Andrew Ridgeley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Ridgeley
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Ridgeley in 2019
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| Birth name | Andrew John Ridgeley |
| Born | 26 January 1963 Windlesham, Surrey, England |
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Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963) is an English musician. He is best known for being part of the popular 1980s music duo Wham!. He formed Wham! with his friend George Michael.
Wham! became one of the most successful pop groups in the 1980s. They sold over 30 million records around the world. Their hit songs like "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Everything She Wants", and "Careless Whisper" were number one hits in the US. In 2019, Andrew Ridgeley wrote a book about his time in Wham! called Wham! George & Me.
Contents
Early Life and School
Andrew Ridgeley was born in Windlesham, Surrey, England. His mother was a teacher and his father worked for a company called Canon. Andrew grew up in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He went to Bushey Meads School. When George Michael started at the same school, Andrew became his friend and helped him settle in.
Music Career
Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael were in a short-lived group called The Executive. After that group ended, they decided to form their own duo, Wham!, in 1981. George Michael was the main singer and songwriter. Andrew played guitar and sang backup vocals. He also helped write some of their songs.
They made a simple demo tape in Andrew's living room. It only took ten minutes to record! They showed it to different record companies. Soon, they signed with Innervision Records. Later, they moved to Epic Records.
Wham! Success
Wham! became very famous in the United States. They appeared on a TV show called American Bandstand. They were the only British group in the 1980s to have three number one songs in both the UK and the US.
In 1984, Andrew had surgery on his nose. He had broken it when he was nine. After photos of him with bandages came out, their manager made up a story. He said Andrew had been in a fight. But the real reason was soon revealed.
Wham! had two number one songs in the UK in 1984. They were competing with another popular band, Duran Duran. Their manager wanted them to become even bigger worldwide. So, in April 1985, he took Wham! to China.
Wham! made history by being the first Western pop group to play in China. They performed two warm-up shows in Hong Kong. Then, they played for 15,000 people in Beijing. They also had a final show in Guangzhou. This special trip was filmed for a documentary called Wham! in China: Foreign Skies.
In 1985, Andrew Ridgeley also performed at the Live Aid charity concert. George Michael sang with Elton John at the same event.
By 1986, George Michael wanted to make music for an older audience. So, Wham! decided to break up. They had a big farewell concert called "The Final" at Wembley Stadium. About 72,000 people came to see their last show on 28 June 1986.
After Wham!
After Wham! broke up, Andrew Ridgeley moved to Monaco. He tried a new hobby: Formula Three motor racing. He didn't have much success with racing. Then, he moved to Los Angeles to try acting. He came back to Britain in 1990.
CBS Records, who had a contract with Wham!, released a solo album from Andrew. It was called Son of Albert and came out in 1990. His brother Paul played drums on the album. The first song from the album was "Shake." It did well in Australia. However, the album did not sell very well overall. Critics also gave it poor reviews. Because of this, CBS Records decided not to release a second album from him. Andrew later said it was "disappointing."
On 27 January 1991, Andrew joined George Michael on stage. This happened at a concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They sang a few songs together. Since 1991, Andrew has mostly stayed out of the public eye. He appeared in a 2005 documentary about George Michael's life.
In 2005, there were plans for Wham! to reunite for Live 8, a charity concert. But Andrew reportedly decided not to do it at the last minute. In 2012, George Michael said that rumors of a Wham! reunion for their 30th anniversary were not true.
When George Michael passed away on 25 December 2016, Andrew shared his sadness on Twitter. He wrote, "Heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog." Andrew also had a small role in the 2019 movie Last Christmas. This film featured many songs by Wham! In 2023, Andrew helped induct George Michael into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Charitable Work
Andrew Ridgeley enjoys cycling. He has taken part in the Dallaglio Cycle Slam several times. This is a charity bike ride that raises money for Dallaglio Rugby Works. This charity helps young people learn positive life skills through rugby. Andrew is a big fan of road cycling.
In 2024, Andrew Ridgeley received the Anglo-American Cultural Award. This award was given to him by the St. George's Society of New York.
Personal Life
From 1990 to 2017, Andrew Ridgeley was in a relationship with Keren Woodward. She is a member of the music group Bananarama. They lived together in a historic farm property in Cornwall, England. In 2022, Andrew announced he was dating Amanda Cronin. They separated in May 2023.
Discography
Solo
- Son of Albert (1990)
With Wham!
- Fantastic (1983)
- Make It Big (1984)
- Music from the Edge of Heaven (1986)
See also
In Spanish: Andrew Ridgeley para niños
