George Michael Timeline 1963-2016

George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos to Jack Panayiotou, known as Jack Panos, a Greek Cypriot restaurant owner and his English wife, Lesley Angold in East Finchley, London. He was the couple’s third child, his sister Yioda had been born in 1958 and his sister Melanie in 1960.

Georgios began his education at Roe Green School.

Georgios and his family moved to Radlett Hertfordshire and he attended Bushey Meads School. He became friends with Andrew Ridgeley, who, like Georgios was interested in music.

Georgios began busking on the London Underground. He also worked as a DJ in clubs.

Georgios, now using the name George Michael and his schoolfriend Andrew Ridgeley formed the duo Wham.

George told his close friends that he was bisexual but kept it from the public.

Wham! signed a recording contract with Innervision Records.

Wham’s first single ‘Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) was released. It reached number 8 in the UK charts.

The single ‘Young Guns (Go For It)’ was released by Wham!. It reached number 3 in the charts.

Wham made an appearance on Top of the Pops.

The single ‘Bad Boys’ was released. It reached number 2 in the charts.

Wham’s debut album ‘Fantastic’ was released. It reached number 1 in the UK album charts.

The single ‘Club Tropicana’ was released, it reached number 8 in the UK charts.

Wham’s contract with Innervision Records transferred to the parent company CBS Records.

Wham released ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ it reached number 1 in the charts.

George Michael released ‘Careless Whisper’, his first solo single, it reached number 1 in the charts.

Wham released the single ‘Freedom’ it reached number 1 in the charts

The album ‘Make It Big’ was released by Wham! It reached number 1 in the UK and US album charts.

George was one of a number of musicians that recorded the Band Aid charity song ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’. It reached number 1 in the charts.

Wham released the double single ‘Everything She Wants’/’Last Christmas’. It reached number 2 in the UK charts and number 1 in the US charts.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley began a World tour which included China. They were the first western group to play in China.

George performed ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’ with Elton John at the Live Aid concert.

Wham released ‘I’m Your Man’ which reached number 1 in the UK and number 3 in the US charts.

Wham’s contract transferred to Sony Music Entertainment.

George released the single ‘A Different Corner’ it reached number 1 in the UK and number 7 in the US.

Wham released the album ‘Final’ it reached number 2 on the album charts.

Wham’s final single ‘Edge of Heaven’ was released. It reached number 1 in the charts.

George performed ‘Every Time You Go Away’ with Paul Young at the Prince’s Trust charity concert at Wembley Arena.

Wham! performed their final concert at Wembley Stadium, London.

Wham! released their final album in the US ‘Music From The Edge Of Heaven’ it reached number 10 in the charts.

Wham! released their final single in the US ‘Where Did Your Heart Go?’

George and Aretha Franklin released ‘I Knew You Were Waiting For Me’ it reached number 1 in the UK and US charts.

George’s single ‘I Want Your Sex’ was released. It was banned by the BBC but still reached number 3 in the UK charts and number 2 in the US.

George had a relationship with make up artist Kathy Jeung who featured on the ‘I Want Your Sex’ video.

George released the single ‘Faith’ which reached number 2 in the UK and number 1 in the US charts.

The album ‘Faith’ was released. It reached number 1 in both the UK and US.

George Michael signed a new contract with Sony Music Entertainment as a solo artist. He agreed to produce 8 albums for the company.

George released the single ‘Father Figure’ which reached number 1 in the US.

George Michael began his ‘Faith’ World Tour. He performed 137 shows in 21 countries.

The single ‘One More Try’ was released. It reached number 1 in the US.

George performed the song ‘Sexual Healing’ at Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Tribute held at Wembley.

The single ‘Monkey’ was released. It reached number 13 in the UK and number 1 in the US charts.

The single ‘Kissing a Fool’ was released. It reached number 18 in the UK and number 5 in the US charts.

George’s album ‘Faith’ won a Grammy for Album of the Year. His single ‘Father Figure’ won him Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

The single ‘Praying For Time’ was released. It reached number 6 in the UK and number 1 in the US charts.

The single ‘Waiting For That Day’ was released. It reached number 23 in the UK and number 27 in the US charts.

George’s second album ‘Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1’ was released. It reached number 1 in the UK and number 2 in the US charts.

George Michael released the single ‘Freedom’. It reached number 28 in the UK and number 8 in the US charts.

The album ‘Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1’ was awarded Best British Album at the BRIT Awards.

