FORGETTABLE NIGHT FOR MICHAEL BOLTON

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 26, 1992                   TAG: 9202260280
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Medium
FORGETTABLE NIGHT FOR MICHAEL BOLTON
Michael Bolton heard from his critics both onstage and offstage at the 34th annual Grammy Awards on Tuesday night.
First, the husky-voiced singer helped present the best song award to "Unforgettable" composer Irving Gordon, who proceeded to take a veiled swipe at Bolton.
"It's nice to have a song accepted where you don't get a hernia when you sing it," Gordon said.
Backstage, he named names.
"I did it in front of Michael Bolton," he explained. "The point is I think it's not necessary to scream your head off to say `I love you.' "
Bolton soon arrived backstage after winning best male pop vocal performance for his cover of the 1960s soul classic "When a Man Loves a Woman."
"I didn't hear him say anything," Bolton said. "I happen to be very happy for him that he won. I think `Unforgettable' is an incredible song. But as to how in touch Mr. Gordon is with today's music, I can't speak for him. I can say I don't get a hernia when I sing, because for me it is no problem."
But the singer's troubles weren't over. A reporter told him there were boos and hisses in the press section after his award was announced. Bolton's voice remained calm, but the words got sharper.
"If I was as insensitive a person as they seem to be it wouldn't bother me - but it does bother me. You can take no-talent chimpanzees, give them paint and they'll destroy any van Gogh and Rembrandt around. I love what I do. Eight, nine million people love what I do."
Asked if he would cover any more soul classics, Bolton let off a little more steam: "People who love music really appreciate it. I'll keep digging into music from the beginning of recording music, in spite of what anybody nasty has to say about it."

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB