Professional Documents
Culture Documents
George Michael
George Michael
George Michael
25 June 1963
Singer
Occupation
songwriter
record producer
Years active 1981–2016
Musical career
Genres Pop
post-disco
R&B
dance-pop
blue-eyed soul
Instruments Vocals
Labels Innervision
Columbia
Epic
Virgin
DreamWorks
Polydor
Sony
Aegean
Stevie Wonder
Elton John
Aretha Franklin
Queen
Whitney Houston
Mary J. Blige
Mutya Buena
Tony Bennett
Paul McCartney
Nile Rodgers
Website georgemichael.com
1Early life
2Wham!
3Solo career
o 3.11987–1989
o 3.21990s
o 3.32000s
o 3.42010s
4Personal life
o 4.1Sexuality and relationships
o 4.2Legal troubles
o 4.3Health
o 4.4Politics
o 4.5Philanthropy
o 4.6Assets
5Death
6Tributes
7Awards and achievements
8Discography and record sales
9Tours
10See also
11References
12External links
Early life
George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (Greek: Γεώργιος Κυριάκου
Παναγιώτου) on 25 June 1963 in East Finchley, London.[7][8] His father, Kyriacos
Panayiotou (nicknamed "Jack"),[9] was a Greek Cypriot restaurateur who emigrated to
England in the 1950s.[10] His mother, Lesley Angold (née Harrison, died 1997),[11] was an
English dancer.[12] In June 2008, Michael told the Los Angeles Times that his maternal
grandmother was Jewish, but she married a non-Jewish man and raised her children
with no knowledge of their Jewish background due to her fear during World War
II.[13] Michael spent most of his childhood in Kingsbury, London, in the home his parents
bought soon after his birth; he attended Roe Green Junior School and Kingsbury High
School.[14][15] His sisters are Yioda (born 1962) and Melanie (1964–2019).[16][11]
While he was in his early teens, the family moved to Radlett. There, Michael
attended Bushey Meads School in Bushey, where he befriended his future Wham!
partner Andrew Ridgeley. The two had the same career ambition of being
musicians.[9] Michael busked on the London Underground, performing songs such as
"'39" by Queen.[17] His involvement in the music business began with his working as a
DJ, playing at clubs and local schools around Bushey, Stanmore, and Watford. This
was followed by the formation of a short-lived ska band called The Executive, with
Ridgeley, Ridgeley's brother Paul, Andrew Leaver, and David Mortimer (later known
as David Austin).[18]
Wham!
Michael formed the duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981. The band's first
album Fantastic reached No. 1 in the UK in 1983 and produced a series of top 10
singles including "Young Guns", "Wham Rap!" and "Club Tropicana". Their second
album, Make It Big, reached No. 1 on the charts in the US. Singles from that album
included "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (No. 1 in the UK and US), "Freedom",
"Everything She Wants", and "Careless Whisper" which reached No. 1 in nearly 25
countries, including the UK and US, and was Michael's first solo effort as a single.[3][4] In
1985 Michael received the first of his three Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the
Year from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.[19]
Michael sang on the original Band Aid recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
(which became the UK Christmas number one) and donated the profits from "Last
Christmas" and "Everything She Wants" to charity.[20] Michael sang "Don't Let the Sun
Go Down on Me" with Elton John at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London on 13 July
1985.[21] He also contributed background vocals to David Cassidy's 1985 hit "The Last
Kiss", as well as Elton John's 1985 successes "Nikita" and "Wrap Her Up". Michael cited
Cassidy as a major career influence and interviewed Cassidy for David Litchfield's Ritz
Newspaper.[22]
Michael performed at Live Aid at the old Wembley Stadium (exterior pictured) on 13 July 1985, and Wham!
played their last ever concert, The Final, at the same venue on 28 June 1986
Wham!'s tour of China in April 1985, the first visit to China by a Western popular music
act, generated worldwide media coverage, much of it centred on Michael.[23][24] Before
Wham!'s appearance in China, many kinds of music in the country were
forbidden.[23] The band's manager, Simon Napier-Bell, had spent 18 months trying to
convince Chinese officials to let the duo play.[23] The audience included members of the
Chinese government, and Chinese television presenter, Kan Lijun, who was the on
stage host, spoke of Wham!'s historic performance;
"No-one had ever seen anything like that before. All the young people were amazed and
everybody was tapping their feet. Of course the police weren't happy and they were
scared there would be riots."[23]
Wham! performed their hits with scantily clad dancers and strobing disco lights.
According to Napier-Bell, Michael tried to get the crowd to clap along to "Club
Tropicana", but "they hadn't a clue – they thought he wanted applause and politely gave
it", before adding some Chinese did eventually "get the hang of clapping on the
beat.”[25] A UK embassy official in China stated “there was some lively dancing but this
was almost entirely confined to younger western members of the audience.”[25] The tour
was documented by film director Lindsay Anderson and producer Martin Lewis in their
film Wham! in China: Foreign Skies.[26] With the success of Michael's solo singles,
"Careless Whisper" (1984) and "A Different Corner" (1986), rumours of an impending
break up of Wham! intensified. The duo officially separated in 1986, after releasing a
farewell single, "The Edge of Heaven" and a farewell compilation, The Final (their third
album Music from the Edge of Heaven was released in North America and Japan), plus
a sell-out concert at Wembley Stadium that included the world premiere of the China
film. The Wham! partnership ended officially with the commercially successful single
"The Edge of Heaven", which reached No. 1 on the UK chart in June 1986.[27]
Solo career
1987–1989
During early 1987, at the beginning of his solo career, Michael released "I Knew You
Were Waiting (For Me)", a duet with Aretha Franklin. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For
Me)" was a one-off project that helped Michael achieve an ambition by singing with one
of his favourite artists. It scored number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the
US Billboard Hot 100 upon its release.[28][29] For Michael, it became his third consecutive
solo number one in the UK from three releases, after 1984's "Careless Whisper"
(though the single was actually from the Wham! album Make It Big) and 1986's "A
Different Corner". The single was also the first Michael had recorded as a solo artist
which he had not written himself. The co-writer, Simon Climie, was unknown at the time;
he later had success as a performer with the band Climie Fisher in 1988. Michael and
Aretha Franklin won a Grammy Award in 1988 for Best R&B Performance – Duo or
Group with Vocal for the song.[30]
In late 1987, Michael released his debut solo album, Faith. The first single released
from the album was "I Want Your Sex", in mid-1987. The song was banned by many
radio stations in the UK and US, due to its sexually suggestive lyrics.[31] MTV broadcast
the video, featuring celebrity make-up artist Kathy Jeung in a basque and suspenders,
only during the late night hours.[31] Michael argued that the act was beautiful if the sex
was monogamous, and he recorded a brief prologue for the video in which he said:
"This song is not about casual sex."[32] One of the racier scenes involved Michael writing
the words "explore monogamy" on his partner's back in lipstick.[33] Some radio stations
played a toned-down version of the song, "I Want Your Love", with the word "love"
replacing "sex".[34]
When "I Want Your Sex" reached the US charts, American Top 40 host Casey
Kasem refused to say the song's title, referring to it only as "the new single by George
Michael."[34] In the US, the song was also sometimes listed as "I Want Your Sex
(from Beverly Hills Cop II)", since the song was featured on the soundtrack of the
movie.[35] Despite censorship and radio play problems, "I Want Your Sex" reached No. 2
on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 in the UK.[3][36] The second single, "Faith", was
released in October 1987, a few weeks before the album. "Faith" became one of his
most popular songs. The song was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive
weeks, becoming the best-selling single of 1988 in the US.[4] It also reached No. 1 in
Australia, and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.[3] The video provided some definitive
images of the 1980s music industry in the process—Michael in shades, leather jacket,
cowboy boots, and Levi's jeans, playing a guitar near a classic-design jukebox.[37]
On 30 October, Faith was released in the UK and in several markets
