Beloved singer George Michael, who shot to fame in the 80s with the group Wham! and went on to a successful solo career, passed away at his home in Oxfordshire on Christmas Day. During his time with Wham! Michael was known for hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Careless Whisper” and “Last Christmas.” He launched his solo career starting with the album Faith in 1987 and went on to have a number of top five hits including “I Want Your Sex,” “Father Figure” and “Freedom.” George’s manager confirmed his death and told The Hollywood Reporter that he passed away peacefully in his bed from heart failure. He was just 53 years old. Here is the statement confirming his passing:
George Michael, the creamy-voiced English songwriter who sold tens of millions of albums as a member of the duo Wham! and on his own, was found dead on Sunday at his home in Goring in Oxfordshire, England. He was 53.
A police statement said: “Thames Valley Police were called to a property in Goring-on-Thames shortly before 2 p.m. Christmas Day. Sadly, a 53-year-old man was confirmed deceased at the scene. At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.”
Mr. Michael’s manager, Michael Lippman, told The Hollywood Reporter that Mr. Michael had died of heart failure “in bed, lying peacefully.”
“It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period,” his publicist Connie Filippello said in a statement. “The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.”
Prior to George’s death it was reported that he was working on new music with producer Naughty Boy. That news came out just two weeks ago. (His last album, the compilation Symphonica, came out in 2014 and was of recorded live music which was not new.) There was a documentary film in the works about him, Freedom, which was due for release next March. It included unseen archival footage of the making of his second solo album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. He was planning an extended re-release of Listen Without Prejudice Volume 1 as well.
George was a pioneer in music and in his personal life. He came out as gay in 1998 following an arrest which essentially outed him, and in a 2014 interview he explained that coming out did not make his life easier. He was in a long term relationship with American flight attendant Kenny Goss, although the two split in 2009 they were thought to still be close. After his relationship with Kenny ended, George dated Australian hairstylist Fadi Fawaz for several years. George had a number of arrests later in life for minor drug offenses but he achieved sobriety in the past few years after attending rehab. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this difficult time. RIP George and thank you for all the music. We will never forget you.
This is one of the last Instagrams from George’s official page:
photos credit: WENN, FameFlynet, PRPhotos, Pacific Coast News
What a bitch of a year.
One more week till 2017!!!
At this rate I reckon the bloodthirsty pyscopath that is 2016 will squeeze one more in before year’s end, which is what I thought after Zsa Zsa Gabor died. Apparently Michael’s health issues were related to HIV. But I don’t remember hearing that he was HIV positive.
One of his boyfriends passed away from AIDS, and George said after that that he didn’t want to be tested, didn’t want to know. He might have changed his mind later when better treatments came out though.
Him almost dying of pheumonia a few years ago does suggest he had HIV, but this seems to have come as a real surprise to people around him, and he died at home, so heart failure to to drug use or the effects of drug use seems more likely.
TMZ has pics of him where he looks morbidly obese.I don’t think it’s related to HIV.
The antiretroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS does cause weight gain.
Heart Failure could also have been secondary to damage done from his drug abuse
@BJ
I don’t think it was obesity. I’ve seen several photos of him over the past 2 years and his face looked very puffy but his body didn’t match that level of puffiness, something else was going on imo.
The weight gain looks like bloat from taking cortisone or prednisone. The rumors of his HIV positive status have persisted for years and are most likely true, but with his history of drug abuse it will be difficult to speculate on a cause of death before an autopsy.
@Kate, glad you brought it up because heart failure? Not a cause of death (I mean. Everyone dies of heart failure). I can’t help but think HIV/AIDS was a possible cause, as with Prince–and if so, I’m disturbed by all these celebrities with HIV/AIDS who weren’t open about it! Maybe they feared for their careers but being open about it in death would at least help raise awareness among the generation that did not live through the 80s/90s and are unaware of how significant and dangerous HIV is. Instead, freaking Charlie Sheen is the face of it now.
‘What a bitch of a year.’
Seconded!
Dear 2016,
It’s over. It’s not me, it’s you. You suck as a year and I’m breaking up with you. I can’t take one more day of your shit. Ok. I get it, I HAVE to take at like 5 more days of it, but after that.. we’re through.
(Although I AM tempted to take a bunch of Benadryl and just sleep the rest it off)
Worst frickin year ever.
