George Michael: The biography

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At the age of 44, George Michael has already notched up six US Number One singles, 11 Number One British singles and six Number One albums to date. He has been showered with awards and has also played some of the music industry's biggest and most important concerts in history, including Live Aid, and most recently when he opened the newly completed Wembley Stadium in June 2007, with a spectacular sell out show. Michael, George; Parsons, Tony (15 July 1991). Bare: George Michael, His Own Story. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-013235-9. The Symphonica Tour began at the Prague State Opera House on 22 August 2011. [128] In October 2011, Michael was announced as one of the final nominees for the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. [129] In November, he had to cancel the remainder of the tour as he became ill with pneumonia in Vienna, Austria, ultimately slipping into a coma. [130]

George Michael Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life George Michael Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life

In 2006, Michael performed a free concert for NHS nurses in London to thank the nurses who had cared for his late mother. He told the audience: "Thank you for everything you do — some people appreciate it. Now if we can only get the government to do the same thing." [222]Michael released " Fastlove", an energetic tune about wanting gratification and fulfilment without commitment, in 1996. The single version was nearly five minutes long. "Fastlove" was supported by a futuristic virtual reality-related video. The single reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top spot. [13] In the US, "Fastlove" peaked at No. 8. [14] Following "Fastlove", Michael released Older, his third studio album. [92] In the UK, the album was particularly notable for producing a record six top three hit singles in a two-year span. [93] George Michael's boyfriend reveals he died alone at home, amid claims he had battled heroin habit". Telegraph. 28 December 2016. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022 . Retrieved 23 September 2018. George Michael to 'marry' partner". BBC News. 29 November 2005. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008 . Retrieved 27 April 2009.

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George Michael jailed for eight weeks for drug driving". BBC News. 14 September 2010. Archived from the original on 15 September 2010 . Retrieved 14 September 2010. Bego, Mark (10 February 2010). Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul. Hachette Books. p.249. ISBN 978-0-7867-5229-4. George Michael goes to ground". BBC News. Archived from the original on 30 December 2016 . Retrieved 29 December 2016. George Michael planned to release new album in 2017". NME. 26 December 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017 . Retrieved 22 January 2017.a b Cohen, Benjamin (27 February 2006). "George Michael: "arrest my own stupid fault" ". Pink News. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009 . Retrieved 20 November 2009.

George Michael spent his final years bingeing on drugs How George Michael spent his final years bingeing on drugs

Usmar, Jo (20 March 2012). "George Michael reschedules cancelled tour dates after beating pneumonia". Mirror.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018 . Retrieved 13 February 2018. Having charted at number two upon its release in 1984 (behind Band Aid's " Do They Know It's Christmas?" which Michael also performed in), "Last Christmas" finally reached number-one in the UK Singles Chart on New Year's Day 2021 (chart week ending date 7 January 2021), more than 36 years after its initial release. [140] Andrew Ridgeley said the chart placing was "a testament to its timeless appeal and charm", adding: "It is a fitting tribute to George's song-writing genius... he would have been immensely proud and utterly thrilled." [140] The period of 36 years taken to reach number one was a UK chart record, which would be surpassed by Kate Bush with " Running Up That Hill" in June 2022 which took 37 years. [141] Posthumous releases George Michael's memorial garden – in pictures". The Guardian. 2 December 2017. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017 . Retrieved 3 December 2017. Making George Michael: Older". 19 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021 . Retrieved 14 October 2021.BBC.com Michael seeking 'a quieter life' ". 12 June 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-02-01 . Retrieved 2011-04-09. {{ cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ( link) In 2004, Michael said, "I used to sleep with women quite a lot in the Wham! days but never felt it could develop into a relationship because I knew that, emotionally, I was a gay man. I didn't want to commit to them, but I was attracted to them. Then I became ashamed that I might be using them. I decided I had to stop, which I did when I began to worry about AIDS, which was becoming prevalent in Britain. Although I had always had safe sex, I didn't want to sleep with a woman without telling her I was bisexual. I felt that would be irresponsible. Basically, I didn't want to have that uncomfortable conversation that might ruin the moment, so I stopped sleeping with them." In the same interview, he added: "If I wasn't with Kenny [his boyfriend at the time], I would have sex with women, no question". He said he believed that the formation of his sexuality was "a nurture thing, via the absence of my father who was always busy working. It meant I was exceptionally close to my mother", though he stated that "there are definitely those who have a predisposition to being gay in which the environment is irrelevant." [160] In 2007, Michael said he had hidden his sexuality because of worries over what effect it might have on his mother. [161] Two years later, he added: "My depression at the end of Wham! was because I was beginning to realise I was gay, not bisexual." [164] Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 was released in September 1990. The title is an indication of his desire to be taken more seriously as a songwriter. [69] The album was released in Europe on 3 September 1990, and one week later in the US. It reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart [13] and peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200. [14] It spent a total of 88 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and was certified four-times Platinum by the BPI. [70] The album produced five UK singles, all of which were released within an eight-month period: " Praying for Time", " Waiting for That Day", " Freedom! '90", " Heal the Pain", and " Cowboys and Angels" (the latter being his only single not to chart in the UK top 40). [13] Michael refused to do any promotion for the album. [68] At the 1991 Brit Awards, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 won the award for Best British Album. [71]

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Staff, Wonderland (16 September 2022). "Sony Music Celebrate George Michael's Iconic Album, Older". Wonderland. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022 . Retrieved 30 September 2022. All proceeds from the sale of the EP benefited the Mercury Phoenix Trust. [88] Sales of the EP were strong through Europe, where it debuted at No. 1 in the UK and several European countries. [13] Chart success in the US was less spectacular, where it reached No. 40 on the Billboard 200 ("Somebody to Love" reached No. 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100). [14] The performance would later feature on Queen's compilation album Greatest Hits III. [89] In 1996, Michael was voted Best British Male at the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Brit Awards; [94] [95] and at the British Academy's Ivor Novello Awards, he was awarded the title of Songwriter of the Year for the third time. [96] Michael performed a concert at Three Mills Studios, London, for MTV Unplugged. [97] It was his first long performance in years, and in the audience was Michael's mother, who died of cancer the following year. [98]Inside Billboard's Greatest of All Time: The Most Successful Songs, Albums and Acts of the Past 50-Plus Years". Billboard. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021 . Retrieved 8 December 2021. Following his split with Wham!, George Michael began a successful solo career, releasing four studio albums, Faith (1987), Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990), Older (1996), and Patience (2004). Michael has sold over 100 million records worldwide as of 2010, [3] 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 20million copies worldwide alone and its considered by some music critics to be one of the greatest albums in pop music history. [4] In 2004, Radio Academy has named Michael the most played artist on British radio between the period of 1984-2004. [5] Rodman, Natalie (18 June 2008). "George Michael sounds off on gay marriage". USA Today. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 28 October 2008 . Retrieved 12 September 2011. George Michael's Oprah Winfrey Show Interview (2004)". GM Forever. 7 May 2019. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023 . Retrieved 25 April 2021. Michael stages concert for nurses". BBC News. 21 December 2006. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016 . Retrieved 27 December 2016.