For decades, Barry Manilow was the king of love songs — but behind every romantic lyric was a secret he dared not reveal.
He didn’t come out as gay until 2017, at the age of 73. By then, he had already been in a committed relationship with his manager Garry Kief for nearly 40 years — and they had quietly married in 2014. But why wait so long ?
The answer lies in the brutal truth of the entertainment industry, and in Barry’s deepest fear: the fear of losing everything.
In the 1970s and 80s, being gay wasn’t just taboo — it was career suicide, especially for a singer whose fanbase was made up mostly of devoted women. The image of the charming, gentle crooner singing “Can’t Smile Without You” or “Mandy” was carefully constructed. If he had come out then, many around him believed it would destroy the illusion, and possibly his career.
Manilow once confessed that even when journalists suspected, they were told to back off. His team carefully kept his private life under lock and key, and Barry complied — not out of shame, but out of protection.
“I didn’t want to disappoint them,” he later admitted in an emotional interview. “I thought coming out would hurt them.”
But there was another reason he stayed silent: loyalty and love. Garry Kief was not just his partner, but his manager — and both agreed early on to keep their relationship private, perhaps forever. It was a silent pact made in a world that wasn’t ready.
It wasn’t until society had evolved — and same-sex marriage was legalized — that Barry felt the time was finally right. And when he did come out, the fans he feared disappointing? They welcomed him with open arms.
The real tragedy? He could’ve lived openly for decades. But like many gay artists of his time, he traded truth for survival.
Barry Manilow – Can’t Smile Without You
Lyrics
CHORUS:
You know I can’t smile without you
I can’t smile without you
I can’t laugh and I can’t sing
I’m finding it hard to do anything
you see I feel sad when you’re sad
I feel glad when you’re glad
if you only knew what I’m going through
I just can’t smile without you
You came along just like a song and brightened my day. Who would’ve believed that you were part of dream? Now it all seems light years away and now you know…
CHORUS 2:
I can’t smile without you
I can’t smile without you
I can’t laugh and I can’t sing
I’m finding it hard to do anything
you see I feel sad when your sad
I feel glad when you’re glad
if you only knew what I’m going through
I just can’t smile…
BRIDGE:
Now some people say happiness takes so very long to find. Well, I’m finding it hard leaving your love behind me and you see…
CHORUS 3:
I can’t smile without you
I can’t smile without you
I can’t laugh and I can’t sing
I’m finding it hard to do anything
you see I feel glad when you’re glad
I feel sad when you’re sad
if you only knew what I’m going through
I just can’t smile without you