So sad… loved him from day one!
RIP George❤
*table flip*
This year has gone TOO FAR
I join you in your table flip and stamp my feet angrily
A truly special individual who was inspiring to many people needing someone to show them that freedom was possible. Thank you, George. We’ll miss you.
Woke up this morning to this terrible news. I am one of his many adoring fans, absolutely in love with his beautiful voice. Was really looking forward to his new work 😢 George Michael for me, is a top rate songwriter. Some of my favourites apart from Wham’s Careless Whisper would include Jesus to a Child, Amazing, Older, One More Try, his duet with Elton John, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, oh there are so many! Rest in peace, George Michael. You are sorely missed 😭
Kissing a Fool is one of my all time faves. A beautiful song, sung with a perfect voice.
Just cracked out my “Faith” cd which I haven’t listened to in probably 15 years and man, is it good
one of faves is the cover of Seal’s Killer mixed with The Temptation’s “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”. In the 80’s when radio was hip, urban radio were blasting his tunes as well.
I used to listen to “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” over and over, such a beautiful song and especially poignant now 😔
RIP George, you will be missed. ❤️
So I thought having some idiot wish death upon me because I deigned to say something about Drumpf’s favourite child was the highlight of my Christmas Day. Now this. RIP, George. You were lovely, gorgeous. You will be missed.
Sadly it is quite common these days with both Republican and Democrat supporters quick to become abusive when they come across people with different points of view. For many the new rule of engagement is that there are no rules of engagement.
Just. Stop. Please.
I have never heard a Democrat supporter wish death on anyone. Take your false equivalence and your Trump-style projection elsewhere.
Then bring it up on that thread. Don’t politicize this one. Just let us all recognize our loss of This beautiful voice without making it political or about “me”.
He was fabulous. Thank you GM for being the soundtrack of our lives. RIP
@B&C. Sounds like evidence by anecdote.
Stay strong !!
Thanks, EM!
Last Christmas indeed….rest in peace…I have memories of playing Kissing A Fool on repeat. What a voice.
The first thing I thought of was driving around my college town with my best friend listening to the Faith album. His voice was just gorgeous.
Ugh. Prince and George Michael. It’s like 2016 is trying to erase my teenage years.
This is shocking. I just came here to see, if there is anything going on, but I didn’t expect 2016 striking again. This is sad. As kid I loved Last Christmas and I was so fascinated by Freedom! ’90 (song AND video). I’m afraid 2017 won’t be much better.
2016 is going to go out kicking and screaming until the ball drops into 2017.
I’m afraid 2016 is going to kill New Years Eve and lives on forever. It is the Michael Myers of years. It just doesn’t stop killing.
2017 IS going to be better. I have a strong aversion regarding anything esoteric, but the seven year cycle theory resonates with me, for some reason. So, judging from my own brief history on Earth: 2009 was an absolute wanker of a year, too, for me and for many of the people close to me. Subsequently, 2010 was dedicated to reassessing, understanding, and regrouping. So while I don’t have any expectations of rainbows and unicorns for 2017, I think it will be a year where a lot of mending will be brought on its way. Maybe they will be baby steps, but there will be steps in the right direction, overall. A lot of people have been woken up by the events of 2016. Let’s make what we learned about the ways of the world count. Let’s join forces and fight for what is important. We can do it.
Coincidentally, 2013 turned out to be one of the single most fulfilling, most important, most change-inducing years of my life; so again, applying my own personal, entirely unscientific seven year cycle theory experience indicates that – tataaa! – 2020 will bring real change for the better.
I sure hope you’re right! In fact, I’m gonna roll with this theory, too. Hey, why not. A little positive thinking can’t hurt. 🙂
I never thought about it. But 2009 was a difficult one for me and 2013 was amazing!!!!
Actually, in numerology the cycle is 9 years. There is the world year, but also your personal year based on your birthdate. 2016 is a world 9 year, which means endings & completions. 2017 is a one…new beginnings.
New beginnings and better things such as Brexit, Trump, possibly far-right governments in France and the Netherlands? Not convinced.
Yeah, no. 100% anecdotal, I’m sorry.
Esoterically, think in terms of 100 year cycles. The Lincoln/Kennedy connection is a well known example of this. So consider what was happening in 1915-1920 ..
