Barry Manilow, winner of the BMI Icon award, arrives at the 65th annual BMI Pop Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Tuesday, May 9, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP photo)LOS ANGELES -- Veteran singer Barry Manilow said coming out publicly about being gay was a "beautiful experience", as he was honored for his long-standing career in the music industry. Mr Manilow, 73, spoke about being gay for the first time last month, saying that he feared he would have disappointed his mostly female fan base had he come out decades ago. He added that in the past month, he has received thousands of "beautiful and encouraging" notes from his fans. The event was attended by artists including Lisa Loeb, who praised Mr Manilow for speaking openly about being gay. Barry Manilow released a new album in April, "This Is My Town: Songs Of New York."

Source: Bangkok Post May 11, 2017 04:41 UTC