The Real-Life Diet of Michael Bolton, the Jacked Elder Statesman of Balladeering

Michael Bolton is in the mood to reminisce, and who can blame him, really? The man has been a fixture of the entertainment business for almost five decades, a milestone he recently celebrated with the release of his latest studio album, A Symphony of Hits. At 65 years old, Bolton is acutely aware that, professionally speaking, time is no longer on his side—a point he raises often during our 30-minute conversation, which is ostensibly about his diet and exercise routine.

To be clear, Bolton is fully committed to fitness—so much so that he asks his security detail to pinpoint a gym at every tour stop, domestically and abroad. He likens his adherence to routine to the discipline required of a professional athlete, and says he works out five days a week. The result: He’s ripped, yes, but he’s also built up the stamina to perform for big crowds without falling victim to the aches and pains that might otherwise accompany a heavy, demanding travel schedule.

This commitment comes with an added benefit for you, the Michael Bolton superfan: Whether you’re a true believer who grew up listening to “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You,” or a uncultured millennial who only knows Bolton as Captain Jack Sparrow, he will always say yes to a selfie if you catch him working out at your local gym.

GQ: First off, how many coaches do you have? I counted a workout coach and a tennis coach, at least, on Instagram.

Michael Bolton: I don’t know how many I’ve had—mostly, I’ve had vocal coaches through the years. Training to get ready to sing with Pavarotti is different than getting ready to sing an R&B song, so I’ve gone through a few vocal coaches.

As I get older, I feel like time is working against me in terms of staying in shape and being physically up to the demands I put on myself by accepting the kind of touring and traveling and recording hours—this life I’ve been very fortunate to have. It requires discipline and knowledge from brilliant people, and there are a lot of brilliant coaches.

I saw a photo about Magnus, your workout coach. What’s he all about?

I met him about a year ago through Johan Carlsson, who is one of the great producers and songwriters. We were talking about training and staying in shape, and Johan’s wife said, “You need to meet Magnus.” She showed me some pictures of people he had worked with before and after, and I said, “How do I reach him?” I’m not going to drop names, but he’s worked with quite a few movie stars. “Transformative” is putting it mildly.

I basically worked out with him at his gym, wrote down everything, and took pictures of positions so I don’t injure myself on tour. When I tour, I’m always looking through my phone for the proper way that Magnus instructed me.

Time is definitely working against me, and having a coach will fast-track you to getting in shape. But they just can’t stay around you all the time, and that’s where your own discipline has to come in. Sooner or later, any honest trainer is going to say, “Right now, it’s all about what you’re eating.” I gave Magnus an idea of what my lunch is like, and he just looked at me like, “Why would you do that?” I need that guilt.

I read you’ve been a vegetarian for a long time.

Yeah, about 48 years. I don’t eat red meat, or any poultry, or fish. Omega XL and omega-3 supplements have also been really helpful for me. They’re from the green-lipped mussels of New Zealand. But I still need to remember to go eat spinach, lentils, nuts, and certain legumes. My diet has become even more health-oriented over the last five years, because time is rocketing by.

How much of your diet and workout routine is wanting to stay in shape as you travel for your career, versus this being a hobby you enjoy?

I don’t know if I ever thought about it as a hobby. Basically, someone showed me some literature about what goes on with meat in America some 48 years ago. They were using all the chemicals they could get away with, and we were consuming that. I was basically a double cheeseburger McDonald’s person. I told my friend he was wasting his time with me, but I gave it a try for about a week. After a week, I had no desire to have meat again.

It got more about my health and fitness when I started having success. Even though I was quite a bit younger, all you need to do is get sick once or twice in the middle of a tour, and the gravity of staying healthy is not lost upon you. I’ve driven into venues where there are thousands of cars with people who are coming to see my show. I’m not a band, I’m a singer, and I need to give them what they paid for. I want them to be surprised, and I want them to say, “He sounded better than his records.” It’s hard to do that many, many, many years later. However long I continue singing, I’m going to be my worst critic. I’m tougher on myself than anybody else.

Yeah, I don’t know if people always think about how physically demanding it can be as a musician.

For me, every show is like a heavyweight championship fight. It all happens there in a couple of hours, and the difference is I want the winners to be my audience and me. It’s so very much like any athlete who wants to remain at a certain level. I’ve had a lot of friends who are athletes, and the window starts closing on them soon after they’ve peaked. Somebody on the bench is a little faster, maybe their vision is a little better and sharper. I don’t think you can maximize longevity without an absolute direct connection to your health.

Do you have a favorite sport?

I love basketball, and I love tennis. I loved baseball, and played on a team until I broke my thumb on a routine grounder. These days, tennis is the best workout, and the most fun when I play with people who are competitive and better than me. I have a hard time surrendering, so I don’t quit until it’s over. By then, win or lose, I think, “What a great way to spend the day.”

So at every tour stop, you have someone looking for a gym for you to work out in?

My security person is already talking with the front desk and manager when I arrive, and if it’s too small of a gym at the hotel, then we pay a day rate to go to a great gym near the hotel. I’m on the road five days a week, so safely, I’m working out five days a week, too.

What is the reaction in the gym when you’re working out? Have you had any weird fan interactions?

Nothing weird, just selfies. It’s so easy to say yes, and it takes no time—it’s kind of the least you can do, especially if the gym manager asks for a picture.

The great thing about the “Jack Sparrow” video is it reached a young, predominantly male audience. It kind of transformed them into fans when, in a lot of cases, they hadn’t even heard of my music. My core audience—the people who’ve been coming to my concerts since I started having hits in ‘87—a lot of them haven’t seen it, though. It just increased recognition from a demographic that I would’ve never thought, “Oh, these are going to be fans one day.” And that experience also opened up how much I enjoy the freedom of having fun.

Since you brought up “Jack Sparrow”—as you examine the totality of your career, where does the success of that video rank for you? Is it at all close to the top? Is that insulting to ask?

It's so funny that you’re asking me that. I’m beet-red right now; I’ve never thought about that. It’s easily one of my favorite events I’ve ever done. I won’t say what the top one is or was, but if I look at the list and examine my journey, where is that next to singing with Ray Charles? Different experiences altogether. Same with singing with Pavarotti, or writing with Bob Dylan. There’s a Zelma Redding moment. I’ve had a lot of surreal, impossible events happen.

Winning a Grammy feels like one of the highest points of your life, because it happens on this giant television platform, and it’s kind of an out-of-body experience walking off the stage. I thought it was a rehearsal, but it was really happening. But I’ve seen artists win Grammys and then disappear, too. It took me 18 years to have success, so I never ever take anything for granted, or feel like anything is a given.

I think that’s the thing about a long, hard climb: It’s indelible. Where you’ve come from is written deep in your DNA. I remember other people celebrating around me more than I was celebrating my own success. Anyway, I think I just took a left turn on our interview.

This interview has been edited and condensed.