Sting's BIO Former member of the rockpop band The Police October 2, 1951 (Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK) Sting's Photos Sting's BIO

Background:


An international artist of British heritage, Sting (born Gordon Matthew Sumner), is also known as a former member of The Police, who are multi-Grammy winners. Leaving the band, Sting soared even higher by harvesting eight Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award, among others. He is also a four-time Oscar nominee for providing beautiful movie soundtracks.

Aside from his solid musical career, Sting has also appeared on the screen. Beginning his acting journey in Quadrophenia (1979), the performer then took parts in several films, like Dune (1984), Giulia e Giulia (1987) and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998).

The singer, who is famous for his high-pitched, raspy voice, set up a record label called Pangaea in the late 1980s. In October 2003, he published the autobiography Broken Music. As a humanitarian, Sting is known as a co-founder of the Rainforest Foundation and a frequent contributor to Amnesty International benefit concerts. He has received a great deal of appreciation, such as two honorary doctorate degrees in music from the Northumbria University (1992) and The Berklee College of Music, and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) title from the British Empire in October 2003.

On a more private note, Sting was once married to Frances Tomelty, with whom he shares a son and a daughter. He is currently the husband of Trudie Styler. From his second marriage, Sting is the father of four.


The Bumblebee

Childhood and Family:

Sting was born Gordon Matthew Sumner on October 2, 1951, in Wallsend, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, U.K. He is the first of four siblings to engineer/milkman Eric Matthew Sumner and hairdresser Audrey Sumner, who both died of cancer (his mother in 1987 and his father in 1988). Gordon began playing the guitar when he was nine years old.

Young Gordon Sumner attended Saint Cuthbert’s Boys Grammar School and continued his studies at the Warwick University in Coventry, England, but did not graduate. He then worked as a bus conductor, a construction laborer and a tax officer before eventually studying at the Northern Counties Teachers’ Training College (1971-1974). While teaching at St. Paul’s First School in Cramlington for two years, Gordon pursued his longtime passion in music by making a number of performances, including working with a local band called the Phoenix Jazzmen, whose leader Gordon Solomon was the first to call him “Sting.” The nickname was created for the black and gold rugby shirts he wore, which made him look like a bumblebee.

6’ tall Sting’s first marriage was to actress Frances Tomelty (born in 1956) on May 1, 1976. The couple, who divorced in March 1984, share a son named Joseph (born in 1977), who later followed in Sting’s footsteps in music, and a daughter named Katherine. In 1982, Gordon formed a relationship with actress/producer Trudie Styler (born on January 6, 1955), whom he eventually married ten years later. From the second marriage, he has two daughters: Mickey Sumner (born 1984) and Coco, and two sons: Jake (born in 1986) and Giacomo Luke (born on December 17, 1995).


Englishman in New York

Career:

Sting’s first music gigs took place in between his teaching job. He joined several local jazz bands, like the Phoenix Jazzmen, the Newcastle Big Band, and Last Exit. Moving to London in January 1977, he formed a new wave band named The Police, with Stewart Copeland (drum) and Henry Padovani (guitar), in which he became the vocalist and bassist. Quite soon, after Andy Summers replaced Padovani, the band began their successful music career.

Releasing a debut album titled Outlandos D’Amour in 1977, The Police became an overnight sensation with the lead single “Roxanne,” which became even more popular after being banned by the BBC (song dealt with prostitution). They marched forward and launched the sophomore album, Reggatta de Blanc, two years later, spawning the single “Message in a Bottle.” The smash hit recording later won a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Also in 1979, Sting made his acting debut with the supporting role of Ace Face, a teen idol riding a Vespa, in the drama Quadrophenia. He then had such turns as Just Like Eddie in the drama thriller Radio On (1980) and the good alien angel Helith in the TV sci-fi drama Artemis 81 (1981). In September 1981, Sting, who formed another band named The Secret Police, with Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Phil Collins and Bob Geldof, made a first solo performance on the stage of the fourth Amnesty International benefit The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball.

