Picking up the MB clues
Hi everyone, this blog will be an attempt to keep my friends and other site lurkers updated on what’s been going on in our little MB world. I only want to write about newsworthy items relevant to his career and life when it’s appropriate. The main reason I’m doing it is to stop repeating myself and stop having to search for previous posts. Since I’m on the site on a regular basis, I thought it would be helpful. :D Take care and hugs to all, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Comment by sylvie boisvert on November 23, 2016 at 12:58am
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Hi everyone, Sylvia just posted an article about our Michael being on American TV tomorrow Nov 23:
First-ever "Hollywood Walk Of Fame Honors" To Air On The CW Network On November 23 - CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8
SOURCE Hollywood Walk of Fame Honors
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The "Hollywood Walk of Fame Honors," a first-ever televised event, will air on The CW Network on November 23 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT). The special dinner ceremony, filmed in front a live audience, will be a celebrity tribute, with presentations honoring the legendary legacy of the iconic stars who are on the world famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. The event will also celebrate the Hollywood Historic Trust and its efforts to promote and protect the Walk of Fame.
Produced by Hollywood Walk of Fame Productions and filmed at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles, California, the special will be hosted by "Criminal Minds" star Joe Mantegna, and his daughter, Gia Mantegna. Celebrity presenters will include: Chuck Norris, Dean Cain, Deidre Hall, Gabrielle Ruiz, Jeff Dunham, Justin Baldoni, Louis Gossett Jr., Mike Tyson and Montel Williams; with special guest musical and magic performances by The Beach Boys, Daughtry, David Foster, Michael Bolton, BC Jean, Candice Glover, Pia Toscano and Penn & Teller.
Says Jim Romanovich, President, Worldwide Media, "After more than five decades, we are thrilled to be the ones to bring the celebrated tradition of the Hollywood Walk of Fame to national television. As many of Hollywood's biggest stars who have received their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have repeatedly said -- this one means the most. That says it all."
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the top visitor attractions in the world. With approximately 24 induction ceremonies annually, it comprises more than 2,500 stars embedded into the legendary sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard, and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Honoring actors, directors, producers, musicians and musical and theatrical groups, in addition to fictional characters, The Hollywood Walk of Fame, administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and maintained by the Hollywood Historic Trust, garners millions of visitors a year to its historic site.
CONTACT: SANDY FRIEDMAN
sfriedman@rogersandcowan.com
310/854-8109
KAREN SUNDELL
ksundell@rogersandcowan.com
310/854-8167
Wendy Zocks
The CW Network
Wendy.Zocks@cwtvconsultant.com
818-977-1021
LORI LOUSARARIAN-HAKOLA
llousararian@rogersandcowan.com
310/854-8104
BRITTANY BELL
bbell@rogersandcowan.com
310/854-8196
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161121/441805LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-ever-hollywood-walk-o...
I'm happy to say I'll be able to watch it! That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, Sylvia posted this article about an hour ago:
A Bolt of Inspiration - Westchester Magazine - November 2016 - Westchester, NY
A Bolt of Inspiration
Grammy Award-winning megastar Michael Bolton opens up about overcoming setbacks, what drives his charity work, and his upcoming Westchester performance
By Paul Adler
Published: 10/28/2016
When Michael Bolton takes the stage, he has more in common with his audience than many might assume. “The same way the fans love those songs, I love performing them,” says the singer of his extensive repertoire. “I believe the hits are evergreen; they speak to you differently across different stages of your life.”
Bolton’s songs have certainly done just that for countless listeners across the globe, with Grammy Award-winning hits ranging from 1989’s “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?” to the 1997 smash cover of “When a Man Loves a Woman.” In the process, Bolton has sold more than 75 million records, racked up eight top-10 singles, and reinvented himself through a raunchy viral video and high-profile duets with artists such as Lady Gaga and Ray Charles.
On November 25, the Billboard Award-winning singer will bring his signature brand of melodic soul to the Tarrytown Music Hall. Audiences can expect all the songs that have made Bolton a household name, as well as a whole lot more. “I’m always conscious that my lifelong fans are coming to hear the greatest hits,” he says. “But I also like to introduce my audience to new genres and musical guests. The repertoire is always evolving; I like to make the concert into a real musical journey and tell stories along the way.”