2013 was the worst year of my life.
I read this on his wiki page and found it quite touching:
“At the age of 19, Michael told Andrew Ridgeley and close friends that he was bisexual. Michael also told one of his two sisters, but he was advised by friends not to tell his parents about his sexuality. In a 1999 interview with The Advocate, Michael told the Editor in Chief, Judy Wieder, that it was “falling in love with a man that ended his conflict over bisexuality”. “I never had a moral problem with being gay”, Michael told Wieder. “I thought I had fallen in love with a woman a couple of times. Then I fell in love with a man, and realized that none of those things had been love.”
In 2007, Michael said he had hidden the fact he was gay because of worries over what effect it might have on his mother.
Speaking about his time with Wham! in the 1980s, Michael said: “I used to sleep with women quite a lot in the Wham! days but never felt it could develop into a relationship because I knew that, emotionally, I was a gay man. I didn’t want to commit to them but I was attracted to them. Then I became ashamed that I might be using them.” In 2009, Michael said: “My depression at the end of Wham! was because I was beginning to realize I was gay, not bisexual.”
What a voice. One of my favorites.
I was reading a newspaper article yesterday morning about James Brown, who died 10 years ago on Christmas Day. For some reason, I thought, a celebrity will die this year on Christmas. It was a weird thought and I tried to put it out of my head but I did keep checking the news to make sure it wasn’t Carrie Fisher. The truly odd thing is that, because of the time difference, when I thought that, he was either dying or already dead.
I’m sorry for sharing the spookiness. It just threw me, that’s all.
F***ing 2016, man. 😢
Listen Without Prejudice is a perfect timeless CD.
IMO
It truly, truly is.
His best album… With ‘Cowboys and Angels’ as my personal forever favorite George Michael song
And regarding our future, George has some beautiful words in his song ‘Praying for Time’ which are still appropriate almost 27 years later:
‘It’s hard to love, there’s so much to hate
Hanging on to hope
When there is no hope to speak of
And the wounded skies above say it’s much too late
Then maybe we should all be praying for time’
I think this is my favorite GM song, although SO hard to choose one. I feel like my youth is being buried by 2016 🙁 so sad!!
😭😭😭
2016 can go kick itself in the crotch. 🙁
2016 would be a good name for a professional wrestler or Death Metal band such is its infamy.
@ Rico Shew: I adore your comment. As much of a downer as 2016 was, this made me laugh. Let’s hope that in the long run, that’s what 2016 is going to turn out to be: a running joke.
Yes, sauvage, let’s hope that we can someday look back at 2016 as a horrible joke, a one off. Because I can’t handle the idea of the alternative — that it’s just the first of many sh$&&y years to come.
I maintain that it gets better, see my comment above. Hugs!
2016 can just sod off….RIP George.. what a artist.
2016 can just Fuck off
As a kid the big four in my life were: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince and George Michael. I just can’t believe two were taken in one year. Prince, MJ and George were all in their 50’s. That’s much too young to die!
I saw pics of GM from September. I did a double take. His passing is slightly less shocking after seeing the extra weight.
We all die of heart failure, don’t we? I hope we’re given a more specific (and honest!) answer soon.
RIP George.
My mum officially died of heart failure. Whilst having an after-lunch nap on the sofa. But what lay behind it was several bouts of a particular type of anaemia that had put lasting strain on and done damage to, her heart. The anaemia in itself had been a complication of chronic leukaemia. So, although she died of heart failure, the underlying cause was certainly the leukaemia she had lived with for 20+ years. Unless poor George actually had specific heart disease that he hadn’t announced, it was likely the result of one or other of his known health issues.
I agree his underlying health issues probably were the cause. Although cardiac issues like hypertension can start to show in the early 50s. One of my uncles died of a massive heart attack at age 52, no known health issues. And a co-worker, age 53, left work one night, stepped off the bus a block from his house and collapsed and died on the sidewalk. Whatever caused George’s heart to stop, may he rest in peace.
Heart failure is the leading cause of natural death. Although medical advances have lowered the mortality rate for people suffering from heart failure it still accounts for over 30% of deaths. Not everyone with heart failure dies from it and not everyone dies of heart failure. There are two different types of heart failure and even though it sounds general it does refer to a specific type of event. Even sudden cardiac death refers to a specific cause. So it is probably as specific as it will publicly get. Weight gain, crack cocaine, smoking, his self admitted habit of mixing stimulants and depressants all do a number on your heart.
