Barbra Streisand Mourns Death of Man Who Helped Make Her a Superstar: “I Truly Thought He Would Live Forever”

Barbra Streisand is paying tribute to her late manager. The singer took to Instagram to remember Marty Erlichman after he died at 97.

“Although Marty lived a long and full life, nothing can prepare you for the reality of losing someone so dear,” Streisand wrote alongside a black and white photo of herself with him. “I truly thought he would live forever.”

“In my eyes, he was simply indestructible—always by my side, through everything. And we never even had a contract,” she continued. “Marty can never be replaced, and I will be forever grateful for his friendship, loyalty, and unwavering support.”

According to People, who received a press release about Erlichman’s death, the late manager died on Oct. 31 of “age-related causes.”

In that press release, Streisand revealed that, just weeks ago, Erlichman was “trying to convince me to go on tour, and told me he’d be there every step of the way.”

“I know it’s extremely rare for show business relationships to endure for as long as mine did with Marty,” she said. “He trusted me, and I trusted him. This is a challenging business, but I always felt protected with Marty by my side.”

What to Know About Marty Erlichman

Erlichman’s relationship with Streisand dates back more than six decades to when he discovered her. Since then, Erlichman, an Emmy and a Peabody Award winner, helped “shape and guide virtually every aspect of her extraordinary career,” the press release said.

“Under his guidance, Ms. Streisand evolved from an aspiring New York nightclub singer into an international star whose accomplishments span the stage, screen, recordings, songwriting, screenwriting, and directing,” the press release read. “Mr. Erlichman negotiated her recording, theater, film, television, licensing, and concert agreements, overseeing the business side of a career that would become one of the most accomplished in entertainment history.”

Erlichman’s family also spoke out in a statement to the outlet.

“To the world, he was a giant of Hollywood; to us, he was a deeply devoted and loving father, husband, grandfather, and rock,” they said. “We feel his loss deeply but are endlessly proud of the life he lived and the indelible mark he left on the world.”

Erlichman is survived by his wife, Miko, son, J.J., daughter-in-law, Talia, and four grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the Erlichman family requested that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the National Kidney Foundation in his honor.

Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

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