George Michael height - How tall is George Michael?

His sister, Melanie Panayiotou, passed away on the third anniversary of his death (December 25, 2019).

Following his death, Madonna described him as a "great artist" and Nile Rodgers called him "an absolute genius". Tributes also came from the rock world. Peter Gabriel called him a "very talented musician" who was "always kind and generous". Fish called him "a massively likeable and extremely down to earth person" and "a brilliant songwriter and truly amazing singer". Tributes were also paid by comedians Ricky Gervais and James Corden (who had performed in comedy sketches with him) and Margaret Cho. Chris Martin performed the tribute to him at the 2017 Brit Awards and Adele performed the tribute at the Grammy Awards.

He was reported to have sold over 100 million albums upon his death in 2016 when his sales with Wham! and as a solo artist were combined.

Was the original inspiration for the carpool karaoke segment popularized on The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015). In 2011, James Corden appeared in a sketch with Michael for the British charity "Comic Relief" that featured the pair speeding in a car to save "Red Nose Day," an annual event dedicated to raising funds and awareness of the charity. In the sketch Corden turns on the car radio and urges the pop singer to duet with him.

George released the single 'December Song' in 2008 as a free download: his hope was that purchasers would donate money to charity.

In the Independent on Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 25, down from 22.

A fan of The Beatles, he performed with Paul McCartney at Live 8 (2005). He also bought John Lennon's Steinway Model Z upright piano for £1.67m in the year 2000, then donated it to Liverpool's Beatles Story museum. In September 2010, while serving a prison sentence for driving under the influence of drugs, Michael received a two-page handwritten letter from McCartney to lift his spirits. In the letter, McCartney said that he empathized with Michael as he himself had spent ten days in prison in Japan in 1980 after being caught with cannabis. He told Michael to keep his chin up and that he would see him when he is released. Apparently, Michael was delighted with the letter and read it over and over again.

He announced his retirement in February 2004, but began a new European tour in September 2006, his first tour in fifteen years.

He has contributed two songs to the "Warchild Hope" album (released 21 April 2003); one is a cover of Don McLean's "The Grave" and the other is his own classic "Faith" (a duet with Ms Dynamite).

His controversial single "Shoot the Dog" (released 2002) had a video that ridiculed Tony Blair, Cherie Blair and George W. Bush.

He was arrested in April 1998 at a public restroom in Beverly Hills for committing a lewd act in front of an undercover police officer. As a result, for the first time he spoke publicly about being gay. BBC talk show host Michael Parkinson dedicated an episode of his Parkinson (1971) series to an interview with him. Michael also wrote and released the song "Outside", which had lyrics and a music video mocking the whole incident. The arresting police officer filed a civil suit against Michael for defamation of character, but it was dismissed.

He collaborated with Queen and Lisa Stansfield on the UK's chart-topping "Five Live" (EP) in 1993.

His partner Anselmo Feleppa, whom he met in 1991, died from an AIDS-related brain haemorrhage in 1993.

His 1990 solo hit "Freedom 90" from the CD "Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1" was so titled to avoid confusion with his previous Wham! hit "Freedom".

The singer's music video "Freedom" (1989) featured supermodels Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patitz. Curiously, GM appeared nowhere in the video himself. Directed by David Fincher and photographed by Jeff Cronenweth.

He was a big fan of This Morning (1988) and, on the final episode of the series, he phoned the presenters, Richard and Judy, to thank them live on air and to wish them the best.

Following the break-up of Wham!, George went on to have a hugely successful career as a solo artist, his debut album 'Faith' (1987) - and the single of the same name - both achieving instant and international success. The album has since been certified Diamond. Over the last four decades George has notched up 8 number one albums in the and 13 number one singles in the UK (including Wham!, Band Aid, and the 'Five Live' EP). In the U. S. he has achieved 2 number one albums and 10 number one singles, with numerous other number one hits throughout the rest of the world. He has performed duets with artists including Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Queen, and Lisa Stansfield, and actively participates in charitable causes, Live Aid and the Freddie Mercury concert for AIDS being just two of the more prominent examples. According to a BBC documentary, George donated more than five million pounds towards various charities.

His last performance with Wham! was at Wembley Stadium in June 1986.

He won several Brit (British Phonographic Industry) Awards during his career. He was the winner (as part of Wham!) of the British Phonographic Industry Award for British Group in 1985. Wham! then shared the Outstanding Contribution award with Elton John in 1986. He was the winner of the award for British Male Solo Artist in 1988 following the success of his multi-million selling album "Faith". His album "Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1" won the 1991 Brit Award for British Album. He was also the winner of the 1997 Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist following the success of his album "Older".

George also contributed to the Band Aid Single 'Do They Know It's Christmas' (1984), and scored two further solo number one hits with 'Careless Whisper' and 'A Different Corner'.

Whilst with Wham!, he donated all the proceeds of 'Last Christmas' (1984) to charity. The single reached number two in the UK and George also performed simultaneously on the number one charity record 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'.

George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in Finchley, north London, in the United Kingdom, to Lesley Angold (Harrison), a dancer, and Kyriacos Panayiotou, a restaurateur. His father was a Greek Cypriot, and his mother was of English background. He first discovered fame as a musician when he and school friend, Andrew Ridgeley, formed the pop group Wham!. Success came fast and furious with their first album, 'Fantastic' (1983) hitting the UK number one spot. Wham! survived for five years and during that time the group notched up four number one singles and two number one albums. Most of their other releases made top three.

He was a close friend of Shirlie Kemp, one of Wham!'s backing singers, and introduced her to her future husband, Martin Kemp, who was the bass player of the popular 1980s band Spandau Ballet. His other music industry friends included Elton John, Spice Girls singer Geri Horner, Belinda Carlisle and Mariah Carey.

His father, Kyriacos Panayiotou, was a Greek Cypriot restaurant owner, who emigrated to the U.K. from Cyprus in the 1950s. His mother, Lesley Angold (Harrison), was of English background, the daughter of George James Harrison and Daisy Angold Young.