How Michael Bolton decided to cut his signature long locks

(CBS News) Michael Bolton's trademark long locks were once as recognizable as his raspy voice. But now the star has a shorter look that he admits wasn't easy to commit to.

"There was no turning back," Bolton said on "CBS This Morning." "You know how they sold me? (It) was the guy who cuts Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt's hair, is the guy who came to the hotel to cut my hair, so I figured, how bad could it be? The next morning I did not look like either one of them."

So who is that hairdresser?

"Chris McMillan, a very close friend," Bolton said. "I knew I made the right decision."

In addition to talking about his looks that landed him in People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" issue, the two-time Grammy winner also discussed his latest album "Ain't No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute To Hitsville, U.S.A.," an homage to the hits of Motown.

"CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King remarked Bolton has been mistaken for a black man by legendary singer Tina Turner. Bolton said it was a "great compliment, especially because of the music that influenced me as a kid."

He recalled, "When I would do, you know, the Essence Awards or B.E.T., I was the only white guy there, which again was a great compliment because my music was being accepted and embraced. As a kid, I was listening to Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles and these artists who influenced me. It's a great affirmation."

Bolton's career has spanned more than four decades, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Before he was a soft rock icon, Bolton was a hard rocker who dropped out of high school for a record deal at just 16 years old.

Success first came writing songs for other performers like Cher, Barbara Streisand, and Laura Branigan's 1983 No. 1 hit, "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You."

But it wasn't until Bolton began singing his own love songs that he found fame, selling more than 53 million albums worldwide.

He's is now back in the spotlight once again, from competing on "Dancing with the Stars" to stealing the show in a "Saturday Night Live" digital short(Editor's Note: Contains graphic language), that now has more than 100 million YouTube views.

These days, Bolton has reinvented himself once again. Find out more about his Motown album in the full "CTM" interview above.