Barry Manilow has canceled his scheduled Las Vegas concerts for Friday and Saturday nights just hours before they were set to begin. The 83-year-old singer announced the cancellations on Friday afternoon, citing technical and vocal problems as the reason for the inability to perform.
"We’re very sorry but we have to cancel tonight’s and tomorrow’s performances," Manilow posted on his Instagram account. "Due to technical and vocal problems, we’re unable to put on our show. Refunds will automatically be processed via your point of purchase."
Fans expressed their well wishes in the comments of his post. "Sending Barry best wishes and tons of positive vibes I am half his age and would not be able to keep up his schedule. Take care of yourself and rest," one user wrote. Another commented, "Sending Barry nothing but love and hope he is feeling better soon!"
This is not the first recent cancellation for the singer. Earlier in August, Manilow's concert in Lexington, Kentucky, was rescheduled for the second time due to unforeseen circumstances. A March 9 show in the same city was also postponed as Manilow recovered from surgery.
In November, Manilow was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer after seeking medical attention for hip pain. The diagnosis came after he had battled bronchitis twice and underwent an MRI scan. He has previously stated that the early detection of the cancer, which had no symptoms, potentially saved his life.
"If he hadn't done that, man ... he saved my life, because there's no symptoms for what I had," Manilow told People magazine in March. "I could go on, nothing hurt - but they found the dot in my lung."
Manilow underwent surgery for the lung cancer late last year. He shared that the experience made him reflect on his life and career. "This made me stop and think about: Have I done what I wanted to do, and have I made people happy?" he said. "Have I been a good friend? ... The answers are yes. And as a matter of fact, there are more yeses than I ever thought."
Speaking with NPR in June, Manilow noted that recovery from such surgery can take up to a year, and while assured his vocal cords were not harmed, he expressed uncertainty about their full recovery. He was scheduled to perform at the Westgate International Theater in Las Vegas.