George’s autobiographical book, Bare, which was co-written with Tony Parsons, was published.

George began a relationship with Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian dress designer.

George Michael began his Cover to Cover tour which included 30 shows in 5 countries.

The single ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’ recorded with Elton John was released. It topped charts worldwide and proceeds went to charity.

George Michael spent Christmas with his family. His relationship with Feleppa was not known to anyone so they spent Christmas separately.

George was devastated to learn that his partner, Anselmo Feleppa, was HIV positive and terminally ill.

George performed ‘Somebody To Love’ and ‘These Are The Days Of Our Lives’ with Lisa Stansfield and Queen at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, held to celebrate the life of the Queen front-man who had died from AIDs.

George began a lawsuit against Sony Music to be released from his contract. He claimed that the contract constituted an unreasonable restraint of trade and that his position was tantamount to music slavery because he had no say over how his music was used or distributed.

George’s partner, Anselmo Feleppa, died of a brain haemorrhage.

George Michael lost his lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment. He vowed he would not record any new music for Sony.

George performed ‘Jesus to a Child’ a song which was written as a tribute to Feleppa, at the MTV Music Awards.

‘Jesus To A Child’ was released as a single. It reached number 1 in the UK and number 7 in the US charts.

George began a relationship with Kenny Goss, a former flight attendant and cheerleader coach from Dallas.

‘Fastlove’ was released and reached number 1 in the UK and number 8 in the US charts.

The album ‘Older’ was released. It reached number 1 in the UK and number 6 in the US charts.

The single ‘Spinning The Wheel’ was released. It reached number 2 in the UK charts.

George Michael’s mother died.

The single ‘Older’ was released and reached number 3 in the UK charts.

‘Waltz Away Dreaming’ a duet with Toby Bourke reached number 10 in the UK charts.

‘Star People 97’ a reworked version of ‘Older’ was released. It reached number 2 in the charts.

A double single ‘You Have Been Loved/The Strangest Thing 97; was released and reached the top ten.

George Michael was arrested in Beverly Hills, California and charged with ‘engaging in a lewd act’.

The single ‘Outside’ was released and reached number 2 in the UK charts.

The album ‘Ladies and Gentlemen The Best of George Michael’ was released and reached number 1 in the charts.

George and Mary J Blige released a cover of ‘As’ which reached the top 5 of the UK charts.

George released the album ‘Songs From The Last Century’ it reached number 2 in the charts.

George recorded a duet with Whitney Houston ‘If I Told You That’ for her greatest hits album.

The single ‘Freeek!’ was released. It reached the top ten in the UK.

The single ‘Shoot The Dog’ was released.

George and Ronan Keating paired up on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and won £32,000 for charity.

The single ‘Amazing’ was released. It reached number 4 in the UK.

The album ‘Patience’ was released and reached number 1 in the album charts.

The single ‘Flawless’ was released and reached number 8 in the charts.

George Michael and Kenny Goss had planned to celebrate a civil partnership but postponed the ceremony due to negative publicity.

George was arrested for possession of Class C drugs. He was released after being cautioned

The single ‘An Easier Affair’ was released.

George began a tour celebrating his 25 year career. He performed 106 shows in 29 countries.

The album ‘Twenty Five’ was released.

George was arrested for drug-impaired driving. He was banned for driving for two years and given community service.

George and his long term partner Kenny Goss split up.

A DVD ‘Live in London’ featuring shows from his 25 Live Tour was released.

George began a three date tour in Australia.

George was arrested and charged with drug induced driving after crashing into a Snappy Snaps store in North London.

George appeared in court where he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of drugs and was sentenced to 8 weeks in prison. He was released after 4 weeks.

George recorded ‘True Faith’ single with all proceeds going to the charity Comic Relief.

George made a comic sketch with James Corden for Red Nose Day.

George began his ‘Symphonica’ Tour. He played 75 concerts in 17 countries.

George was admitted to hospital in Vienna with pneumonia. His condition worsened and he was in intensive care for a while. He remained in the hospital for a month.

George began a relationship with celebrity hairstylist Fadi Fawaz.

George released the single ‘White Light’ to commemorate 30 years since his first single ‘Wham Rap’.

George was hospitalised after falling from his car on the M1 and sustaining a head injury.

The album ‘Symphonica’ recorded live was released. It reached number 1 in the charts.

George Michael died at his home. The post mortem revealed an enlarged heart and fatty liver. His body was discovered by his partner Fadi Fawaz.