PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Barry Manilow says he is cancer-free after a lobectomy for stage 1 lung cancer, opening up about the major surgery as his official site lists a fresh run of April tour dates and a June album release, April 7, 2026. The singer said doctors caught the tumor early after additional scans during a bout of bronchitis, and he has spent the months since surgery rebuilding his stamina, voice and breathing.
In a March 24 cover story with People, Manilow said a doctor first ordered imaging because his hip was bothering him, then expanded testing after hearing he had recently battled bronchitis. Those scans found a spot on his lung, leading to a stage 1 diagnosis and, four weeks later, a lobectomy. Manilow said he spent seven days in intensive care, avoided chemotherapy and radiation, and came out cancer-free, calling himself “one of the lucky ones.”
The recovery, however, has been slower than the surgery. In a separate interview about his postponed farewell tour, he said he is doing breathing lessons and vocal exercises because he has to “learn how to breathe again.” That helps explain why his return to the stage has taken longer than the operation itself.
Barry Manilow lung cancer recovery timeline
The update follows months of stop-start scheduling. AP reported in December that Manilow’s team said doctors had found a stage 1 tumor on his left lung and that he would postpone January concerts for surgery. By February, Entertainment Weekly reported that more arena dates were being pushed after his surgeon said his lungs were still not ready for a 90-minute show.
Now the public calendar looks fuller again. Manilow’s official The Last Concerts schedule currently lists arena dates beginning April 13 in Belmont Park, New York, followed by stops in Newark, New Jersey; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Reading, Pennsylvania; Portland, Maine; Albany, New York; Buffalo, New York; Greensboro, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; and Duluth, Georgia. Those listings put a spring run back on the books after the winter postponements.
What comes next for Manilow
There is also new music ahead. His official announcement for What A Time says the album will be released June 5, his first new studio album in nearly 15 years. That gives fans another milestone to watch as he works his way back from surgery.
For now, the main change is in the outlook. After a diagnosis in November, surgery in December and multiple postponements in early 2026, Barry Manilow is no longer talking about the fear that came with a new cancer diagnosis. He is talking about recovery, pacing and getting strong enough to sing again — a very different chapter from the one fans were reading just a few months ago.
