George Michael

Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou,  (25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016), known professionally as George Michael, was an English singer-songwriter, and record producer.

Career
George Michael who rose to fame in the 1980s, when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend Andrew Ridgeley. The duo released a string of massive  singles in 1982 like Young Guns (Go For It) and Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do), both written by Michael. In 1983, Wham’s debut album, "Fantastic" was released. It reached #1 in the UK charts and had the hit single Club Tropicana with a music video, shot in Ibiza. After a year, Wham changed its image with the release of their second album Make it Big, which was a critical and commercial success, hitting #1 in both the UK and the USA. It produced four singles, all topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. One of the most popular songs in the album, Careless Whisper, Michael's first solo single, was released in 1984 while he was still performing with Wham!. In 1986, Wham! disbanded after release of a third studio album, single and concert at Wembley Stadium.

Following his split with Wham!, George Michael began a successful solo career, releasing four studio albums, "Faith" (1987), "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" (1991), "Older" (1996), and "Patience"  (2004). Michael has sold over 100 million records worldwide as of 2010, encompassing 11 British #1 singles, 9 British #1 albums, 10 US #1 singles, and 2 US #1 album. His 1987 debut solo album, Faith  has sold over 20 million copies worldwide alone and its considered by some music critics to be one of the greatest albums in pop music history. In 2004, Radio Academy has named Michael the most played artist on British radio between the period of 1984-2004.

In 2006, George Michael announced his first tour in 15 years. 25 Live tour was a massive, worldwide undertaking by Michael that spanned forth individual tours over the course of five years (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).

Charity 
In November 1984, Michael joined other popular British and Irish pop stars to form Band Aid, singing on the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for relief of famine in Ethiopia. This single became the UK Christmas number one on the UK Singles Chart in December 1984. Michael's own song, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, was held at number two. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" sold 3.75 million copies in the UK. It became the biggest selling single in UK Chart history. It held this position until 1997 when it was overtaken by Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997", released in tribute to Princess Diana following her death Michael also attended Diana's funeral with Elton John. Michael donated the royalties from "Last Christmas" to Band Aid and subsequently sang with Elton John at Live Aid (the Band Aid charity concert) in 1985.

Personal life
Michael was born in London to an English mother and Greek father. Michael was raised there and in Hertfordshire. He was initially private about being homosexual. During his Wham! career, he was in relationships with well-known women such as actress Brooke Shields, and model Pat Fernandes. Between 1986-1988, he was romantically involved with Kathy Yueng, an American makeup artist who was featured in "I Want Your Sex" Music Video. Nonetheless, his sexual orientation was well known among London music business people.

These persisted into his solo career, but Michael had already established a relationship with Anselmo Feleppa, whom he had met at the 1991 concert "Rock in Rio". Feleppa died of an AIDS-related brain hemorrhage in 1993. Michael's single Jesus to a Child is a tribute to Feleppa: (he consistently dedicates it to him before performing it live), as is his 1996 album "Older". Since 1996, Michael has been in a long-term relationship with businessman Kenny Goss. They have homes in London and Dallas.

Death
On 25 December 2016 before 17:24 GMT, Michael died at his property in Goring, Oxfordshire, England from heart failure and a fatty liver, aged 54. Before 22:59 GMT his publicist stated that he had "passed away peacefully" and Thames Valley Police said they were treating the death as unexplained and there were no suspicious circumstances. South Central Ambulance Service had attended his property at 13:42 GMT on Christmas Day.

Discography

Faith (1987) 
 Faith
 Father Figure
 I Want Your Sex
 One More Try
 Hard Day
 Hand To Mouth
 Look At Your Hands
 Monkey
 Kissing A Fool
 A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part 3)

Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (1990) 
 Praying For Time
 Freedom '90
 They Won't Go When I Go
 Something To Save
 Cowboys And Angels
 Waiting For That Day
 Mothers Pride
 Heal The Pain
 Soul Free
 Waiting (Reprise)

Older (1996) 
 Jesus To A Child
 Fastlove
 Older
 Spinning The Wheel
 It Doesn't Really Matter
 The Strangest Thing
 To Be Forgiven
 Move On
 Star People
 You Have Been Loved

Ladies And Gentlemen: The Best Of George Michael (1998) 
 Jesus To A Child
 Father Figure
 Careless Whisper
 Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
 You Have Been Loved
 Kissing A Fool
 I Can't Make You Love Me
 Heal The Pain
 A Moment With You
 Desafinado
 Cowboys And Angels
 Praying For Time
 One More Try
 A Different Corner
 Waltz Away Dreaming
 Outside
 Fastlove
 As
 Too Funky
 Freedom '90
 Star People '97
 Killer
 Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
 I Want Your Sex
 Monkey
 Spinning The Wheel
 Waiting For That Day
 Fantasy
 I Knew You Were Waiting For Me
 Hard Day
 Faith
 Somebody To Love

Songs From The Last Century (1999) 
 Brother Can You Spare A Dime
 Roxanne
 You've Changed
 My Baby Just Cares For Me
 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
 Miss Sarajevo
 I Remember You
 Secret Love
 Wild Is The Wind
 Where Or When

Patience (2004) 
 Patience
 Amazing
 John & Elvis Are Dead
 Cars & Trains
 Round Here
 Shoot The Dog
 My Mother Had A Brother
 Flawless (Go To The City)
 American Angel
 Precious Box
 Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)
 Freeek!
 Through

Twenty Five (2006) 
Disc 1
 Everything She Wants - Wham!
 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!
 Freedom - Wham!
 Faith
 Too Funky
 Fastlove
 Freedom '90
 Spinning the Wheel
 Outside
 As (with Mary J. Blige)
 Freeek! (Not '04)
 Shoot The Dog
 Amazing
 Flawless (Radio Edition)
 An Easier Affair
Disc 2
 Careless Whisper
 Last Christmas - Wham!
 A Different Corner
 Father Figure
 One More Try
 Praying For Time
 Heal The Pain (with Sir Paul McCartney)
 Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (with Sir Elton John)
 Jesus To A Child
 Older
 Round Here
 You Have Been Loved
 John and Elvis Are Dead
 This Is Not Real Love (with Mutya)
Disc 3
 Understand
 Precious Box
 Roxanne
 Fantasy
 Cars and Trains
 Patience
 You Know That I Want To
 My Mother Had A Brother
 If You Were There - Wham!
 Safe
 American Angel
 My Baby Just Cares For Me
 Brother Can You Spare A Dime? (performed at Pavarotti & Friends)
 Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)
 Through

References

Other websites 
 George Michael | The Official Website

1963 births
2016 deaths
Deaths from cardiomyopathy
Deaths from liver disease
Criminals from London
English LGBT people
English songwriters
Gay men
LGBT criminals
LGBT musicians
LGBT rights activists
Musicians from Hertfordshire
Singers from London
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Deaths from myocarditis