LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Singer Barry Manilow has announced that he married his longtime manager and romantic partner Garry Kief in a private ceremony in 2014, putting end to years of speculation about his orientation.
In a recent interview with People Magazine, Manilow said that he kept his sexuality a secret for decades over concern of how his fans would react.
"I thought I would be disappointing them if they knew I was gay," Manilow told the magazine. "So I never did anything."
Manilow said he first met Kief, a television executive at the time, in 1978 and the two have been partners for more than 39 years.
Since coming out, Manilow said he's happy with how his fans received the news.
"When [the fans] found out that Garry and I were together, they were so happy," Manilow told People. "The reaction was so beautiful — strangers commenting, 'Great for you!' I'm just so grateful for it."