After brain cancer treatment, Michael Bolton says he has a ‘heightened sense of appreciation’ for life

Michael Bolton at the 2023 MusiCares Persons of the Year Gala in Los Angeles. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters via CNN Newsource)

Michael Bolton has a new love of life after a recent scan revealed he is clear of the brain cancer that he was diagnosed with in 2023.

The famed musician, 72, opened up about the shift in his outlook in an interview with People magazine published on Wednesday, saying that nowadays, he finds “comfort in general more easily” and that the whole experience “gives me a heightened sense of appreciation.”

After Bolton was diagnosed with glioblastoma – a fast-growing type of cancer that impacts the brain or spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic – his doctors were able to remove the tumor in its entirety during an emergency surgery but performed a second brain surgery last year due to an infection, according to People.

Last year, Bolton shared in a statement posted to his official Facebook page that a brain tumor had been discovered “which required immediate surgery” and that he’d be taking a break from touring.

Bolton said at the time that the surgery was a success and that he was focused on recuperating at home.

After completing radiation and chemotherapy treatment in October, Bolton now undergoes MRI scans every two months to monitor for any recurrence of the cancer, People reported on Tuesday. In April, his scan was clear.

Bolton has the support of his three daughters and six grandchildren, who he told People he’s been spending time with at his home in Connecticut during his recovery.

“Whenever you find yourself in any kind of challenging position, just to know that you’re not alone going through it is a big deal,” he said.

Bolton is a legendary singer who found fame in the 1980s and ’90s with songs including a cover of Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” and “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?”

Ali Rosenbloom, CNN