Michael Bolton
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Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998.
(born February 26, 1953), known professionally as Michael Bolton, is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally performed in the
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
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 Blackjack (formerly Black Jack and Vingt-Un) is a casino banking game. The most widely played casino banking game in the world, it uses decks of 52 cards and descends from a global family of casino banking games known as Twenty-One. This fami ...
. He became better known for his series of
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
s, 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 The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
and two
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
. He represented Connecticut at the
American Song Contest ''American Song Contest'' is an American music reality competition television series based on the Eurovision Song Contest. It sees all 50 U.S. states, five territories, and Washington, D.C. compete for the title of Best Original Song. The fir ...
2022 with the song, "Beautiful World".


Career


Music

Bolton began recording in 1975 at
The Church Studio The Church Studio is a recording studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma established in 1972 by musician, songwriter, and producer Leon Russell. Located in a converted church building, the studio has since been cited as being the heart of the Tulsa Sound. H ...
in
Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
. This first album was self-titled using his original family name of Bolotin. Early in his musical career he focused on
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
, with his band
Blackjack Blackjack (formerly Black Jack and Vingt-Un) is a casino banking game. The most widely played casino banking game in the world, it uses decks of 52 cards and descends from a global family of casino banking games known as Twenty-One. This fami ...
once opening for heavy metal artist
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
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 Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
. 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." After
anglicizing Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influenc ...
his family name to Bolton, he gained his first major hit as a songwriter, co-writing "
How Am I Supposed to Live Without You "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" is a song written in 1982 by Doug James and Michael Bolton. The ballad has been recorded by many artists around the world, in several languages, most notably Bolton himself, becoming something of a modern p ...
" for
Laura Branigan Laura Ann Branigan (July 3, 1952 – August 26, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her signature song, the platinum-certified 1982 single "Gloria", stayed on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for 36 weeks, then a record for a ...
, 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 The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...
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 "I Found Someone" is the name of a chart single originally written and composed for Laura Branigan by Michael Bolton and Touch keyboardist Mark Mangold. The song was a bigger hit for Cher in 1987, reaching the Top 10. Background Though best ...
" for Branigan in 1985. Her version was only a minor hit, but two years later,
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
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 achieved his greatest success in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a singer on the adult contemporary/
easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
charts. One of his first major hits was his 1987 interpretation of the
Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...
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." Always interested in
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
and
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
classics, Bolton's success with that song encouraged him to tackle the standard "
Georgia on My Mind "Georgia on My Mind" is a 1930 song written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell and first recorded that same year by Hoagy Carmichael. However, the song has been most often associated with soul singer Ray Charles, who was a native of the U ...
", with which he had another hit. In 1991, Bolton released the album '' Time, Love & Tenderness'' which featured his
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
-winning
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of " When a Man Loves a Woman". As a singer, he has performed with other artists such as:
Lucia Aliberti Lucia Aliberti (born 12 June 1957) is a Italian operatic soprano singer. She performed the bel canto roles of Bellini, Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, Vivaldi, Mercadante and so on. Life and career Aliberti was born in Messina (Sicily). ...
, Patti LaBelle, José Carreras,
Tony Cetinski Anthony Cetinski (born 31 May 1969), known professionally as Tony Cetinski, is a Croatian pop singer. Today, he is one of the most popular male singers in Croatia and countries of former Yugoslavia. Biography Born into a family of musicians in ...
,
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
,
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
,
Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...
,
Renée Fleming Renée Lynn Fleming (born February 14, 1959) is an American soprano, known for performances in opera, concerts, recordings, theater, film, and at major public occasions. A recipient of the National Medal of Arts, Fleming has been nominated for ...
,
Wynonna Judd Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...
,
BB King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shim ...
,
The Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The three ...
, Luciano Pavarotti,
Percy Sledge Percy Tyrone Sledge (November 25, 1940 – April 14, 2015) was an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. He is best known for the song " When a Man Loves a Woman", a No. 1 hit on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 196 ...
, and
Zucchero Adelmo Fornaciari (; born 25 September 1955), more commonly known by his stage name Zucchero Fornaciari or simply Zucchero (), is an Italian singer, musician and songwriter. His stage name is the Italian word for "sugar", as his elementary teach ...
. 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 "Go the Distance" is a song from Disney's 1997 animated feature film, ''Hercules''. It was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, and originally recorded by American actor Roger Bart in his film role as the singing voice of He ...
