Sting is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. Sting has been one of the bestselling artists. He sold more than a hundred million records with The Police. He used to play on cruise ships, back strippers in cabarets and developed a liking for the bass guitar. After playing in jazz/rock bands like Last Exit and other various groups, including a Dixieland jazz group, he made it big with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers for a decade with the rock trio, The Police. He has worked together with other artists on songs like Money for Nothing with Dire Straits, Rise & Fall with , All for Love with and Rod Stewart, You Will Be My Ain True Love with . Through the chartbuster Desert Rose with Cheb Mami, he introduced Raï (North African music genre) to his western followers. In 2018, he released the album 44/876, on which he worked with Jamaican musician .
Sun Sign
Libra
Residence
- Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
- New York City, New York, United States
- Malibu, California, United States
- Rignano sull’Arno, Tuscany, Italy
- London, England, United Kingdom
Nationality
Distinctive Features
- High-pitched raspy voice
- Spiky hair
- Makes literary references in his songs
- Has been writing songs on subjects like politics, environmental, and social issues
- Fender precision bass guitar
Brand Endorsements
He has appeared in the commercials for brands like –
- Compaq Computers (1999)
- Sprite
- Roos Shoes
- Wrigley’s chewing gum (1977)
Religion
Agnosticism
Best Known For
- The compilation album Every Breath You Take (1983) with The Police
- The song Fields of Gold (1993)
- The song Shape of my Heart (1993) from the movie Leon: The Professional
First Album
In June 1985, Sting released his debut music album The Dream of The Blue Turtles via A&M Records.
As a part of the band The Police, he released the music album Outlandos d’Amour in November 1978 via A&M Records.
First Film
In 1979, Sting made his theatrical film debut in the drama film Quadrophenia as ‘Ace Face’.
First TV Show
He made his first TV show appearance as ‘Himself’ on Rock Goes to College in 1979.
Personal Trainer
Sting is very particular about his workout.
He also follows a healthy diet. He tries to avoid processed foods that contain preservatives and his diet mostly contains lots of grains and vegetables.
Sting Favorite Things
- Music Genre – Jazz
- TV Character – Richard Laymer, the Copy Guy character created by for Saturday Night Live
- American Musicians – Hank Williams, Jim Reeves,
- Junk Food – Ice cream,
- Drink – Wine
- Instrument – Bass
- Football Club – Newcastle United
Source – ,
Sting Facts
- He is called ‘Sting’ because he used to wear a striped sweater which used to make him look like a bee.
- He grew up in the shipbuilding industry and wanted to be a singer form a very young age.
- Sting started recording solo albums in 1984 and is known to be one of the most literate songwriters.
- In 1992, he received an Honorary doctorate degree from Northumbria University and in 1994 from Berkeley College of Music.
- He calls his bass ‘Brian’.
- His Jacobian castle in Wiltshire is called ‘The Lakehouse’ where he records his albums.
- He owns a Renaissance Florentine Villa called “Palagio” in Figline Valdarno, Tuscany, Italy.
- In 1989, he started a foundation called The Rainforest Foundation with his wife Trudy to save the rainforests.
- As of June 2019, he has 7 grandchildren.
- Trudy and Sting married after living for 10 years together.
- He was a primary school teacher at St. Paul First School near Newcastle, England, United Kingdom.
- He was a part of Threepenny Opera in Washington, D.C., in the 1980s.
- Joseph Sumner, Sting’s son who is also a singer and resembles his father physically and vocally too.
- Sting is the godfather to ‘s son, Rocco Ritchie.
- When Sting was 33 years old, he inspired a comic book character, a supernatural detective named John Constantine/Hellblazer in 1984.
- He dedicated his 1987 album Nothing Like the Sun to his mother Audrey.
- The movie Bring on the Night (1985) has the scene of Jake Sumner’s birth (Sting’s son).
- A house formerly owned by Larry Hagman now belongs to Sting.
- In 1984, he was a member of Band Aid, which raised money for the Ethiopian famine Relief.
- has covered his song Roxanne in the album Songs from the Last Century.
- The Rolling Stone magazine gave The Police the title of 70th Best Rock N Roll band.
- Sting had inspired the Swamp Thing comic greatly. The character Constantine aka Hellblazer was created with the sole purpose of having a character that looks like Sting. This eventually was a movie called Constantine (2005) starring . In an edition of the Hellblazer, a boat is named after Sting – USS Sumner.
- The Police never had an official breakup. Their last tour ended in 1984, in 1986 they regrouped to perform a few gigs. Their last performance was on March 10, 2003.
- Sting wrote the most hit song of his career, Every Breath You Take after waking up from a dream.
- VH-1 included his song Roxanne in the “Top 50 Songs Played on the Jukebox” list.
- The album Synchronicity by The Police knocked off ‘s Thriller from “The Best Selling Album of all Time” list in 1983.
- , Madonna’s 2nd husband met Madonna through Sting and Trudy.
- Actor Joseph Tomelty is Sting’s former father-in-law.
- Sting has won numerous Grammy Awards for songs like Reggatta De Blanc in the “Best Rock Instrumental Performance” category (1980), Behind My Camel in the “Best Rock Instrumental Performance” category (1981), and many more.
- One of his children suffers from dyspraxia.
- He won the 2002 Ivor Novello Award for “International Achievement”.
- Giacomo is a name which is shared by Sting and Trudy’s son and the 2005 winning horse of the Kentucky Derby. The owner of the horse is good friends with Sting.
- He has been a bus conductor and tax officer in the past.
- Sting did not like Rock and Roll music between 1955 and 1980.
- He thinks very highly of Otis Redding.
- He considers as an inspiration.
- Visit his official website @ sting.com.
Featured Image by David Shankbone / / CC BY-3.0
Facts of Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner
- Gender Male
- full nameGordon Matthew Thomas Sumner
- nicknamesSting
- birthplaceWallsend, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom
- Date of Birth October 02, 1951
- Age 72 years 11 months
- Horoscope Libra
- Lucky Number 10
- Lucky Stone Peridot
- Lucky Color Blue
- Best Match for Marriage Gemini
- ethnicity / ethnic backgroundEnglish , Irish and Scottish
- nationalityAmerican
- religionAgnosticism
- net worth$400 Million
- professionMusician, Songwriter, Singer, Actor
- weight80 kg or 176.5 lbs
- height5 ft 11¼ in or 181 cm
- hair colorLight Brown
- eye colorBlue
- body type / buildSlim
- collegeNorthumbria University
- motherAudrey Née Cowell
- fatherErnest Matthew Sumner
- brothersPhilip Sumner
- sistersAnita Sumner, Angela Sumner