Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

Michael Bolton during his performance at the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, in January. - File

Michael Bolton has proven himself to be a timeless singer, one who can easily dazzle and move any crowd. When Bolton hit the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival stage for the first time earlier this year he showed how powerful and charismatic he could be on stage, earning himself screams for an encore performance.

Many who missed that performance wished Bolton would come back. Wishes do come true, as Bolton returns for 'One Night Only' on November 4 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

Jamaica has been much more than an overnight stop for Bolton, as he has been travelling to the island for the past 17 years with his children and fiancée, Desperate Housewives star, Nicolette Sheridan. However, this will be Bolton's second time in the capital city and his first performance there.

According to Bolton, his first time on-stage in Montego Bay at Jazz and Blues was simply "phenomenal", with a high-energy level that surprised even this seasoned singer.

Excited

He is looking forward to his 'one night' in Kingston and told The Sunday Gleaner, "I'm excited about it and, hopefully, I wasn't spoiled by a great audience. This is my first concert in Kingston; just because my music is played doesn't guarantee a good reception."

Persons who saw Bolton in Montego Bay will be delighted to expect a little difference in his Kingston appearance, as he has not planned out exactly what he will be performing.

Bolton said he would wait to feel how the crowd responds to him and then decide what he would sing. That doesn't mean 'One Night Only' will be devoid of his best works, as Bolton said, "Mostly I'm gonna sing the hits.

"Especially when you're performing for the first time in a city that you have to know that a lot of those hits were important in people's lives, people going through important life experiences, you have to perform the hits."

For a man like Michael Bolton, the hits keep on coming, as he is currently working on a Christmas album to be released shortly as well as a studio album to be released early next year.

Outside of music, Bolton attested that he had always done a lot of producing on films, scripts and documentaries. He also claimed to always be looking on material and is interested in acting as well.

Accomplishments

Acting is just one dimension to this multifaceted persona, who has achieved so much in his long career. These include selling 53 million albums, having eight top-10 albums, two number-one singles on the Billboard charts and awards from the American Music Awards and the Grammys.

With such a wealth of accomplishments, Bolton had a hard time identifying which incident in his life was most memorable.

Blessed

"I have been very blessed. There are different moments where you think that's the high point; you finally have a number-one record. I think when you have a long career that doesn't happen overnight you have a different kind of appreciation of your career. It took me 18 years after my first record deal at 16; I didn't have a hit till I was 34.

"I was kind of a 18-year overnight success story and you appreciate the different moments that are great moments. But there are other memorable moments such as singing with Luciano Pavorotti and singing Georgia on My Mind to Ray Charles while he was being inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame is an unforgettable experience," he said.

And when Bolton graces the stage at the National Indoor Sports Centre on the night of November 4, for many it should an unforgettable experience to see and hear this soulful performer up close and personal.