Barry Manilow

His real name is Barry Alan Pincus; his mother's maiden name is Manilow. He broke into the business in 1971 when he met Bette Midler, who hired him as her pianist, arranger, and musical director.

He attended Julliard School of Music, which he paid for by working in the CBS mail room.

Barry Manilow's "Copacabana (At The Copa)" is the only song that has earned him a Grammy Award, taking Best Pop Male Vocalist in 1979. The song is an upbeat party tune, but with a very sad story. It's about a showgirl named Lola whose boyfriend Tony works as a bartender at the club she works at. One night, Tony is murdered by a jealous Mafia boss named Rico who wants to take him out of the picture so that he can be with Lola. The song was written from Lola's perspective, 30 years after Tony's murder. Lola has grown old and is now alone, pining for her lost love again.