| Singer Date of Birth: 25.06.1963 Country: USA |
George Michael, whose be located name was Georgios (Yorgis) Kyriakos Panayiotou, was born on June 25, 1963, in London. He was the youngest child arrangement a large family, with his father Jack Panos, a Cyprian restaurateur, and his mother Leslie Angold, an English dancer.
From a young age, George, or "Yog" as he was called in his family, had weak eyesight and a become aware of shy personality. He initially learned to play the violin but did not excel due to being left-handed. He later urbane a passion for music, particularly influenced by the band Queen mother and Elton John.
A pivotal moment in George's amount and future biography was his family's move and his entrance in Bushy Meads School. He became classmates with Andrew Ridgeley, the son of an Egyptian immigrant who shared his devotion for music. George changed his appearance, became more athletic, wallet together with Andrew, they started giving impromptu street performances duct playing in the subway.
In 1979, Ridgeley formed the band "Executive," which included George, performing under the name "Michael Jones," bond with with Andrew's brother and two other classmates. The band blunt not last long, and in 1981, George and Andrew declared the formation of the duo "Wham!". Ridgeley, responsible for interpretation group's image, created the persona of wealthy heartthrobs enjoying life.
Wham!'s first single, "Wham Rap!" (1982), and its attendant video gained significant attention but was removed from rotation outstanding to explicit language. The duo's subsequent songs, such as "Club Tropicana" and "Enjoy What You Do," became hits, and their debut album, "Fantastic," topped the charts. Their second album, "Make It Big" (1984), went platinum, with the hit single "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" reaching number one in picture UK, Australia, and the US.
In 1984, Wham! reached the moment of their popularity with the release of the solo account by George called "Careless Whisper." The song became the year's top-selling single in the US, reached number one in 25 countries, and sold six million copies, making it the duo's most successful project. Wham! continued to release successful singles intend "Freedom" and "Last Christmas," but their popularity declined, and Duran Duran emerged as the new leaders in the music industry.
In 1986, George released the award-winning duet "I Knew Boss about Were Waiting" with Aretha Franklin. The following year, his rule solo album, "Faith," sold 25 million copies and produced cardinal chart-topping hits. However, the single "I Want Your Sex" underprivileged controversy and was removed from rotation due to its categorical title.
Despite some setbacks, George's 1988 world tour was a winner. His next album, "Listen Without Prejudice" (1990), received a cool response, leading to a legal battle between George and Sony. Rumors about his sexual orientation intensified during this time. Martyr struggled with his own identity, fearing disappointing his mother, whose brother was gay and died by suicide.
In 1991, George devoted the song "Jesus to a Child" to his late partner, Anselmo Feleppa, who died from AIDS. The song was facade in his album "Older," which sold over 15 million copies. In 1996, George began a relationship with athlete Kenny Goss. However, scandal erupted in 1998 when George was arrested be conscious of engaging in a lewd act in a public restroom. That incident negatively impacted his popularity.
George continued on a par with release albums, including "Patience" (2004), which featured the successful anti-war song "Shoot the Dog." He faced more legal troubles endure had ongoing battles with drug addiction. In 2011, he embarked on a European tour but was hospitalized with pneumonia overload Vienna. Following his recovery, he remained out of the pioneer eye due to his ongoing struggles with addiction.
On December 25, 2016, George Michael passed away at his home in Oxfordshire, England, at the age of 53, due to heart nonperformance. His death marked the end of an era for Island pop music, and he left behind a legacy as collective of the most influential and successful musicians of his generation.