So sad to hear this. He’s been plagued with ill health for years.
2016 ain’t done yet it’s saving the biggest till last.
Knocks on wood.
I heard mention the Queen missed Xmas because of ‘the flu. I looked it up though, and MiMis fine.
She’s also 90. Not a bad innings. Not like 53. RIP George.
As long as it keeps its hands off of Carrie Fisher. Alas I fear the worst.
I fear the worse for Carrie. If she indeed stopped breathing for nearly 10 minutes, it means she will most likely not recover. People cannot survive normally after that kind of devastating loss of functions. I pray I’m wrong because I love Carrie but I’m not satisfied with the continued “she’s in stable condition”. Stable can mean she is stable on a breathing machine and still be brain dead. Sorry I wish I could be more positive.
I have my fingers crossed because I don’t want to accept that 2016 may have taken her from us even if she’s still breathing, but I fear the worst too.
Me too, at the same time I’m thinking, “She can’t go! We need her, healthy and whole and hilarious.”
.
That she stopped breathing is a very bad sign, but she likely began getting CPR immediately, which may have kept the worst at bay. Fingers crossed. 🙁
Really genuinely saddened by this. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever shed tears for a “celebrity”.
Go well George & thank you for some truly amazing tracks.
Poor old George. RIP and best wishes to everyone close to him.
I knew Andrew Ridgeley very slightly during my London raving days through mutual acquaintances in club promotion. He always said that George might well have been a troubled soul but was also the nicest person you could ever meet and that he would always love him.
Yup, Sixer: I very, very, very vaguely knew one of his cousins in London in the 90s & she used to say pretty much the same.
Think I’m might listen to his Desert Island Discs again – he came over as such a decent, thoughtful bloke.
Very sad day.
Aw, sweet story. RIP indeed.
I will always have a soft spot for Wham, his voice especially. It instantly takes me back to a magical time in my life, my late teens, when we were discovering new music and more independence and “true” love.
This is sad news. I’ve been listening to his music all morning. Such a great voice silenced. Will this horrible year never end and leave us all alone? But I fear 2017.
Yeah, I gotta say that I have zero confidence that 2017 will be any better than 2016.
I’m afraid all this talk about “thank god 2016 is nearly over” isn’t convincing me at all. Sorry to sound so doom & gloom but I really don’t have any good feelings about the ensuing year. Lots of upheaval coming, both personally & globally. Brexit & Trump. Christ.
God help us all. & since he doesn’t exist, we’re screwed ….
You took the words right out of my mouth, Pip, Esmom, Lightpurple.
New Years Resolution chez Sixer – fight, fight, fight. Offline and on. Not going to let a word of this wave of hideous go unchallenged. Let’s be louder than them!
Many lovely stories of anonymous philanthropy appearing on social media today and it’s making me a bit teary. Plus, of course, being the first ever Carpool Karaoke when James Corden was still being Smiffy.
I too know someone who knew him slightly. He only had good things to say, said GM was really, really nice to everyone, just a lovely and generous guy.
There are lots of moving anecdotes on Twitter about his generosity.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/people-are-sharing-stories-about-how-generous-george-michael?utm_term=.imALBwQdv#.maANRw25P
I still remember closing up the health club I worked at as a college student and dancing on the equipment with “Faith” blasting in the speakers. I loved that 80’s pop music that George Michael was synonymous with back then.
2016 has been suck a suck year. Can’t wait to kick it to the curb.
And now my beloved Liz Smith. RIP, Liz. I truly loved you.
Liz Smith?? Oh dear!
She was 95. But still. I don’t think people should die at Christmas. I’m too unsnarked and I cry more. Plus, I’ve rellies staying and my aunt is the worst crier ever. She’s been snotting for hours now. I should go and make her some coffee but I’m too busy watching Liz on YouTube.
R.I.P George.
I don’t blame you for checking out after this sh*t of a year. 2016 please be gone now!
May he finally rest in peace.
2016 was a shit year. This year is terrible year for everyone. I am not going to start with the political side (because, that really pissed me off with racist rhetoric and STUPID PEOPLE in world order countries) therefore this is not the time.
