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Time, Love & Tenderness
Studio album by Michael Bolton
Released	April 23, 1991 (1991-04-23)
Recorded	March–December 1990
Studio	The Plant Studios (Sausalito, California); Record Plant (Los Angeles, California); Conway Studios and Soundhouse Studios (Hollywood, California); The Hit Factory and The Power Station (New York, New York)
Genre	Adult contemporary, pop
Length	44:45
Label	Columbia
Producer	Walter Afanasieff, Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton chronology
Soul Provider (1989) Time, Love & Tenderness (1991) Timeless: The Classics (1992)
Singles from Time, Love & Tenderness
"Love Is a Wonderful Thing" Released: April 1991 "Time, Love and Tenderness" Released: July 1991 "When a Man Loves a Woman" Released: October 1991 "Missing You Now" Released: December 1991 "Steel Bars" Released: February 1992

Time, Love & Tenderness is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Michael Bolton. The album was released on April 23, 1991, by Columbia Records; it was produced by Walter Afanasieff and Michael Bolton. To date, the record has sold more than 16 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album of his career.

The album topped the Billboard 200 chart and produced four Top 40 singles: a cover of Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Love Is a Wonderful Thing" reached No. 4, "Time, Love and Tenderness" reached No. 7, and "Missing You Now" reached No. 12. All four singles reached the Top 40 in the UK as well, as did a fifth single released only in the UK, "Steel Bars", which was the result of Bolton's songwriting collaboration with Bob Dylan.

Controversy

In 1964, the American R&B group the Isley Brothers recorded a song titled "Love Is a Wonderful Thing". Not included on an Isley Brothers album until years later, the song was released as a single in 1966 on a 45rpm vinyl record, and it "bubbled under" the Billboard chart, meaning that it peaked between numbers 101 and 125 on the Hot 100. Bolton's song contained similarities to the song by the Isleys that exceeded the title: in 1994, a jury found songwriters Bolton and Goldmark, along with Sony Music Entertainment (the parent company of Bolton's label, Columbia Records), liable for copyright infringement due to multiple similarities between the two songs and ordered them to pay the Isleys all profits earned from the single plus 28% of the album profits, which amounted to over US$5 million. On May 9, 2000, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, an appellate court covering the western regions of the U.S., affirmed the jury's decision, which is one of the largest monetary sums to be awarded in a case such as this. On January 22, 2001, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review the decision of the appellate court despite Bolton's claims that he had never heard the Isley Brothers recording (although he was a fan of their music) and that he was exercising his right to "independent creation". The decision by the Supreme Court not to hear the case resulted in the original verdict remaining valid.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Chicago Tribune
Robert Christgau
Entertainment Weekly	D−
Los Angeles Times
Music & Media	(favorable)
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Windsor Star	C

The massive commercial success of Time, Love & Tenderness is sharply contrasted with its critical reception, marked by mostly negative reviews.

In one of the album's few positive reviews, AllMusic criticized the album as a clone of its predecessor, Soul Provider, particularly deriding the cover of "When a Man Loves a Woman" as the album's "obligatory R&B carbon copy". However, they praised the songwriting of Diane Warren, as well as Bolton's singing and his songwriting on the track "Steel Bars".

The Chicago Tribune gave it one of its few mixed reviews, saying that Bolton's talent as a vocalist is generally outweighed by the mediocre material, but that "When a Man Loves a Woman", "We're Not Makin' Love Anymore", "Missing You Now", and "Love Is a Wonderful Thing" are all strong moments. Los Angeles Times also gave a mixed review, calling the album "commercial" and "glitzy", but praising it as containing Bolton's strongest material to date.

However, Entertainment Weekly thoroughly panned the album, declaring that "Bolton's singing amounts to gimmicks ... that replicate soul mannerisms without a hint of that music's power for re-creating human feeling." They derided the album's R&B covers as lacking sensitivity and the original cuts as being formulaic.

The Rolling Stone Album Guide was also mostly negative, criticizing Bolton's vocals on the album for the same reasons as Entertainment Weekly did.

In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the album a "dud" rating, calling it "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought."