worldwide.[35] Faith topped the UK Albums Chart, and in the US, the album had 51 non-
consecutive weeks in the top 10 of Billboard 200, including 12 weeks at No. 1. Faith had
many successes, with four singles ("Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and
"Monkey") reaching No. 1 in the US.[38] Faith was certified Diamond by the RIAA for
sales of 10 million copies in the US.[39] To date, global sales of Faith are more than
25 million units.[40] The album was highly acclaimed by music critics,
with AllMusic journalist Steve Huey describing it as a "superbly crafted mainstream
pop/rock masterpiece" and "one of the finest pop albums of the '80s". [41] In a review
by Rolling Stone magazine, journalist Mark Coleman commended most of the songs on
the album, which he said "displays Michael's intuitive understanding of pop music and
his increasingly intelligent use of his power to communicate to an ever-growing
audience."[42]
In 1988, Michael embarked on a world tour.[43] In Los Angeles, Michael was joined on
stage by Aretha Franklin for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". It was the second
highest grossing event of 1988, earning $17.7 million.[44] At the 1988 Brit Awards held at
the Royal Albert Hall on 8 February, Michael received the first of his two awards for Best
British Male Solo Artist. Later that month, Faith won the Grammy Award for Album of
the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards.[45] At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards on 6
September in Los Angeles, Michael received the Video Vanguard Award.[46] According to
Michael in his film, A Different Story, success did not make him happy and he started to
think there was something wrong in being an idol for millions of teenage girls. The
whole Faith process (promotion, videos, tour, awards) left him exhausted, lonely and
frustrated, and far from his friends and family.[47] In 1990, he told his record company
Sony that, for his second album, he did not want to do promotions like the one
for Faith.[48]
1990s
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 was released in September 1990. For this album,
Michael tried to create a new reputation as a serious-minded artist; the title is an
indication of his desire to be taken more seriously as a songwriter.[49] Michael refused to
do any promotion for this album, including no music videos for the singles
released.[48] The first single, "Praying for Time", with lyrics concerning social ills and
injustice, was released in August 1990. James Hunter of Rolling Stone magazine
described the song as "a distraught look at the world's astounding woundedness.
Michael offers the healing passage of time as the only balm for physical and emotional
hunger, poverty, hypocrisy and hatred."[50] The song was an instant success, reaching
No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 in the UK.[4] A video was released shortly
thereafter, consisting of the lyrics on a dark background. Michael did not appear in this
video or any subsequent videos for the album.[49]
The second single "Waiting for That Day" was an acoustic-heavy single, released as an
immediate follow-up to "Praying for Time". It reached No. 23 in the UK[3] and No. 27 in
the US.[4] in October 1990. 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[3] and peaked at
No. 2 on the US Billboard 200.[4] It spent a total of 88 weeks on the UK Albums Chart
and was certified four-times Platinum by the BPI.[51] The album produced five UK singles,
which were released quickly, 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).[3]
"Freedom '90" was the second of only two of its singles to be supported by a music
video (the other being the Michael-less "Praying for Time").[52] The song alludes to his
struggles with his artistic identity, and prophesied his efforts shortly thereafter to end his
recording contract with Sony Music. As if to prove the song's sentiment, Michael refused
to appear in the video (directed by David Fincher), and instead recruited
supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patitz,
and Cindy Crawford to appear in and lip sync in his stead.[52] It also featured lyrics critical
of his sex symbol status.[53] It reached No. 8 success on the Billboard Hot 100 in the
US,[4] and No. 28 on the UK Singles Chart.[3]
"Mother's Pride" gained significant radio play in the US during the first Persian Gulf
War during 1991, often with radio stations mixing in callers' tributes to soldiers with the
music.[54] It reached No. 46 on Billboard Hot 100 with only airplay.[4] In the end, Listen
Without Prejudice Vol. 1 sold approximately 8 million copies.[55]
At the 1991 Brit Awards, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 won the award for Best British
Album.[56] Later in 1991, Michael embarked on the Cover to Cover tour in Japan,
England, the US, and Brazil, where he performed at Rock in Rio.[57] In the audience in
Rio, he saw and later met Anselmo Feleppa, who later became his partner.[54] The tour
was not a proper promotion for Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Rather, it was more
about Michael singing his favourite cover songs.[57] Among his favourites was "Don't Let
the Sun Go Down on Me", a 1974 song by Elton John; Michael and John had performed
the song together at the Live Aid concert in 1985, and again for Michael's concert at
London's Wembley Arena on 25 March 1991, where the duet was recorded. The single
was released at the end of 1991 and reached No. 1 in both the UK and US.[58] In 1991,
Michael released an autobiography through Penguin Books titled Bare, co-written
with Tony Parsons.[59]
An expected follow-up album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2, was scrapped due to
Michael's lawsuit with Sony.[60] Michael complained that Sony had not completely
supported the release of his second album, resulting in its poor performance in the US
as compared to Faith. Sony responded that Michael's refusal to appear in promotional
videos had caused the bad response.[61] Michael ended the idea for Listen Without
Prejudice Vol. 2 and donated three songs to the charity project Red Hot + Dance, for
the Red Hot Organization which raised money for AIDS awareness; a fourth track
"Crazyman Dance" was the B-side of 1992's "Too Funky". Michael donated the royalties
from "Too Funky" to the same cause.[62]
"Too Funky" reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart[3] and No. 10 on the
US Billboard Hot 100.[4] It did not appear on any George Michael studio album, but was
included on his solo collections Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael in
1998 and Twenty Five in 2006. The video featured Michael (sporadically) as a director
filming supermodels Linda Evangelista, Beverly Peele, Tyra Banks, Estelle
Lefébure and Nadja Auermann at a fashion show.
"George Michael was the best. There's a certain note in his voice when he did 'Somebody to Love' that was pure
Freddie."
—Queen guitarist Brian May on Michael's performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. [63]
Twenty Five is Michael's second greatest hits album, celebrating the 25th anniversary of
his music career.[97] Released in November 2006 by Sony BMG, it debuted at no.1 in the
UK.[98] The album contains songs chiefly from Michael's solo career but also from his
earlier days in Wham! It comes in two formats: two CDs or a limited edition three-CD
set. The 2-CD set contained 26 tracks, including four recorded with Wham! and three
new songs: "An Easier Affair"; "This Is Not Real Love" (a duet with Mutya Buena,
formerly of Sugababes, which peaked at No.15 in the UK Charts); and a new version of
"Heal the Pain" recorded with Paul McCartney. The limited edition three-CD version
contains an additional 14 lesser known tracks, including one from Wham! and one new
song, "Understand".[99]
Twenty Five was released in North America on 1 April 2008 as a 29-song, two-CD set
featuring several new songs (including duets with Paul McCartney and Mary J. Blige
and a song from the short-lived TV series Eli Stone)[100] in addition to many of Michael's
successful songs from both his solo and Wham! career. To commemorate the Twenty
Five album, Michael toured North America for the first time in 17 years, playing large
venues in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, St.
Paul/Minneapolis, Tampa/St. Pete, Chicago and Dallas.[101] The DVD version of Twenty
Five contains 40 videos on two discs, including seven with Wham![102]
Michael onstage in Munich, 2006
During the 2005 Live 8 concert at Hyde Park, London, Michael joined Paul
McCartney on stage, harmonising on The Beatles classic "Drive My Car".[103] In 2006,
Michael embarked on his first tour in 15 years, 25 Live. The tour began in Barcelona,
Spain, on 23 September and finished in December at Wembley Arena in England.
