Barry Manilow, 83, Cancels 9 Vegas Shows, Says It's Time to 'Sit Down'

Barry Manilow has called off his next nine performances at the International Theater inside Westgate Las Vegas, telling fans it's time to “sit down and shut up” after cutting a recent show short and enduring a grueling stretch of touring following major lung surgery. The 83-year-old singer says he and his team need a break until he returns to the Westgate stage on October 8.

Manilow announced that technical and vocal problems prevented Thursday's show from being fully performed, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He canceled Friday and Saturday shows as well, and three additional dates scheduled for September 17-19 and September 24-26 have been rescheduled. Per the same report, he will remain on vocal rest through October 8, when he is due to return to the Westgate.

The cancellations follow a summer tour of 29 shows in 68 days, a pace the singer completed before returning to his Las Vegas residency on July 9. That grueling schedule came just months after Manilow returned to the stage in April for dates in the U.K., itself only a handful of months removed from major thoracic surgery.

A Cancer Diagnosis Led To Major Lung Surgery

Doctors detected a cancerous spot in Manilow's left lung, and he underwent surgery to remove half of the organ. As NPR reported, doctors found the stage-one cancerous spot during a routine MRI ordered after Manilow battled bronchitis for eleven weeks, and he underwent a lobectomy shortly after the diagnosis. Hoodline previously reported on the diagnosis and the resulting postponement of his January concerts.

The surgery carried consequences beyond the lung itself. Surgeons had to pass through Manilow's vocal cords during the procedure, according to the same NPR report, leaving him with a raspier voice and facing an estimated yearlong vocal rehabilitation process — despite doctors having initially promised his vocal cords would not be damaged. The setback helps explain why vocal rest has become such a critical, and recurring, part of his recovery.

The medical ordeal did not end with the lobectomy. Manilow suffered a severe case of pneumonia afterward that required a seven-day stay in an intensive care unit, and he described the ICU stay as terrifying in comments to Entertainment Tonight.

A Vegas Legacy Built Over Five Decades

Manilow's connection to Las Vegas stretches back more than 50 years. He made his Las Vegas debut in 1972 at the Sahara Hotel's Congo Room, serving as pianist and musical arranger for Bette Midler when she opened for Johnny Carson during a break from hosting The Tonight Show, according to historical context reported by the Review-Journal.

His current residency has become the stuff of Vegas legend. In September 2023, Manilow broke Elvis Presley's 47-year-old venue record by performing his 637th show at the International Theater, surpassing the 636 shows Presley played at the venue between 1969 and 1976, per CapRadio. Clark County commissioners marked the milestone by awarding Manilow the Key to the Las Vegas Strip and proclaiming September 23, 2023, as “Barry Manilow Day” in the county, which encompasses the unincorporated Strip corridor.

Westgate Las Vegas Founder and Executive Chairman David Siegel extended an unprecedented “Lifetime Residency” contract offer to Manilow in December 2024, which the singer accepted, making him the only headliner with a lifetime deal at the property, according to Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. The International Theater itself is a 1,582-seat venue that first opened in 1969 as part of the International Hotel before later becoming the Las Vegas Hilton, as noted by Travel Weekly.

Not The First Time Health Has Interrupted The Run

This is not the first time health issues have forced Manilow off the Westgate stage. He previously postponed shows in 2018 due to sprained vocal cords and was hospitalized in 2019 for a bronchial infection, according to OK Magazine, resuming residency dates after recovering from both incidents.

Manilow has also woven local philanthropy into his touring stops through the Manilow Music Teacher Award, which presents winning teachers with $10,000 split between cash and classroom instrument credits in the cities where he performs. For now, that broader touring effort is paused as he focuses on the vocal rest his doctors have ordered, with his return to the Westgate set for October 8.