From his earliest days growing up in Connecticut, Bolton’s own story has been closely linked to music. “I was drawn to music as early as I can remember,” he recalls. “My mother was a big music appreciator and used to play the piano, and my brother was always turning me on to new bands. As a family, we would gather around the TV and watch musical performers on the Ed Sullivan Show, and I remember being able to sing along with just about any melody on the radio.
With such an extensive background in singing, Bolton blossomed early. He was first signed as a recording artist at the age of 15 and soon began taking any gig he could find. “I would perform at birthdays or bar mitzvahs or anywhere people would listen. I was performing in bars before I was old enough to drink in them,” he says. “I was busking from Greenwich Village to California. Those times were all memorable because there was a real environment of music.”
Bolton first hit it big singing lead vocals for the hard-rock band Blackjack. When the band began to fizzle after a few years on the road, Bolton was surprised to be offered a chance at a solo career by the label’s head. “Apparently, the secretaries in the office were all listening to my demos and passing them around,” he says with a laugh.
Bolton was soon lighting up the charts with interpretations of classic songs such as “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” and “Georgia on My Mind.” The smash-hit he wrote for Laura Branigan, “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?” had just missed the Billboard top 10 when it was first released in 1983 but, back in Bolton’s hands, earned him a Grammy six years later.
With his fame on the rise, Bolton sang alongside some of the world’s greatest artists, including Patty LaBelle, José Carreras, Ray Charles, and Wynona Judd. Of the many collaborations, Bolton recalls one particularly fondly.
“I don’t think there are words to describe the experience of performing with Luciano Pavarotti,” he shares. “I spent months training my voice, learning the lyrics, stretching my melodies, and, even still, when I walked onto that stage, I was trembling. [Pavarotti] said, ‘I see you have been studying the tenor.’ I responded, ‘I have been studying you.’ It was one of the most magical experiences of my life.”
Yet despite his worldwide fame and renowned collaborators, helping those in need has been central to Bolton’s life. In 1993, the artist established a foundation, now called The Michael Bolton Charities, to protect women and children from poverty and abuse. He also currently serves as chairman or board member for several philanthropic organizations, including Prevent Child Abuse America and The National Mentoring Partnership.
“Early on, as a struggling artist trying to support a wife and three daughters, I was continuously facing the risk of homelessness,” shares Bolton. “That was terrifying, but I had no backup plan. I vowed that if and when I ever came into success, I would find ways to bring support to women and children at risk.”
Once he realized his fame could serve as a megaphone, Bolton became personally involved in legislation around VAWA (the Violence Against Women Act) and began fundraising for his own foundation, “which disperses funds to organizations around the country that are addressing this critical issue of women and children at risk,” according to Bolton.
That doesn’t mean the artist is anywhere near finished entertaining. After once again capturing the public’s interest in 2011, with his humorous viral video collaboration with Lonely Island, Bolton has begun development on a scripted comedy, as well as a broadcast special to launch his upcoming body of music. “There is a slate of other TV and film projects I’m in development or production on, including a documentary we just completed on the revitalization of Detroit,” says Bolton.
Despite this wide-ranging work, the stage — and singing for his fans in particular — continually calls back to Bolton. “There’s nothing like the energy you feel when performing live for an audience,” he says. “I would be nothing without my fans; they mean everything to me.”
http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/November-20...
That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, I have a couple of items of interest, delayed by site troubles. First, Michael posted sometime last week, that he had finished taping a “Hollywood Walk of Fame” special with David Foster and offered us a sneak peek on his Facebook page. Also, Sylvia found that the duet with Susan Boyle premiered a couple of days ago on BBC radio. You can apparently listen to it here, at about 2 hours and 5 minutes in, though most likely only for U.K. residents:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b080j4zv#play
Sylvia says Susan’s CD will be available in North America on November 4 and 3 weeks later in the U.K.. That’s the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Comment by Patience Ogiorumua on October 29, 2016 at 7:47am
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How are you Sylvie? I hope all is well. Thank you so very much for all these info. As much as I would love to come on the site everyday. It's not possible because of the shift work I do. So I am very glad and greatful that you have this blog to keep people like us informed. Thanks again my friend. Merci. Much love.
Patience
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Hi everyone, here's a short article Sylvia shared, underlining Michael's visit to Egypt and I let a bit of Egyptian history that was included on the same page.