" (featured in the
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
animated motion picture ''
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
''), 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 The Moody Blues were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The g ...
,
Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael A ...
,
Al Jarreau Alwin Lopez Jarreau (March 12, 1940 – February 12, 2017) was an American singer and musician. His 1981 album '' Breakin' Away'' spent two years on the ''Billboard'' 200 and is considered one of the finest examples of the Los Angeles pop and R ...
, etc.) for his 2001 tour. In 2006, Bolton and
Nicollette Sheridan Nicollette Sheridan (born 21 November 1963) is an English-born American actress. She began her career as a fashion model before landing a role in the short-lived ABC primetime soap opera '' Paper Dolls'' in 1984, as well as starring in the rom ...
(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 New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Uni ...
", which was also on his ''Bolton Swings
Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...
'' album. This was for an episode of the TV series, ''
Challenge Anneka ''Challenge Anneka'' is a British Reality television, reality programme that aired on BBC One, BBC1 from 8 September 1989 to 15 October 1995 and was hosted by Anneka Rice. It was announced in 2006 that the series was returning, but this time o ...
''. The proceeds from the album went to children's
hospice Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life by ...
s across the UK. Bolton performed a duet entitled "Il Mio Amico" with the Italian singer
Anna Tatangelo Anna Tatangelo (born 9 January 1987) is an Italian pop singer and television personality. At the age of 15, she became the youngest person to win the Newcomer's Award at the prestigious Sanremo Music Festival singing contest. Her repertoire con ...
at the
Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annual ...
2008. The song was originally sung by Tatangelo alone, but the duet version contained English lyrics as well. Bolton's album ''
Only a Woman Like You ''Only a Woman Like You'' is an album by Michael Bolton, released in 2002 (see 2002 in music). The album constituted a comeback for Bolton peaking at #36. Nevertheless, the album's success could by no way be compared to the success of his previ ...
'' was released in 2001. The title song was co-written by
Shania Twain Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain ( , ; née Edwards; born August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history and one of the best-s ...
. Bolton released his album ''
One World One Love ''One World One Love'' is an album by Michael Bolton, with collaborations by Tami Chynn, Ne-Yo and Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, ...
'' in the UK on September 21, 2009. The first single, "Just One Love", was released one week earlier. In 2011, Bolton was featured as a guest vocalist in
The Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The three ...
's song "
Jack Sparrow Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the '' Pirates of the Caribbean'' film series. The character was created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and is portrayed by Johnny Depp. The characte ...
" on their ''
Turtleneck & Chain ''Turtleneck & Chain'' is the second studio album of the American comedy troupe The Lonely Island, whose members are Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone. The album was released on 10 May 2011 by Universal Republic Records. Turtlene ...
'' 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 Captain Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the '' Pirates of the Caribbean'' film series. The character was created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and is portrayed by Johnny Depp. The characte ...
from '' Pirates of the Caribbean'', Forrest Gump,
Erin Brockovich Erin Brockovich (née Pattee; born June 22, 1960) is an American legal clerk, consumer advocate, and environmental activist who, despite her lack of education in the law, was instrumental in building a case against Pacific Gas & Electric Compan ...
, and
Tony Montana Antonio Montana is a fictional character and the protagonist of the 1983 film ''Scarface''. This character is portrayed by Al Pacino in the film and is voiced by André Sogliuzzo in the 2006 video game '' Scarface: The World Is Yours''. Embod ...
from '' Scarface''. As of February 2015, Bolton was working on the recording of a new studio album. He has collaborated with Indian musician
A. R. Rahman Allah Rakha Rahman (; born A. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967) is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer and songwriter, popular for his works in Indian cinema; predominantly in Tamil and Hindi films, with occasional forays in int ...
for a song which was recorded in February 2011 for '' Gems – The Duets Collection''. 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 Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl ...
,
Melanie Fiona Melanie Fiona Hallim (born July 4, 1983) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.Orianthi Orianthi Penny Panagaris (born 22 January 1985), known mononymously as Orianthi, is an Australian guitarist, singer and songwriter who rehearsed in 2009 with Michael Jackson in preparation for his '' This Is It'' concert series, and performed wi ...
. In 2013 and 2014, Bolton appeared in
Honda is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
commercials in which he sings. In 2015 Bolton sang on
John Oliver John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. Oliver started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom. He came to wider attention ...
's '' Last Week Tonight'' episode concerning the
IRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory tax ...
. He contributed "Upbeat Inspirational Song About Life" and its reprise to ''
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies ''Teen Titans Go! To the Movies'' is a 2018 American animated superhero comedy film based on the television series ''Teen Titans Go!'', which is based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. This film is directed by Peter Rida Mi ...
'', which was released on July 27, 2018. He also voices the Tiger that sings the song in the film. He competed in the ''
American Song Contest ''American Song Contest'' is an American music reality competition television series based on the Eurovision Song Contest. It sees all 50 U.S. states, five territories, and Washington, D.C. compete for the title of Best Original Song. The fir ...
'', representing Connecticut and performing the song '' Beautiful World'', with his first performance in the first week, on March 21, 2022. Bolton made it to the finals, coming in seventh.


