Sting

Sting
Name	Sting
Caption	Sting performing in 2018
Birth name	Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner
Birth date	2 October 1951
Birth place	Wallsend, Northumberland, England
Occupation	Musician, singer, songwriter, actor, activist
Years active	1971–present
Spouse	Frances Tomelty (1976–1984), Trudie Styler (1992–present)

Sting. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, known professionally as Sting, is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame as the principal songwriter, lead vocalist, and bassist for the new wave band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a successful solo career, incorporating elements of jazz, reggae, classical music, and world music, and has won numerous awards including seventeen Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Emmy Award.

Early life and education

Born in Wallsend, a shipbuilding town in Northumberland, he attended St. Cuthbert's High School in Newcastle upon Tyne. His early musical education was influenced by the jazz records in his mother's collection and he later studied English at the University of Warwick's Coventry College of Education. Before his music career, he worked as a teacher, a road crew laborer, and a tax officer for the Inland Revenue.

Music career

He co-founded the Police in 1977 with guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland. The band achieved global success with albums like Reggatta de Blanc, Zenyattà Mondatta, and Synchronicity, featuring hits such as "Roxanne", "Message in a Bottle", and "Every Breath You Take". After the band dissolved, he embarked on a solo career, releasing the jazz-influenced The Dream of the Blue Turtles, which featured musicians like Branford Marsalis. Subsequent albums, including ...Nothing Like the Sun, The Soul Cages, and Ten Summoner's Tales, explored personal themes and diverse genres. He has collaborated with a wide array of artists including Dire Straits, Eric Clapton, and Shaggy, and performed at major events like the Live Aid concert and the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.

Acting career

He has pursued a parallel career in film and theatre. His notable film roles include the antagonist in Brimstone & Treacle, Feyd-Rautha in David Lynch's Dune, and supporting parts in Plenty, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. On stage, he made his Broadway debut in a 1989 revival of The Threepenny Opera and starred in a 2014 production of The Last Ship, a musical for which he wrote the score and which was inspired by his childhood in Wallsend.

Activism and philanthropy

A longtime activist, he is a prominent supporter of Amnesty International and Greenpeace, having performed at benefit concerts like The Secret Policeman's Ball and on the Rainbow Warrior. He co-founded the Rainforest Foundation Fund with his wife Trudie Styler in 1989 to protect the Amazon rainforest and the rights of its indigenous peoples. His advocacy also extends to human rights, performing for Tibetan independence and supporting organizations like the Jubilee 2000 debt relief campaign.

Personal life

He was married to actress Frances Tomelty from 1976 to 1984. He later married actress and producer Trudie Styler in 1992, with whom he has four children; he also has two children from his first marriage. A resident of multiple countries, he owns properties in London, New York City, and a Lake House estate in Wiltshire. His interests include yoga, tantra, and association football, being a noted fan of Newcastle United F.C..

Discography and filmography

His major solo studio albums include The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985), ...Nothing Like the Sun (1987), The Soul Cages (1991), Ten Summoner's Tales (1993), Brand New Day (1999), and Sacred Love (2003). Select film credits encompass Quadrophenia (1979), Dune (1984), The Bride (1985), and voice work for The Emperor's New Groove (2000). His work for television includes composing the theme song for the series The League of Gentlemen.

Category:English male singers Category:English songwriters Category:Grammy Award winners Category:1951 births Category:Living people