Egypt’s local news digest Oct. 22: Michael Bolton visits Giza Pyramids, shines in Cairo concert | Cairo Post
Oct. 22, 2016 10:30
Michael Bolton holding tourism promotional campaign slogan during his visit to Cairo.
By admin
CAIRO: No more browsing from site to site, view the top local news stories on Oct. 22 here:
Michael Bolton visits Giza Pyramids, shines in Cairo concert
Renowned US singer Michael Bolton left Cairo Saturday morning after he performed in front of thousands of admirers during his concert on Friday, Youm7 reported.
Bolton appeared live at the Cairo International Fair Centre Friday night in his first ever concert in Egypt under the auspices of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA.)
Bolton arrived in Cairo Wednesday and toured Giza Pyramids on Thursday where he called on the world to come and visit Egypt, which he described as “the land of peace, safety and civilization.”
Several celebrities have visited Egypt recently as part of the TPA’s bid to revive tourism sector, which has been suffering from ongoing shocks ever since the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
UK to provide Egypt with maps of World War II mines, ambassador
UK Ambassador in Cairo Johan Casson said that his country had provided Egypt with all maps of World War II mines in the north coast area, state news agency MENA reported Friday.
He added that the UK government has provided $10 million to back efforts to eliminate landmines from Egypt’s north coast and has launched awareness campaigns for 16,000 people against landmines during the past 10 years.
The remarks coincides with the 74th anniversary of the decisive battle of f El-Alamein, which sealed the Allied victory in North Africa during the World War II.
Egypt has over 21 million “deadly undetonated devices” hidden in its sands, which represents “20 percent of all world’s landmines,” according to a report released by the Landmine Struggle Center in May, 1999.
An area of 500 square meters in Egypt’s northern coast has been cleared from landmines due to efforts exerted by the EU and the UN, said Casson.
During a meeting with the UK cross-party groups in July, International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr urged members of the Parliamentary Friendship group to cooperate to “demine all of Egypt since landmines represent imminent danger, which impedes the country’s sustainable development plans” through international and private grants.
About 40 percent of mines that remained in the west northern coast area since the World War II has been cleared, International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr said on Friday.
Tourists flock to watch Abu Simbel solar alignment
Up to 1,100 tourists flocked early Saturday to the town of Abu Simbel and stood by the façade of Abu Simbel temple to witness the biannual phenomenon of the solar alignment on the temple’s shrine, Youm7 reported.
“At 05:52 a.m., the sun rays struck the temple’s sanctuary and illuminated the faces of the statues of Ramses II, God Ra-Horakhty and God Amon-Ra. The sanctuary went dark again at around 06:12,” tour guide Magdy Abdel Mohsen told Youm7.
Folklore groups from across Egypt entertained the crowd with regional varieties of traditional costumes, dances and songs. Ministers of tourism and antiquities were present during the celebration.
For most of the year, the inner sanctuary of Pharaoh Ramses II’s (1279B.C.–1213 B.C.) main temple at Abu Simbel is shrouded in darkness. However, the temple was built so that a shaft of sunlight pierces the gloom and illuminates statues of God Amun Re and the Pharaoh in the temple’s inner shrine twice a year; Oct. 22, which marks the birthday of Ramses II, and Feb. 22, which marks his coronation day.
The event was held as Egyptian authorities attempt to revive the country’s tourism industry, which suffered greatly in the wake of the 2011 uprising and the political turmoil and violence that followed.
The Abu Simbel temples are among seven archaeological sites in Egypt on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
http://thecairopost.youm7.com/news/217477/newsletter/egypts-local-n...
That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi again everyone, here's an article Sylvia shared a couple of weeks back, but I delayed posting because of the problems with the site:
Fascination with Detroit illustrated by its popularity in books, movies-Crain's Detroit Business
Detroit Homecoming
September 25, 2016 8:00 a.m.Updated 14 days ago
Fascination with Detroit illustrated by its popularity in books, movies
By Marti Benedetti
Photo by Aaron Eckels Allee Willis created a one-woman show that's an homage to her hometown, Detroit.
Maybe the Motor City should add a couple of new nicknames: the Book City and the Movie City.
"Right now, Detroit is on the hot list," said Janet Jones, owner of Source Booksellers in the city's Midtown neighborhood. "I don't have all the books because I carry only nonfiction books ... but I still have lots of books about Detroit."