This 2016 is a very sad year for pop culture. David Bowie died, Prince died, Leonard Cohen died and now George Micheals died. My heart for these musical icons that changed the world have died with them. Now we are stuck with stupid, ridiculous music that we have to rip our ears off (I am talking about no talents like Justin Bieber, Skrillex and Rihanna just to name a lot more, DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE BUNCH OF SHIT GRAMMYS 2017) 2016 should have been a comeback for older generation artist to show these people how to perform instead they kick the bucket. 2016 is a just a sad year
R.I.P George Michael and other musical icons. The whole world is going to miss all you.
Kiki, 👏.
Tragic news. I will always cherish the music. RIP George you are a legend. Send my love to Bowie.
Rest In Peace, George 😢
Oh man he had such a velvet voice though. I just thought he was so great from Wham to the 90s and hearing Careless Whisper always takes me back to mid 80s. Aww man RIP.
Of all of his many hits, Careless Whisper was always my favorite 🙁
Same. That song in particular still transports me to a very specific time and place like not many others can. Sigh…..
George Michael will be really missed! I remember as a teenager annoying the hell out of my parents singing along to Father Figure and I want your sex and the outrage my parents had over it…good times. RIP
That was a great album, though it ruffled my parents’ feathers as well.
I was on my way to college classes one morning and had a flip-over wreck after hitting ice on the interstate (expressway). I was upside down (thankful for seat belts) on the side of the road with “Father Figure” playing, which let me know I needed to shut off the ignition of the freshly fueled vehicle that could explode.
Somehow I managed to correctly turn the key the correct way (upside down), and knew the ignition was off when his lovely voice stopped.
Nice Story.
We were all going ballistic with joy when the Cavs beat the Warriors….again. Then WHAM, all of our collective phones gave us the sad news of George’s passing away. He was one of a kind. Everyone is kissing off this year but remember who is getting sworn in in 2017. Guess the only thing to do is try to appreciate every day. RIP George….ah man.
Am I the only one who went on You Tube last night and did a George Michael video marathon? I especially love his a cappella version of Freedom. It is my all time favorite version of that song. RIP George. I’m sure you are making awesome music in heaven with Prince and David. It must be one massive jam session.
2016 cannot end soon enough.
My personal favorite is his duet/vocal duel with Elton John on Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me. Two of my favorite singers at their best; to me it’s just glorious. I feel strongly with so many of you that this just caps off a truly miserable year. The only good celebrity news I’ve been reading is about all the performers turning down performing at the inauguration of the orange one. Wish I could turn down having him as president. Curses on 2016!
Elton made a simple and heart-felt comment about him on social media: I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend – the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans. @GeorgeMichael #RIP.
I am glad celebrities are turning “he who shall not be named” down for performing at the inauguration. I have no plans of watching any of it that day.
@Giddy: The official video of Don’t let the sun go down on me always gives me goosebumps and I even tear up often when Elton John appears on stage too. It is such a beautiful song performed by two amazing singers.
I’m with you all. I love that song–Elton’s original and George’s remake/duet. The part where Elton appears on the remake gives me chills as well. Like others commented, my childhood is really getting tanked this year.
No, you’re not the only one.
I woke up to GMA showing a clip of Freedom ’90 and before I could think ‘Uh-Oh’, the voiceover was saying he was gone. I just did a mini-marathon with I Knew You Were Waiting For Me, One More Try, Everything She Wants and Too Funky. I will likely jump back in, but I am still too upset.
I hope he knew how loved he was. Earlier this year when Keanu came out, I saw GM YouTube views go up. Hopefully, the George Michael views/downloads/love will continue to go up.
Thinking about his performance at the London Olympics and Eastenders’ Hev’s GM love.
Keanu came out? When?
@LAK “Keanu” is a movie about a cat that was kidnapped.They play GM music in the film.
Thanks for the laugh though.
LAK. Keanu, the movie about a cat, came out in theaters. Not a reference to The Keanu who has never come out and all signs point to 100% hetero. 🙂
@LAK. The movie. GM was a feature in it.
Loved the video for “Too Funky”. Totally sexy.
I’m American, but lived in the UK over the summer for 7 years–so I did watch a TV show called “Eastenders”. It was a drama show. I recall some of the episodes I saw years ago centering around a pub. Do I have the right show?
