Artists & Bands

George Michael | Tunes + Guitar Lessons

George Michael soared from Wham! fame to solo superstardom with timeless hits like Faith and Careless Whisper. Known for his soulful voice and generous spirit, he left an enduring mark on pop music worldwide!

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From Wham! to Solo Stardom: The Rise of George Michael’s Iconic Career

One of the kindest men in the business, George Michael began his career in 1981 as part of the pop duo Wham!, alongside Andrew Ridgley.

Together, they released iconic tracks such as Last Christmas, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, I’m Your Man, and Club Tropicana. Their success culminated in a groundbreaking tour of China in 1985. Following this, George Michael transitioned to a solo career, releasing a few singles, including Careless Whisper and the duet with Aretha Franklin, I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).

A true example of his generosity, even though George wrote Careless Whisper, he shared the publishing rights with his Wham! partner, Andrew Ridgley. This turned out to be a wise decision, as the song topped the charts in over 20 countries, selling 6 million copies.

In 1987, George’s debut solo album was released, reaching #1 on the charts and staying there for 12 weeks. Key tracks include the title track Faith and Father Figure.

His second solo album produced the hit Freedom! ’90, which became another major success. The following year, he released Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me, a duet with Elton John.

1996 saw the release of another album featuring hits such as Jesus to a Child and Fastlove—these would mark the last of his major hits.

By the time of his death in 2016, George Michael had sold over 115 million records. His kindness was well-known, and after his passing, numerous charities shared stories of how he had secretly donated large sums, always ensuring his contributions were anonymous.