Michael Bolton Had ‘Immediate Surgery’ After Brain Tumor Diagnosis

Michael Bolton is on the mend after having surgery following a recent brain tumor diagnosis.

“I want to start by wishing everyone a very happy and healthy new year! I also want to share that 2023 ended up presenting me with some very unexpected challenges. Just before the holidays, it was discovered that I had a brain tumor, which required immediate surgery,” Bolton, 70, wrote via Facebook on Friday, January 5. “Thanks to my incredible medical team, the surgery was a success.”

The singer shared that he is currently “recuperating at home” while he spends time with his loved ones. Bolton is the father of daughters Isa, Holly and Taryn, whom he shares with ex-wife Maureen McGuire. He is also a doting grandfather.

While the surgery was a success, Bolton admitted he still has a long road toward a full recovery. He’ll also be taking a break from performing for the foreseeable future.

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“For the next couple of months, I will be devoting my time and energy to my recovery which means I’ll have to take a temporary break from touring,” he explained on Friday. “It is always the hardest thing for me to ever disappoint my fans or postpone a show, but have no doubt I am working hard to accelerate my recovery and get back to performing soon.”

Bolton expressed his gratitude for “the love and support” he’s received from his fans over the years. He also promised to give more updates about how he’s faring when he can.

Before announcing his musical hiatus, Bolton had a series of shows planned across the United States and Europe. The Grammy winner was hitting the road and performing songs from his latest album, Spark of Light, which dropped in July 2023.

The album marked the first time Bolton released new music in more than a decade. The inspiration to create new music after a 14-year hiatus came about as he started writing songs during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Instead of keeping the songs to himself, Bolton decided to release the tracks and help spread joy.

“I felt a responsibility to help people feel a spark in their lives. Music is very powerful that way,” he explained to Billboard after the album’s release. “We’re all so humanly connected; we’re so in need of some light. That became the working theme every day: ‘How do we make [the music] make other people feel better?’”