@Jane,
Yes, the Queen Vic is the pub that figures in Eastenders. But thenn again, pubs seem to figure in all British soaps. Mind you, I’m an American too, but never left the country. I watched Coronation Street and Emmerdale on the CBC, but watched the BBC specials about Eastenders on YouTube. Heather, or Hev, was friends with Shirley. Heather was killed off a few years ago… I think it was on Christmas or maybe New Years. If it was on Christmas, what a strange coincidence.
I still get momentarily confused when I see the Keanu movie name on my channel list. That movie name is confusing because of the distinctive celebrity name most associated with it.
😂 doh!!! Brain fart!!! Thanks all.
My colossal bad.
Didn’t mean to cause the misunderstanding.
Nah, it provided a moment of levity.
Guess it might be time to update or have a new “Rock and Roll Heaven”. The original was in tribute to the 60’s rock legends, Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Jim Croche, and Otis Redding.
The ending of Deadpool took it from being a B+ movie for me to a straight up A and it’s all thanks to Careless Whisper. Gosh I love that song. I love George Michael. I love Wham! I was born in 1993 but my uncle exposed me to George Michael at a very young age and I’ve been a fan ever since RIP George Michael.
I actually loved his covers as much as I loved his songs.Especially when he covered Stevie Wonder songs.Also Elton John, Gladys Knight”If I were you wo(man)” and Bonnie Raitt”I can’t make you love me” .This news ruined part of my Christmas.
6 more days of 2016,can’t wait for it to end.
His live rendition of Queen’s Somebody to Love at the tribute concert was brilliant. He was one of the few singers who did justice to Freddie Mercury. He made a really tricky song sound so easy.
Oh, God, yes, that’s amazing. It’s part of the Queen/Bowie playlist I play on bad days at work, so I listen to it all the time. I found a video of him doing “These are the days of our lives” with Lisa Stansfield this morning and man, the floodgates just opened.
The Queen tribute was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. To me that was the greatest ever.
Dita Von Teese did a nice tribute to GM on her IG.
This news made me so sad. And scared for whatever else the rest of this shit year will bring us. RIP GM
I know, right? I made a mention of this at Christmas and was shot down for saying such a thing. We have 5 more days left of 2016. I cannot bare to have anymore bad news. 🙁
And yet we still have Trump, Farage, the Karcrashians, all those UK football paedophiles and Carole Middleton kicking about :L
2016 what are you doing. Why are you taking the good ones who never hurt anyone!!
Not sure that Carole Middleton merits inclusion with that lot :-/
I don’t really see how she differs from the Kardashians. Tacky social climber pimping out her children. Hell, at least Kris ended up mostly with kids who actually do something. Carole managed to raise 3 Robs.
Lolz. I was still reeling from my father’s death, then Stevie Ray Vaughn died circa 1990 and I was PISSED OFF that Madonna was still walking around. Grief does weird things, man.
As the saying goes, ‘the good die young’. Many of the kindest souls I’ve personally known suffered and/or departed early. The most self-absorbed seem to last forever.
Oh come on. Carole Middleton? That is completely ridiculous and unwarranted.
Mugabe, yes. Assad, yes.
My daughter and I had just watched a Christmas movie when the news broke that George had died. The second movie never got watched – it was straight to YouTube and a music/video trek down memory lane. What a year of loss it’s been.
Last Christmas has been one of my fave xmas hits ever since Glee (i know, i know, ) did a lovely rendition of it. Careless Whisper has been my go-to karaoke song for a long while esp after Seether’s rendition. RIP BABY. I LOVED HIS RENDITION OF A STEVIE SONG WITH MARY J BLIGE “AS”….Did you know that true love asks for nothing? Her acceptance is the way we pay… I’LL be loving you always.
Thanks for the heads-up on that video! Great song for him to cover, seriously gave me the chills.
He seemed like a truly good soul, as well as a great talent.
What the hell, 2016? Why are you taking all of the beautiful voices from us?
Found this when I was looking for GM’s “Somebody to Love” performance at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert, because it’s amazing, but here you get him rehearsing it…while David Bowie cheers him on.
http://youtu.be/LBmZ0qNhIq0
BTW, 2016: stay the f*** away from my Queens. You’ve done enough this year; losing one of them would break me beyond repair.
