Michael Bolton Reveals How Having a ‘House of Laughter’ Has Kept His Spirits Up amid Cancer Battle (Exclusive)

• Michael Bolton opens up to PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that his family has helped keep his spirits up amid his cancer battle
• The musician, who is a dad to three daughters and six grandchildren, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2023
• “I just feel better to have them there,” Bolton says

As Michael Bolton deals with one of the toughest challenges of his life, he’s grateful to have the support of his nearest and dearest.

The Grammy-winning singer, 72, reveals the details of his 2023 glioblastoma diagnosis for the first time in this week’s PEOPLE cover story — and makes it clear that his three daughters and six grandchildren are a huge part of his story.

“It’s unimaginable moving forward without my family being so on board,” he says. “There’s a certain amount of light they bring. I just feel better to have them there. This is a house of laughter, thankfully.”

Adds daughter Taryn: “We’re in this together, and that’s it. … We rely on each other, and we’ve become really close.”

Bolton emphasizes that humor is “so important” in keeping his spirits up — and he’s certainly a hit with grandkids Amelia, 14, Olivia, 13, Dylan, 11, Grayson, 10, River, 9, and Jack, 8.

“My kids think he’s so funny, and I think that he loves that,” says Taryn, 45. “When he makes people laugh, he’s on top of the world. … This house was quiet my whole life. Now, there’s so much noise, but it’s so nice, because it feels more alive.”

Daughter Holly, 47, adds that the family often gathers for dinners and trivia game nights together at Bolton’s home in Westport, Conn., where he’s lived for more than 30 years (Bolton shares Holly, Taryn and Isa, 49, with ex-wife Maureen McGuire.)

“It brings him so much joy. He’s entertaining the kids and laughing. His answers are hilarious, and when he gets on a roll and notices the kids laughing, he just keeps going,” she says.

The “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?” singer has had his speech, mobility and short-term memory affected by his chemotherapy and radiation treatments, which he completed in October. But his determination remains as strong as ever, even in the face of glioblastoma’s daunting statistics. (The recurrence rate for a glioblastoma is 90%.)

“I want to keep going. I feel there’s still a lot to do on the fight side,” he says. “I got a title for a song: ‘Ain’t Going Down Without a Fight.’ ”

The star has long been private about his personal life, but Bolton is sharing his experience in the hopes that someone on a similar journey, fighting a shared enemy, will find comfort in his words. 

“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 says. “It actually helps people to know. It reminds them that they’re not alone.”

For more on Michael Bolton, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.