Singer Barry Manilow has spoken publicly about being gay for the first time, and told fans why he kept his relationship with manager (and husband) Garry Kief private for almost 40 years.
The legendary crooner spoke to People about his sexuality for the first time, saying he didn’t want to “disappoint” female fans.
In 2015, news of his marriage to long-time manager Kief made headlines, something Manilow says was both a “blessing and a curse.”
“I thought I would be disappointing them (fans) if they knew I was gay. So I never did anything.”
“When they found out that Garry and I were together, they (the fans) were so happy. The reaction was beautiful – strangers commenting ‘Great for you!’ I’m just so grateful for it,” he told People.
Source: People
Manilow and Kief had been together for years before marrying quietly in Palm Springs, California. They met in 1978, shortly after Manilow had hit the big time with romantic ballads like Mandy and Looks Like We Made It.
“We’ve been together all these years. Everybody knows that we’re a team. Everybody that I know knows. So it never really dawned on me to say anything about it. I mean, I’m a very private guy,” he concluded.
