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, Northumberland, 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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Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is a famous English musician, activist, and actor. He was the lead singer, songwriter, and bass player for the new wave band The Police from 1977 until they stopped playing together in 1986. After that, he started a successful solo career in 1985. His music mixes different styles like rock, jazz, reggae, and classical music.
Sting has sold over 100 million records, both on his own and with The Police. He has won many awards, including 17 Grammy Awards. He also received three Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Emmy Award. In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Police. Sting has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was honored by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to music.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner was born in Wallsend, England, on 2 October 1951. He was the oldest of four children. His father was a milkman, and his mother was a hairdresser. Sting grew up near shipyards, which left a big impression on him. When he was ten, he became very interested in an old Spanish guitar.
Sting went to St Cuthbert's High School in Newcastle upon Tyne. He enjoyed visiting nightclubs to see bands like Cream, which influenced his musical style. He learned to sing and play by listening to records. After school, he worked different jobs, including bus conductor and tax officer. From 1971 to 1974, he studied at the Northern Counties College of Education and became a teacher. He taught at a school in Cramlington for two years.
How Sting Got His Name
While teaching, Sting played jazz music in the evenings and on weekends. He played with bands like the Phoenix Jazzmen. He got his nickname "Sting" because he often wore a black and yellow striped jumper. His bandleader thought he looked like a bee or a wasp. Sting has said that no one calls him Gordon, not even his own children.
Musical Career Highlights
The Police Years (1977–1984)
In January 1977, Sting joined Stewart Copeland and Henry Padovani (who was later replaced by Andy Summers) to form the band The Police. Sting became their lead singer, bass player, and main songwriter. Between 1978 and 1983, The Police had five albums that reached number one in the UK. They won six Grammy Awards and two Brit Awards.
The band's early music was inspired by punk rock, but they soon changed to a mix of reggae rock and pop. Their last album, Synchronicity, was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 1983. It included their most famous song, "Every Breath You Take", which Sting wrote.
Sting decided to leave The Police in 1983, even though the band was very successful. He felt like he had achieved everything he could with the band. The group never officially broke up, but they decided to work on their own projects. In 2007, they reunited for a special tour called The Police Reunion Tour.
Many of The Police's albums and songs are considered classics. Rolling Stone magazine listed four of their albums among the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Their songs "Every Breath You Take" and "Roxanne" are also on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
Starting a 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 and was nominated for several Grammy Awards.
In 1984, Sting joined Band Aid to sing on the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" This song raised money for people affected by famine in Ethiopia. In July 1985, Sting performed at the Live Aid concert in London, which was a huge event to help fight famine. He sang his own hits and also performed with other artists like Dire Straits and Phil Collins.
Sting's second solo album, ...Nothing Like the Sun, came out in 1987. It included popular songs such as "We'll Be Together" and "Englishman in New York". This album also sold very well and won a Brit Award for Best British Album.
Continued Solo Success (1990–2005)
Sting's 1991 album, The Soul Cages, was dedicated to his father, who had passed away. It featured the Grammy-winning title track. In 1993, he released Ten Summoner's Tales, which became a huge hit, reaching number two in both the UK and US. This album included popular songs like "Fields of Gold" and "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You". "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" won him another Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
In 1993, Sting also collaborated with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart on the song "All for Love" for the movie The Three Musketeers. This song was a number one hit in the US. In 1994, he was named Best British Male at the Brit Awards.
His 1996 album, Mercury Falling, included songs like "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot". In 1999, Sting released Brand New Day, which brought him more success. The title track and "Desert Rose" were big hits. He won two Grammy Awards for this album in 2000.
In 2001, Sting released a live album called ...All This Time, which was recorded at his home in Italy. The concert was held on 11 September 2001, and he dedicated the album to those affected by the terrorist attacks in America that day. In 2002, he won a Golden Globe Award for his song "Until..." from the film Kate & Leopold.
His 2003 album, Sacred Love, featured collaborations with artists like Mary J. Blige. They won a Grammy for their duet, "Whenever I Say Your Name". In 2004, Sting was nominated for an Academy Award for his song "You Will Be My Ain True Love" from the movie Cold Mountain.
Recent Music and Tours (2006–Present)
In 2006, Sting released Songs from the Labyrinth, an album featuring music from the 16th-century composer John Dowland. This showed his interest in classical music. In 2007, he reunited with The Police for a special performance at the 2007 Grammy Awards. They then went on a successful reunion tour around the world.
Sting continued to release new music, including If on a Winter's Night... in 2009, which focused on winter-themed songs. In 2010, he went on the Symphonicity Tour, where he performed his songs with a symphony orchestra.
In 2013, Sting released The Last Ship, an album inspired by his childhood experiences and the shipbuilding industry in his hometown. This album led to a musical play of the same name. He also toured with other famous musicians like Paul Simon (2014-2015) and Peter Gabriel (2016).
His rock album 57th & 9th was released in 2016. In 2018, Sting released 44/876 with reggae artist Shaggy. Their collaboration was very popular. In 2019, Sting released My Songs, which featured new versions of his most famous songs. He has been on a world tour called the My Songs Tour since 2019, which continues into 2025.
In 2021, Sting released Duets, an album of collaborations with various artists. Later that year, he released his fifteenth studio album, The Bridge. In 2022, he collaborated with the Swedish DJ group Swedish House Mafia on the song "Redlight," which used lyrics from his hit "Roxanne."
Activism and Causes
Sting has been involved in human rights and environmental causes for a long time. His activism began in 1981 when he performed at an Amnesty International benefit show. He has said that this event taught him about human rights issues around the world. He continued to support Amnesty International throughout the 1980s and beyond.
In 1984, he joined the charity supergroup Band Aid to sing on "Do They Know It's Christmas?", which raised money for famine victims. He also performed at the Live Aid concert in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005, both major events to fight poverty and hunger.
With his wife, Trudie Styler, Sting co-founded the Rainforest Foundation Fund. This organization helps protect rainforests and the indigenous peoples who live there. He has held annual benefit concerts at Carnegie Hall to support this cause. A type of tree frog was even named after him because of his efforts to save the rainforest!
Sting has also spoken out on other important issues. In 1988, his song "They Dance Alone" highlighted the struggles of families whose loved ones disappeared under a dictatorship in Chile. He has supported campaigns against the death penalty and for drug policy reform. In 2011, Time magazine named Sting one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his work.
Personal Life and Interests
Sting married actress Frances Tomelty in 1976. They had two children, Joseph and Fuschia Katherine. They divorced in 1984. Sting then married actress and film producer Trudie Styler in 1992. They have four children: Brigitte Michael, Jake, Eliot Paulina, and Giacomo Luke. In a 2025 interview, Sting shared that Trudie was the inspiration for his song "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic".
Sting owns several homes, including a large estate in Wiltshire, England, and a villa in Tuscany, Italy. He is known for his dedication to fitness. For many years, he ran daily and practiced aerobics. Around 1990, he started practicing different types of yoga, including Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Jivamukti Yoga. He also practices pilates.
Sting is a keen chess player. In 2000, he played an exhibition game against chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov along with his bandmates. Kasparov managed to beat all five of them at the same time!
Sting is a big fan of his hometown football club, Newcastle United. He even wrote a song for them called "Black and White Army (Bringing The Pride Back Home)". He has also donated money to help regenerate a public swimming pool in Tynemouth, near where he grew up. Sting follows a macrobiotic diet, which means he avoids processed foods.
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)
Images for kids
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Sting logo
