  Michael Bolton was born (Michael
Bolotin) on February 26, 1954 in Connecticut.
Bolotin's musical past includes
recording for Epic records in 1969 and lead
singer of Blackjack in the
late 70s. Blackjack was an unsuccessful heavy
metal band recording for Polydor at the end
of the 70s. Bolotin found little success with
his first solo efforts Michael
Bolotin released in 1975 and Every
Day Of My Life released in 1976.
 Bolotin then took on the name
"Michael Bolton" and began a
successful career as an 80s balladeer.
His LP, Michael
Bolton, was released and gave Bolton
his first pop success with "Fools
Game" and a gold LP.
Bolton's follow-up LP, Everybody's
Crazy, had disappointing results.
 Bolton re-gained his chart
success with the release of The
Hunger. The LP was notably more
ballad-oriented with less rock edge. Singles
included "That's What Love Is All
About" and his first Top 10 hit - the
remake of Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On)
The Dock Of The Bay." The LP sold over 2
million copies in the U.S.
 # 82
Singles Artist of the Year
 # 64
Singles Artist of the Year
 Bolton obtained superstar status
with the release of Soul
Provider. It was Bolton's first Top 10
LP and sold over 6 million copies. Bolton
also reached #1 on the pop charts with a song
he originally co-wrote for Laura Branigan: "How Am I Supposed To
Live Without You." Other hits included
"How Can We Be Lovers," "Soul Provider," and "When I'm Back On My
Feet Again."
Bolton hit the
Top 40 with "Soul Provider."
 Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"How Am I Supposed To
Live Without You."
 # 7
Singles Artist of the Year
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "How Am I Supposed To
Live Without You."
Bolton won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance -
Male
("How Am I Supposed To
Live Without You").
 Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"How Can We Be Lovers."
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "How Can We Be Lovers."
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"When I'm Back On My
Feet Again."
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "When I'm Back On My
Feet Again."
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Georgia On My Mind."
 # 8
Singles Artist of the Year
Bolton was nominated for an American Music
Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist.
Bolton was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance -
Male
("Georgia On My Mind").
Older Bolton music resurfaced in
the form of Early
Years.
 Time,
Love & Tenderness was released and sold
even more copies than its predecessor (8
million in the U.S.) and included the #1
cover of Percy Sledge's
"When A Man Loves A
Woman"
and "Love Is A Wonderful
Thing."
While Bolton was at a pinnacle in his career,
the critics were loud in their disdain for
his music.
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Love Is A Wonderful
Thing."
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "Love Is A Wonderful
Thing."
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Time,
Love And Tenderness."
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "Time,
Love And Tenderness."
 Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"When A Man Loves A
Woman."
Bolton hit the Top 10 and #1 for a week with "When A Man Loves A
Woman."
 # 12
Singles Artist of the Year
Bolton won 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Album (Time,
Love & Tenderness).
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Missing
You Now."
Bolton won a Grammy
Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance -
Male
("When A Man Loves A
Woman").
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "Missing
You Now."
Bolton topped the Billboard
Adult Contemporary chart for 3 weeks with
"Missing
You Now."
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Steel Bars."
 When Bolton won the Grammy Award
many people silently rolled their eyes, and
others loudly stated their feelings. The
loud, wrenching sound in many of Bolton's
songs and the tendency to cover true great
soul institutions such as Sledge and Redding
was more than many critics and radio
listeners could handle. Bolton's response to
these critics (other than "kiss my
ass" at the Grammy Awards press stage)
was to release an LP of covers in September: Timeless
(The Classics). The LP went to #1, had several
singles, and sold over 4 million copies in
the U.S., but Bolton's hold on the charts was
slipping.
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"To Love Somebody."
Bolton topped
the Billboard LP chart for a week with Timeless
(The Classics).
Bolton topped
the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for 5
weeks with "To Love Somebody."
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "To Love Somebody."
 # 63
Singles Artist of the Year
Bolton won 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary
Artist.
 Slipping sales became more
evident when The
One Thing was released and sold
"only" 3 million copies. Yet,
Bolton's success has not faded - only leveled
off for the moment.
Bolton won a BMI Award for
Songwriter of the Year.
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Said I Loved You... But
I Lied."
Bolton hit the Top 10 with "Said I Loved You... But
I Lied."
Bolton topped the Billboard Top
Adult Contemporary Singles chart for 12 weeks
with with "Said I Loved You... But
I Lied."