Oh my god. That’s amazing, Robot Dog – what a voice. & just effortless. I’d strongly urge EVERYONE to watch that clip. Blimey. I’ve got goosebumps now.
Wow.
Oh bless you for posting that you sweet soul. Pure magic. Pure, pure magic.
As a total stranger just know there is someone wishing you love right now.
Aww, thanks, Jerkface! The actual show was incredible, but the added Bowie makes this version extra special.
Those of you old enough to remember George’s performance of “Somebody to Love” at Freddie’s Memorial concert of 1992 will probably never forget it.
I had visions of George touring with Queen as frontman. Alas my hopes were dashed as it never came to pass but that singular performance was perhaps the greatest one in George’s career and 75000 at Wembley agreed as well as a worldwide audience.
Thankfully it is available on youtube in all of its glory to watch forever. He will be missed by millions of fans of music.
Watched it last night a few times in tears. That voice…. golden. Thank you George.
Cohen. Bowie. Frey. Prince. Now George Michael.
He had the voice of an angel…..and now the heavens sing for him.
Damn you 2016!
I loved him. Father figure was my jam 🙁 RIP George Michael.
Yup, Father Figure’s the one that keeps going round & round my head today.
Really heartfelt sadness.
George Michael’s death is probably hitting me a little harder than Prince or David Bowie, only because George was one of my absolute favorite vocalists. He captured all the joys and heartbreak of love often in the same song. I have adored him since I was 12 years old.
2016 has truly been a soul crusher.
Father Figure is one of my very favorites. I feel so sad right now.
George Michael was beyond beautiful. His voice, his face, his song-writing skills, his generosity, his failures, his mistakes, and his soul were all so beautiful…
I loved all of his music, but my favourites are: “Too Funky”, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”, ” Mother’s Pride”, “Praying for Time”, “Freedom”, and “Heal the Pain”.
2016 really has been an awful year. I agree, though, that it’s rampage is far from over…there will be one more tragedy before the ball drops on the 31st.
Rest peacefully, sweet George…you will forever be missed and loved.
Rest in peace George. I’ve had a special place in my heart for him since about fifth grade when I got my first cassette ever at Target—-Wham’s Make It Big.
So talented, gorgeous, funny, honest, and very human.
RIP, George Michael!
R.I.P Dear George
I hate that he is not in this world anymore. You will be missed George! Thank you for everything you gave us!
I’ll admit that this one hit me the hardest, I bawled like a baby when I heard the news. George Michael got me through some pretty rough times over the years, starting with WHAM all through his solo career.
Absolutely gutted over this news. This bloody awful year can not end soon enough. May he RIP, cranking his tunes in my house today and raising a glass in his honour. So very sad.
My teenage years were around the late 80’s, a great time for pop music in my opinion, and I remember I always loved Wham! especially wake me up before you go go, that was a great song to dance to at teenage discos, and then his solo stuff was great too, one of my favourites that stand out, although maybe not so well known as other was ‘a different corner’, loved the beat to that, and I think one of the best videos of all time was ‘freedom’ loved that video, it was around the time of the original supermodels, but was so stylish and catchy. Also my favourite christmas song was always ‘last christmas’, great video also. So sad he is gone.
2016, what the hell did we do to deserve you?! What a beautiful voice, talent, man, soul. Wake Me Up Before You Go Go was one my sister and I frequently played while riding around. And the video for Too Funky, with its parade of og supermodels. Rest well, sweet man. 💛
The video for Freedom has got to be one of my all-time favorites. We were listening to some of his music in the car yesterday and it never occurred to me how smooth his voice was.
Compulsively listening to Careless Whisper… 😣
He wrote that at 17 years old. What an amazing talent.
Whatever it was, whatever happened-another great talent taken. And he had an amazing voice. I would say Rest in Peace, but you know Bowie, Prince and George will be collaborating on some amazing music and now nothing can stop them. Good wishes to you all (along with some tears) and let’s show 2016 the damn door already.
Suggested listening: “Like a Baby”. I think it’s from Wham!’s 1st album.
🙁 2016 has been a sh*t show. That’s all I got.
I totally agree!! You couldn’t have said it any better.
Can’t wait til 2016 go to hell.
One of my favourite singers. I’m devastated. Voice of an angel.
