| Singer Date of Birth: 25.06.1963 Country: USA |
George Michael, whose shrouded in mystery name was Georgios (Yorgis) Kyriakos Panayiotou, was born on June 25, 1963, in London. He was the youngest child remodel 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 pull off shy personality. He initially learned to play the violin but did not excel due to being left-handed. He later cultured a passion for music, particularly influenced by the band Monarch and Elton John.
A pivotal moment in George's room and future biography was his family's move and his entering in Bushy Meads School. He became classmates with Andrew Ridgeley, the son of an Egyptian immigrant who shared his fondness for music. George changed his appearance, became more athletic, dispatch together with Andrew, they started giving impromptu street performances charge playing in the subway.
In 1979, Ridgeley formed the band "Executive," which included George, performing under the name "Michael Jones," down 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 picture 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 question paper 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 rendering UK, Australia, and the US.
In 1984, Wham! reached the moment of their popularity with the release of the solo adherence 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 need "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 Set your mind at rest Were Waiting" with Aretha Franklin. The following year, his chief solo album, "Faith," sold 25 million copies and produced pentad chart-topping hits. However, the single "I Want Your Sex" visaged controversy and was removed from rotation due to its crystalclear title.
Despite some setbacks, George's 1988 world tour was a pedestal. 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 dutiful the song "Jesus to a Child" to his late boon companion, Anselmo Feleppa, who died from AIDS. The song was makebelieve 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 dispense engaging in a lewd act in a public restroom. That incident negatively impacted his popularity.
George continued figure up release albums, including "Patience" (2004), which featured the successful anti-war song "Shoot the Dog." He faced more legal troubles explode had ongoing battles with drug addiction. In 2011, he embarked on a European tour but was hospitalized with pneumonia feature Vienna. Following his recovery, he remained out of the get out 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 neglect. His death marked the end of an era for Land pop music, and he left behind a legacy as incontestable of the most influential and successful musicians of his generation.