever of her career as well as a "boyfriend-ography"!
A “lively biography” of the director who choreographed Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds and more: “a real backstager” on the making of Hollywood musicals (Wall Street Journal). From the trolley scene in Meet Me in St. Louis to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers's last dance on the silver screen to Judy Garland's tuxedo-clad performance of "Get Happy", Charles Walters staged the iconic musical sequences of Hollywood's golden age. The Academy Award-nominated director and choreographer showcased the talents of stars such as Gene Kelly, Doris Day, and Frank Sinatra—yet Walters's name often goes unrecognized today. In the first full-length biography of Walters, Brent Phillips chronicles the artist's career from his days as a Broadway performer to his successes at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Phillips takes readers behind the scenes of beloved musicals including Easter Parade, Lili, and High Society. He also examines the director's uncredited work on films like Gigi, and discusses his contributions to musical theater and American popular culture. This revealing book also considers Walters's personal life and explores how he navigated the industry as an openly gay man. Drawing on unpublished oral histories, correspondence, and new interviews, this biography offers an entertaining and important new look at an exciting era in Hollywood history.