According to his website, the 80-show tour was seen by 1.3 million fans. On 12 May
2007 in Coimbra, Portugal, he began the European "25 Live Stadium Tour 2007",
including London and Athens, and ending on 4 August 2007 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
There were 29 tour dates across Europe. On 9 June 2007 Michael became the first
artist to perform live at the newly renovated Wembley Stadium in London, where he was
later fined £130,000 for over-running the programme for 13 minutes.[104]
On 25 March 2008, a third part of the 25 Live Tour was announced for North America.
This part included 21 dates in the United States and Canada. This was Michael's first
tour of North America in 17 years. Following news of Michael's North American
tour, Twenty Five was released in North America on 1 April 2008 as a 29-song, 2-CD
set featuring several new songs (including duets with Paul McCartney and Mary J.
Blige and a song from the short-lived TV series, Eli Stone) in addition to many of
Michael's successful songs from both his solo and Wham! career.[105]
Michael made his American acting debut by playing a guardian angel to Jonny Lee
Miller's character on Eli Stone, a US TV series. In addition to performing on the show as
himself and as "visions", each episode of the show's first season was named after a
song of his. Michael appeared on the 2008 finale show of American Idol on 21 May
singing "Praying for Time". When asked what he thought Simon Cowell would say of his
performance, he replied "I think he'll probably tell me I shouldn't have done a George
Michael song. He's told plenty of people that in the past, so I think that'd be quite
funny."[106][107][108] On 1 December, Michael performed in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab
Emirates, as part of the 37th National Day celebrations.
On 25 December 2008, Michael released a new track "December Song" on his website
for free. It was hoped that fans who downloaded the song would donate money to
charity. Though the song is not available any more on his website, it remains available
on file sharing networks[109] and a remastered version of "December Song" went on sale
on 13 December. The popularity of the single was boosted by a promotional
appearance that Michael made on The X Factor.
2010s
Michael performing during his Symphonica tour in Nice, France, in September 2011
In early 2010, Michael performed his first concerts in Australia since 1988. [110] On 20
February 2010, Michael performed his first show in Perth at the Burswood Dome to an
audience of 15,000.[111] On 2 March 2011, Michael announced the release of his cover
version of New Order's 1987 hit "True Faith" in aid of the UK charity telethon Comic
Relief.[112] Michael appeared on Comic Relief itself, featuring in the first Carpool
Karaoke sketch of James Corden, with the pair singing songs while Corden drove
around London.[113] On 15 April 2011, Michael released a cover of Stevie Wonder's 1972
song, "You and I", as an MP3 gift to Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the
occasion of their wedding on 29 April 2011. Although the MP3 was released for free
download,[114] Michael appealed to those who downloaded the track to make a
contribution to "The Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund". [115]
The Symphonica Tour began at the Prague State Opera House on 22 August
2011.[116] In October 2011, Michael was announced as one of the final nominees for
the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.[117] 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.[118]
In February 2012, two months after leaving hospital, Michael made a surprise
appearance at the 2012 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena in London, where he received a
standing ovation, and presented Adele the award for Best British Album.[119] In March,
Michael announced that he was healthy and that the Symphonica Tour would resume in
autumn.[120] The final concert of the tour—which was also the final concert of Michael's
life–was performed at London's Earls Court on 17 October 2012.[121]
Symphonica was released on 17 March 2014, and became Michael's seventh solo No.
1 album in the UK, and ninth overall including his Wham! chart-toppers. The album was
produced by Phil Ramone and Michael; the album was Ramone's last production
credit.[122] On 2 November 2016, Michael's management team announced that a second
documentary on his life, entitled Freedom, was set to be released in March 2017.[123][124] A
month after, English songwriter Naughty Boy confirmed plans to collaborate with
Michael, for a new song and album.[125] Naughty Boy claimed that the song, currently
untitled, is "amazing but [...] bittersweet".[126] On 7 September 2017 (months after
Michael's death), the single "Fantasy", featuring Nile Rodgers, was released.[127]
Personal life
Sexuality and relationships
Michael stated that his early fantasies were about women, which "led me to believe I
was on the path to heterosexuality", but at puberty he started to fantasise about men,
which he later said "had something to do with my environment". At the age of 19,
Michael told Andrew Ridgeley that he was bisexual.[128] Michael also told one of his two
sisters, but he was advised not to tell his parents about his sexuality. [129] In a 1999
interview with The Advocate, Michael told the Editor in Chief, Judy Wieder, that it was
"falling in love with a man that ended his conflict over bisexuality". "I never had a moral
problem with being gay", Michael told her. "I thought I had fallen in love with a woman a
couple of times. Then I fell in love with a man, and realised that none of those things
had been love."[130]
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." [128] In 2007
Michael said he had hidden the fact he was gay because of worries over what effect it
might have on his mother.[129] Two years later, he added: "My depression at the end of
Wham! was because I was beginning to realise I was gay, not bisexual." [131]
During the late 1980s, Michael had a relationship with Chinese-American make-up artist
Kathy Jeung, who was regarded for a time as his artistic "muse" and who appeared in
the "I Want Your Sex" video.[132] Michael later said that she had been his "only bona fide"
girlfriend, and that she knew of his bisexuality.[128] In 2016 Jeung reacted to Michael's
death by calling him a "true friend" with whom she had spent "some of the best time of
[her] life".[133]
In 1992, Michael established a relationship with Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian dress
designer who he had met at the Rock in Rio concert in 1991. Six months into their
relationship, Feleppa discovered that he was HIV-positive. Michael later said: "It was
terrifying news. I thought I could have the disease too. I couldn't go through it with my
family because I didn't know how to share it with them – they didn't even know I was
gay."[131] In 1993, Feleppa died of an AIDS-related brain haemorrhage.[134] Michael's
single, "Jesus to a Child", is a tribute to Feleppa (Michael consistently dedicated it to
him before performing it live), as is his album Older (1996).[135] In 2008, speaking about
the loss of Feleppa, Michael said: "It was a terribly depressing time. It took about three
years to grieve, then after that I lost my mother. I felt almost like I was cursed." [136]
In 1996, Michael entered into a long-term relationship with Kenny Goss, a former flight
attendant, cheerleading coach,[137] and sportswear executive from Dallas.[138] They had a
home in Dallas,[139] a 16th-century house in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire[140][141] and an
£8 million mansion in Highgate, North London.[134] In late November 2005, it was
reported that Michael and Goss planned to register their relationship as a civil
partnership in the UK,[142] but because of negative publicity and his upcoming tour, they
postponed their plans.[143] On 22 August 2011, the opening night of his Symphonica
world tour, Michael announced that he and Goss had split two years earlier.[144]
Michael's homosexuality became publicly known following his April 1998 arrest for
public lewdness.[145] In 2007, Michael said "that hiding his sexuality made him feel
'fraudulent', and his eventual outing, when he was arrested [...] in 1998, was a
subconsciously deliberate act."[146]
In 2012, Michael entered a relationship with Fadi Fawaz, an Australian celebrity
hairstylist and freelance photographer of Lebanese descent based in London. [147][148] It
was Fawaz who found Michael's body on Christmas morning 2016.[149][150]
Legal troubles
On 7 April 1998, Michael was arrested for "engaging in a lewd act" in a public restroom
of the Will Rogers Memorial Park in Beverly Hills, California.[151][152] Michael was arrested
by undercover policeman Marcelo Rodríguez in a sting operation using so-called "pretty
