Michael Bolton - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The quintessential collection of iconic photographs and poignant texts that reveal the visual and cultural legacy of American icon Michael Bolton as captured by longtime collaborator, renowned photographer, and dear friend Timothy White.

In 1987, celebrity photographer Timothy White got a call from American musician Michael Bolotin's (now Bolton) record company asking him to work on a photo shoot. When Bolton came over to his studio, Timothy was struck by his calm persona, dry wit, and superb sense of humor. The two immediately hit it off. The resulting full-of-life photographs that captured Bolton's charisma and charm marked the start of not only a professional but also a personal relationship that would come to establish Bolton's visual legacy and identity.

Michael Bolton contains White's handpicked collection of cinematic photographs featuring Bolton, on view together for the first time ever. The wide range of works include: Bolton with his trademark wavy locks, pictures in his breathtaking neoclassical home, classic editorial studio shots, and heartwarming selections from shoots across a variety of urban and rural landscapes. The work spans decades, featuring Bolton at all stages of his career.

Original quotes from celebrity friends are peppered throughout the book's pages and highlight Bolton's impact on a range of famous lives and on wider society. Dolly Parton notes how Bolton "stole her heart" the first time she heard him sing, Smokey Robinson declares Bolton "one of the greatest singers in life", and The Lonely Island coin Michael a National Treasure. Additional mash notes from Kelly Clarkson, John Oliver, Zooey Deschanel, and Andre Agassi, to name a few, fill out the testimonials of love. Bolton and White themselves contribute text, as well as legendary Record Executive, Clive Davis.

Chock-full of cinematic visuals and touching, personal texts that reveal a side of the enigmatic megastar that has never been presented before, the book portrays a comprehensive visual overview of the beloved performer and his impact on popular culture, while also highlighting an intimate collaboration between two exemplars of their respective talent fields.

About the Author

Michael Bolton is a multiple Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and Emmy-nominated performer with more than 50 years of contributions to the entertainment industry. As a performing artist, Michael has earned two Grammys for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance (with two additional nominations) and six American Music Awards. He has sold more than 65 million records worldwide and holds a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To date, Michael has seen nine studio albums rank in the Top Ten, with nine #1 singles. As a songwriter, Michael has received over 24 BMI & ASCAP Awards, including Songwriter of the Year, 9 Million-Air awards, and the Hitmakers Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Michael has written #1 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 delivered unique recording collaborations with artists such as Dolly Parton, Kelly Clarkson, Eva Cassidy, Seal, Kelly Rowland, Rascal Flatts, Neyo, Kid Cudi and Mickey Guyton, among others. Internationally renowned, Michael has recorded and performed with musical icons who have inspired and influenced his own career, including Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Renee Fleming, Andrea Bocceli, B.B. King, and Ray Charles.

Most recently, Michael released Spark of Light, his first ever album of all original songs that he authored with a range of contemporary writers, producers and artists. Bolton's legacy transcends genres and generations of fans, and his love of music is parallel to his penchant for humor, shining through Film and TV cameos (The Fabulous Four, Nora from Queens, Fresh off the Boat, Billions, Two and a Half Men), digital viral videos and commercial campaigns. Additionally, Michael starred in The Celebrity Dating Game, ABC's reboot of the beloved dating game show. The fun-loving summer series aired primetime, ranking #1 in its slot. Bolton 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 nearly 250 million views on YouTube. He earned another Emmy nod for his collaborations with the Screen Junkies' popular channel "Honest Trailers", ' and partnered with Funny Or Die to release a spoof on the cult-classic Office Space, which achieved Immortal Status. Michael executive produced and starred in the Netflix show Michael Bolton's Big Sexy Valentine's Special, which has already become a seasonal cult classic. He recently teamed up with Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeart Podcast Network to launch his own original scripted comedic series, Michael Bolton's Big Sexy Podcast, which will launch in early 2025.

Timothy White is one of the world's most sought-after celebrity photographers. For over thirty years he has captured the personal and playful sides of legendary actors, as well as the innocence of up-and-comers. He has shot photography for some of the most recognizable movie posters of our time, the covers of countless high-profile publications, and imagery for an extraordinary and expansive roster of musicians.

Named one of the most important people in photography by American Photo, Timothy has been the recipient of many photography and film awards, including the Lucie Award for International Photographer of the Year. His photographs are exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide. As a partner in the Morrison Hotel Gallery, Timothy regularly curates and produces events in New York and Los Angeles.

Timothy contributes to numerous non-profit organizations, both as an activist for their cause, and donating his time and work. Most recently he has supported Amfar, Stuart House, and City Harvest, and shot campaigns for the Joyful Heart Foundation, Operation Smile, and Recycle Across America.

A. D. Coleman is an internationally known critic of photography and photo-based art, and a widely published commentator on new digital technologies. In 2002 he received the Culture Prize of the German Photographic Society -- the first critic of photography ever so honored. In 2010 he received the J Dudley Johnston Award from the Royal Photographic Society (U.K.) for "sustained excellence in writing about photography." In 2014 he received the Society for Photographic Education's Insight Award for lifetime contribution to the field, and in 2015 both the Society of Professional Journalists SDX Award for Research About Journalism and The Photo Review Award "for outstanding contributions to photography, including the investigation of Robert Capa's D-Day photographs."

Coleman has published 8 books and more than 2500 essays on photography and related subjects. Formerly a columnist for the Village Voice, the New York Times, and the New York Observer, Coleman has contributed to ARTnews, Art On Paper, Technology Review, Ag (England), European Photography (Germany), La Fotografia (Spain), and Art Today (China). His work has been translated into 22 languages and published in 32 countries.

Coleman's widely read blog "Photocritic International" appears at photocritic.com. Since 2005, exhibitions that he has curated have opened at museums, galleries, and festivals in Canada, China, Finland, Italy, Rumania, Slovakia, and the U.S.