Acting

Bolton has made a number of
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...
s in feature films and television, usually appearing as himself, such as in ''
Meet Wally Sparks ''Meet Wally Sparks'' is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Peter Baldwin, written by Harry Basil and Rodney Dangerfield. It stars Dangerfield in the title role, with Debi Mazar, Michael Weatherly, Cindy Williams, Alan Rachins, Burt Reynold ...
'', ''
Two and a Half Men ''Two and a Half Men'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS for twelve seasons from September 22, 2003, to February 19, 2015. Originally starring Charlie Sheen in the lead role alongside Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, t ...
'', and ''
The Nanny ''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three ch ...
''. Although he has been rumored to have appeared as an
extra Extra or Xtra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper * ''Extra!'', an American me ...
in ''
Dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...
'' as a "spice-eyed" drummer, Bolton has stated in interviews that it is not him. In August 2006, Bolton was one of
Lucy Lawless Lucille Frances Lawless (; born 29 March 1968) is a New Zealand actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Xena in the television series '' Xena: Warrior Princess'', as D'Anna Biers on the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' seri ...
's duet partners on the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
network's program ''
Celebrity Duets ''Celebrity Duets'' was an American reality television show, of the progressive game-show type, which combined celebrities of different backgrounds with professional singers in a weekly elimination competition. History The show was a take-off of ...
'', which
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of ''The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on t ...
's
Syco Syco Entertainment is a British media entertainment company, headquartered in London, founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 through So ...
Productions Company produced for the network. Bolton was a contestant on the 11th season of '' Dancing with the Stars''. He and his dance partner
Chelsie Hightower Chelsie Kay Hightower (born July 21, 1989) is a ballroom dancer. She is known for being a regular dance partner, trainer and choreographer on the ABC competition show ''Dancing with the Stars'', on which she was a professional from Season 8 to 1 ...
were the second couple to be eliminated, on September 28, 2010. In 2015, Bolton starred in a
Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert a ...
commercial as himself singing ''
Jingle Bells "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and most commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857. It has been claimed t ...
'' while the family opens up their pizza order.


Directing

On May 10, 2018, it was announced that American Dream: Detroit (Exclusive), Michael Bolton film, would premiere on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 in Redford Theater. Despite Bolton being born in Connecticut, he fell in love with the city of Detroit and wanted to highlight its recent economic comeback. This documentary features interviews with several business moguls, singers and other Detroit natives, including
Christopher Ilitch Christopher Paul Ilitch (born June 2, 1965) is president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Ilitch Holdings, Inc., a holding company that provides services to businesses that were founded or purchased by Mike and Marian Ilitch. Ilitch compa ...
,
Jerry Bruckheimer Jerome Leon Bruckheimer (born September 21, 1943) is an American film and television producer. He has been active in the genres of action, drama, fantasy, and science fiction. His films include '' Flashdance'', ''Top Gun'', '' The Rock'', '' ...
, Francis Ford Coppola,
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
, Smokey Robinson, and
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
. This "Love-Letter to Detroit" film is reported by the Crain's (a local business publication) in an article titled "Michael Bolton to appear at Redford Theatre for Detroit documentary premiere", written by Annalise Frank.