police".[153] In an MTV interview, Michael stated: "I got followed into the restroom and
then this cop—I didn't know it was a cop, obviously—he started playing this game,
which I think is called, 'I'll show you mine, you show me yours, and then when you show
me yours, I'm going to nick you!'"[154]
After pleading "no contest" to the charge, Michael was fined US$810 and sentenced to
80 hours of community service. Soon afterwards, Michael made a video for his single
"Outside", which satirised the public toilet incident and featured men dressed as
policemen kissing. Rodríguez claimed that this video "mocked" him, and that Michael
had slandered him in interviews. In 1999, he brought a US$10 million court case in
California against the singer. The court dismissed the case, but an appellate
court reinstated it on 3 December 2002.[155] The court then ruled that Rodríguez, as a
public official, could not legally recover damages for emotional distress.[156]
On 23 July 2006, Michael was again accused of engaging in anonymous public sex, this
time at London's Hampstead Heath.[157] The anonymous partner was incorrectly stated to
be a 58-year-old unemployed van driver.[158][159] Michael stated that he cruised for
anonymous sex[160] and that this was not an issue in his relationship with partner Kenny
Goss.[161]
In February 2006, Michael was arrested for possession of Class C drugs, an incident
that he described as "my own stupid fault, as usual". He was cautioned by the police
and released.[162] In 2007, he pleaded guilty to drug–impaired driving after obstructing the
road at traffic lights in Cricklewood in northwest London, and was subsequently banned
from driving for two years and sentenced to community service.[163]
On 19 September 2008, Michael was arrested in a public restroom in the Hampstead
Heath area for possession of Class A and C drugs. He was taken to the police station
and cautioned for controlled substance possession.[164]
In the early hours of Sunday 4 July 2010, Michael was returning from the Gay
Pride parade, when he was spotted on CCTV crashing his car into the front of a Snappy
Snaps store in Hampstead, north London, and was arrested on suspicion of being unfit
to drive.[165][166] On 12 August, London's Metropolitan Police said he was "charged with
possession of cannabis and with driving while unfit through drink or drugs". [167] It was
reported that Michael had also been taking the prescription
medication amitriptyline.[168] On 24 August 2010, the singer pleaded guilty at Highbury
Corner Magistrates' Court in London after admitting driving under the influence of
drugs.[169] On 14 September 2010, at the same court, Michael was sentenced to eight
weeks in prison, a fine, and a five-year ban from driving.[170][171] Michael was released
from Highpoint Prison in Suffolk on 11 October 2010, after serving four weeks.[172]
Health
Michael struggled with substance abuse.[173][174] He was arrested for drug-related offenses
in 2006,[162] 2008,[164] and 2010.[165][166] In September 2007, on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island
Discs, Michael said that his cannabis use was a problem; he wished he could smoke
less of it and was constantly trying to do so.[175] On 5 December 2009, in an interview
with The Guardian, Michael explained he had cut back on cannabis and was smoking
only 'seven or eight' spliffs per day instead of the 25 per day he had formerly
smoked.[176] Michael also abused sleeping pills.[174]
On 26 October 2011, Michael cancelled a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in
London due to a viral infection. On 21 November, Vienna General Hospital admitted
Michael after he complained of chest pains while at a hotel two hours before his
performance at a venue there for his Symphonica Tour. Michael appeared to be "in
good spirits" and responded well to treatment following his admittance, but on 25
November hospital officials said that his condition had "worsened overnight". This
development led to cancellations and postponements of Michael's remaining 2011
performances, which had been scheduled mainly for the United Kingdom. [177] The singer
was later confirmed to have suffered from pneumonia and, until 1 December, was in
an intensive care unit; at one point, he was comatose. On 21 December the hospital
discharged him. Michael told the press that the staff at the hospital had saved his life
and that he would perform a free concert for them. While making the speech, he
became emotional and breathless.[178] During the speech, he also mentioned that he had
undergone a tracheotomy.[179] After waking from the coma, Michael had a
temporary West Country accent, and there was concern he had developed foreign
accent syndrome.[180]
On 16 May 2013, Michael sustained a head injury when he fell from his moving car on
the M1 motorway, near St Albans in Hertfordshire, and was airlifted to hospital.[181][182][183]
Politics
To call us [Wham!] Thatcherite was so simplistic, basically saying that if you've got a deep enough tan and made a bit
of money then you've got to be a Thatcherite.
—Michael, a Labour voter throughout the 1980s, distanced himself from Thatcher's Conservative Party. [184]
During the time of Margaret Thatcher as the Conservative Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom throughout the 1980s, Michael voted Labour.[184] In 2000, Michael
joined Melissa Etheridge, Garth Brooks, Queen Latifah, the Pet Shop Boys, and k.d.
lang, to perform in Washington, D.C. as part of Equality Rocks, a concert to benefit
the Human Rights Campaign,[185] an American LGBT rights group. His 2002 single
"Shoot the Dog" was critical of the friendly relationship between the UK and US
governments, in particular the relationship between Tony Blair and George W. Bush,
with their involvement in the Iraq War.[186] Michael voiced his concern about the lack of
public consultation in the UK regarding the War on Terror: "On an issue as enormous as
the possible bombing of Iraq, how can you represent us when you haven't asked us
what we think?"[186]
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."[187] In 2007, Michael sent the £1,450,000 piano that John
Lennon used to write "Imagine" around the United States on a "peace tour", displaying
at places where notable acts of violence had taken place, such as Dallas' Dealey Plaza,
where US President John F. Kennedy had been shot.[188] He devoted his 2007 concert
in Sofia, from his "Twenty Five Tour" to the Bulgarian nurses prosecuted in the HIV trial
in Libya.[189] On 17 June 2008, Michael said he was thrilled by California's legalisation of
same-sex marriage, calling the move "way overdue".[190]
Philanthropy
In November 1984, Michael joined other British and Irish pop stars of the era to
form Band Aid, singing on the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for famine
relief in Ethiopia. This single became the UK Christmas number one in December 1984,
holding Michael's own song, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, at No. 2; Michael also donated
the royalties for "Last Christmas" to Ethiopia.[191] "Do They Know It's Christmas?" sold
3.75 million copies in the UK and became the biggest selling single in UK chart history,
a title it held 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 attended
Diana's funeral with Elton John).[191] 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.[192]
In 1986, Michael took part in the Prince's Trust charity concert held at Wembley Arena,
performing "Everytime You Go Away" alongside Paul Young.[193] In 1988, Michael
participated in the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in
London together with many other singers (such as Annie Lennox and Sting), performing
"Sexual Healing".[194]
A LGBT rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser,[195][196][197] the proceeds from
the 1991 single "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" were divided among 10 different
charities for children, AIDS and education. He was also a patron of the Elton John AIDS
Foundation.[198] Michael wore a red ribbon at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at
Wembley Stadium in 1992.[199][200]
In 2003, he paired up with Ronan Keating on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and won
£32,000, after having their original £64,000 winnings halved by missing the £125,000
question.[201][202] The same year, Michael joined other celebrities to support a campaign to
help raise £20 million for terminally ill children run by the Rainbow Trust Children's
Charity of which he was a patron. He said: "Loss is such an incredibly difficult thing. I
bow down to people who actually have to deal with the loss of a child." [203]
Following his death, many charities revealed that Michael had privately been a
supporter of them for many years. Dame Esther Rantzen, the founder and president
