E-mail me at my brothers address
Listen To The Confidence That Barry's Music Has Taught Me Wav File
Hi, there. My name is Tommy Hickman. I am 29 years old. My
birthday is Aug. 11 th.
I have 4 brothers {Ricky, J.P. [who passed away last year], Adrian, and Joe} and one
darling sister {Julie}. My dad is Richard. My mom is Juliana [who passed away in 1994].
I live in Philadelphia.
I don't type very well, so my brother Adrian is typing as we
talk about it. He doesn't type much better.
Thank you to
Georgette and her friends [She is on her 28th show, 7 so far on this tour ].....
Elizabeth.....Donna.....Jacqui.....Regina.....PUNTIN.....Jackilope.....Larry
Pare....{she is now a "Can't Smile Without You" Girl [She sang with
Barry!]......UHONEY {Becky From Utah}.....Nancy Capwell.....Linda
Torres.....Lorrieful.....The Brandon Family......SSmith7925
for being nice enough to e-mail me about this page and have fun with me at the concerts. I
really enjoyed your letters.
This page is a tribute to three people who have helped me in my life. I was born with special needs, and the advancements in my life were partially the result of the following people:
BARRY MANILOW
Ever since I was 4 years old, I have listened to Barry Manilow. I used
to have trouble speaking, and my family and the teachers at my special schools noticed
that I like Manilow's music. They and my family used the "Even Now" album to
help me learn how to talk and communicate. It also helped my motor skills to drum along
with the album. Since then, I have come a long way.
I am one of Barry's biggest fans. I have gone through over 18 different
copies of "Even Now" and have seen Barry dozens of times. I am a member of the
BMIFC, and traveled to Kansas City a few years ago for their convention.
During the recent A & E "BARRY MANILOW: LIVE BY REQUEST", Wil Shriner read an e-mail that my brother, Adrian , sent for me. I requested "I Made It Through The Rain", and I was thrilled when Barry dedicated it to me. I will never forget that night.
MY BEST DAY EVER !
[My brother, Adrian, is helping me with this]. We had gotten our tickets for this years Manilow concert way back in May. I didn't think that I could wait three months, but a couple of things came along that made me happy.
I've had this webpage for a while. My brother built it to see if I was interested in the computer. In late July, Al Hunter Jr. [a reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News] contacted me after seeing my page, and wanted to do an interview with me. I was nervous. You can read the article by clicking http://geocities.datacellar.net/~adimike/tdn.html
I've got more about that day a little farther down the page.
That article made Margie Smith , a reporter for WB17, WPHL-TV here in Philadelphia, and Jill Wolfe, an assignment editor, contact me about doing an interview. I was nervous.
The day of the concert, they came in a big van, with the dish on top. Everyone in the neighborhood asked me what they were there for. They talked to me for an hour. I played my singing of I MADE IT THROUGH THE RAIN, and they had me sing my favorite song , COPACABANA, on camera. We talked about why I wanted to meet Barry. I think I did good. I got to show them my Barry collection, including my favorite album, EVEN NOW, but when they asked me to sing, I sang along with the COPA version from the Boxed Set. We talked about how Barry's Music helped me. I answered all the questions without much help, though they also interviewed my sister, Julie, who teaches at the Easter Seal Society.
While I was being interviewed, the phone rang. My brother, Adrian, said it was for me. When I got on the phone, it was Susan Dubow, Barry's publicist. She said what I have always wanted to hear: I was going to meet my favorite singer, Barry Manilow. Channel 17 had set it up without me knowing. I love Channel 17!
I was told that Mark Hewitt, one of Barry's assistants would come out to my seat around 7:45 [we were sitting in Section 101 Row E, which was about 13 rows from the stage] to take me backstage. He was right on time. He told me they would be back for me at 8:05. That was a long 20 minutes. Every minute seemed really long, and I was actually sitting on the edge of my chair waiting for them. Barry's' road manager [I forget his name, but he allowed me to hold his arm while I walked, since it was dark in the theater] led me and my father and brother back to the Green Room. Margie Smith and her cameraman were waiting for us.
After about five minutes, Barry walked in, along with Mark. I couldn't stand up I was so nervous. Barry came over and talked to me. I showed him the Daily News article, and he said he had read it already. Barry said that he had been to my website, and Mark said that they had it in their Favorite Places folder on their computer. We talked about my favorite songs, and he said he was singing them that night. I asked him about Annette O'Toole, who I used to have a crush on, and he seemed happy that I remembered his movie COPACABANA. I asked him if I could sing with him that night, and he said that he didn't know. We talked for well over five minutes, and then he allowed us to take a couple of pictures. Mark took them so that my family could be in them.
Finally, Barry had to go, but I thanked him again, and he gave me a big hug. That was nice. Channel 17 asked me how I felt, but all I could do was smile. Barry had made my life, and now he had made my day. His road manager, helped me back to my seat, which was nice because he must have had dozens of other things to do, and he chose to help me. Thanks.
Barry Vs. The Elements
I was so excited when I got back to my seat. I liked that the intermission music, which was a series of the original commercials that Barry wrote or sang for. Then, Barry came on, and the great night continued. He was wearing a white jacket, which made him easy to see. He sang all of my favorites including EVEN NOW. When he sang CAN'T SMILE WITHOUT YOU, I raised my hand, even though I knew I wouldn't be picked. I sang along real loud, though. He also saluted a BARRY ABRAMS, who he said helped him reach number One in Philadelphia back in the 70's when MANDY came out.
