Quote Of The Day By Barry Manilow: 'That's What I Had Done And That's ...'

Barry Manilow is the undisputed king of soft rock, taking 13 songs to No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart in the genre's 1970s and early 1980s heyday. Born in Brooklyn in 1943, Manilow was in his 30s by the time his career as a piano-playing, songwriting, melancholy balladeer of love songs took him to superstardom. After working on the fringes of the entertainment industry, Manilow's boring first job helped him become an icon, as did his extremely catchy commercial jingles.

While Manilow hasn't landed any of his many No. 1 hits in the past few decades, he still sells lots of albums and attracts countless diehard fans to his concerts. After more than 50 years in the game, he's maintained his fame and popularity, and he's kept himself grounded, humble, and virtually free of scandal. It's Manilow's careful approach to success that makes him the source of today's quote of the day.

"Keep your family and old friends around you. That's what I had done and that's what saved my life when it came to being famous."

In 2011, Barry Manilow spoke with The Hollywood Reporter to promote his self-consciously celebrity-themed album "15 Minutes" and weighed in on the pros and cons of being a well-known figure. The musician has avoided common pitfalls of fame and attributed his longevity and overall pleasant career to surrounding himself with trusted associates who have known him since before he was a star. He stayed safe by staying protected.

In his interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Barry Manilow got to talking about how harrowing and uncharted fame can be for rising stars. He noted how easy it is for young, famous stars to make mistakes when they're never told no and left to their own devices to manage the world through that skewed lens. It's a situation that Manilow believes he could've fallen victim to, if not for a revelation some years earlier. "I realized that everybody around me was on my payroll, that my old friends hadn't been in touch with me and my family didn't know where to get me," he recalled. "I was a very unhappy guy, and it was because I was really alone."

So, Manilow replaced his staff and inner circle with relatives and familiar faces. He built a support system to which he'd have to answer, and his friends and family would call him out if he ever acted outrageously or egregiously. By having checks in place, Manilow believes he never did anything all that stupid while also keeping a clear and calm perspective about his modest place in the world. Ultimately, the lesson is that it's important to rely on those we trust because they can help us feel taken care of and also stay out of danger.

• "I think my music is like anchovies. Some people love them — some people get nauseous."
• "I believe that we are who we choose to be."
• "Whenever there was a choice between music and anything else, music won hands down every time."
• "I just write the most beautiful music I can, I do the best work I can, and then I hand it out there."
• "Everybody has to find out: Who are you? What do you believe in?"