of Childline, said he had given them "millions" over the years and said that he had given
the royalties from his 1996 number one single "Jesus to a Child" to the charity. [204] He
had supported the Terrence Higgins Trust "for many years" as well as Macmillan
Cancer Support.[205] Michael also donated to individuals: he reportedly called the
production team of the quiz show Deal or No Deal after a contestant had revealed that
she needed £15,000 to fund IVF treatment, and anonymously paid for the treatment
personally;[205] and once tipped a student nurse working as a barmaid £5,000 ($6,121)
because she was in debt.[206] On 3 January 2017, another woman came forward and
(with the permission of Michael's family) revealed he had anonymously paid for her IVF
treatment after seeing her talk about her problems conceiving on an episode of This
Morning in 2010. The woman gave birth to a girl in 2012.[207]
Assets
5, The Grove, Michael's home in Highgate, north London, is a grade II listed building.[208][209]
Between 2006 and 2008, according to reports, Michael earned £48.5 million
($97 million) from the 25 Live tour alone.[210] In July 2014, he was reported to have been
a celebrity investor in a tax avoidance scheme called Liberty.[211] According to
the Sunday Times Rich List 2015 of the wealthiest British musicians, Michael was worth
£105 million.[212]
A collector of works by the Young British Artists, including those of Damien
Hirst and Tracey Emin, in March 2019 Michael's art collection was auctioned in England
for £11.3 million. The proceeds were donated to various philanthropical organisations
Michael gave to while he was alive.[213]
Death
In the early hours of 25 December 2016, Michael died in bed at his home in Goring-on-
Thames, aged 53. He was found by his Australian partner, Fadi Fawaz. [149][150][214]
Tributes
Elton John was among those who paid tribute to Michael, emotionally addressing the
audience in Las Vegas on 28 December, “What a singer, what a songwriter. But more
than anything as a human being he was one of the kindest, sweetest, most generous
people I’ve ever met.”[221]
At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on 12 February 2017, Adele performed a slowed-
down version of "Fastlove" in tribute to Michael.[222] On 22 February, Coldplay lead
singer Chris Martin performed “A Different Corner” at the 2017 Brit Awards.[223]
Faith (1987)
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2 (1991, unreleased)
The Trojan Souls (1993, unreleased)
Older (1996)
Songs from the Last Century (1999)
Patience (2004)
Live albums
Symphonica (2014)
Compilation albums
Tours
Faith World Tour (1988–89)
Cover to Cover (1991)
25 Live (2006–08)
George Michael Live in Australia (2010)
Symphonica Tour (2011–12)
See also
List of artists by number of UK Singles Chart number ones
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of best-selling music artists
Panayiotou v Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd
LGBT portal
London portal
References
1. ^ "George Michael". Desert Island Discs. 5 October 2007. BBC Radio
4. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
2. ^ "George Michael Dies at 53". Biilboard. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s George Michael The Official
Charts Company. Retrieved 21 April 2011
4. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i j k l m n George Michael Album & Song Chart
History Billboard. Retrieved 21 April 2011
5. ^ "George Michael Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
6. ^ "George Michael dominates airwaves". BBC. Retrieved 17 February
2018
7. ^ Biography George Michael: The Making of a Superstar Bruce
Dessau, Sidgwick & Jackson, London 1989
8. ^ "George Michael-The history". Twentyfive Live LLP. & Signatures
Network. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008.
Retrieved 5 February 2010.
9. ^ Jump up to:a b A Different Story; George Michael Biographical DVD
10. ^ Jump up to:a b "George Michael – Star Snapshot". Femail.com.au. 27
April 2009. Retrieved 27 April2009.
11. ^ Jump up to:a b George Michael's sister Melanie Panayiotou dies
12. ^ "Obituary: George Michael". BBC News. 25 December 2016.
Retrieved 26 December2016.
13. ^ "British pop star George Michael, who had Jewish roots, dies at 53".
JTA Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 21
August 2017.
14. ^ "George Michael: the superstar who doesn't take life too
seriously". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 May 2014
15. ^ Bruce Dessau (1989). "George Michael: the making of a superstar".
p. 8. Sidgwick & Jackson
16. ^ "George Michael's family in bedside vigil as star battles severe
pneumonia". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 December 2016
17. ^ A Night At The Opera Archived 10 May 2015 at the Wayback
MachineQueenZone.com. Retrieved 23 January 2013
18. ^ Michael, George; Goodall, Nigel (1999). George Michael: In His Own
Words. p. 7. ISBN 9780711978911.
19. ^ "The Ivors 1985" Archived 9 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine.
The Ivors. Retrieved 8 January 2018
20. ^ "The philanthropic acts of George Michael: from £5k tips to nurses'
gigs". The Guardian. 7 January 2018.
21. ^ "George Michael: 20 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone. 7 January
2018.
22. ^ Litchfield, David (1985). "David Cassidy by George Michael". Ritz
Newspaper No. 100. Bailey & Litchfield. pp. 16–19.
23. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Hatton, Celia (10 April 2015). "When China woke
up to Wham!" (9 April 2015). BBC.
24. ^ "George Michael". All80s.co.uk. 25 June 1963. Archived from the
original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
25. ^ Jump up to:a b "How Wham! baffled Chinese youth in first pop
concert". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
26. ^ Wham! in China – Foreign Skies Movie Reviews Rotten Tomatoes.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
27. ^ Wham! Number Ones Number-ones.co.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2011
28. ^ Bego, Mark (10 February 2010). Aretha Franklin: The Queen of
Soul. p. 249. ISBN 9780786752294.
29. ^ Lucy Ellis, Bryony Sutherland (1998) The complete guide to the
music of George Michael & Wham! p. 37. Music Sales Group, 1998
30. ^ Aretha Franklin Timeline The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and
Museum, 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011
31. ^ Jump up to:a b George Michael: I Want Your Sex – Banned Songs –
Music Virgin Media, 27 January 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011
32. ^ Sexy Song of the Week: "I Want Your Sex" Archived 7 August 2011
at the Wayback Machine ANT 2301: Human Sexuality & Culture,
Gravlee.org; University of Florida. Retrieved 21 April 2011
33. ^ Video Review George Michael – The Box of Fame, 15 January
2005. Retrieved 21 April 2011
34. ^ Jump up to:a b 80s Singers: George Michael Total 80s Remix, 22
February 1999. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
35. ^ Jump up to:a b George Michael – Gay Icons AstaBGay.com.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
36. ^ George Michael Biography LoveToKnow Music. Retrieved 21 April
2011
37. ^ McCormick, Neil George Michael's image will outlast the
scandal The Daily Telegraph(London), 15 September 2010. Retrieved
21 April 2011
38. ^ George Michael|80s Singers. Total 80s Remix, 22 February 1999.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
39. ^ RIAA Certified Diamond Albums Archived 28 September 2011 at
the Wayback Machine HBR Production. Retrieved 21 April 2011
40. ^ "George Michael at HP Pavilion at San Jose". Yahoo!. 24 March
2008. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 3
May 2008.
41. ^ Huey, Steve (30 October 1987). "Faith – George Michael : Songs,
Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
42. ^ Coleman, Mark (14 January 1988). "Faith | Album Reviews". Rolling
Stone. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
43. ^ George Michael – Faith Remaster antiMusic.com, 12 April 2011.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
44. ^ Entries – Monsters of Rock / OU812 Tour The Van Halen
Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21 April 2011
45. ^ "1988 Grammy Award Winners". National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
46. ^ 1989 MTV Video Music Awards: Video Vanguard Award MTV.
Retrieved 7 December 2011
47. ^ "George Michael: A Different Story Review". Empire. Retrieved 28
October 2018.
48. ^ Jump up to:a b George Michael NewMagic949.com. Retrieved 21
April 2011
49. ^ Jump up to:a b Listen Without Prejudice Teen Ink. Retrieved 21 April
2011
50. ^ Hunter, James (4 October 1990). "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 |
Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
51. ^ Jump up to:a b "UK Charts > George Michael". The Official Charts
Company. Retrieved 5 March2011.