Copyright infringement lawsuit

On February 24, 1992, the American R&B group
the Isley Brothers The Isley Brothers ( ) are an American musical group originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, that began as a vocal trio consisting of brothers O'Kelly Isley Jr., Rudolph Isley and Ronald Isley in the 1950s. With a career spanning over seven decade ...
filed a lawsuit against Bolton, claiming his 1991 hit song " Love Is a Wonderful Thing" plagiarized their 1966 song of the same name. A Los Angeles jury ruled in favor of the Isley Brothers on April 25, 1994. The jury determined there were five instances in which Bolton's song plagiarized the Isleys' tune. Bolton, co-writer Andrew Goldmark, and Sony Publishing were ordered to turn over more than $5 million in profits from the sales of Bolton's version of the song to the Isley Brothers. It was the largest award in history for plagiarism in the music industry. Bolton, Goldmark and Sony appealed the verdict, and the court fight continued for nearly seven more years. The case concluded on January 22, 2001, when the
Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
refused to hear the appeal of a May 2000 decision by the
Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...
in San Francisco. Under the Ninth Circuit ruling, the Isleys were to be paid $4.2 million from Sony Music, $932,924 from Bolton, $220,785 from Goldmark, and the balance from Bolton and Goldmark's music publishing company. A previous similar lawsuit, regarding his hit composition "
How Am I Supposed to Live Without You "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" is a song written in 1982 by Doug James and Michael Bolton. The ballad has been recorded by many artists around the world, in several languages, most notably Bolton himself, becoming something of a modern p ...
" was settled in Bolton's favor, helped in part by testimony from the singer Laura Branigan.


Personal life

Bolton describes himself as a "rebel Jew". He was raised in a liberal
interfaith Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...
family, describing his childhood home as decorated with both a
Hanukkah menorah A Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah,Also called a chanukiah ( he, מנורת חנוכה ''menorat ḥanukkah'', pl. ''menorot''; also he, חַנֻכִּיָּה ''ḥanukkiyah'', or ''chanukkiyah'', pl. ''ḥanukkiyot''/''chanukkiyot'', or yi, ח ...
and a
tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
. His grandparents kept a
kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
household, and originally the family name was Bolotin. He left Hebrew school at age 12 when his rabbi forbade him from returning unless he stopped joking around. Nevertheless, Bolton became bar mitzvah at age 13 and maintains some
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
beliefs. "I don't want to get on the wrong side of the Creator," Bolton said. Bolton was married to Maureen McGuire from 1975 to 1990. They are the parents of three daughters, each born two years apart: Isa, Holly, and Taryn.Baker, K. C
Michael Bolton: Nicollette and I 'Remain Friends'
''People'', September 23, 2008.
He became a grandfather for the first time in October 2010, through his daughter Taryn. As of February 2019, he has six grandchildren, who range in age from 2 to 8. Bolton was introduced to actress
Nicollette Sheridan Nicollette Sheridan (born 21 November 1963) is an English-born American actress. She began her career as a fashion model before landing a role in the short-lived ABC primetime soap opera '' Paper Dolls'' in 1984, as well as starring in the rom ...
in 1992 by adult contemporary/jazz saxophonist
Kenny G Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artis ...
.Michael Bolton : Celebrity : Biography
''TV Guide.com''.
Bolton and Sheridan dated until 1995, stopped dating, then reunited in 2005 and became engaged in March 2006; however, it was confirmed in August 2008 that they had broken off their engagement. In January 2013, Bolton published an autobiography, ''The Soul of It All: My Music, My Life''.


Charity work


The Michael Bolton Foundation

In 1993, Bolton established The Michael Bolton Foundation, later renamed The Michael Bolton Charities, to assist women and children at risk from the effects of poverty as well as emotional,
physical Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...
, and
sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...
. In the late 1990s the group was heavily criticized for the incredibly low percentage of contributions that went towards charity work. In 1995 only 15% of the 2.6m USD the foundation raised went to charity with most of the funds paying for a concert headlined by Bolton himself. Bolton and the foundation have had a long running relationship with former Connecticut Governor
John G. Rowland John Grosvenor Rowland (born May 24, 1957) is an American politician, author, and convicted felon who served as the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004. He served two nonconsecutive prison terms on various corruption charges. A Repu ...
with Rowland steering state funding to the organization. In 1995 Bolton performed at a fundraiser for Rowland soon after the foundation received a grant of $300,000 from the state. In 2014, Bolton wrote a letter to the judge overseeing Rowland's sentencing in a campaign coverup trial in the name of the foundation, stating "We, at The Michael Bolton Charities, believe John Rowland has much to contribute to our community and that given the opportunity, John will continue his work on behalf of women and children at risk." The foundation accepts grant proposals by invitation only.


