Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 75

PQcio TAMOf UVMO Mevrulow ASK US AftOUI luxury vocation rontalt Commordbt 1 lotinon ln vostmonti- Foroign Propoctio 4 Invottort. ALPHA Inclino Villoge. Nv. AHOt (702) 831 2820 (MITT (702)831406 Dear Ladles and Oentlemen of the Press: This Is me Barry, I am sitting here, hunting and pecking, because there is something very Important that I would like to clear up, 1 Over the years there's been some confusion about my Involvement in the commercial industry. Before my records began to break, I participated in a few dozen Jingles, had a great time, learned a lot and moved, on.

Recently, I' ve begun to get credit for writing Just about every Jingle ever written. I guess that's because in my stage act, I don't stop and break down credits for all the 'Jingles; in my commercial medley. So I am about to give you a breakdown of which commercials I did what to. Please read carefully. And If one more person gives me credit for writing that stupid MacDonald's jingle, 1 will not be responsible for what I do with my next Big Mac! Thank you Your family will love it.

Harrah's Automobile Collection is a lot more than a collection ot cats. It history. It lun. It's awe-inspiring. It also planes, boats, motorcycles.

Pony Express and Old West exhibits, saloon, snack bar. and special games tor the kids. More than anything else it's a place youll never forget. And that's true tor the entire tamily. Barry -CI Anybody out there remember the Art of the Piano Bar? It's not necessarily practiced at the piano, but is a guy working alone in a little bar, playing and singing and encouraging everyone in the house to sing along, for God's sake.

Piano bar may have been a step up for Barry Manilow. He started out' playing the accordion (None dare call it cordeen. Except us.) "It was tough in my old Brooklyn neighborhood," Manilow said. "But it was fun." He remembers saving his hands to play the cordeen. But he went got Willie Murphy as a step-father for my Bar Mitzvah," Manilow said.

"He tipped me off to serious music, taking me to my first jazz concert: Gerry Mulligan at Town Hall. Willie Murphy tipped me off to Count Basie, Chris Connor, Broadway musicals like 'The King and I' and threw out the accordian and got me a piano." Again he went just a bit further than most, ending up on the twin peaks of recording and performing. Manilow appears at Sahara Tahoe through Apr. How did Manilow, now 33, do it? He went to New 3' miles east of Harrah's Reno via 2nd Clendale Open daily 9 a to 6 m. For further information.

caH 788-3242. Free double-deck bus transportation from Harrati available on the hour, trom 10 a to 4pm 20 DISCOUNT Good for up to six persons. Just present this coupon at Harrah Automobile Collection to receive a 20 discount on admission. Valid thru December 31. 1980.

Kentucky Pried Chicken-Sang Bowlene Toilet Cleaner-Wrote, arranged State Farm Insurance-Wrote Stridex-Wrote, sang Chevrolet-Wrote, sang, arranged Dr. Pepper-Sang Pepsi-Sang Jack-ln-the Box-Sang MacDonald 's-Sang Band-Alds-Wrote-arranged EG Over the years, it's been printed and reprinted that Barry Manilow did many of the songs and singing for TV and radio commercials during his struggling years. And a few inaccuracies have crept in. In light of that, the above letter is self-explanatory. York College of Music and that other place, Juil-liard.

He worked piano bars and helped pay his rent with a job in the CBS mailroom. At CBS Manilow met a director who asked him to arrange some music which was apparently in a state of disarray. This led to Manilow's first musical a new version of the ancient mellerdrama 'The Drunkard," for which Manilow chucked. the old public-domain songs and wrote his own score. The show ran off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway eight years.

In 1967 he became music director for the Emmy-winning WCBS-TV series "Callback," then conducted and arranged for Ed Sullivan Productions. v. Manilow and a girl singer apparently named Jeanne formed a duo, with Manilow at the keyboard. "Jeannie and Barry," the act was called. Manilow called it "a few years in crummy motels and clubs, fielding drunks, protecting Jeanne's honor and singing standards.

It was payin' my dues, but I loved it." After the duo's two seasons at Upstairs at the Downstairs, opening for Joan Rivers, Manilow was persuaded to pinch hit as house pianist at what are now New York's famous Continental Baths and at that time was more like the infamous Continental Baths. That was spring 1972. Two weeks after Manilow took the job, Bette Midler walked in. Their meeting, it is -written, "changed the destiny of both of their careers, as well as all popular music of the decade." (Never mind who wrote it. He's been dealt with.) Manilow took over as Midler's musical director, arranger and pianist (not cordeen player, it seems).

He co-produced and arranged "The Divine Miss which won Midler a Grammy, and co-produced her second album. Manilow signed with Bell (now Arista) Records, and was about to make his first solo album when Midler persuaded him to direct her first big national tour. Manilow opened the second act of Midler's show with three original songs. "For an unknown to do three new songs in the middle of Bette Midler's act was like performing in the middle of World War II," Manilow said. But it is also written (by the same wretched flack as above) how "Unbilled and unnanounced, he came on stage and stopped the show." We should add the show started up again and didn't quash.

Midler's career. v. Soon new fans were coming to see "the slim pianist with the blond shag haircut" (Manilow), and early in 1974 he decided to go solo. Winner of 7 Tony Awards is a musical for the entire family." -RexReed 'nrp Closes April 13th Opens April 17th ll mmm Now Appearing in the Gilded Cage Cabaret Sonny Turner Eevtie ov For Show Reservations and Information 785-7100.