Michael Bolton

Michael Bolton
Bolton in 2022
Bolton in 2022
Background information
Birth name Michael Bolotin
Born February 26, 1953 (age 69)
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Genres
Pop rock[1]soft rock[1][2]blue-eyed soul[1][3]
Occupation(s)
Singersongwritermusician
Instrument(s)
Vocalsguitarpiano
Years active 1975–present
Labels
RCAColumbiaJiveConcordUniversal Motown
Website michaelbolton.com
Michael Bolotin[4] (born February 26, 1953), known professionally as Michael Bolton, is an American
singer and songwriter. Bolton performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid-1970s to
the mid-1980s, both on his early solo albums and those he recorded as the frontman of the band
Blackjack. He became better known for his series of pop rock ballads, recorded after a stylistic change in
the late 1980s.
Bolton has sold more than 75 million records, and recorded eight top 10 albums and two number-one
singles on the Billboard charts, as well as winning six American Music Awards and two Grammy Awards.
[5][6]
He represented Connecticut at the American Song Contest 2022 with the song, "Beautiful World".[7]
Career
Music
Bolton began recording in 1975 at The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This first album was self-titled
using his original family name of Bolotin. Early in his musical career he focused on hard rock, with his
band Blackjack once opening for heavy metal artist Ozzy Osbourne on tour. It was rumored that in 1983
Bolton auditioned for, but was denied, the lead vocalist position with Osbourne's former band, Black
Sabbath.[8] Bolton later stated this was untrue, saying "That rumor about me auditioning for Black
Sabbath was only a rumor, I don't know how on earth it started."[9][10]
After anglicizing his family name to Bolton, he gained his first major hit as a songwriter, co-writing "How
Am I Supposed to Live Without You" for Laura Branigan, previously best known for singing the pop hit
"Gloria". Narrowly missing the Top 10 on the US pop chart, Branigan took the song to number one on
the Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks in 1983. The two sought to work with each other again,
and their next collaboration was when Bolton co-wrote "I Found Someone" for Branigan in 1985. Her
version was only a minor hit, but two years later, Cher resurrected the song, and with it her own singing
career. Bolton co-wrote several other songs for both singers. Bolton recorded his own rendition of "How
Am I Supposed to Live Without You" in 1988, which reached number one on the Hot 100.
Bolton at the 1990 Grammy Awards
Bolton in 1997
Bolton achieved his greatest success in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a singer on the adult
contemporary/easy listening charts. One of his first major hits was his 1987 interpretation of the Otis
Redding classic "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay". Redding's widow, Zelma Redding, said she was so
moved by Bolton's performance "that it brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me so much of my
husband that I know if he heard it, he would feel the same."[11] Always interested in soul and Motown
classics, Bolton's success with that song encouraged him to tackle the standard "Georgia on My Mind",
with which he had another hit. In 1991, Bolton released the album Time, Love & Tenderness which
featured his Grammy Award-winning cover version of "When a Man Loves a Woman".[12]
As a singer, he has performed with other artists such as: Lucia Aliberti, Patti LaBelle, José Carreras, Tony
Cetinski, Ray Charles, Celine Dion, Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Wynonna Judd, BB King, The Lonely
Island, Luciano Pavarotti, Percy Sledge, and Zucchero. As a songwriter, he has written and collaborated
on several songs for other artists as well.
Bolton's last Top 40 single in the US in his own right was the 1997 hit "Go the Distance" (featured in the
Disney animated motion picture Hercules), which peaked at No. 1 on the US adult contemporary chart.
He hired conductor Larry Baird (orchestral musical director/conductor/arranger for The Moody Blues,
Three Dog Night, Al Jarreau, etc.) for his 2001 tour.
In 2006, Bolton and Nicollette Sheridan (his fiancée at the time) sang a duet, "The Second Time Around",
for the album Bolton Swings Sinatra. In March 2007, Bolton toured South Africa for the first time. He
was the headline act at Jacaranda 94.2 FM's two-day concert.
For Over the Rainbow, an album which was recorded in five days, Bolton recorded the song "New York,
New York", which was also on his Bolton Swings Sinatra album. This was for an episode of the TV series,
Challenge Anneka. The proceeds from the album went to children's hospices across the UK.
Bolton performed a duet entitled "Il Mio Amico" with the Italian singer Anna Tatangelo at the Sanremo
Music Festival 2008. The song was originally sung by Tatangelo alone, but the duet version contained
English lyrics as well.[citation needed]
Bolton's album Only a Woman Like You was released in 2001. The title song was co-written by Shania
Twain. Bolton released his album One World One Love in the UK on September 21, 2009. The first single,
"Just One Love", was released one week earlier.[13]
Bolton in Barcelona, Spain, January 2010
In 2011, Bolton was featured as a guest vocalist in The Lonely Island's song "Jack Sparrow" on their
Turtleneck & Chain album. His performance with the comedic hip-hop trio focused on his (intentionally)
off-topic chorus and miscommunication with the group, and the video featured him dressed in costumes
as Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Forrest Gump, Erin Brockovich, and Tony Montana from
Scarface.[14]
As of February 2015, Bolton was working on the recording of a new studio album. He has collaborated
with Indian musician A. R. Rahman for a song which was recorded in February 2011 for Gems – The
Duets Collection.[15]
In 2013 Bolton released the album Ain't No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville U.S.A., which
featured duets with Kelly Rowland, Melanie Fiona and Orianthi.[16]
In 2013 and 2014, Bolton appeared in Honda commercials in which he sings.
In 2015 Bolton sang on John Oliver's Last Week Tonight episode concerning the IRS.[17]
He contributed "Upbeat Inspirational Song About Life" and its reprise to Teen Titans Go! To the Movies,
which was released on July 27, 2018. He also voices the Tiger that sings the song in the film.[18]
He competed in the American Song Contest, representing Connecticut and performing the song
Beautiful World, with his first performance in the first week, on March 21, 2022.[7] Bolton made it to
the finals, coming in seventh.[19]

Michael Bolton

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Michael Bolton

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Michael Bolton

Birth name Michael Bolotin

Born February 26, 1953 (age 69)

New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.

Pop rock[1]soft rock[1][2]blue-eyed soul[1][3]

Years active 1975–present

Bolton at the 1990 Grammy Awards

Bolton in Barcelona, Spain, January 2010

You might also like