Barry Manilow has revealed he's gay at the age of 73, while at the same time officially introducing fans to his husband, Garry Kief, who Manilow has been in a relationship with for 39 years. The singer kept his personal life private for decades but recently shared new details on his relationship and the reason why he kept his sexuality private throughout his career in a new interview with People.
"I thought I would be disappointing the fans if they knew I was gay, so I never did anything," which is Manilow's reasoning on why he kept his sexuality in the dark for so many years. "When they found out that Garry and I were together, they were so happy. I am grateful for their reactions."
Even as a teenager, Manilow struggled with his romantic life, marrying his high school sweetheart Susan Deixler shortly after graduating high school. "I just was not ready for marriage," he said of his union with Deixler, whom he admitted he was in love with. "I was out making music every night, sowing my wild oats — I was too young. I wasn't ready to settle down."
Barry Manilow's latest studio album This Is My Town: Songs of New York will be released on April 21!