Michael Bolton Biography

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Michael Bolton
Pop Music | 3 CD Set
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Michael Bolton started life and his singing career as Michael Bolotin, the name he used into the ‘80s until shortening it to Bolton. His 1987 album "The Hunger" was his second effort as Bolton and it finally saw the former rock singer gain attention on the pop charts. Born February 26, 1954 in New Haven, Connecticut, Bolton grew up listening to the soul artists he would later emulate, names like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles. His initial RCA solo album included session players from jazz and soul like Bernard Purdie, Dave Sanborn and Wayne Perkins. But as the '70s took hold of arenas around the country, Bolton now found himself singing with a hard-rock band called Blackjack. A pair of albums for Polydor had little success and eventually the band called it quits. Bolton began a solo career that did not see much success but did see him turn his career up a notch by turning to songwriting. It was 1983 when new singer Laura Brannigan charted his "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You," the song reaching No. 12 during a twelve-week residence on the Top 40 charts. That 1987 album "The Hunger" made the Top 20 and he finally found the popularity he was seeking with his now soulful ballad style and version of the legendary Otis Redding tune "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay." Though not a carbon copy of the original 1968 Redding anthem, Bolton’s version was close enough to garner him not only that popularity but also the start of the criticism that would almost become as much of his career as his singing. Despite the negative press, he was making waves and selling records even as a lot of that negative outlook became unwarranted. The man could sing and he was writing some pretty good songs. In a curious way of approaching his music, Bolton seemed to wrench all the strained emotion he could out of the soul ballads while on his own songs he kept a lighter touch. His music was right for contemporary listeners and made for good radio tunes. He continued into the ‘90s with his blue-eyed soul works plus his own songs, and as the 21st century dawned, Michael Bolton was still a star. His 1989 album "Soul Provider" teamed him with other rock ballad writers but also included the necessary cover, a version of Ray Charles’ "Georgia On My Mind." He also included his version of the earlier Brannigan hit, "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You." The album had five Top 40 hits and did major business. On Bolton's 1991 album "Time, Love & Tenderness" he again did big business and included a cover of a big soul hit, this time Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman." The album also included some sax work by the new instrumental hero Kenny G and finished with a song called "Steel Bars," which had Bolton teaming up with Bob Dylan. More albums have come about, including a greatest hits set in 1995, a later Christmas album, and a set singing operatic arias and other music. Bolton has won two Grammy awards.

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