52. ^ Jump up to:a b SoulBounce's Class Of 1990: George Michael 'Listen
Without Prejudice Vol. I'Archived 10 January 2011 at the Wayback
Machine Soulbounce.com, 29 November 2010. Retrieved 21 April
2011
53. ^ Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 Entertainment Weekly, 14
September 1990. Retrieved 21 April 2011
54. ^ Jump up to:a b Gay History, Gay Celebrities, Gay Icons – George
Michael Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Circa-
club.com. Retrieved 21 April 2011
55. ^ George Michael: A colourful life BBC News, 14 September 2010.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
56. ^ "George Michael: 50 years in numbers". The Daily
Telegraph (London). Retrieved 15 December 2014
57. ^ Jump up to:a b Reviews/Pop; George Michael's Tour, From Motown
to Disco The New York Times, 28 October 1991. Retrieved 21 April
2011
58. ^ Ellis, Lucy; Sutherland, Bryony (1998). The Complete Guide to the
Music of George Michael & Wham!. p. 106. ISBN 9780711968226.
59. ^ Michael, George; Parsons, Tony (15 July 1991). Bare: George
Michael, His Own Story. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-013235-9.
60. ^ Cope, Michael (24 October 1993). "Inside Story: Sony faces a test of
faith: George Michael, who has cast off the leather look for a suit and
horn-rimmed glasses, went to court last week for a divorce from his
Japanese bosses, Norio Ohga, below left, and Akio Morita. No matter
who wins, writes Nigel Cope, the case will put a different spin on the
record business". The Independent. Archived from the original on 3
August 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
61. ^ The Long GOODBYE (article for a US magazine explore
Michael) Archived 9 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
62. ^ George Michael Gay Life, About.com. Retrieved 21 April 2011
63. ^ Jump up to:a b Blake, Mark (22 March 2011). Is This the Real Life?:
The Untold Story of Queen. p. 364. ISBN 9780306819735.
64. ^ Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness MyGnR.com.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
65. ^ The Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS
Awareness Cineman. Retrieved 21 April 2011
66. ^ Five Live (George Michael and Queen EP). AllMusic.
67. ^ Queen's Greatest Hits 3 h2g2, BBC, 22 March 2005. Retrieved 21
April 2011
68. ^ Queen Greatest Vol 3 AlbumLinerNotes.com, 17 January 1997.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
69. ^ 5 Live / Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Shanes Queen Site.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
70. ^ Pride, Dominic (10 December 1994). MTV Euro Awards Get Mixed
Response. Billboard. pp. 18–. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 21
April 2011.
71. ^ Part one Chez Nobby, Fortunecity. Retrieved 21 April 2011
72. ^ DreamWorks SKG – Building theDream Team, Bad Dream?, First
Successes Reference for Business, 12 October 1994. Retrieved 21
April 2011
73. ^ About George Michael Archived 7 September 2013 at the Wayback
MachineGeorgeMichael.com. Retrieved 21 April 2011
74. ^ Officially all the artistic sensibility of a salted slug James Masterton.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
75. ^ 1996 MTV Europe Awards MetroLyrics.com, 14 November 1996.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
76. ^ The Brit Awards everyHit.com. Retrieved 21 April 2011
77. ^ George Michael on TV.com, 20 December 2008. Retrieved 21 April
2011
78. ^ George Michael's Suicidal Thoughts After Mother's
Death popdirt.com, 10 September 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2011
79. ^ George Michael goes back to Sony BBC News, 17 November 2003.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
80. ^ "BPI Highest Retail Sales" (PDF). British Phonographic Industry.
Retrieved 17 January2011.
81. ^ Artist: George Michael Hip Online Archived 15 September 2013 at
the Wayback Machine
82. ^ Songs from the Last Century by George Michael Artist Direct.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
83. ^ Halstead, Craig; Cadman, Chris (1 January 2003). Michael Jackson
the Solo Years. Authors on Line Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7552-0091-7.
84. ^ "Whitney, George Michael To Team For Duet". MTV News.
Retrieved 26 December2016.
85. ^ George Michael Freeek! Top40-charts.com. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
86. ^ George Michael's highs and lows BBC News, 21 September 2008.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
87. ^ George Michael Shoot The Dog Top40-charts.com. Retrieved 21
April 2011
88. ^ "Michael accuses BBC in war row". BBC News. 7 March 2003.
Retrieved 26 December2016.
89. ^ "George Michael records Don McLean's The Grave". don-
mclean.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014.
Retrieved 10 January 2014.
90. ^ Analysis: UK albums and singles market Music Week, 29 November
2004. Retrieved 21 April 2011
91. ^ ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums
2004 Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Australian
Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 21 April 2011
92. ^ George Michael Amazing Top40-charts.com. Retrieved 21 April
2011
93. ^ George Michael – Sold Out Pictures[dead link] SuperiorPics.com, May
2004. Retrieved 21 April 2011
94. ^ Inside George Michael's Home Oprah.com, 1 January 2006.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
95. ^ George Michael Single collection My collection of George Michael &
WHAM! records (Vibevej.dk). Retrieved 21 April 2011
96. ^ George Michael shuns music industry BBC News, 11 March 2004.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
97. ^ George Michael – Twentyfive CD Album CD Universe, 28 November
2006. Retrieved 21 April 2011
98. ^ Number 1 albums of the 2000s everyHit.com, 16 March 2000.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
99. ^ Music: Twenty Five (Dlx) (CD) by George Michael (Artist) Archived 7
October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Tower Records, 6 November
2006. Retrieved 21 April 2011
100. ^ Eli Stone Music Season 01 TV Show Music. Retrieved 21 April
2011
101. ^ George Michael: Twenty Five Slant Magazine, 10 April 2008.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
102. ^ George Michael – Twenty Five DVD Archived 4 September 2010
at the Wayback Machine Sony Music UK, 13 November 2006.
Retrieved 21 April 2011
103. ^ "George Michael Dead: Photos of His Life". Billboard. 26
December 2016.
104. ^ "Michael makes history at Wembley". BBC News. Retrieved 8
April 2015
105. ^ Twenty Five. AllMusic. Retrieved 26 December 2016
106. ^ "George Michael Regains His Faith". AOL Music Canada. 2008.
Archived from the original on 31 May 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
107. ^ 24 Facts: George Michael Channel 24, 14 October 2010
108. ^ George Michael Reflects on His Own American Idolatry Spinner,
22 May 2008
109. ^ "New George Michael Track Survives on The Pirate Bay".
TorrentFreak. 27 December 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
110. ^ "2010 Australian Tour Announcement". GeorgeMichael.com. 24
November 2009. Archived from the original on 28 November 2009.
Retrieved 24 November 2009.
111. ^ "George Michael on Australian stage". Herald Sun. 21 February
2010. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
112. ^ George Michael covers New Order's 'True Faith' for Comic
Relief NME, 2 March 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011
113. ^ "George Michael in 'first' Carpool Karaoke". BBC. 26 December
2016.
114. ^ George Covers Stevie Wonder for Will & Kate Archived 2
September 2011 at the Wayback Machine GeorgeMichael.com, 15
April 2011
115. ^ Fazackarley, Jane (16 April 2011). "George Michael releases
Royal Wedding song". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
116. ^ Walsh, Ben (23 August 2011). "First Night: George Michael –
Symphonica Tour, State Opera House, Prague". The Independent.
London. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
117. ^ "Songwriters Hall of Fame 2012 Nominees For Induction
Announced" (Press release). Songwriters Hall of Fame. 18 October
2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
118. ^ "George Michael's condition worsened overnight say
doctors". Vienna Times. Archived from the original on 27 November
2011. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
119. ^ "2012 BRIT Awards". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 16
December 2014
120. ^ Usmar, Jo (20 March 2012). "George Michael reschedules
cancelled tour dates after beating pneumonia". Mirror.co.uk.