Other charity work

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. On July 25, 1993, Bolton played against
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
in a televised charity softball game at the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
stadium, Comiskey Park. Bolton's team, The Bolton Bombers, won the game 7–1 against Jordan's team, Jordan's Air Force. The Bolton Bombers were composed of Bolton and his band, while Jordan's Air Force was composed of celebrities including Magic Johnson,
Chris Chelios Christos Kostas Chelios (born January 25, 1962) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He was one of the longest tenured players in the National Hockey League, and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion—one with the Montreal ...
,
Ahmad Rashad Ahmad Rashad (born Robert Earl Moore; November 19, 1949) is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. He was the fourth overall selection of the 1972 NFL Draft, taken by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was known as Bobby Moo ...
, Mark Harmon,
MC Hammer Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962), better known by his stage name MC Hammer (or simply Hammer), is an American rapper, dancer, record producer and entrepreneur. He is known for hit songs such as "U Can't Touch This", "2 Legit 2 Quit" ...
,
Tom Selleck Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series '' Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations ...
and Stacey King, with
Bo Jackson Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson (born November 30, 1962) is an American former professional baseball and American football player. He is the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-Star in both baseball and football. Jackson's el ...
as coach. In March 2003, Bolton joined with
Lifetime Television Lifetime is an American basic cable channel that is part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a subsidiary of A&E Networks, which is jointly owned by Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company. It features programming that is geared toward ...
,
Verizon Wireless Verizon is an American wireless network operator that previously operated as a separate division of Verizon Communications under the name Verizon Wireless. In a 2019 reorganization, Verizon moved the wireless products and services into the div ...
, and many others to lobby on behalf of the
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to be the voice of victims and survivors of domestic violence. Based in Denver, Colorado. 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 National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) was a private, non-profit organization in the United States that served as a leading proponent for the national child labor reform movement. Its mission was to promote "the rights, awareness, dignity, well ...
, the Martin Luther King Award from the
Congress of Racial Equality The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States that played a pivotal role for African Americans in the civil rights movement. Founded in 1942, its stated mission is "to bring about ...
, and the
Ellis Island Medal of Honor The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is an American award founded by the Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) (formerly known as the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO)), which is presented annually to American citizens, both native-born ...
from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
/ref> also recognized Bolton with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
for his musical and charitable contributions.


Discography

Since 1975, Bolton has released 24 studio albums and 35 singles. Nine of his singles have peaked at No. 1 on either the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 or the
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by stat ...
charts in the US. * '' Michael Bolotin'' (1975) * '' Everyday of My Life'' (1976) * ''
Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998.
(born February 26, 1953), known professio ...
'' (1983) * '' Everybody's Crazy'' (1985) * '' The Hunger'' (1987) * ''
Soul Provider ''Soul Provider'' is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Bolton. The album was released on June 19, 1989 by Columbia Records/CBS. To date, the album has sold 12.5 million copies worldwide. Containing five US top 40 hits ...
'' (1989) * '' Time, Love & Tenderness'' (1991) * '' Timeless: The Classics'' (1992) * '' The One Thing'' (1993) * '' This Is the Time: The Christmas Album'' (1996) * '' All That Matters'' (1997) * '' My Secret Passion'' (1998) * '' Timeless: The Classics Vol. 2'' (1999) * ''
Only a Woman Like You ''Only a Woman Like You'' is an album by Michael Bolton, released in 2002 (see 2002 in music). The album constituted a comeback for Bolton peaking at #36. Nevertheless, the album's success could by no way be compared to the success of his previ ...
'' (2002) * ''
Vintage Vintage, in winemaking, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product—wine (see Harvest (wine)). A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certa ...
'' (2003) * '' 'Til the End of Forever'' (2005) * '' Bolton Swings Sinatra'' (2006) * ''
One World One Love ''One World One Love'' is an album by Michael Bolton, with collaborations by Tami Chynn, Ne-Yo and Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, ...
'' (2009) * '' Gems: The Duets Collection / Duette'' (2011) * '' Ain't No Mountain High Enough–Tribute to Hitsville'' (2013) * '' Songs of Cinema'' (2017) * ''A Symphony of Hits'' (2019)


