I have raised a lot of eyebrows by admitting that I like Barry Manilow. I guess it’s not hip to like someone such as that. But I have been to enough Manilow concerts to know and respect his multifaceted talents as a writer, arranger, and performer of a variety of styles. It is essential that musicians in Manilow’s band be capable of mastering all those styles from the very special way Barry likes his ballads played, to the jazz and show tunes in his repertoire. That drummer Bud Harner accomplishes that feat is something he considers both a blessing and a hindrance. If he had concentrated on only rock playing while he was growing up, maybe he would have had the success of his own group, which he tried to accomplish with Manilow co-members in 1982 to 1983 with an original band called Big Ric. Had that been the case, […]

May 1986 Issue