Iconic ’70s Singer Says Tour Is Uncertain After Lung Cancer Surgery

After a major health scare, an iconic singer has opened up about how the experience could change the rest of his career. Barry Manilow is now “learning to breathe again” at 82 years old after he underwent lung cancer surgery. The current state of the beloved singer's health has left his plans to tour again uncertain.

Barry Manilow's Return to the Stage Is Now in Question

During a new People interview published on March 24, 2026, Barry Manilow opened up about his postponed tour. He revealed that when he first began rehearsing for his planned return to the stage, he "couldn’t even get through the first song." Thankfully, he has improved since then, and now he is "able to get through most of the whole show.” Still, he explained that he needs to recover more before he can commit to going back on the road.

“I’m still waiting for the strength that I lost to come back. I’m still going through it, but I’m pulling myself back together. I’m not even sure I can go to the next level yet. My body doesn’t want to take me there. It’s not even doctor’s orders, it’s my body’s orders — it won’t let me do it... I have to be able to do the kind of thing I’ve always done without this one lobe. The shows that I do are full of energy, and unless you’re in top-notch shape, you can’t make it through 90 minutes.”

Manilow went on to reflect on how tough his road to recovery has been and admitted there is a very real chance that he won't ever return to touring. Still, the singer pledged that he won't give up on performing without a fight.

“I have to learn how to breathe again. Isn’t that crazy? It’s beyond frustrating. It’s just sad that I cannot do what I love doing. But maybe it’ll all be over, and I’ll be able to go back to my old life. I have to get on that treadmill because I don’t want to throw it away. I want to know that if I can’t do it, I did everything I could do to go back on the road and do these 90-minute concerts. If I can’t do it, I want to know that it’s not because I didn’t try.”

Why Barry Manilow's Stopped Performing

In December 2025, Barry Manilow announced that he was set to undergo lung cancer surgery at the age of 82 years old. The beloved singer revealed that after he'd suffered from bronchitis for five weeks, his doctor ordered an MRI, "just to make sure that everything was OK." The test discovered a cancerous spot on his left lung that needed to be removed. At the time, he painted a bright picture of his post-surgery plans. "No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and I Love Lucy reruns."

After Manilow announced his surgery, his representatives provided more details, including that he'd been diagnosed with a stage one tumor. The singer's team also explained that the plan at that time was for him to undergo surgery in December, recover in January, and return to the stage on February 12, 2026.