Michael Bolton is breaking his silence on his brain cancer diagnosis — revealing his powerful resolve and inner strength in his first interview since announcing his health battle in December 2023.
The “When a Man Loves a Woman” singer, 72, is strong and steadfast in how he is choosing to battle glioblastoma — a type of cancer which the Glioblastoma Foundation describes as “the most aggressive type of tumor that arises in the brain” and “one of the most lethal forms of brain cancer.”
While Bolton’s “short-term memory, speech and mobility” have been impacted by treatments for the illness, the legendary artist — who underwent two brain surgeries (one in late 2023, the other in early 2024) — is finding his “resolve,” he told People in a new interview. (The two-time Grammy winner, whose brain tumor was removed during his initial surgery, now goes for an MRI every two months after finishing chemotherapy and radiation in October 2024.)
“You’re reaching into your resources and your resolve in a way that you never would have thought,” Bolton told the outlet in an interview published Wednesday, April 30. “Succumbing to the challenge is not an option. You’re really quickly drawn into a duel. I guess that’s the way you find out what you’re made of.”
The “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” singer — who has chosen “purposely” not to receive a prognosis for his cancer battle — is determined to fight as hard as he can.
“I want to keep going. I feel there’s still a lot to do on the fight side,” he told People, adding: “I got a title for a song: ‘Ain’t Going Down Without a Fight.’ ”
Bolton also emphasized that finding support amid “any kind of challenging position” is crucial — “just to know that you’re not alone going through it is a big deal,” he explained. “It actually helps people to know. It reminds them that they’re not alone.”
Today, Bolton — who is dad to adult daughters Isa, 49, Holly, 47, and Taryn, 45 — has a “heightened sense of appreciation” in the wake of his diagnosis. “It’s unthinkable for it to be okay not to make the most of your life,” he said. “You have to be a cheerleader for yourself.”
As for the legacy he hopes to leave his kids — and his six grandchildren — Bolton is spending his time contemplating all of the knowledge and wisdom he can impart on them.
“How do I give things that they can take forward? Life lessons, love, any kind of validation that I can give [them] — I want to be on the right side of that so they feel great about who they are,” he told the publication. “It’s a reality of mortality. Suddenly a new light has gone on that raises questions, including ‘Am I doing the best that I can do with my time?’ ”
