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Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (25 June 1963

25 December 2016), known professional
ly as George Michael, was an English singer, songwriter, and record producer who
rose to fame as a member of the music duo Wham! He is best known for his work i
n the 1980s and 1990s, including hit singles such as "Last Christmas" and "Wake
Me Up Before You Go-Go", and albums such as Faith (1987) and Listen Without Prej
udice Vol. 1 (1990).
Michael sold more than 100 million records worldwide. His debut solo album, Fait
h (1987), sold more than 20million copies worldwide. Michael garnered seven numbe
r one singles in the UK and eight number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in th
e US, including "Careless Whisper" and "Freedom! '90". He ranks among the best-s
elling British acts of all time, ranked by Billboard magazine as the 40th-most s
uccessful artist ever. Michael won various music awards throughout his 30-year c
areer, including three Brit Awards he won Best British Male twice, four MTV Video
Music Awards, four Ivor Novello Awards, three American Music Awards, and two Gra
mmy Awards from eight nominations. Michael, who was gay, was an active LGBT righ
ts campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser.[3][4][5]
In 2004, the Radio Academy named Michael the most played artist on British radio
during the period 1984 2004. The documentary A Different Story (released in 2005)
covered his career and personal life. Michael's first tour in 15 years, the wor
ldwide 25 Live tour, spanned three tours over the course of three years (2006, 2
007, and 2008). In the early hours of 25 December 2016, Michael, aged 53, was fo
und dead in bed at his Oxfordshire home.[6]

Early life
Michael was born in East Finchley, London.[7][8] His father, Kyriacos Panayiotou
, a Greek Cypriot restaurateur, moved to England in the 1950s and changed his na
me to Jack Panos.[9] Michael's mother, Lesley Angold (nee Harrison; 1937 1997), wa
s an English dancer.[10] Michael spent the majority of his childhood in Kingsbur
y, London, in the home his parents bought soon after his birth; he attended King
sbury High School.[11][12]
While he was in his early teens, the family moved to Radlett, Hertfordshire. The
re, Michael attended Bushey Meads School in the neighbouring town of Bushey, whe
re he befriended his future Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley. The two had the same
career ambition of being musicians.[13] Michael would busk on the London Undergr
ound, performing songs such as "'39" by Queen.[14] His involvement in the music
business began with his working as a DJ, playing at clubs and local schools arou
nd Bushey, Stanmore, and Watford. This was followed by the formation of a shortlived ska band called the Executive, with Ridgeley, Ridgeley's brother Paul, And
rew Leaver, and David Mortimer (later known as David Austin).[15]