Pages Bookshop in the city's Grandmont-Rosedale neighborhood now has three bookcases full of fiction and nonfiction Detroit books. "There are more Detroit books than ever, and it's because there is a fascination with Detroit as a comeback city," said store owner Susan Murphy.
Detroit's unique manufacturing history and its multifaceted music scene have always made Detroit an interesting topic for storytellers. The city's unparalleled economic downfall, bankruptcy and recent comeback have ramped that interest higher.
See 'Generation Startup'
The “Generation Startup” documentary on Venture for America entrepreneurs in Detroit will be shown seven times starting Oct. 7 at the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. Oct. 7-8, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Oct. 9, and 9:30 p.m. Oct. 14-15. Each showing includes a question-and-answer opportunity with the filmmakers and the subjects. Tickets are available at tickets.dia.org for $11.
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Detroit pages
A selection of Source Booksellers' top-selling Detroit books:■Mapping Detroit edited by June Manning Thomas and Henco Bekkering.
■Yamasaki in Detroit: A Search for Serenity by Detroit Free Press reporter John Gallagher.
■Detroit Resurgent: Portraits and Profiles of Detroiters by Gilles Perrin and Nicole Ewenczyk.
■Canvas Detroit by Julie Pincus and Nichole Christian.
■The DSO: Grace, Grit and Glory by Laurie Lanzen Harris with Paul Ganson.
■Beer Money by Frances Stroh, a member of the beer-making family whose fortune was made and lost.
■The Underground Railroad: A movement that Changed America by Evelyn Millstein.
■Great Girls in Michigan History by Patricia Majher.
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Filmmakers motor in
For one group of filmmakers, entrepreneurship in Detroit was the draw.
"Generation Startup" is a documentary that follows a group of millennial entrepreneurs in the Venture for America program, which connects recent college graduates with jobs at startups.
The film premiered at the Traverse City Film Festival in August and will be shown six times starting Oct. 7 at the Detroit Film Theatre at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Funding for the film came from the PwC Charitable Foundation Inc. and UBS. The Davidson Foundation provided a grant to help support the film's marketing and outreach.
The film was made by New York City filmmaker Cheryl Miller Houser. She spent 17 months in Detroit starting in 2014, charting the progress of five business startups. VFA operates in 15 cities, but to Houser, "there was no question Detroit was the most interesting of them all. It is a city built on entrepreneurship 100 years ago. What it takes to be an entrepreneur is grit and resilience, and Detroit is defined by grit and resilience."
Even in 2014, when the city was in bankruptcy, Houser said, "we could feel the hustle."
She said despite what seems like the golden age of startups, entrepreneurship is at a 25-year low for 18- to 34-years-olds. She would like to help change that trend.
Last year, singer-songwriter and co-producer Michael Bolton expressed a similar sentiment. He was in Detroit during Detroit Homecoming II and premiered multiple segments of his documentary "Gotta Keep Dreamin'," which focuses on the city's entrepreneurial spirit and resurgence.
Photo by Courtesy Michael Bolton Michael Bolton shows off his new Shinola bicycle in 2015.
Last October, Bolton expected to finish the film in time for the Sundance Film Festival in January. However, an update revealed "we are excited to be finalizing the film now and planning for its imminent release," Christina Kline, Bolton's manager and co-producer of the movie, said in an email.
Another documentary, "Live Another Day," which premiered at theaters in September, examines the causes and effects of the auto collapse and subsequent bailout. It was created by Didier Pietri, a former Disney and ABC executive, and Bill Burke, a former Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner producer and executive.
At this year's Homecoming, attendees had an opportunity to see "The D," a micro-documentary by Allee Willis, a multi-disciplinary artist who has won many awards as a songwriter, including a Grammy, Emmy and Tony.
Willis' well-known songs include Earth, Wind & Fire's "September," and "Boogie Wonderland" and The Pointer Sisters' "Neutron Dance"; and she is a co-writer of the Broadway musical "The Color Purple."
At Homecoming III this year, she showed a short video valentine featuring a song she wrote for the city called "The D." More than 5,000 people showed up for group sings throughout the city that she videotaped for the valentine and a longer video project.
