George Michael

George Michael started his career as a teenybopper pin-up and went on to establish himself as a respected artist. He was born in 1963 in London, with English and Greek Cypriot roots. Michael struck up a friendship with Andrew Ridgeley at school and together they formed Wham! in 1981. Their first album and subsequent singles were big hits in the UK. Ridgeley and Michael had two backing singers called D.C. Lee and Shirlie Holliman. Lee left Wham! and married singer Paul Weller and was replaced by Pepsi DeMacque. Holliman and DeMacque later found chart success of their own as Pepsi and Shirlie.

Wham! was the first pop group from the West to perform in China, and the concerts were shown in a documentary film directed by Lindsay Anderson. The group also took part in the Live Aid concert organized by Bob Geldof, and George Michael sang on the original single for Band Aid.

George Michael released two solo singles, "Careless Whisper" and "A Different Corner." Later, Wham! was disbanded and George pursued his solo career full time, finding international success.

There has been much collaboration in George’s career, artists are always interested in having George Michael involved in their projects. He has supplied backing vocals to David Cassidy and Deon Estus and he’s also recorded duets with Aretha Franklin and Jody Watley. Michael’s most popular recorded duet is "Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me," with Elton John. In 2005, George Michael gave his support to Live 8 and was a backing singer for Paul McCartney.