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Singer-songwriter Barry Manilow announced Friday he needs to reschedule several more concerts as he continues to recover following surgery after he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
In a statement posted Friday to social media, the 82-year-old said he just had a “very depressing visit” with his surgeon, who he said told him: “Barry, you won’t be ready to do a 90 minute show. Your lungs aren’t ready yet.”
Manilow said his surgeon said he was in “great shape considering what you’ve been through, but your body isn’t ready,” and told him: “You shouldn’t do the first Arena shows. You won’t make it through.”
The “Copacabana” hitmaker announced in December that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and needed to reschedule his January concert dates in order to have surgery.
His upcoming arena shows were scheduled to begin Feb. 27 in Tampa, Florida, according to his website. Manilow said Friday he has to reschedule the first batch of shows from Feb. 27 through March 17.
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Manilow said that “deep down, I wanted to go back—but my body knew what my heart didn’t want to admit: I wasn’t ready.” He said that while he’s been using the treadmill three times a day, he “still couldn’t sing more than three songs in a row before I had to stop.”
“I’m SO, SO sorry I have to reschedule some of these first Arena shows. Again! But when I do come back, I will COME BACK!!!” he added.
Manilow said his surgeon indicated he might be able to perform in Las Vegas at the end of March and for the second leg of the arena shows scheduled to begin in April.
In December, Manilow said an MRI scan detected “a cancerous spot” on one of his lungs after he suffered a lengthy bout of bronchitis in the midst of a residency in Palm Springs, California.
“It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early,” Manilow said at the time, adding that he was having surgery to have the spot removed.