Retrieved 13 February 2018.
121. ^ "Flashback: George Michael Plays Final Encore at Last Concert".
Rolling Stone. 21 March 2018.
122. ^ "George Michael beats Kylie to top album chart". BBC. 23
February 2014.
123. ^ "George Michael on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 22
January 2017.
124. ^ "George Michael Dead: Star Had Promised Comeback Album For
2017, And Film 'Freedom' About Sony Court Battle". The Huffington
Post. Retrieved 27 December 2016
125. ^ "George Michael planned to release new album in 2017". NME. 26
December 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
126. ^ "Naughty Boy 'won't rule out' releasing his George Michael
collaboration". BBC Newsbeat. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 28
February 2017.
127. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (7 September 2017). "George Michael's
new single Fantasy – a rework full of sex, funk and fabulousness". The
Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
128. ^ Jump up to:a b c Moore, Jane (October 2004). "George Michael on
beating drugs, depression and his outing in LA – October 2004". GQ
magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
129. ^ Jump up to:a b Johnson, Andrew (30 September 2007). "George
Michael: Why I had to keep my homosexuality secret". The
Independent. London. Retrieved 15 February 2008.
130. ^ Wieder, Judy (2001). Wieder, Judy (ed.). Celebrity: The Advocate
Interviews. New York: Advocate Books. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-55583-722-
8.
131. ^ Jump up to:a b "Johann Hari: George Michael: An Exclusive
Interview". The Huffington Post. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 17
December 2012.
132. ^ George Michael: Six songs that defined his life, BBC, 26
December 2016
133. ^ George Michael's Leading Ladies Share Memories, Photos of '90s
Video Heyday, Billboard.com, 26 December 2016
134. ^ Jump up to:a b "George Michael – Biography on Bio".
Thebiographychannel.co.uk. Archived from the original on 25 October
2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
135. ^ "Latest news and profile of George Michael". Hello!. Retrieved 12
September 2011.
136. ^ "Michael: 'Music saved me from depression'". Digital Spy. 24 July
2008. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
137. ^ "Cheerleader feedback". University of North Texas. Fall 2003.
Retrieved 27 April 2009.
138. ^ "Kenny". Chez Nobby. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
139. ^ "Goss Gallery to Open in Dallas Featuring International
Contemporary Art" (Press release). Goss Gallery. Retrieved 27
April 2009 – via PR Newswire.
140. ^ BeeTheArtist (7 December 2011). "Oprah.-.2004.05.26.-
.George.Michael(SVCD).mpg" – via YouTube.
141. ^ "Pop Star George Michael and Kenny Goss At Home". D
Magazine. May–June 2005.
142. ^ "George Michael to 'marry' partner". BBC News. 29 November
2005. Retrieved 27 April2009.
143. ^ "Michael issues 'marriage' denial". BBC News. 26 July 2006.
144. ^ Ward, Kate (23 August 2011). "George Michael announces break-
up with Kenny Goss during emotional performance". Entertainment
Weekly. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
145. ^ Boucher, Phil (8 May 2017). "Kenny Goss Talks the Highs and
Lows of Life with Former Love George Michael". People. Retrieved 23
September 2018.
146. ^ Johnson, Andrew (30 September 2007). "George Michael: Why I
had to keep my homosexuality secret". The Independent. London.
Retrieved 17 December 2012.
147. ^ French, Megan (26 December 2016). "George Michael's Partner
Fadi Fawaz Breaks His Silence on Musician's Death". US Magazine.
Retrieved 27 December 2016.
148. ^ Corinthios, Aurelie (26 December 2016). "George Michael Was
Found Dead in Bed by His Boyfriend Fadi Fawaz: 'I Will Never Stop
Missing You'". People. Retrieved 27 December2016.
149. ^ Jump up to:a b Krauser, Emily (26 December 2016). "George
Michael's Boyfriend Fadi Fawaz Says He Found Singer Dead in Bed
on Christmas Morning: 'I Will Never Forget'". ET Magazine.
Retrieved 27 December 2016.
150. ^ Jump up to:a b "'I will never stop missing you': George Michael's
Australian boyfriend found him dead in bed". Yahoo7 News. 27
December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
151. ^ Sue McAllister, Pop Singer George Michael Arrested in Restroom
of Beverly Hills Park, Los Angeles Times, 9 April 1998
152. ^ John M. Glionna, Beverly Hills Steps Up Patrols to Stop
Cruising, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 1998
153. ^ "George Michael goes to ground". BBC News. Retrieved 29
December 2016.
154. ^ Rex Wockner George Michael's Tearoom Tale Gay Today, 9
November 1998
155. ^ Tashima, A. Wallace (3 December 2002). "Marcelo Rodriguez v
Georgios Kyriacos Panagiotou" (PDF). United States Court of Appeals,
9th Circuit. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2005.
Retrieved 15 February 2008.
156. ^ "George Bust 'Bad Karma' Says US Cop", Sunday Star, 5 March
2006
157. ^ Star to sue over 'cruising' claim BBC News, 28 July 2006.
Retrieved 28 October 2009
158. ^ George Michael speaks on BBC News The Advocate, 29 July
2006. Retrieved 28 October 2009
159. ^ George Michael – Michael Blasts Tabloid 'Cruising'
Claims Contact Music, 23 July 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2009
160. ^ Quote UnQuote. Gay and Lesbian Times, 10 August 2006.
Retrieved 28 October 2009
161. ^ George Michael not ashamed after sex sting China Daily, 31 July
2006. Retrieved 28 October 2009
162. ^ Jump up to: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.
163. ^ "Pop Star Pleads Guilty To Drug-Drive Charge". Sky News. 8 May
2007. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 27
April 2009.
164. ^ Jump up to:a b "George Michael arrest over drugs". BBC News. 20
September 2008. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
165. ^ Jump up to:a b "George Michael Arrested". Sky Living HD.
Retrieved 6 July 2010.
166. ^ Jump up to:a b Paine, Andre (6 July 2010). "George Michael
Arrested After London Car Crash". Billboard. Retrieved 12
August 2010.
167. ^ George Michael Charged With Drug, Driving Offenses Billboard,
12 August 2010
168. ^ Cheston, Paul (14 September 2010). "George Michael gets eight
weeks in jail for drug driving crash". London Evening Standard.
Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 10
October 2010.
169. ^ "George Michael pleads guilty to driving under the influence of
drugs". BBC News. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
170. ^ "George Michael jailed for eight weeks for drug driving". BBC
News. 14 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
171. ^ "George Michael jailed for eight weeks". The Daily Telegraph.
London. 14 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
172. ^ "George Michael released from prison". The Daily Telegraph.
London. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
173. ^ "George Michael's boyfriend reveals he died alone at home, amid
claims he had battled heroin habit". Telegraph. 28 December 2016.
Retrieved 23 September 2018.
174. ^ Jump up to:a b Guthrie, Susannah (27 December 2016). "Drugs,
depression, weight gain: George Michael's challenging final
years". The New Daily. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
175. ^ "Drug is a problem, Michael admits". BBC News. 30 September
2007. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
176. ^ Hattenstone, Simon (5 December 2009). "George Michael: 'I'm
surprised I've survived my own dysfunction'". The Guardian. London.
Retrieved 15 January 2010.
177. ^ "George Michael shelves all 2011 tour dates due to illness". NME.
