Michael Bolton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Michael Bolton | |
|---|---|
| Image:MichaelBolton.jpg Michael Bolton at the 1990 Grammy Awards
| |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Bolotin |
| Born | February 26 1953 |
| Origin | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Genre(s) | Pop music Pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Voice type(s) | Tenor |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Associated acts | Blackjack |
| Website | MichaelBolton.com |
Michael Bolton (born Michael Bolotin on February 26, 1953), is an American singer-songwriter, known for his soft rock ballads and tenor vocals.
His achievements include selling 53 million albums, eight top ten albums, two number one singles on the Billboard charts, and awards from both the American Music Awards and Grammy Awards.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Bolton was born in 1953 to a Jewish family in New Haven, Connecticut. The youngest of three children, he found his biggest success in the mid-eighties and early nineties as a singer in the adult contemporary/easy listening genre. Unbeknownst to many, however, Bolton received his first record label contract at the age of 15. His band, Blackjack, once toured with heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. He began recording as Michael Bolotin in 1983, after gaining 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 disco-pop classic "Gloria". Narrowly missing the pop Top 10, Branigan took the song to number one on the Adult Contemporary charts for three weeks. The two sought to work with each other again, and their next of several associations 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.
One of the prolific songwriter's first major successes as a singer was with his interpretation of someone else's composition, the Otis Redding classic, "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay." 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. Most of Bolton's recordings are original material, however, and he has also written songs for such artists as Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Kenny G, Peabo Bryson and Patti LaBelle. Bolton's early songwriting collaborators included Doug James and Mark Mangold, and as his fame grew he began to cowrite with higher-profile writers such as BabyFace, Diane Warren, and Bob Dylan. As a singer, he has performed with Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Lucia Aliberti, Renée Fleming, Zucchero, Patti LaBelle, Céline Dion, Ray Charles, Percy Sledge, Wynonna Judd, and BB King.
Bolton is the father of three daughters (Isa, Holly and Taryn) born during his 1975-1990 marriage to Maureen McGuire. Between 1993 and 1995, he dated Knots Landing actress Nicollette Sheridan. In late February it was announced that Bolton and Sheridan were living together and engaged. [1] Bolton said on a recent Larry King Interview that he and Sheridan have not yet married and she is not pregnant though he said the two have been living as a married couple. They have yet to set a date for their wedding.[citation needed].
In 1993, he established the Michael Bolton Foundation (now the Michael Bolton Charities) to assist women and children at risk from the effects of poverty and emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The foundation has provided over $3.7 million in funding to local and national charities.
Bolton also serves as the honorary chairman of Prevent Child Abuse America, the national chairman for This Close for Cancer Research, and a board member for the National Mentoring Partnership and the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital.
In March 2003, Bolton joined with Lifetime Television, Verizon Wireless, and many others to lobby on behalf of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, urging legislation to provide more assistance for victims of domestic violence, such as affordable housing options.
Bolton has received the Lewis Hine Award from the National Child Labor Committee, the Martin Luther King Award from the Congress of Racial Equality, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also recognized Bolton with a star on the "Walk of Fame" for his musical and charitable contributions.
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.
Bolton appeared as an extra in the theatrical release of Frank Herbert's "Dune," featuring Sting and Kyle McLachlan. In their final fight scene, he appears as a "spice-eyed" drummer.
Bolton recorded the song "New York, New York" (also on his Bolton Swings Sinatra album), for an album which was recorded in five days, Over the Rainbow. This was for an episode of the TV series, Challenge Anneka. The proceeds from the album went to children's hospices across the UK.
In December 2007, Bolton took part in NBC's Clash of the Choirs. He lead "Team Bolton." However, they were eliminated in the second round.
[edit] Discography
- Michael Bolotin (1975)
- Everyday of My Life (1976)
- Michael Bolton (1983)
- Everybody's Crazy (1985)
- The Hunger (1987)
- Soul Provider (1989)
- Time, Love & Tenderness (1991)
- Timeless: The Classics (1992)
- The One Thing (1993)
- The Artistry of Michael Bolotin (1993)
- Greatest Hits (1985-1995) (1995)
- This Is The Time: The Christmas Album (1996)
- All That Matters (1997)
- My Secret Passion (1998)
- Timeless: The Classics Vol. 2 (1999)
- Love Songs (2001)
- Only A Woman Like You (2002)
- Vintage (2003)
- 'Til the End of Forever (2005)
- Bolton Swings Sinatra (2006)
- Best of Michael Bolton Live DVD (2007)
[edit] Singles
| Year | Song | US Hot 100 | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Fool's Game" | 82 | Michael Bolton |
| 1985 | "Everybody's Crazy" | - | Everybody's Crazy |
| 1987 | "That's What Love Is All About" | 19 | The Hunger |
| 1988 | "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay" | 11 | The Hunger |
| 1988 | "Wait On Love" | 79 | The Hunger |
| 1989 | "Soul Provider" | 17 | Soul Provider |
| 1989 | "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" | 1 (3 weeks) | Soul Provider |
| 1990 | "How Can We Be Lovers" | 3 | Soul Provider |
| 1990 | "When I'm Back On My Feet Again" | 7 | Soul Provider |
| 1990 | "Georgia On My Mind" | 36 | Soul Provider |
| 1991 | "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" | 4 | Time, Love & Tenderness |
| 1991 | "Time, Love & Tenderness" | 7 | Time, Love & Tenderness |
| 1991 | "When A Man Loves A Woman" | 1 (1 week) | Time, Love & Tenderness |
| 1992 | "Missing You Now" | 12 | Time, Love & Tenderness |
| 1992 | "Steel Bars" | - | Time, Love & Tenderness |
| 1992 | "To Love Somebody" | 11 | Timeless, The Classics |
| 1993 | "Said I Loved You...But I Lied" | 6 | The One Thing |
| 1994 | "Completely" | 32 | The One Thing |
| 1995 | "Can I Touch You...There?" | 27 | Greatest Hits (1985-1995) |
| 1996 | "A Love So Beautiful" | - | Greatest Hits (1985-1995) |
| 1997 | "Go The Distance" | 24 | All That Matters |
| 1998 | "Safe Place From The Storm" | - | All That Matters |
| 2000 | "Sexual Healing" | - | Timeless: The Classics Volume 2 |
| 2002 | "Only A Woman Like You" | - | Only A Woman Like You |
| 2002 | "Dance With Me" | - | Only A Woman Like You |
| 2003 | "When I Fall In Love" | - | Vintage |
| 2006 | "'Til The End Of Forever" | - | 'Til The End Of Forever |
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Michael Bolton Club - official fan club
- Michael Bolton Charities Inc.
- libentmusic.com "Live" DVD Distribution Partner
- Michael Bolton interview (2006) on I Like Musiccs:Michael Bolton
de:Michael Bolton es:Michael Bolton fr:Michael Bolton id:Michael Bolton it:Michael Bolton ja:マイケル・ボルトン no:Michael Bolton pl:Michael Bolton ru:Майкл Болтон fi:Michael Bolton sv:Michael Bolton th:ไมเคิล โบลตัน
Categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since December 2007 | American male singers | American pop singers | American singer-songwriters | Grammy Award winners | Hollywood Walk of Fame | American Jews | Jewish American musicians | American singers | People from New Haven, Connecticut | Connecticut musicians | 1953 births | Living people
