Iconic ’70s superstar delays Las Vegas run due to doctor’s orders | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Sometimes the show just can’t go on.

That’s the case for the iconic 1970s superstar who is pressing pause on his anticipated 2026 Las Vegas run. The singer canceled his lineup of February shows so he could follow his doctor’s orders and continue recovering from recent lung cancer surgery.

The veteran hitmaker had been scheduled to kick off an ambitious “lifetime” residency next week at a classic off-Strip resort, with multiple weekends already on the books through the spring.

The entertainer, Barry Manilow, was set to return to the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino for six shows in February before heading out on a national tour later in the month. Instead, those Las Vegas residency dates are being postponed at his doctor’s recommendation, with ticket holders being offered refunds at the point of purchase.

The decision comes after Manilow revealed that doctors found a cancerous spot on his left lung following a bout of bronchitis late last year. Manilow had surgery to remove the Stage 1 tumor at the end of December.

Manilow, 82, reassured fans on Instagram that he’s “doing great and recovering very well after my surgery,” sharing that he has been exercising and even spending some time in the studio.

“I’ve been getting exercise and spending some time in the studio, which has been fantastic,” he said. “With my doctor’s guidance and recommendation, however, we have decided to postpone my residency dates at Westgate Las Vegas from February 12-21 so I can stay focused on healing and getting ready for the tour that’s kicking off at the end of February.”

Manilow said he is taking time off because “having a few weeks to rest and prepare is what the doctor ordered.”

Las Vegas residencies are booked months or even years in advance, so both talent and hotel management avoid postponing and canceling shows — but sometimes it can’t be helped.

Barry Manilow performs at the International Theater at Westgate Las Vegas, the same venue where Elvis Presley once played.

Photo by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Getty Images

Barry Manilow’s doctors advise recovery following late December surgery

Since the surgery, Manilow has shared upbeat recovery updates with fans, including a hospital photo captioned “Better today!” and notes about gradually returning to light activity. The emphasis now, he says, is making sure he is strong enough to handle both a national tour and multiple nights a month back under the lights in Las Vegas.

The off-Strip casino, which has become a de facto home for longtime headliners, quickly issued a public show of support. Westgate executives described Manilow as part of the resort’s family saying they look forward to welcoming him back “to his stage” at the International Theater once he is cleared to perform, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Both the singer and the venue are framing the situation as a delay rather than a cancellation.

Visitors and locals who already had show tickets can get refunds through their original points of purchase.

Manilow has been a fixture in Las Vegas for years, long associated with the Westgate showroom. The 2026 “lifetime” residency was positioned as the latest chapter in that history, tying the city’s modern entertainment economy to one of the era-defining voices of ’70s pop and giving fans multiple chances a year to see him in an intimate theater rather than a sprawling arena.

For now, fans will have to wait a bit longer to hear “Mandy” and “Copacabana” live in the room that has become synonymous with his name, but it sounds like Manilow intends to keep his beloved Vegas tradition going and that he will be back on the Westgate stage once his doctors agree the timing is right.

Barry Manilow shows still scheduled for spring 2026

Manilow planned to hit the road at the end of February, shortly after the Las Vegas shows were to end, with performances across the U.S. throughout March and April.

As of February 9, spring shows in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maine, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Maryland are still on Manilow’s 2026 calendar.

Charlotte, North Carolina: Feb. 27, 2026, at the Benchmark International Arena
Tampa, Florida: March 1 at the Spectrum Center
Norfolk, Virginia: March 2 at the Chartway Arena
Baltimore: March 3 at the CFG Bank Arena
Cincinnati: March 5 at the Heritage Bank Center
Columbus, Ohio: March 6 at the Nationwide Arena
Nashville: March 7 at the Bridgestone Arena
Lexington, Kentucky: March 9 at Rupp Arena
Charleston, South Carolina: March 11 at the North Charleston Coliseum
Orlando, Florida: March 13 at the Kia Center
Sunrise, Florida: March 14 at the Amerant Bank Arena
Estero, Florida: March 16 and 17 at the Hertz Arena
Greensboro, North Carolina: April 24 at the First Horizon Coliseum
Jacksonville, Florida: April 27 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial
Duluth, Georgia: April 29 at the Gas South Arena

Barry Manilow has played more shows at the Westgate in Las Vegas than Elvis did

Manilow’s longevity puts him in rare company among Las Vegas headliners, a group that includes some of the longest-running residencies in the city’s modern entertainment history.

Barry Manilow has performed at least 637 shows at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino’s International Theater, a total that surpassed Elvis Presley’s long-standing record of 636 performances at the venue, according to KPBS Public Media.

When Manilow broke the record, he paid homage to The King by wearing a red jacket with Elvis’ iconic TCB lightning bolt logo stitched on the sleeve.

Wayne Newton has played a reported 30,000 shows in Las Vegas, and it’s unlikely anyone will ever surpass him, but some of the other long-running music residencies in Las Vegas, according to reporting from TheStreet and Billboard, include the following.

Celine Dion: 717 shows from 2003 to 2007, and another 427 from 2011 to 2019
Donnie and Marie: 792 shows from 2008 to 2019
Elton John: 247 shows from 2004 until 2009, and another 189 from 2011 to 2018
Britney Spears: 248 shows from 2013 until 2017
Cher: 192 shows from 2008 to 2011
Bette Midler: 170 shows from 2008 to 2010
Rod Stewart: Surpassed 200 shows in 2025 and is still playing (his residency began in 2011)
Jennifer Lopez: 120 shows from 2016 to 2018
Shania Twain: 105 shows from 2012 to 2014
Bruno Mars: Surpassed 108 shows in 2025 and is still playing (his residency began in 2016)