George Michael
Pop Singer
George Michael was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with sales of over 120 million records worldwide.
About
George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou on June 25, 1963, in East Finchley, London, England. His parents are Jack and Lesley Angold. He has an older sister named Melanie. He grew up in North London and attended Bushey Meads School. As a child, he showed an interest in music and began playing the piano at age seven.
In 1981, Michael formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend Andrew Ridgeley. The duo released their debut album "Fantastic" in 1983 which featured their hits "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Careless Whisper". Their music was upbeat and funky which made them one of the top acts of the 1980's. They had several number one singles in both the U.K. and U.S., including "Freedom", "The Edge of Heaven", and "I'm Your Man".
After leaving Wham!, Michael embarked on a successful solo career with several number one albums such as "Faith" (1987), "Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1" (1990) and “Older” (1996). He sold over 80 million records worldwide making him one of the best-selling British artists of all time. His most famous songs include “Faith”, “One More Try”, “Father Figure”, “Praying for Time”, “Jesus to a Child”, “Fastlove” and “Kissing a Fool” among others.
Michael was also very active in charity work throughout his career fundraising millions for HIV/AIDS research, children's charities, poverty relief organizations and more through events like Band Aid 20's 1985 release of the single Do They Know Its Christmas? He also supported LGBT rights causes and campaigned against discrimination towards homosexuals throughout his life.
George Michael passed away on December 25th 2016 at his home in Goring-on-Thames Oxfordshire due to heart failure caused by dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver; he was 53 years old at the time of his death.
Life Timeline
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1963</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">George Michael is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On June 25, 1963, George Michael was born in London, England.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1982</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Forms Duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Michael joins Andrew Ridgeley to form the pop duo Wham!.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1985</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Wham! Releases Final Album</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Wham! releases their final album, Make It Big.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1987</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Solo Career Begins & Faith Album Released</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Michael releases his first solo album, Faith, which goes on to become a massive success.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1991</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases Hit Song "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" with Elton John</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">The song becomes one of his most famous and is his first number one hit in the UK.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1996</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Arrested for Drug Possession</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Michael is arrested for possession of marijuana and cocaine.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2016</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">George Michael Passes Away</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On December 25th, 2016, George Michael passes away at the age of 53.</p></div>
Why We Love Them
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> He was an Iconic Pop Star</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">George Michael was an iconic pop star who had a career that spanned more than three decades. He had numerous chart-topping hits, including "Careless Whisper" and "Faith". He was also an iconic figure in the LGBT community and often used his music to advocate for equality.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> His Music Was Influential</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">George Michael's music was influential in multiple genres of music. His sound crossed over from pop, to rock, to disco, to techno. He was able to blend different styles together in a way that made his music stand out from the rest.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> He Was Charitable</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">George Michael was a generous philanthropist who donated millions of pounds throughout his life to charities around the world. He was a great example of how people can use their fame and fortune to help others less fortunate than themselves.</p></div>
Interesting Facts
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> The First Pop Star to Reach Number One in the US</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">George Michael was the first pop star to reach number one in the US with his single, “Careless Whisper” in 1984.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Took Legal Action Against His Record Label</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In 1993, George Michael took legal action against his record label, Sony Music Entertainment, for not paying him royalties on sales of his music.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Multi-Instrumentalist and Producer</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">George Michael was a multi-instrumentalist and producer, playing instruments such as drums, keyboards, guitar, and bass. He also produced records for other artists.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Played at Live Aid</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In 1985, George Michael performed at the Live Aid concert in front of 72,000 people. It was his first solo performance and he sang “Careless Whisper” and “A Different Corner”.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">5.</span> Wrote Songs for Other Artists</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">George Michael wrote songs for other artists including Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, and Wham! He also co-wrote “The Edge of Heaven” with Andrew Ridgeley of Wham!</p></div>
FAQs