Also shown at Homecoming this year was a Detroit-made fictional film, "Destined," featuring a young Detroiter who lives out two different destinies after his adolescence. Qasim Basir, an honoree in Crain's 20 in their 20s recognition program in 2006, won a best director award, and Cory Hardrict won best actor at the 2016 American Black Film Festival for the film.
The book scene
Among Detroit-centric books, Murphy said general Detroit topics sell best, including Detroit Anthology edited by Anna Clark; How to Live in Detroit Without Being a Jackass by Aaron Foley; and the small history books by Arcadia Publishing. She gets her books from Wayne State University Press, Michigan Publishing (the University of Michigan's press), other publishers and, occasionally, a self-published author will bring in a book.
"There's just more Detroit books coming in than in the past," she said.
The Detroit books are not just being written by local authors. Examples include Detour in Detroit by Italy-born Francesca Berardi, now a New York-based journalist; and Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story, by Detroit native David Maraniss, an associate editor for The Washington Post who was a panelist at last year's Detroit Homecoming.
Jones said authors and people buying the books are trying to make sense of what is happening in Detroit. "Some of these books are of the moment. As a book seller, I'm interested in the longevity of a book."
Emily Nowak, Wayne State University Press marketing and sales manager, said the city's rebirth is having a positive impact on the press. "We are getting more interest and book proposals," she said.
"I think the books will keep coming," Jones said. "Detroit is an exciting, innovative city that is coming back."
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160925/NEWS/160929856/fascin...
I do hope we get to see it, maybe in 2017. That's the late news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi everyone, I have a couple of items of interest today. First, here are a couple of articles Katia sent me about the charity event Michael took part in last Saturday:
Gateway For Cancer Research Celebrates Milestone « CBS Chicago#.WALKRIA9S3k.
October 14, 2016 4:29 PMBy Lisa Fielding
Teresa Hall Bartels, President of Gateway (Credit: Gateway for Cancer Research)
CHICAGO (CBS) — For 25 years, Chicago-based Gateway for Cancer Research has been funding breakthrough clinical trials.
“Gateway is an organization that funds clinical trials. We aim to find the most breakthrough, most innovative research to help people feel better, living longer and find some cures to conquer cancer right now,” said Teresa Hall Bartels, Gateway President.
Gateways hosts Saturday the Great Gateway Cures gala at Navy Pier to celebrate 25 years of ‘illuminating the way to cures.’ The event has sold out, but the organization welcomes donations. The Great Gateway Cures Gala (Credit: Gateway for Cancer Research) “This is a special year for us,” Bartels said. “We’re celebrating 25 years. Cancer touches everyone. When someone hears the words ‘you have cancer,’ it’s devastating. What we hope to do is find better options for treatment, better ways people can cope.” Grammy winner David Foster, Michael Bolton, Peter Cetera and other musicians will be in attendance, celebrating and raising money for future cancer research. 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Two thirds of them can expect to survive because of research. Gateway has been funding trials around the world which have lead to significant strides in cancer care.
“Currently we are funding 57 clinical trials,” Bartels said. “These are with patients at all the major cancer centers you can think of. We’ve done work with the University of Chicago, we currently have a trial going on at Northwestern.”
One of Gateway’s major breakthroughs in recent years include the development of what is know today as Herceptin, a targeted therapy for HER2 postive metastatic breast cancer. Gateway funds breakthrough clinical trials. (Credit: Gateway for Cancer Research)
“Its an incredible time for research,” Bartels said. “We now have the capability to analyze the tumor genomically at the molecular level and the person’s genetics and the treatment can be personalized so that each person’s cancer is different and testing different ways to attacking that is possible because of the technology available.”
For more information or to donate, log onto www.gatewaycr.org/
Lisa Fieldingfacebook
Lisa Fielding is a news anchor and reporter for Newsradio 780.
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Gateway for Cancer Research gala features celebrity appearances
Eloise Marie Valadez Eloise.Valadez@nwi.com (219) 933-3365
Updated Oct 14, 2016
Provided Sinbad will be one of the performers at “The Great Gateway: 25 Years of Illuminating The Way To Cures,” Saturday in Chicago.
Notables from the music, acting and comedy communities will be in the spotlight at “The Great Gateway: 25 Years of Illuminating the Way to Cures” this weekend in Chicago.