 # 30
Singles Artist of the Year
Bolton was nominated for 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary
Artist.
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Completely."
A Los Angeles jury ruled against
Bolton claiming that his song "Love Is A Wonderful
Thing"
was too similar to a 1996 Isley
Brothers hit of the same name.
Bolton had to pay 66% of the royalites
received for the hit which was estimated to
be more than $5 million.
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Ain't
Got Nothin' If You Ain't Got Love"
Bolton could be heard on the
soundtrack for Only
You with "Once In A
Lifetime."
 # 115
Singles Artist of the Year
 Bolton won 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary
Artist.
Bolton was
nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance -
Male
("Said I Loved You... But
I Lied").
Bolton hit the Top 40 with
"Can I Touch You...
There?"
Bolton released a compilation
LP: Greatest
Hits: 1985-1995.
 Bolton released a holiday LP, This
Is The Time: The Christmas Album.
 # 93
Singles Artist of the Year
Bolton hit the Top 40 with a
song from the Hercules soundtrack, "Go The Distance."
"Go The Distance" topped the
Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for 3
weeks.
 Bolton released the LP, All
That Matters and returned to the pop charts
with "The Best Of Love."
Bolton released
My
Secret Passion - The Arias - a collection of
classical arias.
Bolton was
nominated for an American Music
Award for Favorite Adult Contemporary
ARtist.
My
Secret Passion - The Arias topped the
Billboard Classical Albums chart for 6 weeks.
Bolton found himself defending
his charitable foundation, the Bolton Bolton
Foundation, which was reported to have
disbursed only a portion (15%) of the
donations it has received and that Bolton
himself earned $150,000 per year from the
foundation. The foundation was set up in 1993
to aid poor and abused women and children and
is based in Connecticut. Bolton responded to
the allegations: "The first
misconception I want to clarify, and the one
I find personally offensive, is the notion
that I receive a salary from the foundation.
I do not receive a salary... no will I
ever." Bolton also said the foundation
disbursed about 30% of the donations between
1993 and 1996, and 63% since then.
 Bolton was looking for a 1994
$5.4 million plagiarism judgment against him
regarding his song "Love Is A Wonderful
Thing"
overturned.
Timeless:
The Classics, Volume 2 was released.
 Bolton lost an
attempt to overturn a $5.4 million verdict
(from 1994) that his song "Love Is A Wonderful
Thing"
was too similar to a song by the Isley
Brothers. .
Bolton released
Love
Songs.
 Bolton released Only
A Woman Like You
Bolton received
a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Vintage was released.
 # 38 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
Bolton released the live LP Til
The End Of Forever.
 Bolton released Bolton
Swings Sinatra.
Gems:
The Duets Collection was released.
 Ain't
No Mountain High Enough: Tribute Hitsville was released.
 |
Michael Bolotin
Released: 1975
Tracks: "Your
Love" - "Give Me A Reason"
- "Dream While You Can" -
"Tell Me How You Feel" -
"It's All Comin' Back To You" -
"It's Just A Feelin'" -
"Everybody Needs A Reason" -
"You're No Good" - "Time
Is On My Side" - "Take Me As I
Am" - "Lost In The City" |
 |
Every Day Of My Life
Released: 1976
Tracks: "Rocky
Mountain Way" - "If I Had Your
Love" - "Every Day Of My
Life" - "You Mean More To
Me" - "Singin' The Blues"
- "Dancing In The Street" -
"You Make Me Feel Like Lovin'
You" - "Common Thief" -
"These Eyes" - "You've Got
The Love I Need" |
|
Michael Bolton
Released: 1983
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 89
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Fools
Game" - "She Did The Same
Thing" - "Hometown Hero" -
"Can't Hold On, Can't Let Go" -
"Fighting For My Life" -
"Paradise" - "Back In My
Arms Again" - "Carrie" -
"I Almost Believed You" |
 |
Everybody's Crazy
Released: 1985
Tracks: "Save Our
Love" - "Everybody's
Crazy" - "Can't Turn It
Off" - "Call My Name" -
"Everytime" - "Desperate
Heart" - "Start Breaking My
Heart" - "You Don't Want Me Bad
Enough" - "Don't Tell Me It's
Over" |
|
The Hunger
Released: January, 1987
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 46
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Hot
