Of Course Barry Manilow's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Cover Is Excellent
Check out this sneak peek from NBC's upcoming special Barry Manilow's A Very Barry Christmas.
Are you a Fanilow? If so, something exciting is coming your way this holiday season. In early December, NBC will be debuting a Barry Manilow Christmas special, aptly titled Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas. Taking place in Las Vegas with Manilow’s acclaimed 24-piece band, the one-hour special will feature the best of his catalog, including “Copacabana,” “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” and “Looks Like We Made It,” plus holiday staples like “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Feliz Navidad,” and “White Christmas.” And get this: Santa may even be there!
"I love doing our Christmas show! We get to sing my pop hits and favorite Christmas songs,” Manilow said. “It’s a feel-good hour full of music."
Executive Vice President of Live Events and Specials at NBCUniversal Media Group Jen Neal said, “Barry’s legacy and longevity is truly something to behold. His repertoire of songs are beloved by generations and we can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with one of America’s most iconic musical legends.”
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Below, read what you need to know about Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas.
When does Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas premiere?
Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas premieres Monday, December 11 at 10/9c on NBC and will be available to stream the next day on Peacock. An encore of the special will air December 20 at 8/7c.
Watch a preview of the special, below, in which Manilow sings "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer":
Barry Manilow's career: a recap
Before he made it big as an Artist, Manilow paid the rent writing commercial jingles; his most famous, the State Farm "Like a Good Neighbor" song, is still used today, per People. He found fame and success in the '70s and hasn't stopped recording or performing since.
In April, 2023, he and collaborator Bruce Sussman announced on the TODAY show that "Harmony," a stage musical based on Manilow's songs, would head to Broadway in November. (Manilow's had 50 Top 40 hits and sold 85 million records, per NBC.)
His charity, the Manilow Music Project, funds scholarships and donates instruments to students across America. Music education is important to the hit-maker because, as the nonprofit's website says, "When legendary singer and songwriter Barry Manilow was a high school student in Brooklyn, his school was ranked the most dangerous in all of America. Barry found a home in his high school orchestra class, which he credits for changing his life and molding him into the icon he is today."
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Throughout his career, Manilow has released three albums of Christmas tunes, starting with 2002's A Christmas Gift of Love, followed by In the Swing Of Christmas in 2007, and most recently, The Classic Christmas Album in 2012.
