Gordon Matthew Sumner was born in Wallsend,
Northumberland in
1951 to a clasically trained
pianist and a
milkman. From a very early age, he learned musical
theory from his
mother and developed a passion for
jazz music that would propel him to the top of the
music world. His natural drive and
motivation kept him from pursuing promising careers in
athletics and
academia. He was a typical unruly
teenager and was hopelessly dissatisfied with 3rd place at the
National Junior Track Championship. This ambition and
perfectionism would keep with him for his whole career, molding his music and alienating him from his bandmates. Gordon turned down an advanced
piano scholarship and drifted for a few years. After trying his hand digging ditches and teaching
English, Gordon realized his true calling and moved to
London to pursue a career in music. While playing the
bass guitar in an early band named
Earthrise, Gordon habitually wore a yellow and black striped
sweater which earned him the nickname Sting. It stuck. He would henceforth be known as Sting to friends and family. Gordon Sumner, the drifter from Northumberland who shed his
Geordie accent to get ahead in the world, was left behind.
After playing for a popular underground London band named the Newcastle Big Band, Sting and three of his friends founded Last Exit. It was during this period that Sting met and married Frances Tomelty and they had their first child, Joe. Last Exit was not to last long however, once Stewart Copeland, an American drummer in need of a bass player, caught their act. He convinced Sting to give rock a chance and, together with guitarist Andy Summers, the Police was formed.
Their first hit, Roxanne, came off of their 1978 album Outlandos D'Amour. The Police's innovative mix of rock and reggae propelled Roxanne to the top of the charts with a little help from the BBC, who banned the song because it was a plea to a prostitute. The record sold in droves. The Police would release four more albums over the next five years, spawning such hits as Message In A Bottle, Don't Stand So Close To Me, and Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. Sting's writing dominated the albums and he began to assume the role of a frontman for the group. Sting, Andy and Stewart's dynamic and explosive personalities caused more than a few memorable rows, but as their relationship became more and more strained, the band's creative energy, particularly Sting's, grew stronger. The band's final album, Synchronicity, one of the best rock albums of all time, was released in 1983. The Police were the biggest band in the world and they had released a superb album that would be all fans would have left of them following their breakup later that year. The Police played their final concert in 1986 at Giants Stadium for Amnesty International, literally passing their instruments and the title of biggest band in the world on to U2.
Sting released his first solo album in 1985, after assembling one of the world's most talented jazz bands, featuring Brandford Marsalis, Omar Hakim and Kenny Kirkland. Dream of the Blue Turtle's jazzy sound flew off the shelves and shortly went platinum. He followed up with the Grammy-winning The Soul Cages and Ten Summoner's Tales, both of which revealed an increasing genius for contemplative and beautiful songs. The Soul Cages was a very somber album, having been written while Sting was coping with the loss of his parents, especially his father who had died while he was working on it. In 1992, Sting remarried, having divorced his first wife in 1982 after having two children. He and Trudie Styler are still married and have four kids.
Sting's popularity experienced a resurgence in the late 90s with the release of his album Brand New Day, whose title song Sting performed live to ring in the new millennium. He has also performed at countless events such as the Super Bowl and the opening ceremony for the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City and contributed songs to numerous soundtracks, including The Emperor's New Groove and The Thomas Crown Affair.
Sting has always been heavily involved in humanitarian causes, contributing generously to Amnesty International and the Rainforest Foundation. He also acts, having starred in a number of motion pictures such as Quadrophenia, Dune and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He has received honorary degrees from Northumbria University in 1992, and from the Berklee College of Music in 1994.
Discography
The Police
Sting (Solo)
Filmography
Sources:
http://www.sting.com/
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/2832/
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/5646/intro.html#minibio
http://ubl.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,497732,00.html?artist=Sting
Thanks to gripdamage for pointing out a couple omissions in the Discography