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Barry Manilow says if he came out sooner, it would have ruined his career

The legendary singer married his manager Garry Kief back in 2014

By Steve Brown

Words: Steve Brown

Barry Manilow has said if he came out sooner it would have ruined his career.

Back in 2017, the legendary entertainer, who is usually tight-lipped about his personal life, revealed that he has been in a relationship with his manager Garry Kief for almost 40 years and the couple married in 2014.

Despite having a successful career, Manilow, 75, revealed to the Mirror that he believes if he came out during the 1970s or 1980s it would have ruined his career.

He said: “As soon as the word got out, my career would have been over.

“It was stupid then, but it was true. Everybody knew it, we had to watch out for making a mistake.

“Not that everybody didn’t know, people are very smart. I thought I wasn’t hiding anything, but I was also not publicising it.

“If I publicised it, especially in the 70s and 80s – no way.

“When I started, I knew I was gay, I had a hit record and I was on the cover of Teen Beat magazine.

“Now what do I do? I guess it became OK a couple of years ago.”