Sting (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sting
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Sting in 2018
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Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner
2 October 1951 Wallsend, England
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| Alma mater | Northern Counties College of Education |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
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| Children | 6, including Joe, Mickey and Eliot |
| Awards | Full list |
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Meet Sting, whose real name is Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner. He was born on October 2, 1951, in England. Sting is a world-famous musician, singer, songwriter, actor, and activist.
He first became famous as the lead singer, songwriter, and bassist for the new wave band The Police. This was from 1977 until the band stopped playing together in 1986. After that, Sting started his own solo career in 1985. His music mixes different styles like rock, jazz, reggae, and classical sounds.
Sting has sold over 100 million records. This includes his work with The Police and his solo music. He has won many awards, including 17 Grammy Awards. He also has three Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Emmy Award. In 2003, he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Police. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and How He Became "Sting"
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner was born in Wallsend, England, on October 2, 1951. He was the oldest of four children. His dad was a milkman, and his mom was a hairdresser. He grew up close to the big shipyards in Wallsend. These shipyards made a big impression on him.
When he was a child, he saw the Queen Mother wave from her car. This made him dream of a more exciting life away from the shipyards. He helped his dad deliver milk. By age ten, he was very interested in an old Spanish guitar. A friend of his father's left it behind when they moved away.
Sting went to St Cuthbert's High School in Newcastle upon Tyne. He visited nightclubs to see bands like Cream. These bands helped shape his musical style. He learned to sing and play at the same time by listening to records. After school in 1969, he worked different jobs. He was a bus conductor, a builder, and a tax officer. Then, he went to college to become a teacher. He taught at a school in Cramlington for two years.
In the evenings and on weekends, Sting played jazz music. He played with groups like the Phoenix Jazzmen. He got his nickname "Sting" from wearing a black and yellow striped jumper. His bandleader thought he looked like a bee or a wasp. So, they started calling him Sting. Even his family calls him Sting. He has never legally changed his name.
Musical Journey
The Police Years (1977–1984)
In January 1977, Sting joined Stewart Copeland and Henry Padovani. Soon after, Andy Summers replaced Padovani. Together, they formed the band The Police. Sting became their lead singer, bass player, and main songwriter.
From 1978 to 1983, The Police had five albums that reached number one in the UK. They won six Grammy Awards and two Brit Awards. Their early music was punk-inspired. But they soon changed to a mix of reggae rock and simple pop. Their last album, Synchronicity, was a huge success. It included their most famous song, "Every Breath You Take", which Sting wrote.
Sting decided to leave The Police while performing in 1983. He felt they had reached their peak. The band never officially broke up. But after Synchronicity, they focused on solo projects. The Police did reunite for a tour in 2007.
Many of their songs are considered classics. "Every Breath You Take" and "Roxanne" are on lists of the greatest songs ever. In 2003, The Police were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Starting His Solo Career (1985–1989)
Sting released his first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, in 1985. It featured talented jazz musicians. The album had hit songs like "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" and "Russians". It quickly sold millions of copies. The album also received several Grammy nominations.
In 1984, Sting joined Band Aid to record "Do They Know It's Christmas?" This song raised money for people affected by famine in Ethiopia. In 1985, he performed at the Live Aid concert in London. He sang his own hits and joined other artists.
His second solo album, ...Nothing Like the Sun, came out in 1987. It included popular songs like "Englishman in New York" and "Fragile". This album also sold very well. It won Best British Album at the 1988 Brit Awards. The album's title comes from a William Shakespeare poem.
Growing Solo Success (1990–1997)
Sting's 1991 album, The Soul Cages, was dedicated to his father. It featured the Grammy-winning title track. This album also sold over a million copies.
His fourth album, Ten Summoner's Tales, was released in 1993. It was a huge hit, reaching number two in the UK and US. The album was recorded at his home in Wiltshire, England. Its title is a clever play on his last name, Sumner. Hit songs from this album include "Fields of Gold" and "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You". "Fields of Gold" was inspired by the barley fields near his home. He won another Grammy for "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You".
