Barry Manilow Kept His Love Life Private for 4 Decades – Meet His Partner & the Daughter They Raised

For over 40 years, the world only saw the platinum records, and the tear-streaked fans screaming his name — but behind the curtain, Barry Manilow was guarding a secret.

Barry Manilow, the man whose songs defined generations, has finally stepped into the spotlight to tell the truth about the man he loved, the daughter they raised, and their granddaughter. The singer has also let the world in on the health battle he is currently facing.

The Singer's Early Life and First Love

Barry Manilow was born Barry Alan Pincus in 1943 and grew up in Brooklyn, raised by his single mother, Edna Manilow. From an early age, music was his first passion. His second was Susan Deixler, his high school sweetheart, whom he married shortly after graduating.

Manilow later explained that while he truly loved Susan, he was not prepared for marriage at that stage of his life. He has emphasized that their one-year marriage was not affected by confusion about his sexuality.

Instead, he was focused on building his music career. He spent most nights performing and embracing his youth, which ultimately made him unready to settle down. He eventually did settle down, but with someone else.

For decades, Manilow continued to deliver timeless hits to the world while keeping his private life firmly out of view. When he turned 73 in 2017, the music legend began opening up about his life and family and, for the first time, about his sexuality.

A Relationship in the Spotlight and Coming Out

Manilow has pushed back against claims that he kept his sexuality secret for decades, saying the idea is misleading because it was never truly a secret. In 2017, he publicly acknowledged his four-decade relationship with his longtime manager, Garry Kief.

Their relationship had been an open secret to some of his long-time, mostly female fan base, while surprising others. During this period, Manilow even lived with Linda Allen, a rumored former love interest, despite being in a relationship with Kief.

Manilow also acknowledged that he was always cautious about discussing his relationship and coming out publicly, even after marrying Kief. The two tied the knot in a private ceremony at their 53-acre Palm Springs estate in April 2014.

When news of their marriage and his sexuality surfaced in 2015, he described the attention as both "a blessing and a curse." He admitted that he had worried about disappointing his fans if they knew he was gay, which kept him from speaking out earlier.

However, the response was overwhelmingly positive once they learned about his relationship with Kief, with strangers expressing joy and support. Manilow expressed deep gratitude for the reaction.

Still, even as news of their marriage surfaced and was generally received well, it was not until a few months after their wedding that Manilow openly spoke about being gay.

"Everybody has always known that Garry and I have always been a couple — my band, my crew, my family, my friends. And 90 percent of the fans knew, and it really is no big deal," he said.

Manilow explained that revealing an artist's sexuality is no longer considered a major moment. He added that he has never viewed it as something negative or problematic. "I could not be prouder of being a gay man and having a beautiful life and a great partner for 40 years," he gushed.

Family Life and Reflections on the Past

That life and partnership also included raising a child together. Manilow has shared that he and Kief raised a daughter, Kirsten, who is Kief's biological child. When the couple first came together, Kief was married and had Kirsten, who was one year old at the time.

Meanwhile, Manilow was briefly married to Deixler in the mid-1960s. The singer has described Kirsten as having grown into an exceptionally intelligent and remarkable woman.

Delving further into his sexuality, he noted, "It's so funny, not one interviewer over the years has asked me about my personal life. Nobody from a record company ever brought it up and [yet] everybody knew. We went out to dinners and parties, and nobody ever brought it up."

Manilow recalled one interview in the 1970s in which an interviewer directly pressed him about his relationship and sexuality. He has said he denied it at the time because that was the expectation in that era.

According to him, no other interviewer ever asked those questions, and had they done so, he would have answered honestly and without shame.

Garry Kief: Partner in Life and Business

Today, Kief remains Manilow's manager and also serves as president of Barry Manilow Productions. "He's the smartest person I've ever met in my life — and a great guy, too," Manilow said.

Still, their journey together was not without challenges. Early in their relationship, Kief attended one of Manilow's concerts and was overwhelmed by the experience.

Afterward, Manilow remembers getting into the car with him as fans jostled around it, and Kief admitted that the life of fame wasn't for him. Manilow has said he is grateful that Kief decided to stay.

Manilow added that when he and Kief met in 1978, he immediately recognized that his life had changed. He felt fortunate, recalling that he had been quite lonely before their meeting.

At the time, Garry Kief was unaware of Manilow's fame and success. This allowed them to relate to each other simply as two people, rather than as a superstar and someone in his orbit.

Suzanne Somers, a longtime friend of the couple, also chimed in, "It helps that Garry is devastatingly handsome. I still see Barry looking at him with his sparkling, periwinkle-blue eyes, and it’s clear their decades-long love is here to stay."

The Couple's Marriage and Commitment

When their relationship led to marriage, Manilow reflected that he hadn't expected the moment to be so emotional. He said that he found the experience more profound than anticipated, as they looked at each other and exchanged "I love you" in front of their guests.

Even so, the singer described their wedding as more of a formality than a transformation of their relationship. He explained that they had been partners for years, and the marriage simply made it legal.

The decision also allowed them to review their wills and ensure everything was in proper order, making it the right step to take. Today, the couple is happier than ever. "Thank goodness we're still together, and we're in good shape, too," Manilow declared.

In 2023, Manilow shared that he had become a grandfather and was relishing the experience with Kief. He revealed that Kirsten had become a first-time mom, welcoming a baby girl via adoption into their lives.

Manilow admitted that he had never imagined having a child or playing a parental role before. Hence, watching his granddaughter, who was two and a half years old then, grow and learn was an experience he described as entirely new. "I really am enjoying it," he added.

Facing Health Challenges and Looking Ahead

Aside from the joys they share, Manilow and Kief have also faced challenges together. Recently, Manilow was diagnosed with stage-one lung cancer. The discovery came after he experienced six weeks of bronchitis followed by a five-week relapse.

Even after recovering and returning to the stage at Westgate Las Vegas, his doctor ordered an MRI as a precaution. This procedure revealed a cancerous spot on his left lung that needs to be surgically removed.

The early detection gives him a favorable prognosis, and no chemotherapy or radiation is required. "Ironically, I feel great and have no symptoms. I'm thankful that my doctors were proactive and ran tests that typically wouldn't be done. They caught it very, very early," he said.

Before revealing his health news, Manilow had just completed five Christmas concerts at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. This marked the seventh year of these charity events, which have raised millions for nonprofit organizations in the Coachella Valley.

The 82-year-old expressed gratitude for the support of his fans during this time. Now, he has shared a lighthearted approach to recovery after surgery, mentioning comfort foods and old television reruns.

He is looking forward to returning to the Westgate Las Vegas for his Valentine's Day weekend concerts, which he expects will be celebratory. Manilow also announced rescheduled dates for his farewell tour, originally planned for January 2026, with stops in nine cities, including Orlando, Tampa, and Columbus, Ohio.

By opening up about his love life, family, role as a grandfather, and recent cancer diagnosis, Barry Manilow appears to be letting fans closer to his personal world. He is also speaking more openly about Kief, his partner both in life and in business.