Clearly remember watching the Freedom 90 video premiere. The iconic Faith jacket engulfed in flames, a finger given to the “boys on Mtv”, shedding his old skin … he kicked off the 90s perfectly. Encapsulated the spirit of the time, and all my young turbulent self was feeling. A troubled life leads some of us to a bitter, hateful place. But for others a thoughtful, empathetic, generous soul is born from the pain. He sure was the latter. “All we have to do now ….”
When David Bowie died, I decided I would be in the 80’s if anybody needed me. I’m just going to follow my trail of tears back there whilst adding to it.
I’ve been crying on and off since I heard the news. George Michael was my first big celeb crush, at the tender age of 13. I loved him so much, and his music has always been a big part of my life. Careless Whisper is one of my all time favourite songs.
Starting off with the passing of two of my other big crushes – David Bowie & Alan Rickman – signalled that this was going to be a bitch of a year, but nothing prepared me for everything that unfolded! And I fear that 2016 is not quite done with the shocks yet…
2017 cannot come fast enough!
The news of GM’s death hit me harder than a few others this year, because we were both born in June of 1963.
I have spent much of the day, like everyone else here on this thread, listing to his music, watching clips on YouTube… I think I’ve won my 16 year old twins over, they appear to be new fans.
Guess next weekend there’ll be a one of a kind of new year’s eve party somewhere in the universe with guys such as Prince, Otis Clay, Glenn Frey, Keith Emerson, Leonard Cohen and now George. And Rick Parfitt died two days ago. The list just seems endless this year (and, strangely, also includes Frank Sinatra Jr. and Ricci Martin, son of Dean). Though the absolute worst for me is still the one it started with: I still look at pictures of Bowie and can’t believe he is gone. He was everything, and some days when driving I don’t dare put in one of his cds, because I know I will cry my eyes out and be a mess by the time I have to get out of the car.
And on top of it all Carrie Fisher… I, too, have a really bad feeling about this, and I don’t mean it in a funny way. It is said she is in stable condition which does not say anything about the kind of condition she is in and the family statement/twitter seems to be worded carefully. Plus for some reason I find the silence from Lucasfilm/Disney ominous; this lack of positive ‘we are confident she will be better soon’ standard statement.
I was 12 when I saw Star Wars for the first time and to say my life has never been the same since might sound dramatic but it is true – friends, professional choices, choices in the arts, everything that came after was under the influence of Han, Leia and Luke, the Falcon and those mighty Star Destroyers roaring across the screen. That and Bowie probably shaped me like nothing else, in these teenage years when we all set out onto our paths into the world.
Fuck you, 2016.
On Youtube, search for George Michael “I can’t make you love me”. Then sip a nice glass of red wine and just enjoy that gorgeous voice. Hug your loved ones. Peace to you all tonight.
Listening to the song Cowboys and Angels right now. Simply beautiful. George’s songwriting was always so deeply personal in his ballads.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKwWYpb1a4k
Cowboys and Angels is one of my favourite songs, the story behind the song is so moving. I am so upset about this, I own most of his records and his voice is silky smooth
What most of the celebrities who died this year had in common was that they were well known for being empathetic and kind.
Eff off 2016.
Although, given the ‘coronation’ of the Evil Orange One will take place on January 20 (two days before my birthday), I’m not holding out much hope for 2017.
I can’t stop crying! I absolutely adored George Michael. I can remember getting the record ” WHAM! MAKE IT BIG” for a birthday present the year it came out. God, I so loved that album. My Friend, Natasha and I jammed to that record over and over again..knew every lyric for each song! Obsessed with WHAM!
I am just in shock that 2016 has taken yet another amazing talent from the world. His death has hit me really hard, it’s not like I knew the man, but I grew up listening to his music and watched him become the man he was before his untimely passing. It’s like we grew up together..so to speak.
R.I.P George Michael
I hope this shit show of a year ends peacefully.
Hugs to you, dear. Wishing you all peace and love.
I think we effed up the world so bad the universe has decided to take back the gems and joys back. GOD probably wants them to make sweet music up there while He watches us scramble with the wars, famine, disease and general backpedaling to try and save ourselves
“Praying for Time” is a song which best defines George MIchael when he realized he
was gay and is both sad and insightful from prospective of a gay man trapped in
the sex symbol role.