In 1993, Sting sang "All for Love" with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart. This song was for the movie The Three Musketeers. It became a number one hit in the U.S. and other countries. In 1994, he was named Best British Male at the Brit Awards.
His 1996 album, Mercury Falling, had songs like "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot". He also recorded music for the Disney film The Emperor's New Groove.
New Sounds and Movie Music (1998–2005)
In 1999, Sting released Brand New Day. This album brought him more hits, including the title track and "Desert Rose". He won two Grammy Awards for this album in 2000. He performed "Desert Rose" with Cheb Mami at the awards show.
His song "My Funny Friend and Me" from The Emperor's New Groove soundtrack was nominated for an Academy Award. In 2002, he won a Golden Globe Award for "Until..." from the film Kate & Leopold. This was his second Academy Award nomination. He also received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
In 2003, Sting released Sacred Love. This album included collaborations with Mary J. Blige and Anoushka Shankar. He and Mary J. Blige won a Grammy for their duet "Whenever I Say My Name". In 2004, he was nominated for an Academy Award again. This time it was for "You Will Be My Ain True Love" from the movie Cold Mountain.
New Directions and The Police Reunion (2006–2010)
In 2006, Sting released Songs from the Labyrinth. This album featured music by John Dowland, a composer from the 1500s. Sting's performance of this classical music was well-received.
On February 11, 2007, Sting reunited with The Police for the 2007 Grammy Awards. They sang "Roxanne" and announced a reunion tour. The tour started in May 2007 and lasted over a year. Tickets sold out very quickly. The last concert was in August 2008.
In 2009, Sting released If on a Winter's Night..., an album with winter-themed songs. He also performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concert. He played with artists like Stevie Wonder and Jeff Beck.
Musicals and Collaborations (2010–Present)
From 2010 to 2013, Sting continued touring. He also worked on a musical called The Last Ship. This musical was inspired by his own childhood and the shipbuilding industry in Wallsend. It tells a story about the decline of British shipbuilding. The musical debuted in 2014. Sting's album, also called The Last Ship, was released in 2013.
In 2014 and 2015, Sting toured with Paul Simon. They played many concerts together in North America, Australia, and Europe. In 2016, Sting also toured with Peter Gabriel.
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Sting released his rock album 57th & 9th in 2016. The title refers to a street intersection in New York City. He toured the world to support this album. In November 2016, Sting performed at the re-opening of the Bataclan theatre in Paris. This was a year after a terrible terrorist attack there.
In 2017, Sting won the Polar Music Prize. This is a major international award for music. In 2018, he released 44/876 with reggae artist Shaggy. In 2019, his song "Every Breath You Take" became the most-played song in radio history.
Sting's fourteenth album, My Songs, came out in 2019. It features new versions of his classic songs. He also started a residency in Las Vegas, which was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Sting released Duets, an album of collaborations with other artists. His fifteenth studio album, The Bridge, was released in November 2021. He wrote these songs during the global pandemic. One of his songs, "What Could Have Been", was featured in the animated series Arcane.
In 2022, Sting worked with Swedish House Mafia on the song "Redlight". This song used lyrics from The Police's "Roxanne". In February 2022, Universal Music Group bought all of Sting's music rights. This made him one of the highest-paid musicians in 2022.
Activism and Helping Others
Sting has been involved in human rights since 1981. He learned about the work of Amnesty International and torture around the world. He performed at their benefit shows, which helped him get more involved in social causes.
He showed his interest in global issues in his 1980 song "Driven to Tears". This song spoke about world hunger. He joined Band Aid in 1984 to help famine victims. He also performed at the Live Aid concert in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005.
In 1986, Sting reunited with The Police for Amnesty's "A Conspiracy of Hope" concerts. In 1988, he joined other musicians for the "Human Rights Now!" tour. This tour celebrated 40 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, founded the Rainforest Foundation Fund. They work to save rainforests and protect the people who live there. In 1989, he visited the Altamira Gathering to support this cause. A type of tree frog was even named after him for his efforts.