Love" - "Wait On Love" -
"(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The
Bay" - "Gina" -
"That's What Love Is All About"
- "Hunger" - "You're All
That I Need" - "Take A Look At
My Face" - "Walk Away" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Soul Provider
Released: June, 1989
US: 6x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 3
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Soul Provider" - "Georgia On My Mind" - "It's
Only My Heart" - "How Am I
Supposed To Love Without You" -
"How Can We Be
Lovers" - "You Wouldn't
Know Love" - "When I'm Back On My
Feet Again" - "From Now
On" - "Love Cuts Deep" -
"Stand Up For Love" |
 |
Early Years
Released: 1991
Rolling Stone
review:
Tracks: "Lost In The
City" - "Everybody Needs A
Reason" - "Your Love" -
"It's Just A Feelin'" -
"Dream While You Can" -
"Take Me As I Am" - "These
Eyes" - "You Mean More To
Me" - "If I Had Your Love"
- "Give Me A Reason" -
"Tell Me How You Feel" -
"Time Is On My Side" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Time, Love &
Tenderness
Released: April 19, 1991
US: 8x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 1 week)
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Love Is A Wonderful
Thing" - "Time, Love And
Tenderness" - "Missing You Now" -
"Forever Isn't Long Enough" -
"Now That I Found You" - "When A Man Loves A
Woman" - "We're Not
Makin' Love Anymore" - "New
Love" - "Save Me" - "Steel Bars" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Timeless (The Classics)
Released: September, 1992
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 1 week)
Tracks: "Since I
Fell For You" - "To Love Somebody" -
"Reach Out (I'll Be There)" -
"You Send Me" -
"Yesterday" - "Hold On!
I'm Comin'" - "Bring It On Home
To Me" - "Knock On Wood" -
"Drift Away" - "White
Christmas" |
|
The One Thing
Released: November, 1993
US: 3x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 3
Tracks: "Said I Loved You...
But I Lied" - "I'm Not Made
Of Steel" - "One Thing" -
"Soul Of My Soul" - "Completely" - "Lean
On Me" - "Ain't
Got Nothin' If You Ain't Got Love" - "Time
For Letting Go" - "Never Get
Enough Of Your Love" - "In The
Arms Of Love" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Greatest Hits: 1985-1995
Released: September, 1995
US: 3x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 5
Tracks: "That's What
Love Is All About" - "(Sittin'
On) The Dock Of The Bay" - "Soul Provider" - "How Am I Supposed
To Live Without You" - "How Can We Be
Lovers" - "When I'm Back On My
Feet Again" - "Georgia On My Mind" - "Time,
Love And Tenderness" - "When A Man Loves A
Woman" - "Missing You Now" - "Steel Bars" - "Said I Loved You...
But I Lied" - "Can I Touch You...
There?" - "I Promise
You" - "I Found Someone" -
"A Love So Beautiful" -
"This River" |
|
This Is The Time: The
Christmas Album
Released: September, 1996
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 11
Tracks: "Silent
Night" - "Santa Claus Is Coming
To Town" - "Have Yourself A
Merry Little Christmas" - "Joy
To The World" - "Ava
Maria" - "Christmas Song"
- "O Holy Night" - "White
Christmas" - "This Is The
Time" - "Love Is The
Power" |
|
All That Matters
Released: November, 1997
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 39
Tracks: "Safe Place
From The Storm" - "Best Of
Love" - "Let's Make A Long
Story Longer" - "Heart Can Only
Be So Strong" - "Fallin'"
- "Forever's Just A Matter Of
Time" - "Whenever I Remember
Loving You" - "Show Her The
Way" - "Why Me" -
"Can't Get Close Enough To You"
- "Let There Be Love" -
"Pleasure Or Pain" - "Go The Distance" |
 |
My Secret Passion - The
Arias
Released: January, 1998
Billboard
peak:
# 112
Tracks: "Pourqui Me
Reveiller" - "Nessun
Dorma" - "Una Furtiva
Lagrima" - "M'Appari" -
"Che Gelida Manina" - "O
Soave Fanciulla" - "Vesti la
Giubba" - "E Lucevan le
Stelle" - "Recondita
Armonia" - "E la Solita
Storia" - "Celeste Aida" |
|
Timeless: The Classics,
Volume 2
Released: November, 1999
Tracks: "Sexual
Healing" - "Tired Of Being
Alone" - "Let's Stay
Together" - "My Girl" -
"Ain't No Sunshine" -
"(What A) Wonderful World" -
"Like A Rolling Stone" -
"I Can't Stand The Rain" -
"Try A Little Tenderness" -
"What You Won't Do For Love" -
"Whiter Shade Of Pale" |
|
Love Songs
Released: February, 2001
Tracks: "Soul Provider" -
"That's What Love Is All About"
- "Once In A Lifetime" - "Said I Loved You...
