The Soul of It All by Michael Bolton

Author:Michael Bolton [BOLTON, MICHAEL]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography / Composers & Musicians
ISBN: 9781455523665
Publisher: Center Street
Published: 2013-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

Credit: Ken Sax Photography

Chapter Ten

Feeding the Hunger

When the checks from my jingles and from my songwriting began to flow in a steady stream, we paid off bills, put some money in savings, and finally, for the first time in their lives, I took the girls to the Stamford Mall and let them go crazy buying whatever the hell their little hearts desired.

I guess the salesclerk in one clothing store hadn’t seen many long-haired rocker dads because as she added up the damage from all the outfits and shoes piled on her counter, she said to my daughters, “I wish I had a cool big brother like you!”

It was so sweet and wonderful, that trip. For years, Isa had handed down her clothes to Holly, who handed them down to Taryn, who wore them until they didn’t fit her anymore. We’d rarely gone to the mall because there just wasn’t enough money to spare for shopping trips. But once my jingles were kicking back residuals and major artists were covering my songs, I wanted to make up for those hand-me-downs and discount-store clothes. I told them the only rule was that they had to buy things they would wear on a regular basis.

They were so excited. It was better than any Christmas they’d ever had, believe me. They were having the greatest time trying things on in the dressing room, laughing and screaming. I choked up a little just witnessing their joy. I thought, This is how I’ve always wanted it to be.

After that first trip there were many more, and even though I tried to establish some boundaries, I flunked in saying no to my girls. I had a lot of catching up to do.

Those were wonderful trips because I finally felt that all my striving was reaping rewards. The one area of my life that had not yet borne fruit was my singing career. My first album and single for Columbia faded fast after a promising launch. I feared that yet another record company would tell me, once again, that I was now free to “see other people.”

My contract had an option for a second album. But it was not a guarantee.

Still, Columbia Records president Al Teller put his arm around my shoulder and essentially said, “We still believe in ya, kid.”

Columbia allowed me to make that second album, another solo arena rocker titled Everybody’s Crazy, which was released in 1985 with a music video for the title track. Hard rock radio stations gave the title single a decent run, and it was picked up for the sound track of the Rodney Dangerfield movie Back to School in 1986. Other than that, the second Columbia album was less successful than the first.

This is where Rod Serling, creator of the famed 1960s television series The Twilight Zone, appears in my dreams and says in grave tones:

Singer Michael Bolton landed his first record deal at the age of 15, his second at 18, his third at 21, his fourth at 25, his fifth at 26, and his sixth at 29.

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