Michael Bolton, The #75 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

(Continued From Part One) 

 

He proved he belonged in the spotlight with his next album--Time, Love & Tenderness.  The title song exploded to #1 on the AC chart and #4 overall in the U.S. and #2 in Canada.  Bolton was named Songwriter of the Year at the BMI Awards and won a Hitmaker Award from the Songwriter's Hall of Fame for the song.

 

Few artists can remake a classic into any kind of a substantial hit, but Bolton did it again with his cover of the Percy Sledge song "When A Man Loves A Woman".  Michael's version topped both the Adult Contemporary and Popular charts in the U.S. and landed at #4 in Canada and 38 in the U.K.

Time, Love & Tenderness topped eight million in sales and generated four Top 40 hits.  Bolton picked up another Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his remake of "When A Man Loves A Woman".  

 

With amazing saxophonist Kenny G, Bolton scored another #1 AC hit with "Missing You Now", #12 overall and #8 in Canada.

 Michael was nominated for an American Music Award in 1991 for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, and award he won the next year when he also received an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Album.  He pulled five hits off the album with "Steel Bars", #7 AC in the U.S. and #10 in Canada.

 Timeless:  The Classics in 1992 consisted entirely of cover songs and went to #1 on the Album chart.  Michael's remake of the great Bee Gees song "To Love Somebody" earned him a seventh #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart that was also #11 on the Popular chart in the U.S. and #2 in Canada.  It was Bolton's 11th consecutive Top 10 song among adults.

Michael won American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist.  Timeless has sold over four million copies, and also includes the #8 AC song "Reach Out I'll Be There", Bolton's remake of the great Four Tops song.

 

In 1993, Bolton released the album The One Thing, containing yet another Adult #1--"Said I Loved You...But I Lied".  The multi-format hit also peaked at #6 overall in the United States, #2 in Australia and #3 in Canada.

Michael was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male at the Grammy Awards and he was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist at the American Music Awards.  The One Thing has also sold over three million units in the U.S. alone.  "Completely" also reached the Top 10 of the Adult Contemporary chart.

In 1993, Bolton started The Michael Bolton Foundation to help women and children at risk from poverty and emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

 Michael released the compilation Greatest Hits 1985-1995, which included the new song "Can I Touch You...There?", a #6 AC hit.  The package has topped three million in sales.  He won two more American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist.

Bolton released the album All That Matters in 1997.  "Go The Distance" was also featured in the Disney movie Hercules and reached #1 on the AC chart.

 Bolton made his big screen debut in the movie Meet Wally Sparks.  He received another American Music Award nomination for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, thanks to another Top 5 Adult hit, "The Best Of Love".

Bolton also appeared in the movies Snow Dogs and High Voltage in 2002, The Onion Movie in 2008 and Popstar:  Never Stop Never Stopping in 2016.

Bolton has released 10 studio albums since 1997.  In 2013, Bolton published his autobiography, The Soul of It All:  My Music, My Life.

Michael has enjoyed 22 career hits, with seven reaching the Top 10 and two going all the way to #1.  But he has excelled with adults, racking up 32 career hits, with a sensational 19 landing in the Top 10 and nine #1 songs.

Bolton has won six American Music Awards out of 10 nominations, two Grammy Awards from four nominations, a Songwriter's Hall of Fame Award and a BMI Award.

Bolton has sold over 75 million records.  Nine of his albums have reached Gold status, with seven of those going Platinum and six Multi-Platinum.  He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Join us tomorrow for #74!