But I Lied" - "Missing You Now" - "When A Man Loves A
Woman" - "Now That I
Found You" - "The Best Of Love" - "How Am I Supposed
To Live Without You" -
"Stand Up For Love" - "Georgia On My Mind" - "Love
So Beautiful" - "New Love"
- "In The Arms Of Love" |
 |
Only A Woman Like You
Released: April, 2002
Billboard
peak:
# 36
Tracks: "Dance With
Me" - "I Wanna Hear You Say
It" - "Only A Woman Like
You" - "All That You
Deserve" - "Love With My Eyes
Closed" - "To Feel Again"
- "The Center Of My Heart" -
"This Is The Way" -
"Simply" - "Slowly" -
"I Surrender" |
|
Vintage
Released: September, 2003
Billboard
peak:
# 76
Tracks: "The Very
Thought Of You" - "All The
Way" - "If I Could" -
"A Kiss To Build A Dream On" -
"When I Fall In Love" -
"At Last" - "Smile" -
"You Don't Know Me" -
"Daddy's Little Girl" -
"Summertime" - "What Are
You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" |
 |
Til The End Of Forever
Released: September, 2005
Billboard
peak:
# 128
Tracks: "Till The
End Of Forever" - "I'm
Alive" - "Next Lifetime" -
"Said I Loved You...
But I Lied" (Reggae Version) -
"Hear Me" - "Courage In
Your Eyes" - Live
Tracks: "When A Man Loves A
Woman" - "Love Is A Wonderful
Thing" - "Go The Distance" - "Time, Love And
Tenderness" - "Nessun
Dorma" - "To Love Somebody" -
"" - "(Sittin' On) The
Dock Of The Bay" - "How Can We Be
Lovers" - "Soul Provider" - "How Am I Supposed
To Live Without You" - "Steel Bars" |
|
Bolton Swings Sinatra
Released: May, 2006
Billboard
peak:
# 51
Entertainment
Weekly: C-
Tracks: "You Go To
My Head" - "Fly Me To The
Moon" - "For Once In My
Life" - "Summer Wind" -
"My Funny Valentine" -
"I've Got You Under My Skin" -
"That's Life" - "The
Second Time Around" - "The Girl
From Ipanema" - "Night &
Day" - "They Can't Take That
Away From Me" - "New York, New
York" |
|
Ain't No Mountain High
Enough: Tribute Hitsville
Released: February, 2013
Tracks: "Ain't No
Mountain High Enough" (featuring
Kelly Rowland) - "How Sweet It Is
(To Be Loved By You)" - "Ain't
Nothing Like The Real Thing"
(featuring Melanie Fiona) - "Gotta
Keep Dreamin'" - "Nowhere To
Run" - "The Way You Do The
Things You Do" - "You Keep Me
Hanging On" - "What's Going
On" (featuring Michael Lington) -
"Track Of My Tears" -
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Songs Of Cinema
Released: February 10, 2018
Tracks: "When A Man
Loves A Woman" - "Stand By
Me" - "I've Got A Woman" -
"I Will Always Love You" -
"Old Time Rock & Roll" =
"Heard It Through The
Grapevine" - "Cupid" -
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" -
"As Time Goes By" - "Jack
Sparrow" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
A Symphonyy Of Hits
Released: February 8, 2019
Tracks: "Said I Loved You...
But I Lied" - "When A Man Loves A
Woman" - "Soul Provider" - "Time, Love And
Tenderness" - "To Love Somebody" - "How Can We Be
Lovers" - "How Am I Supposed
To Live Without You" - "Steel Bars" -
"(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The
Bayt" - "Georgia On My
Mind" - "Nessun Dorma" -
"THe Prayer" |
 |
Spark Of Light
Released: July 14, 2023
Tracks: "Spark Of
Light" - "Running Out Of
Ways" - "Eyes On You" -
"Beautiful World" -
"Whatever She Wants" -
"Just The Beginning" -
"Sage" - "Home" -
"We COuld Be Something" -
"Out Of The Ashes" - "One
Life" - "Somebody To You" |
| Note: Song title and
position links lead you to the song's Top
40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top
40)
and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound
samples). |
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