The gala/fundraiser will benefit Gateway for Cancer Research, a Chicago-area-based nonprofit group that funds cancer research. The group celebrates its 25th anniversary at the gala.
Artists who will attend and perform at the event are David Foster, Michael Bolton, Sinbad, Peter Cetera, Carly Rae Jepsen, CeeLo Green and The Tenors. The event takes place at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier, Chicago.
In a news release, the organization’s president, Teresa Hall Bartels, said “Our mission instills a sense of urgency to accelerate the pace of cancer research. Our dedication to investing heavily in novel patient-centric approaches, combined with the increasing rate of treatment advances, leads us to believe that together we can conquer cancer in our lifetime.”
For more information, visit GatewayCR.org. — Eloise Marie Valadez
http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/219/gateway-for-cancer-resear...
Next item is a video Sylvia shared, taken from the red carpet of that event, where Michael says he’s working on a project with Akiva Shaffer of the Lonely Island and he’s looking forward to work with them again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cQe2It9KAQ
That’s the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie Qc Canada :D
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Hi everyone, here’s a short article mentioning the duet between Michael and Susan Boyle:
http://www.contactmusic.com/susan-boyle/news/susan-boyle-duets-with...
Also, you can hear a short excerpt on Susan Boyle’s site:
http://www.susanboylemusic.com/
That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi once again everyone, here’s an item I missed updating but just remembered. It’s been announced that Michael will duet with Susan Boyle on her upcoming new CD called “Wonderful world” to be released on November 4 2016. They’ll be singing “Somewhere out there” from the animated movie “An American Tale”, which to me sounds likely to be included on “Songs of cinema”. Florin found and shared the link to the track listing of Susan’s album:
You can pre-order it from Amazon too, though not much info available on U.S. sites. That’s the latest news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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Hi again everyone, here's an article Gail shared today:
What Happened to Michael Bolton - News & Updates - The Gazette Review
What Happened to Michael Bolton – News & Updates
By Anthony Coyle - Oct 10, 2016
Michael Bolton is a singer who’s well-known for his covers of classic hits along with original timeless hits that he wrote for other artists and later on personally performed. His extensive career in music spanned 17 albums with millions of copies sold around the world.
You might be wondering where is Michael Bolton right now or what is he doing this year. Before we look at the latest updates on him, let us first check out his journey in the realm of music and how he became an award-winning singer.
Michael Bolton’s Early Life
Michael Bolotin was born on February 26, 1953, in New Haven, Connecticut. At an early age he displayed a budding interest in music thanks to the songs on the radio and to his brother Orrin’s collection of records. His loving parents supported this path by renting a saxophone for him to learn and play. The young Bolton tried his best to play the instrument along with what’s aired on the radio but he found it difficult to do so. Instead he just sang along and dropped his pursuit of learning the saxophone. Bolton developed his voice through constant practice and he grew confident enough to perform at school events and in front of family.
In his teenage years Bolton practiced songwriting and self-studied how to play the guitar his mother gave him. He had his first taste of performing live when he joined “The Nomads”, a band that played in public places around his hometown. After they parted ways Bolton tried to kick-start his solo career with the release of his debut album Michael Bolotin in 1975 under the record label RCA. The album contained both original and cover songs and it failed to rouse sales and public attention. He tried again next year with Everyday of My Life which suffered the same fate as its predecessor. After these two failures the record label decided to drop Bolton.
In 1978 Bolton became the lead vocals of the emerging rock band Blackjack. The group managed to release two albums and even had a small tour around the United States. They disbanded in 1980 as the members found better musical opportunities, but as for Bolton it was back to the drawing board.
Michael Bolton’s New Identity and Success
At this time Bolton was married to Maureen McGuire and was a father to three lovely daughters. The family faced financial challenges after the dissolution of Blackjack. He tried his hands on songwriting and spent the early 80s penning lyrics for singers like Laura Branigan, Cher, Kenny Rogers, and many others. He also returned to music with another solo album in 1983 titled Michael Bolton with the new stage name we all know now. Reviews were mixed but the album fared better critically compared to his first releases. His next album Everybody’s Crazy in 1985 also gathered polarizing feedback from critics but praise still went to Bolton’s vocals.