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In 1997, Sting performed at the "Music for Montserrat" concert. This event raised money for the Caribbean island after a volcano eruption. In 2001, he sang "Fragile" for "America: A Tribute to Heroes". This raised money for victims of the 9/11 attacks.
Sting has continued his activism. He cancelled a concert in Kazakhstan in 2011 due to concerns about workers' rights. He also helped raise funds for victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. He is a supporter of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Sting has spoken out on political issues. He was against Brexit, believing it would harm the music industry. He also joined a group asking Apple Inc. to help reduce smartphone addiction in children.
Personal Life
Sting married actress Frances Tomelty in 1976. They had two children, Joseph and Fuschia Katherine. They divorced in 1984. Sting then married actress Trudie Styler in 1992. They have four children: Brigitte Michael, Jake, Eliot Paulina, and Giacomo Luke. His daughter Eliot is also a singer.
Sting owns several homes around the world. These include a country estate in Wiltshire, England, and a villa in Tuscany, Italy.
Sting's parents both passed away from cancer. He chose not to attend their funerals to avoid media attention.
For many years, Sting has focused on physical and mental fitness. He used to run a lot and do aerobics. Around 1990, he started practicing yoga. He also practices pilates regularly. He is also a keen chess player. In 2000, he played against chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov and lost.
Sting is a big fan of his hometown football club, Newcastle United. He even wrote a song for them. He has said that he is agnostic, meaning he doesn't believe in one specific religion. In 2014, he donated money to help restore a public swimming pool near where he grew up. Sting is also vegetarian.
Awards and Nominations
Discography
Studio albums
- The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985)
- ...Nothing Like the Sun (1987)
- The Soul Cages (1991)
- Ten Summoner's Tales (1993)
- Mercury Falling (1996)
- Brand New Day (1999)
- Sacred Love (2003)
- Songs from the Labyrinth (2006)
- If on a Winter's Night... (2009)
- Symphonicities (2010)
- The Last Ship (2013)
- 57th & 9th (2016)
- 44/876 (2018) (with Shaggy)
- My Songs (2019)
- The Bridge (2021)
Filmography
As actor
- Quadrophenia (1979) – The Ace Face
- Radio On (1979) – Just Like Eddie
- Artemis 81 (1981) – The angel Helith (BBC TV film)
- Brimstone and Treacle (1982) – Martin Taylor
- Dune (1984) – Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen
- Plenty (1985) – Mick
- The Bride (1985) – Baron Frankenstein
- Julia and Julia (1987) – Daniel
- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) – a "heroic officer"
- Stormy Monday (1988) – Finney
- The Grotesque (1995) – Fledge
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) – J.D.
- Kaamelott: The First Chapter (2021) – Horsa
As himself
- Urgh! A Music War (1982)
- Bring On the Night (1985)
- Saturday Night Live (1991) – host
- The Simpsons episode "Radio Bart" (1992)
- The Larry Sanders Show episode "Where Is the Love?" (1996)
- Ally McBeal season four episode "Cloudy Skies, Chance of Parade" (2001)
- Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out (2006)
- Studio 60 on Sunset Strip (2006)
- Bee Movie (2007)
- Little Britain USA (2008)
- Brüno (2009)
- Still Bill (2009)
- Do It Again (2010)
- Life's Too Short (2011)
- The Michael J. Fox Show (2013)
- 20 Feet from Stardom (2013)
- Zoolander 2 (2016)
- Only Murders in the Building (2021)
Theatre
Broadway and Tour credits
| Year | Title | Notes |
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| 1982 | Rock 'N Roll! The First 5,000 Years | Writer: "Message in a Bottle" |
| 1989 | 3 Penny Opera | Role: Macheath |
| 2014 | The Last Ship | Music and lyrics Role: Jackie White |
| 2019 | ||
| 2020 |
See also
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
- List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
- List of music artists by net worth
- Lists of Billboard number-one singles
- Mononymous persons