UK. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
178. ^ "Good Tidings! George Michael Out of Hospital and Homeward
Bound". E!. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
179. ^ "George Michael: 'It was the worst month of my life'". BBC Mobile.
23 December 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
180. ^ "George Michael: I woke up from coma with a West Country
accent". The Daily Telegraph. London. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 17
December 2012.
181. ^ "George Michael injured in M1 crash". BBC. 17 May 2013.
Retrieved 22 May 2013.
182. ^ "'He was lucky he didn't die' – George Michael fell out of speeding
car onto M1 motorway, according to eye witness". The Independent.
London. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May2013.
183. ^ Casciato, Paul (21 May 2013). "Singer George Michael under
observation for head injuries". Reuters. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
184. ^ Jump up to:a b Lynskey, Dorian (2011). 33 Revolutions Per Minute.
Faber & Faber. p. 1836.
185. ^ Basham, David (28 February 2000). "George Michael, Queen
Latifah To Rock For "Equality"". Retrieved 12 June 2011.
186. ^ Jump up to:a b "Michael's video lampoons the Blairs" (1 July 2002).
Retrieved 11 April 2015.
187. ^ "Michael stages concert for nurses". BBC News. 21 December
2006. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
188. ^ "Most Expensive Musical Instruments". Forbes. 10 April 2006.
Archived from the original on 18 May 2006. Retrieved 15
February 2008.
189. ^ "Bulgaria: George Michael: Free Bulgaria's Nurses in Libya!".
Novinite.com. 29 May 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
190. ^ Rodman, Natalie (18 June 2008). "George Michael sounds off on
gay marriage". USA Today. Associated Press. Retrieved 12
September 2011.
191. ^ Jump up to:a b Sedghi, Ami (4 November 2012). "UK's million-
selling singles: the full list". The Guardian. London, England.
Retrieved 4 November 2012.
192. ^ Butcher, Asa (20 November 2014). "30 years later... the original
Band Aid performers". gbtimes.com. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
193. ^ "Wham! star and solo artist George Michael dies peacefully at
home aged 53". The Guardian. 26 December 2016.
194. ^ Elman, Peter. "Tony Hollingsworth: Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday
Tribute". Tribute Inspirations Limited. Archived from the original on 28
March 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
195. ^ Jones, Owen (26 December 2016). "George Michael was a defiant
gay icon. His memory must not be sanitised". The Guardian.
Retrieved 26 December 2016.
196. ^ Royes, Luke (26 December 2016). "George Michael remembered
as gay trailblazer who pushed pop boundaries". ABC. Retrieved 26
December 2016.
197. ^ Hooper, Ryan (26 December 2016). "How George Michael
became one of the world's most important LGBT rights
campaigners". The Independent. Retrieved 26 December2016.
198. ^ "Our Patrons". Elton John AIDS Foundation. Archived from the
original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
199. ^ Sander L. Gilman Diseases & diagnoses: the second age of
biology p.50. Transaction Publishers, 2010
200. ^ Sarah E. H. Moore (2008) Ribbon culture: charity, compassion,
and public awarenessp.74. Palgrave Macmillan,
201. ^ Vincent, Alice (25 June 2013). "George Michael: 50 years in
numbers". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
202. ^ Steele, Robert (2011). Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of
George Michael. Omnibus Press. p. 336. ISBN 978-0-85712-726-6.
203. ^ "Michael backs children's charity". BBC. 18 September 2003.
Retrieved 25 December2016.
204. ^ Lockhart, Keely (26 December 2016). "George Michael's
incredible acts of kindness revealed following his untimely death". The
Telegraph.
205. ^ Jump up to:a b "George Michael's secret generosity through charity
donations". The Scotsman. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
206. ^ "George Michael was a prolific philanthropist both publicly and
privately". NBC News. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
207. ^ "'I cannot ever thank him enough', says mum whose IVF was paid
for by George Michael". ITV. 4 January 2017.
208. ^ Historic England. "Number 5 and attached railings, wall and lamp.
(1378980)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28
December 2016.
209. ^ Fans gather at singer George Michael's Highgate home following
his death on Christmas Day. Emily Banks, Ham & High, 26 December
2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
210. ^ "George Michael 'earns £1.6million for one hour's work '". The
Telegraph. 26 December 2016.
211. ^ "George Michael and Michael Caine accused of tax avoidance
through Liberty scheme". The Independent. London. 9 July 2014.
Retrieved 11 July 2014.
212. ^ Nightingale, Laura (27 April 2015). "Sunday Times Rich List: Who
are the UK's richest musicians?". getsurrey.co.uk. Retrieved 26
December 2016.
213. ^ “George Michael’s art collection sells for £11.3 million at auction”.
BBC. Retrieved 8 April 2019
214. ^ "Ex-Wham singer George Michael dies". BBC News. 25
December 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
215. ^ "George Michael's cause of death revealed". CBS News. 7 March
2017.
216. ^ "George Michael: Post-mortem into singer's death
'inconclusive'". BBC News. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30
December 2016.
217. ^ Heller, Corinne (30 December 2016). "George Michael Autopsy
Report Deems Cause of Death 'Inconclusive'". E!. Retrieved 30
December 2016.
218. ^ Reed, Ryan (30 December 2016). "Autopsy: George Michael's
Cause of Death 'Inconclusive'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30
December 2016.
219. ^ "George Michael laid to rest in Highgate cemetery in London". The
Guardian. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
220. ^ "George Michael's memorial garden – in pictures". The Guardian.
2 December 2017.
221. ^ "Elton John fights back tears during George Michael tribute".
Metro. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
222. ^ Holpuch, Amanda (13 February 2017). "'I can't mess this up for
him': Adele stops George Michael Grammys tribute". The Guardian.
Retrieved 21 April 2019.
223. ^ "The Chainsmokers & Coldplay Deliver Live Debut of 'Something
Just Like This' at 2017 Brit Awards". 20 April 2019.
224. ^ Leight, Elias (20 October 2017). "George Michael Doc 'Freedom':
9 Things We Learned". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
225. ^ Johnson, Jason (27 December 2016). "5 Times George Michael
Showed His 'Blue-Eyed Soul' to Black America". TheRoot.com.
Retrieved 13 February 2018.
226. ^ George Michael Rock on the Net. Retrieved 18 February 2011
227. ^ Brown, Mark (21 April 2006). "He was the last transcendent world
pop star, and it's a shame his problems restrained his musical
output". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
228. ^ "George Michael Dies at 53". Biilboard. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
229. ^ Elise, Abigail (25 December 2016). "'Freedom' singer and ex-
Wham! member George Michael died from heart failure, says
manager". WCVB-TV. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
230. ^ Qualen, J. (1985). The Music Industry: The End of Vinyl?.
Comedia's Media and Communications Industry Profile Series. 5.
London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-906890-58-5.
231. ^ "George Michael: Why He Turned His Back on Fame, and the
'Faith'-like Songs He Recorded Before His Death". Billboard.
Retrieved 8 February 2018.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations
related to: George Michael
show
George Michael
show
show
Awards for George Michael
show
Wham!
show
YS: 98036743
XX1076227
cb140003414 (data)
: 118922653
N: n85353734
000045275
cBrainz: ccb8f30e-4d71-40c4-8b1d-846dafe73e2c
00471591
: mzk2003182904
073550531
BR: 399713
OC: 08030186X
: 84546733
Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store
Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page
Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page
In other projects
Wikimedia Commons
Wikinews
Wikiquote
Print/export
Download as PDF
Printable version
Languages
Deutsch
Español
Français
한국어
Italiano
Русский
Tagalog
Tiếng Việt
中文
74 more
Edit links
This page was last edited on 21 May 2020, at 23:45 (UTC).
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional
terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit
organization.