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George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer.Regarded as a pop culture icon, [2] he is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time [3] and was named one of the greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone. [4]
[3] [5] Michael described this imbalance of power and his long-term lack of control over his career as "professional slavery". [ 4 ] It was common practice in the recording industry to sign many emerging artists like Wham!, banking that long-term profits from the few commercial successes would cover the losses from promoting the remainder.
Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963) [1] is an English musician, best known for his work in the 1980s in the musical duo Wham! consisting of Ridgeley and George Michael. Associated with the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US, [ 2 ] they were one of the most successful pop acts during the 1980s, selling more than 30 million ...
Wham!’s origins go back to Bushey Meads School in Hertfordshire, England, where Michael (real name: Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou) and Ridgeley became instant best friends at age 12.
The 1980s rock mainstay left an indelible mark on music.
In 1981, Michael (age 18) was working as a DJ at the Bel Air Restaurant [8] [9] [10] in Northwood, London [11] near Bushey, Hertfordshire. [12] Michael explained in his autobiography, Bare, that he conceptualised "Careless Whisper" based on events from his childhood. Michael wrote, "I was on my way to DJ at the Bel Air when I wrote 'Careless ...
Following Michael’s death in 2016, many fans have returned to the song to honour the singer, especially given his death on Christmas Day. Michael died on Christmas Day in 2016 (AFP via Getty Images)
In certain markets, including the U.S., the single was promoted as "Wham! featuring George Michael", while most other markets it was credited to Michael as a solo act despite being written by both Michael and Ridgeley. The song was a ballad, marking a departure from previous releases. It reached No. 1, selling over 1.3 million copies in the UK ...