Legends of Music: George Michael

The game of cricket is considered England's national sport. On June 25, 1963, the second Cricket Test match between the West Indies and England had ended in a draw. The event was held at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, England. About 10 kilometers to the north, in the quiet town of East Finchley, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou was born in his parents' apartment on that same day. The world would come to know him as George Michael.

George’s father, a Greek Cypriot, was a restaurateur; his mother was of English descent and a dancer. As a kid, George was like most boys – he spent much time in the dirt and looked for "creepy crawlies” as he described in one interview. At the age of eight, he sustained a head injury. About six months later, his fascination with insects was gone. He believed that this accident is what sparked his obsession with music. A shy kid, at the age of 11, he was introduced to his classmates at a new school he was attending called Bushey Meads. George’s teacher asked if anyone would want to look after the new boy Georgios Panayiotou and one kid raised his hand, a 12 year-old named Andrew Ridgeley. He nicknamed his friend “Yog” because Georgios sounded like “Yoghurt” to him, as he notes in a past interview.

Both boys became fast friends and shared a passion for music, fashion, and mischief. They formed a band known as Executive, which consisted of five members. Slowly, each member dropped out leaving only the two of them as a duo, forming the beginning of the group Wham! In 1982, Michael and Ridgeley went to virtually every record company in London to secure a deal. Each time, they were told politely, “no thanks.” Their luck changed when a friend who started a new record label took a chance on them. From the early days of Wham!, Michael decided that he would be the main writer and Ridgeley agreed. Between 1982 and 1986, Wham! sold 30 million records and produced hits such as “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” and “Club Tropicana.” The group dissolved in 1986, and they performed two farewell concerts at Wembley Stadium in London known as “The Final.”

Michael decided to pursue a solo career; he released his first single on June 1, 1987, from the album titled Faith. In February 1988, he began his Faith world tour, performed a duet with Aretha Franklin called “I Knew You Were Waiting,” and interrupted his tour to perform at Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in England. His first album, Faith, would go on to produce four number-one hits and sell 25 million records to date. Michael had shot to superstardom and became a global icon at the age of 27.

The image shown above is of a colorized silver PCGS one ounce proof coin issued from the 2024 Music Legends commemorative series issued by the Royal Mint of England showcasing George Michael. This design of him was crafted by Sandra Deina, whose inspiration for her image came from the song titled “Faith.” Three proof versions of this design were struck in gold, three in silver, and two in copper-nickel. Most versions sold out quickly, but two still remain at the Royal Mint website for purchase.

George Michael released his second album titled Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 on September 3, 1990. At this time in Michael’s life, he had enough of the limelight and began becoming somewhat reclusive. The fame had gotten too big for him. His heart had grown more fond of more humanitarian issues such as AIDS/HIV awareness, opposing apartheid, and conquering global famine to name a few. His focus on the LGBTQ+ community came later in his life as he himself struggled with his own identity as a young gay man. He was a champion for many causes in his lifetime and posthumously remains a generous donor for many causes. The song “Last Christmas,” from 1984, reached number 2 on the charts, again it reached number 2 on the U.K. pop charts in 2022, and number 1 in 2023 and again in 2024! The annual estimated sales for the song "Last Christmas" are more than $500,000, and all profits continue to be donated to Ethiopian famine relief each year. Unfortunately, George Michael also passed away on Christmas Day, December 25, 2016, at the young age of 53.

George Michael's estate continues to donate in excess of $2.5 million dollars each year to charitable causes. Songs from his early days in Wham! are cherished just as much as his songs when he became a solo artist. His dazzling performances and lyrics continue to be heard throughout the world daily. In 2023, George Michael was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by his bandmate from Wham!, Andrew Ridgeley. In Ridgeley's speech at this event, he said, “George and I grew up together in an exceptional friendship. It was everlasting.” George Michael was a star who exploded into a supernova and remnants of supernovae last for hundreds of thousands of years. While that analogy may sound a bit far-fetched, in Michael’s song “Father Figure,” his song ends with the words, “I will be the one who loves you, 'til the end of time.” George, your fanbase probably feels the same way about your music.