Awards and nominations


Filmography


As actor

*1997: ''
Meet Wally Sparks ''Meet Wally Sparks'' is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Peter Baldwin, written by Harry Basil and Rodney Dangerfield. It stars Dangerfield in the title role, with Debi Mazar, Michael Weatherly, Cindy Williams, Alan Rachins, Burt Reynold ...
'' *1998: ''
The Nanny ''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three ch ...
'' as himself *2002: ''
Snow Dogs ''Snow Dogs'' is a 2002 American adventure comedy film directed by Brian Levant, and produced by Jordan Kerner. The film stars Cuba Gooding Jr., with a supporting cast of James Coburn (in one of his final roles), Joanna Bacalso, Sisqó, Nichell ...
'' (film also features four Michael Bolton songs) *2002: ''High Voltage'' *2008: ''
The Onion Movie ''The Onion Movie'' (released in some countries as ''News Movie'') is a 2008 American comedy film written by ''The Onion'' writers Robert D. Siegel and Todd Hanson. It was filmed in 2003 and released on June 3, 2008 direct-to-video. The film was ...
'' *2012/14: ''
Two and a Half Men ''Two and a Half Men'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS for twelve seasons from September 22, 2003, to February 19, 2015. Originally starring Charlie Sheen in the lead role alongside Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, t ...
'' as himself (4 episodes) *2015: ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' as Himself, episode ("
The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester "The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester" is the tenth episode of the sixth season of the American musical television series ''Glee'', and the 118th overall. The episode was written by Jessica Meyer, directed by Anthony Hemingway, and first aired on ...
") *2016: '' Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping'' *2017: ''
Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special ''Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special'' is a Netflix variety special starring Michael Bolton and created by The Lonely Island. It was released on Netflix on February 7, 2017. Plot When Santa's elves make too many toys for Christmas, ...
'' *2017: ''
Fresh Off the Boat The phrase fresh off the boat ''(FOB)'', off the boat ''(OTB)'', are sometimes-derogatory terms used to describe immigrants who have arrived from a foreign nation and have yet to assimilate into the host nation's culture, language, and behavior, ...
'' as himself (3 episodes) *2018: ''
Teen Titans Go! to the Movies ''Teen Titans Go! To the Movies'' is a 2018 American animated superhero comedy film based on the television series ''Teen Titans Go!'', which is based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. This film is directed by Peter Rida Mi ...
'' as Tiger * 2018: ''
Little Big Awesome ''Little Big Awesome'' is an American animated television series created by Tomi Dieguez and developed for Amazon by Ben Gruber, in 2016. The series centers on characters Gluko, a shapeshifting pink bouncy jelly blob, and Lennon, Gluko’s beani ...
'' as himself (1 episode)


As executive producer

*2001: ''Offside'' (short) *2001: ''
Good Advice ''Good Advice'' is a 2001 comedy film starring Charlie Sheen, Angie Harmon, and Denise Richards. The film also features Jon Lovitz and Rosanna Arquette as a married couple in supporting roles. Plot Ryan Turner is a hotshot broker living an u ...
'' *2005: ''Terror at Home: Domestic Violence in America'' (TV) *2008: '' The Other Side of the Tracks'' *2018: ''American Dream: Detroit''


See also

*
List of best selling music artists The following list of best-selling music artists includes those music acts from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization t ...
*
List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.) This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on '' Billboard'' magazine's weekly singles chart(s). This list spans from the issue dated January 1, 1955 to the present. Prior to the creation of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ''Bil ...


References


External links

*
Michael Bolton Charities

Michael Bolton 2006 interview
at I Like Music * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bolton, Michael 1953 births American male singer-songwriters American people of Russian-Jewish descent American pop rock singers American soft rock musicians American soul singers American rock songwriters Columbia Records artists Concord Records artists Grammy Award winners Jewish singers Jive Records artists Living people Musicians from New Haven, Connecticut Participants in American reality television series People involved in plagiarism controversies 20th-century American musicians 21st-century American composers Jewish rock musicians Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Ballad musicians Universal Motown Records artists 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American singers Singer-songwriters from Connecticut American Song Contest contestants