Track listing

Personnel

• Michael Bolton – lead vocals, horn arrangements (1), backing vocals (2, 4)
• Walter Afanasieff – keyboards, synthesizers, Hammond B3 organ (1, 4, 6, 10), synth bass (1–5, 7, 8, 9), drums (1–5, 7–10), percussion (1–5, 7–10), horn arrangements (1)
• Louis Biancaniello – programming (1, 3, 4, 7, 9)
• Ren Klyce – programming (1–4, 7–10)
• Gary Cirimelli – programming (2, 4, 8, 10), backing vocals (4, 6, 9, 10)
• John Beasley – acoustic piano (6)
• Michael Landau – guitar (1–5, 8–10)
• Chris Camozzi – guitar (6, 7)
• Michael Thompson – guitar (6)
• Randy Jackson – bass guitar (6, 10)
• Jeff Porcaro – drums (6)
• Gigi Gonaway – timbales (2)
• Dan Higgins – saxophone (1)
• Larry Williams – saxophone (1)
• Marc Russo – tenor sax solo (1, 9)
• Kenny G – soprano sax solo (3)
• Gary Grant – trumpet (1)
• Jerry Hey – trumpet (1)
• Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 6, 8–10)
• Laura Creamer – backing vocals (1)
• Sandy Griffith – backing vocals (1–4, 6, 8–10)
• Melissa Kary – backing vocals (1, 4, 6, 8–10)
• Jean McClain – backing vocals (1, 4)
• Shaun Murphy – backing vocals (1, 4)
• Claytoven Richardson – backing vocals (1–4, 6, 8–10)
• Tanya Scarlett – backing vocals (1)
• Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals (1–4, 6, 8–10)
• Larry Batiste – backing vocals (2)
• Chris Hawkins – backing vocals (2)
• Joe Turano – backing vocals (2, 4)
• Vicki Randle – backing vocals (3)
• Terry Brock – backing vocals (4)
• Desmond Child – backing vocals (4)
• Joe Lynn Turner – backing vocals (4)
• Myriam Valle – backing vocals (4)
• Patti LaBelle – lead vocals (7)

Technical credits

• Dana Jon Chappelle – recording engineer, mixing (track 9)
• Michael Christopher – recording engineer
• Michael Gilbert – mix assistant (track 9)
• Mick Guzauski – mixing (tracks 1 and 3–9)
• Mick Higgins – assistant engineer
• Richard Kerr – recording engineer
• Manny Lacarrubba – mixing (tracks 1 and 3–8)
• Matt Lamonica – assistant engineer
• Vlado Meller – mastering at Sony Music Studio Operations (New York, New York)
• Jim Mitchell – assistant engineer
• Devon Rietveld – mixing (tracks 1 and 3–8)
• Marnie Lehmann Riley – assistant engineer
• Roger Talkov – recording engineer
• David Thoener – mixing (2, 10)

Other credits

• Christopher Austopchuk – art direction
• Nancy Danahy – design
• Louis Levin – direction
• Nancy Sprague – hair and make-up
• Timothy White – photography

Charts

Certifications

References

1. Bolton, Michael (2013-01-29). The Soul of It All: My Music, My Life. Center Street. ISBN 978-1-4555-2366-5.
2. Tracy, Molly. "Pacific Symphony Presents Michael Bolton For A Night Of Romantic Hits, 2/10-11". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
3. Michael Bolton UK chart history, The Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
4. "That Time Michael Bolton Wrote a Song with Bob Dylan". Rolling Stone. 18 November 2019.
5. ^ AllMusic review
6. ^ Chicago Tribune review
7. ^ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
8. ^ Entertainment Weekly review
9. ^ Los Angeles Times review
10. "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. 1991-05-11. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
11. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 90. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone michael bolton album guide.
12. Shaw, Ted (1991-05-11). "Record Review". The Windsor Star.
13. Christgau, Robert (2000). "CG 90s: Key to Icons". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
14. "Australiancharts.com – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
15. "Austriancharts.at – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
17. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 105. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
18. "Offiziellecharts.de – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
19. "Charts.nz – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
20. "Norwegiancharts.com – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
21. "Swedishcharts.com – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
22. "Swisscharts.com – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
23. "Michael Bolton | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
24. "Michael Bolton Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
25. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
26. "Top Selling Albums of 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
27. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991". hitparade.ch. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
28. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
29. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1992". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
30. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
31. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
32. Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally 1990s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the 1990s & Hot 100 Singles of the 1990s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
33. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1992 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
34. "Canadian album certifications – Michael Bolton – Time, Love". Music Canada. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
35. "Japanese album certifications – Michael Bolton – Time, Love and Tenderness" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 12 July 2019. Select 1992年12月 on the drop-down menu
36. "Dutch album certifications – Michael Bolton – Time, Love & Tenderness" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 12 July 2019. Enter Time, Love & Tenderness in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1992 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
37. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 929. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
38. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
39. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Time Love And Tenderness')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
40. "British album certifications – Michael Bolton – Time Love And Tenderness". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
41. "American album certifications – Michael Bolton – Time, Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
42. "Expansion Plans" (PDF). Billboard. American Radio History. 15 May 1993. p. 95. Retrieved 11 May 2022.

• Michael Bolton albums
• 1991 albums
• Albums produced by Walter Afanasieff
• Columbia Records albums