Bolton’s breakthrough came in 1987 with his album The Hunger. It entered the Billboard 200 chart at #46, and #44 on the UK Albums Chart three years later. Bolton ended the 80s with Soul Provider which contained the Grammy Award-winning single “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” (the same song he co-wrote with Doug James for Laura Branigan in 1983). This album ushered Bolton to superstar status with sales of over 12 million around the globe and spending 202 weeks on the Billboard charts at #3. It was quite a feat considering that Soul Provider was again met with ambivalent critical reaction.
t decade opened with Bolton and McGuire’s divorce after staying together for 15 years. In 1991 his chart-topping album Time, Love & Tenderness hit the shelves with 16 million copies sold worldwide. Bolton’s cover of the Percy Sledge hit “When a Man Loves a Woman” bagged him a “Best Pop Vocal Performance” Grammy Award in 1992, while the single “Love Is a Wonderful Thing” got him and his production team tangled in a plagiarism lawsuit filed by The Isley Brothers which ended with the former paying around $5.4 million.
Michael Bolton’s Momentum Falters
Bolton sped through the 90s with a string of albums containing original songs and covers, and his efforts on the latter drew the ire of professional critics and some listeners. His 1997 album All That Matters exhibited poor commercial and critical performance due to the weak impact of its singles, and it didn’t fare well on the charts too.
Unlike the bright and successful ending of the 80s for his career, Bolton’s 90s closed with two albums. The first was My Secret Passion: The Arias in 1998 which was composed of opera covers and only managed to reach #112 at the Top 200 chart of Billboard. Critics welcomed this venture to a new genre as a breath of fresh air, but it lacked enough oomph and promotion hence its lackluster chart performance.
The next one was 1999’s Timeless: The Classics Vol. 2. His first Timeless album back in 1992 was a staggering success with sales of nine million and a long reign at the top spot of the charts. The follow-up he made in 1999 paled in comparison to its predecessor and was the first ever album since 1985 to not enter the charts.
In 2002 he returned to the scene with Only a Woman Like You which charted at #36 but didn’t go past the 1 million mark in terms of sales. The new millennium saw more albums from Bolton that didn’t chart high nor sell millions of copies worldwide. His latest offering to the music scene was 2013’s Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – A Tribute to Hitsville USA containing covers of classic Motown songs and duets with well-known singers like Melanie Fiona and Michael Lington.
Michael Bolton Outside of Music
Bolton has made numerous appearances in both film and television. Contrary to what was believed, he is not the drummer in the 1984 science fiction film Dune. Instead his first appearance as an extra was in the 1997 comedy Meet Wally Sparks, followed by comedies Snow Dogs (2002) and The Onion Movie (2008).
He also appeared in television series such as in The Nanny, Two and a Half Men, and Glee. In season 11 of Dancing with the Stars Bolton competed in tandem with professional dancer Chelsea Hightower but they were eliminated during the second week.
Bolton served as the executive producer of 2001 comedy film Good Advice, 2005 documentary Terror at Home, and 2008 drama The Other Side of the Tracks.
What’s Michael Bolton Doing Now in 2016 – Recent Updates
Let’s see what Michael Bolton is up to now this year.
Bolton announced his upcoming album Songs of Cinema through the site PledgeMusic. If you visit his page there you can preorder the album for $10 or choose among the different items that you can add with the album, ranging from exclusive merchandise to VIP passes and even a lunch in Connecticut or at Sunset Marquis with Bolton himself. You’ll have to hurry though as some of those items are severely limited (and quite pricey too).
Bolton has been working on a documentary about Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit for the last three years. It is titled Gotta Keep Dreamin and is yet to be released.
Bolton has been consistently performing in concerts since 2015 and throughout 2016. If you’re in Cairo, Egypt, you can catch him in October 21 at the RMC Theater, and in November 25 he will be at Tarrytown, New York.
He is set to appear on Hagerstown, Maryland, in December 01, and he will again perform there in December 03 before moving to Atlantic City, New Jersey in the same day. For the rest of the Christmas month he will be performing at Northfield, Ohio, Newark, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York, on the 08, 17, and 19 respectively.
Stay updated with Michael Bolton by checking out his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts (mbsings). You can also visit his official website at www.michaelbolton.com for the latest news and merchandise.
http://gazettereview.com/2016/10/happened-michael-bolton-news-updates/
The article is thorough in some parts but has big gaps in others, but I guess it updates people who have been living under a rock for a while. That's the news for now, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie :D
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