After years of declined offers, singing sensation Michael Bolton will finally entertain his Chinese fans in the flesh.
Bolton is scheduled to wow the crowds at live shows at the Shanghai Grand Theatre tonight and the Capital Gymnasium in Beijing on Wednesday.
The China leg of his Vintage World Tour 2005 also includes a stop in Taipei on Friday evening.
"I planned to invite him in 2002. Although no Western pop or rock artist has made money touring Beijing, I never gave up in my quest to present Bolton here," Yang Lin, general manager of Beijing Lin Culture & Communication Co Ltd, told China Daily.
"I personally love him so much and believe he has a large number of fans in China," Yang added.
The raspy-voiced singer is one of the few Western stars to have had a great impact on Chinese pop music fans in the 1980s and 1990s. He stands alongside such greats as Michael Jackson, George Michael, Sting, Phil Collins, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.
With Asia accounting for a significant part of the itinerary of his much anticipated world tour, 51-year-old Bolton has at last agreed to put China on the list that includes Thailand, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates.
Yang believes the raw energy Bolton can muster up and his impressive stage presence will bring tears to the eyes of audience members.
During his extraordinary career, Bolton has sold more than 52 million albums worldwide, and has won two Grammys for best male vocalist, and six American Music Awards, among many other accolades.
With hits like "Time, Love and Tenderness," "When a Man Loves a Woman" and "Can I Touch YouThere?" the singer has won a special place in the hearts of millions around the world.
A prolific songwriter, Bolton has penned tunes for legendary artists. He has co-written songs with a host of gifted writers and performed with Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo.
In 1993, Bolton established the Michael Bolton Foundation, now the Michael Bolton Charities, Inc (MBC), to provide assistance, education and shelter to children and women at risk from poverty, as well as physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Since its inception, MBC has granted well over US$3.7 million in funding to local and national charities.
(China Daily December 12, 2005)
