By admin 
Introduction
Barry Manilow sat down with News4JAX for a warm, reflective conversation ahead of his upcoming farewell tour, which will include a stop in Jacksonville this January. Although the word “farewell” still feels strange to him, Manilow said he’s been traveling from city to city to say goodbye to audiences he has cherished for decades—and Jacksonville is one of them.
He joked that he even brought a “cheat sheet,” revealing that his first performance in Jacksonville was 44 years ago, back in 1981, and the most recent one was seven years ago. After so many visits, he said the city feels like an “old friend.”
When asked whether he feels he has expressed everything he wanted to musically, Manilow explained that over his career he has explored nearly every style he loves—from 1940s big band jazz to the pop music that launched him to fame. He admitted it would be difficult to find a genre he hasn’t tried at least once and said he’s proud of the variety of work he’s created.
Manilow also discussed his new single, “Once Before I Go.” He first heard the song decades ago from its writer, his late friend Peter Allen. The idea to finally record it came unexpectedly when Clive Davis called and suggested it. Because Manilow was on tour, he asked Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds to produce the track. He described the finished record as emotional, beautifully arranged, and something he hopes listeners will connect with.
The conversation then shifted to Manilow’s long-running charitable work through the Manilow Music Project. For years, the organization has supplied schools with brand-new instruments when budgets fall short. On this tour, he added a new feature—the Manilow Teacher Award. In every city, students vote for their favorite music teacher, who is then honored during Manilow’s show and given $10,000 toward new instruments. Manilow called the moment “one of the highlights of the night,” saying nothing compares to seeing thousands of fans cheer for a teacher.
He credited his own success to early music teachers, saying he might never have become a musician without them.
The interview also touched on his record-setting residency at the Westgate in Las Vegas. Manilow expressed gratitude for being selected among the many top performers who appear in the city each year.
When asked which song he hopes people will remember him for, Manilow chose an album instead: “2 A.M. Paradise Café.” It was a jazz project that featured icons like Mel Tormé and Sarah Vaughan. Though it wasn’t a pop record, it changed how critics and listeners viewed him—and remains one of his proudest achievements.
Manilow even answered a personal question about his favorite chord: anything with a minor ninth. He laughed, encouraging the interviewer to try one on piano to understand why.
Reflecting on decades of fan support, Manilow said he never expected to affect people so deeply. But over time, letters, stories, and everyday encounters made him realize how much his music meant to others. From that moment on, he treated his work with even greater seriousness.
As the interview wrapped up, Manilow expressed his appreciation for the thoughtful questions and for the chance to share memories from his five-decade career. He thanked News4JAX warmly before signing off.