With The Police, Sting rose to further eminence through the third recording Zenyatta Mondatta (1980), whose tracks “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “Behind My Camel” helped the album receive two Grammys. Following the fourth album, Ghost in the Machine (1981), the group took home another Grammy for the song “Brimstone and Treacle,” a soundtrack for the 1982 drama thriller with the same name (starring Sting as Martin Taylor). For the movie, Sting also performed “Spread a Little Happiness,” which became a top 20 song.

Sting and his band mates reached the peak of their musical career after issuing the fifth and last recording, Synchronicity (1983). Offering reggae-tinged rock and minimalist pop music, the album set out the legendary “Every Breath You Take” and gained critical applause. The recording won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance, whereas the lead single nabbed two Grammys for Best Pop Performance and Song of the Year. Despite the phenomenal success of the group, Sting decided to leave The Police in 1985. A year later, however, the band performed together for the benefit shows on the 1986 Amnesty International A Conspiracy of Hope Tour.

Sting, who also co-wrote the Dire Straits’ “Money For Nothing” and collaborated on Phil Collins’ album No Jacket Required, started the band The Blue Turtles along with New York jazz figures Branford Marsalis (alto saxophone), Kenny Kirkland (keyboards) and Omar Hakim (drums). With the group, Sting launched the debut album The Dream of the Blue Turtles, in 1985, featuring the hits “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free,” “Another Day,” “Fortress Around Your Heart,” “Russians” and “Love is the Seventh Wave.” The triple-platinum album soon earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.

In 1985, The Blue Turtles’ concert film, the Michael Apted-helmed Bring on the Night, was made. The next year, the title of the Grammy-winning documentary film was made into the title of Sting’s sophomore recording, which received a Grammy for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance. In the meantime, Sting also appeared on the silver screen as Feyd-Rautha in David Lynch’s sci-fi hit Dune (1984), doctor Baron Charles Frankenstein in the remake horror fantasy The Bride (1985) and British gentleman Daniel Osler in the drama Giulia e Giulia (1987).

The artist released the bestseller Nothing Like The Sun (1987), which generated the hits “Fragile,” “Englishman in New York,” “We’ll Be Together” and “Be Still My Beating Heart,” a song dedicated to his late mother. The successful album went double platinum and was considered one of the most significant rock & roll albums of the 1980s. The victory was ensued with Nada Como el Sol (1988), whose track was a Spanish-Portuguese version of Sting’s five songs from the previous recording.

The same year, his live performance with Elton John, Tina Turner and other performers on The Prince’s Trust All-Star Rock Concert was given a Grammy for Best Performance Music Video. On the screen, Sting costarred as jazz club owner Finney, opposite Melanie Griffith and Tommy Lee Jones, in Stormy Monday (1988) before trying his fortune on the stage, playing Macheath in the Broadway revival of “Threepenny Opera” (1989). He also lent his voice for Zarm, a character in the animated family TV series “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” (1990-1992).

The recipient of the 1991 International Rock’s Video Legend, Sting issued a fourth studio album, The Soul Cages (1991), which was dedicated to his recently departed father. The platinum recording featured the Grammy-winning “The Soul Cages” and the top 10 “All this Time.” It was followed up with the triple-platinum album Ten Summoner’s Tales (1993), whose track “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” netted a Grammy. In addition, Sting’s tour of his 1993 album won a second Grammy for Best Music Video. Doing soundtrack work, the artist remixed The Police’s “Demolition Man” for the action thriller Demolition Man (1993) and performed the Oscar-nominated “It’s Probably Me” for Lethal Weapon 3 (1993).

In 1994, the singer released a greatest-hits compilation called Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994, which was certified double platinum. He also gained higher popularity in the United States after singing the platinum song “All for Love” (1994), with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart, for the movie The Three Musketeers (1994). After narrating the musical performance Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy (1994, TV), Sting revived his acting career by playing Fledge, the scheming butler, in the underrated The Grotesque (1995).

