Barry Manilow has revealed he's gay at the age of 73, while at the same time officially introducing fans to his husband, Garry Kief, who Manilow has been in a relationship with for 39 years.
The singer has kept his personal life private for decades but in a new interview with People Magazine, he has shared new details on his relationships and his reasons for keeping his sexuality private throughout his career. "I thought I would be disappointing [the fans] if they knew I was gay," he said. "So I never did anything."
"When they found out that Garry and I were together, they were so happy. The reaction was so beautiful — strangers commenting, 'Great for you!' I'm just so grateful for it," he continued.
Manilow revealed he's been in a relationship with his manager Garry since the pair met in 1978, with the singer adding: "I knew that this was it. I was one of the lucky ones. I was pretty lonely before that. He's the smartest person I've ever met in my life — and a great guy, too."
The pair were married at their 53-acre estate in Palm Springs in 2014, but it seems it wasn't always smooth-sailing for the pair, as Manilow admitted that early on in their relationship, the realities of being involved with a celebrity soon became clear.
"I got into the car with him, and [the fans] were rocking the car," Manilow recalls. "He was like, 'I can't handle this. It's not for me.' I'm glad he stayed."
Before meeting his now-husband, Manilow was previously married to Susan Deixler and revealed that while he was in love with her, he just "was not ready for marriage."
"I was out making music every night, sowing my wild oats — I was too young. I wasn't ready to settle down."
Barry Manilow's latest studio album This is My Town: Songs Of New York will be released on April 21.
