Smooth's Famous Firsts Podcast: Michael Bolton on having to sing on commercials to duetting with Pavarotti

22 November 2021, 00:53 | Updated: 23 January 2023, 14:36

In episode 3 of Smooth's Famous Firsts podcast, Jenni Falconer speaks to soul superstar Michael Bolton.

Michael Bolton became one of the world's biggest singers by the late 1980s, thanks to his incredibly soulful voice and fantastic songs.

His albums including Soul Provider and Time, Love and Tenderness have sold millions around the world, and he is known to have one of the most powerful and recognisable voices in music.

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Speaking to Smooth's Jenni Falconer, Michael opened up about his past struggles in the early days of his career, singing on commercials for McDonald's and beer, how important a role his mother Helen played, and how he ended up working with everyone from Bob Dylan to Luciano Pavarotti.

Listen below:

In Famous Firsts, Jenni Falconer chats to pop music legends to hear the stories behind their firsts: first gigs, first record deals, first TV appearances and much more.

Previous episodes have featured Ed Sheeran and Westlife, with future guests including Paul Young, Tony Hadley and Leona Lewis.

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