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Promise of payment for tour with Manilow mellows YSO
YOUNGSTOWN
Barry Manilow writes the songs, and after a delay of more than a month, his management company wrote a check to the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra.
During a four-city tour in August, including an Aug. 27 show at Youngstown’s Covelli Centre, the pop-music legend performed with 44 orchestra members.
The contract called for Manilow’s company to pay the orchestra members the night of the tour’s last show, Aug. 28 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, said Patricia C. Syak, executive director of the Youngstown Symphony Society, and Gloria Slocum, who played violin on the tour and is orchestra committee chairwoman.
Despite telephone calls and certified letters to Manilow’s management firm, the orchestra has heard nothing from the company, Syak and Slocum said.
“I was getting upset about it,” Syak said. “It was not a good way to end a relationship that we enjoyed.”
Eric Ryan, executive director of the Covelli Centre who connected Manilow with the orchestra, said Syak told him about the issue Thursday. He spoke with a Manilow management official who said Friday there was a “billing” issue, but “everything is being rectified. The check was sent Friday by [Federal Express] and will be there Monday.”
Responding to an email from The Vindicator, Howard Bragman, Manilow’s publicist, wrote: “We only received the bill on Sept. 19. It has been approved and paid. Cannot confirm they received checks, but they should any day.”
Slocum said playing with Manilow was a “fantastic experience,” but she wants to be paid.
“I don’t know anyone who waits a month to pay,” she said. “We’ve done everything except go to California and knock on [his management’s] door. We haven’t been paid right away other times, but it eventually comes within a month.”
Most of the orchestra members were to be paid $700, except those who played two instruments, who were to receive $1,400, Slocum said.