Manilow Having Hip Surgery

08/07/2006 4:11 PM, E! Online
Josh Grossberg

Barry Manilow's never been accused of being hip. Now, surgery might just correct that.

The syrupy '70s sensation will temporarily step away from his gig performing at the Las Vegas Hilton to undergo outpatient arthroscopic surgery on both of his hips, his publicist, Carol Marshall, said in a statement Monday.

The operation will take place at an unidentified hospital in Southern California after Manilow's Aug. 27 appearance at the Emmy Awards. Manilow, nominated for Best Performance in a Variety or Music program for his PBS special Music and Passion, will be among the performers for a special tribute to Dick Clark.

"I'm anxious to make it through the Emmy Awards and then right to the hospital," the singer said.

According to his rep, the 60-year-old entertainer suffers from labrum tears in both his hips--torn cartilage that often causes extreme pain and discomfort. Manilow's high energy stage shows aggravated the condition, which was discovered after doctors performed an MRI arthogram.

The surgery will force postponement of 20 of the crooner's concerts at the Las Vegas Hilton to give him time to recover. Manilow, who has a four-year contract with the hotel-casino, whill make up the shows in 2007.

"The doctors have promised me that I'll come back even better than before. And I can't wait to hit the stage again," added Manilow.

Best known for the hits "Copacabana," "Mandy," "Can't Smile Without You," "Lonely Together" and "Looks Like We Made It," Manilow is expected to return to work in mid-October, just before his next album, The Greatest Songs of the Sixties, hits stores on Oct. 31.

The disc, which will feature Manilow's spin on the Righteous Brothers classic "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and the Beatles' "And I Love Her," among other period pieces, is a follow-up to the similarly themed The Greatest Hits of the Fifties. That release topped the charts back in January, scoring his first number one album in nearly 20 years, an achievement largely aided by his high-profile performance on ABC's Dancing with the Stars and other promotional appearances.

Manilow's hip problem isn't the only ailment to plague the showman recently.

In February 2004, Manilow was briefly hospitalized in Palm Springs, California, after experiencing chest pains that were later attributed to stress. The year before that, the Grammy winner broke his nose after accidentally running into a wall in his Palm Springs home.