About this Artist
Michael Bolton is a multi Grammy Award-winning Singer/Songwriter and Emmy nominated performer, who has sold more than 65 million records worldwide and continues to tour the globe.
Celebrating more than 50 years of contributions to the entertainment industry, Michael Bolton debuted his newly penned single “Beautiful World” on NBC’s American Song Contest and is slated to release the full album of original songs this year. His previous release A SYMPHONY OF HITS, which hit #1 on the Billboard Classical Chart, is a collection of his favorite Greatest Hits newly arranged and recorded with a full symphony orchestra. To date, Michael has seen 9 studio albums rank in the Top Ten, with 9 #1 singles.
In recognition of his artistic achievements, Michael won 2 Grammys for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance (nominated four times), 6 American Music Awards, and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a songwriter, he has earned over 24 BMI & ASCAP Awards, including Songwriter of the Year, 9 Million-Air awards, and the Hitmakers Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Internationally renowned, Michael has recorded and performed with musical icons that have inspired his own career, such as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Renee Fleming, BB King and — perhaps his greatest influence — Ray Charles.
Michael has written hit singles impacting the careers of artists such as Laura Branigan (“How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”), KISS (“Forever”), Barbra Streisand (“We’re Not Making Love Anymore”), Cher (“I Found Someone”), and Kenny G (“By the Time this Night is Over”).
A diverse and prolific songwriter, Bolton has collaborated with some of the greatest artists, songwriters and producers of our time, including Lady Gaga, Diane Warren, Desmond Child and David Foster. He is one of the very few artists to have co-written with the legendary Bob Dylan, resulting in the mega hit, “Steel Bars.”
Michael has always balanced a love for writing new songs with a passion for covering the classics. On his breakthrough album The Hunger, Bolton authored the #1 single “That’s What Love is All About” and sang his chart topping version of Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay,” which was a hit on 4 radio formats. That album was certified double Platinum and shipped 4 million copies worldwide.
Bolton’s signature success was seized with the album Soul Provider, selling more than 12.5 million copies world-wide, and showcasing several chart-toppers including the #1 hit single “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You,” which earned Michael his first Grammy. This pivotal album also includes the hit singles “When I’m Back on My Feet” Again,” “How Can We Be Lovers,” “Soul Provider,” and the Grammy-nominated “Georgia on My Mind.”
The next #1 album Time, Love & Tenderness, sold over 16 million copies world-wide and features his Grammy Award-winning vocal performance of the blockbuster hit “When A Man Loves a Woman.” This album also produced the singles: “Love Is a Wonderful Thing,” “Time, Love and Tenderness,” “Missing You Now,” and “Steel Bars.”
Bolton followed this up with a collection of soulful classics on Timeless, delivering the singles “To Love Some Somebody” and “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Timeless sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
From his next album The One Thing came Michael’s massive single “Said I Loved You…But I Lied,” which spent 12 weeks at #1 on the AC charts and earned him another Grammy-nomination.
Michael has always been attracted to a wide array of musical categories and themes, from Sinatra favorites (Bolton Swings Sinatra), to classical arias (My Secret Passion), which achieved #1 on the classical charts for 6 consecutive weeks. He paid homage to the musical influences of his childhood with Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville USA, and celebrated beloved songs from great films in Songs of Cinema.
Michael’s songs have been featured in film soundtracks, including the Oscar-nominated theme song “Go the Distance” from Walt Disney’s blockbuster animation Hercules and the title song for the Russell Crowe film Fathers & Daughters.
Relevant to multiple generations, his songs are frequently heard on Idol, The Voice, Got Talent and X-Factor all around the world.
Michael became a viral sensation in The Lonely Island’s Emmy-nominated video, “Captain Jack Sparrow” that launched on Saturday Night Live and has racked up over a quarter billion views on YouTube.
Bolton’s TV cameos span hit shows such as Two and a Half Men, Glee, Fresh off the Boat, Last Week Tonight and Billions.
Known for his soulful voice and poignant lyrics, his timeless charm and good looks have also earned him a spot in several “People Magazine’s Sexiest Man” issues, including “Sexiest Man Alive.”
He executive produced and starred in the Netflix show Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Valentine’s Special, a seasonal cult classic.
Bolton also starred in The Celebrity Dating Game, ABC’s musical spin on the beloved dating gameshow, ranking #1 in its primetime slot.
For his dedication to social activism, Michael has been honored with several Humanitarian awards – including the Martin Luther King Award granted by the Congress of Racial Equality (C.O.R.E.), the Lewis Hine Award from The National Child Labor Committee, the Muhammed Ali Humanitarian Award, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, and the Frances Preston Lifetime Achievement Award. Michael is especially proud of the initiatives carried out by his own foundation, the The Michael Bolton Charities, which has been advocating on behalf of women and children at risk for more than 25 years.
In his autobiography, “The Soul of it All”, Bolton states he is just teeing off on the back nine of his career.