Michael Bolton

Bolton is a solo vocalist and has found his success in the "easy listening" genre. Unbeknownst to many, however, Bolton got his musical start in the late seventies with a heavy metal band called Blackjack, which also featured one-time Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick, in which he was known by his birth name. The band once toured with Ozzy Osbourne. He began recording as Michael Bolton in 1983. He has also performed with Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, Patti Labelle, Ray Charles, Percy Sledge, Wynonna Judd, and BB King.

Although Bolton is known for singing other artists' songs, he is also a prolific songwriter, having written songs for Barbra Streisand, KISS, Kenny Rogers, Kenny G, Cher, Peabo Bryson and Patti Labelle, as well as having co-written songs with Bob Dylan, BabyFace and Diane Warren, among others. Bolton is the father of daughters born in the mid-1970s -- Isa, Holly and Taryn.

In 1993, he established the Michael Bolton Foundation (now the Michael Bolton Charities, Inc.) to assist women and children at risk from the effects of poverty and emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The foundation has provided over $3.7 million in funding to local and national charities.

Bolton also serves as the honorary chairman of Prevent Child Abuse America, the national chairman for This Close for Cancer Research, and a board member for the National Mentoring Partnership and the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital.

In March, 2003, Bolton joined with Lifetime Television, Verizon Wireless, and many others to lobby on behalf of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, urging legislation to provide more assistance for victims of domestic violence, such as affordable housing options.

Bolton has received the Lewis Hine Award from the National Child Labor Committee, the Martin Luther King Award from the Congress of Racial Equality, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also recognized Bolton with a star on the "Walk of Fame" for his musical and charitable contributions.

In early 2013, Bolton released "The Soul of It All: My Music, My Life," which chronicles his life and rise to fame in the music industry.