Mercury Falling (1996), Sting’s sixth studio album, reached standard success by setting off the top 40 singles “You Still Touch Me” and “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying.” The performer, who appeared in the crime comedy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998, as JD), composed a titular song for the drama The Mighty (1998) and was granted a Sierra award for Best Original Song from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society.

Soon after releasing The Very Best of Sting & The Police (1997), Sting stood proud with his tenth studio recording titled Brand New Day (1999), which was praised by listeners and critics alike. The album became the 1999 Grammy winning Best Pop Album, whereas its Top 40 title song was awarded with a Grammy for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance. The triple-platinum recording also tossed out the international single “Desert Rose” (featuring Cheb Mami) and “After the Rain Has Fallen.” Two years later, Sting was handed a Broadcast Film Critics Association and an Annie, as well as an Oscar nomination, for his compositions (respectively: “My Funny Friend and Me” and “Perfect World”), which were made into soundtracks for Disney’s animated movie The Emperor’s New Groove (2000).

Sting recorded and broadcasted a live performance at his Tuscan villa on September 11, 2001, which he nearly cancelled due to the tragic events of 9/11. The album was released in November under the title Sting... All This Time (2001), and the recorded performance won an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. The artist then provided “Until...” for the romantic comedy Kate & Leopold (2001) and won a Golden Glob for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture. It also earned an Oscar nomination.

A performer of the 2003 Super Bowl half time show, Sting released Sacred Love (2003), a studio album featuring experimental collaboration with hip-hop artist Mary J. Blige and sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar. The singer had his fourth Oscar nomination for “You Will Be My Ain True Love,” which became a soundtrack for the acclaimed drama Cold Mountain (2003).

Sting is currently doing the Broken Music tour, which began in Los Angeles in 2005 and is continuing in Europe from June 4, 2006, to July 30, 2006. He is also scheduled to release a side project album titled Songs from the Labyrinth, in October 2006, under the label of Deutsche Grammophon.


Awards:

• Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Or Music Program, Sting...All this Time, 2002
• Golden Globe: Best Original Song - Motion Picture, “Until...” for Kate & Leopold, 2002
• Annie: Outstanding Individual Achievement for a Song in an Animated Production, “Perfect World” for The Emperor’s New Groove, 2001
• Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Song, “My Funny Friend and Me” for The Emperor’s New Groove, 2001
• Grammy: Best Pop Album, Brand New Day, 1999
• Grammy: Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male), “Brand New Day,” 1999
• Las Vegas Film Critics Society: Sierra Award - Best Original Song, “The Mighty” for The Mighty, 1998
• Grammy: Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male), “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” 1993
• Grammy: Best Music Video (long form), “Ten Summoner’s Tales,” shared with Doug Nichol and Julie Fong, 1993
• International Rock: Video Legend, 1991
• Grammy: Best Rock Song, “The Soul Cages,” 1991
• Grammy: Best Performance Music Video, “The Prince’s Trust All-Star Rock Concert,” shared with Elton John, Tina Turner and others, 1988
• Grammy: Best Pop Vocal Performance (Male), “Bring on the Night,” 1988
• Grammy: Best Music Video (long form), “Bring on the Night,” shared with director Michael Apted, 1987
• Grammy: Song of the Year, “Every Breath You Take,” 1983
• Grammy: Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, “Every Breath You Take,” shared with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, 1983
• Grammy: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, “Synchronicity,” shared with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, 1983
• Grammy: Best Rock Instrumental Performance, “Brimstone and Treacle,” 1983
• Grammy: Best Rock Performance--Duo or Group With Vocal, “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” shared with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, 1981
• Grammy: Best Rock Instrumental Performance, “Behind My Camel,” shared with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, 1981
• Grammy: Best Rock Instrumental Performance, “Reggatta de Blanc,” shared with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, 1980