All night long, it looked like rain, but Barry said that he would try to stop it. He almost did. As he sang SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD, the skies opened up, and the screams as the people on the lawn threatened to drown him out. He begged those who felt they had to leave to come back again [He's coming back!] next year, and started NEW YORK CITY RHYTHM. As the wind blew and the rain reached all the way up front and the people ran for cover, it felt like pandemonium, and Adrian felt that this version may have been the best he'd ever seen live, because of the frenzied rush of the soaked crowd combined with Barry and his orchestra trying to compete with the noise, which made for a wild, wonderful version.
The orchestra really added to the show. It made the songs sound like my records, especially the Sinatra stuff. I never really listened to Frank before the MANILOW SINGS SINATRA CD, but since then I listen to my brothers Sinatra CD's when we are in the car. This was great, as was WHEN OCTOBER GOES. All the orchestral numbers were great, including especially WEEKEND IN NEW ENGLAND. It was also fun when Barry isolated the individual instruments in the orchestra.
My favorite part of the show was Barry playing the recording of his grandfather urging him to sing "Happy Birthday" when he was three years old. When I was backstage with him, I told him that I liked that recording of his grandfather, especially on the FIRST BARRY MANILOW SPECIAL, and was really glad to here Barry use it during THIS ONE'S FOR YOU. It reminded me of my mom.
He ended the show with my favorite COPACABANA , and second favorite I MADE IT THROUGH THE RAIN. During COPA, the sound system got real loud, and then went out for a minute. while I didn't like it, we were close enough to the stage to still here the band playing as Barry got the crowd to sing for him. It was great.
This may be the best Barry show I've seen in a long time. I only wish he was coming back before next year, but I'll try to go see him wherever and whenever I am able.
The Second Best Day Ever!
The second most exciting thing was that the Philadelphia Daily News did a big article on my love of Manilow's music, and how it has been so important in my life. They even ran a great color picture of me. This ran in the Aug 11, 1999 issue. Click here if you who like to read the text of the article. If you saw it, please e-mail me with your comments. Thanks to Al Hunter, Jr. of the Daily News for liking my story.
The View
Back in Nov, 1998 my Dad and my brother took me to see Barry appear on THE VIEW [ABC-TV].
We waited forever in a big line, but it was worth it when they sat us IN THE SECOND ROW,
right infront of where Barry sang his songs from. I may never be that close again. We also
briefly met Barry's manager, Garry. We couldn't afford tickets to THE SUPPER CLUB, but my
brother read all the postings about the performance.
I've bought all the Video reissues from Manilow Direct , as well as the Arista remasters.
RADIO CITY
What a great time I had at the RCMH SHOW ON APRIL 17, 1997. We were in
Row N seats 306-308. We had a very nice group of fan club members who sat in front of us.
One of them was Georgette, who sent me a nice card, and some BARRY photos that she had.
That's why I love Barry fans. They are also nice to me, and fun to talk to. One of the
CLICKER PEOPLE chosen was from the end of our aisle.
I don't write real well, so I will tell you what I remember about the
concert.
Barry did one of my favorite songs, JUMP SHOUT BOOGIE. As a matter of fact, Barry did a
lot from the THIS ONES FOR YOU album. My brother ADRIAN says that because this CD has
never gone out of print, We tend to overlook what a great album it is.
BARRY did, either whole or in the GONZO MEDLEY,
THIS ONES FOR YOU
DAYBREAK
JUMP SHOUT BOOGIE...I love it!
WEEKEND IN NEW ENGLAND
LOOKS LIKE WE MADE IT
and ALL THE TIME...That is one of my brother Adrian's favorite Barry songs. He says that
what Barry said before the song is true. We waste too much time or bemoaning what we don't
have, when all we need is already around us everyday.
..............MORE TO COME.............
GENE HART
One of the reasons that I listened to Flyers Hockey, Gene Hart, passed away recently. I was glad to see that so many other people loved him as much as I do. I went to a memorial service at the First Union Center, where we , as Steve Coates said, celebrated the life of my friend. I got to see his wife, Sara, and his children again. Lauren , a great singer and his daughter, even gave me her autograph because I asked, just like I used to ask Gene every time I saw him. He gave it to me, even though I had gotten one a hundred times before.
Gene Hart was a legend in Philadelphia. He was THE VOICE OF THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS hockey from 1967 until 1995. He was a great announcer, and when he shouts "HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES", the entire city would feel good. His tapes and voice helped me learn to watch what was going on and express my feelings about what I am seeing. He was a diver on the old STEEL PIER IN ATLANTIC CITY, and his wife, SARA, rode the HIGH DIVING HORSE. He took me to dinner when we saw him vacationing in Honolulu. He told us funny stories about the Flyers , especially Dave Brown. He always has time to talk to me.
BOB BARKER
One of my favorites things to watch is "THE PRICE IS RIGHT"
with Bob Barker. I have been watching for over 16 years, and can beat my brothers and
sister in every pricing game.
I like Bob because he is a great host, and anyone who can handle
excitable Samoan women like Bob can is all right by me. He has sent me a couple of
autographed pictures, and some nice responses to my fan letters.
I have been to Television City twice [ Nov. 1994 and July 8, 1996 ].
The first time that I was there, I had written a song poem for Holly, and was thrilled
when she called me up from the audience after the show, gave me a kiss, and thanked me for
the song, in front of the wildly cheering audience.
Afterwards, Holly took me backstage and had some pictures taken with me.
She then took me to Bob's dressing room, and he said hello and also posed with me for some
great pictures. It was worth all the traveling from Philadelphia for this moment.
The second visit, It was so crowded that we waited for
the second taping, and wound up 3rd row center. You could see me every time that they
showed contestants row. I didn't get picked for a game, but I had a great time
I will be going back again in the next year, and hope to be picked to hear Rod Roddy say
"Tommy Hickman, COME ON DOWN". THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MY
MOTHER, JULIANA, AND MY BROTHER, J.P. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU BOTH. 
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