Description
Michael Bolotin (born February 26, 1953), known professionally as Michael Bolton, is an American singer and songwriter. Bolton originally 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 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.” 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“.
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.
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, Jerry Bruckheimer, Francis Ford Coppola, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, and Alice Cooper. 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.
Video: Michael Bolton – How Am I supposed To Live Without You 1989