Sting (musician)

2000s[edit]
The Emperor's New Groove soundtrack was released with complete songs from the previous version of the film, which included Rascal Flatts and Shawn Colvin. The final single used to promote the film was "My Funny Friend and Me". Sting's September 1999 album Brand New Day included the Top 40 hits "Brand New Day" and "Desert Rose". The album went Triple Platinum by January 2001. In 2000, he won Grammy Awards for Brand New Day and the song of the same name. At the awards ceremony, he performed "Desert Rose" with his collaborator on the album version, Cheb Mami. For his performance, the Arab-American Institute Foundation gave him the Khalil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Award. However, Sting was criticised for appearing in a Jaguar advertisement using "Desert Rose" as its backing track, particularly as he was a notable environmentalist. In February 2001 he won another Grammy Award for his rendition of "She Walks This Earth (Soberana Rosa)" on A Love Affair: The Music Of Ivan Lins. His song "After the Rain Has Fallen" made it into the Top 40. His next project was to record a live album at his Tuscan villa in Figline Valdarno, which was to be released as a CD and DVD, as well as being simulcast in its entirety on the internet. The CD and DVD were to be entitled On Such a Night and was intended to feature re-workings of Sting favourites such as "Roxanne" and "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free." The concert, scheduled for 11 September 2001, was altered in various ways due to the terrorist attacks in America that day. The webcast was shut down after one song (a reworked version of "Fragile"), after which Sting let it be up to the audience whether or not to continue with the show. Eventually they decided to go through with the concert, and the resultant album and DVD was released in November under a different title, ...All This Time. Both are dedicated "to all those who lost their lives on that day". He performed a special arrangement of "Fragile" with Yo-Yo Ma and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, US.[25] In 2002 he won a Golden Globe Award for the song "Until..." from the film Kate and Leopold.[21] Written and performed by him, "Until..." was also nominated for Academy Award for Best Song.[21] At the 2002 Brit Awards in February, Sting received the prize for Outstanding Contribution to Music.[22] In June he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In the summer, Sting was awarded the British honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). At the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards in September, Sting won anEmmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program, for his A&E special, Sting in Tuscany... All This Time.[21] In 2003 he released Sacred Love, a studio album featuring collaborations with hip-hop artist Mary J. Blige and sitar performer Anoushka Shankar. He and Blige won a Grammy for their duet, "Whenever I Say Your Name". The song is based on Johann Sebastian Bachs Praeambulum 1 C-Major (BWV 924) from the Klavierbuechlein fuer Wilhelm

Friedemann Bach though Sting gave little comment on this adaptation.[26] The album did not have the hit singles like his previous releases. The first single, "Send Your Love" reached only No. 30 and reviews were mixed. However, the album did reach platinum status by January 2004. His autobiography Broken Music was published in October. He embarked on a Sacred Love tour in 2004 with performances by Annie Lennox. Sting went on the Broken Music tour, touring smaller venues, with a four piece band starting in Los Angeles on 28 March 2005 and ending this "College Tour" on 14 May 2005. Sting appears as a guest on the 2005Monkey Business CD by American hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas, adding vocals to the track "Union" which makes heavy use of samples from his Englishman in New York. Continuing with his involvement in Live Aid, he appeared at Live 8 in July 2005. During 2006, Sting collaborated with Roberto Livi in producing a Spanish language version of his cult classic "Fragile" entitled "Fragilidad" on the album Rhythms Del Mundo by Latino recording legends "The Buena Vista Sound" (previously known as the Buena Vista Social Club) available via www.apeuk.org. During 2006, Sting was guest on the Gregg Kofi Brown album, with the song "Lullaby to an anxious child" produced and arranged by the Italian Lino Nicolosi and Pino Nicolos (Nicolosi productions)[27] the song was written by "Sting and Dominic Miller".

Sting with the Police at Madison Square Garden, New York, 1 August 2007

In October 2006, he released an album, to mixed reviews, entitled Songs from the Labyrinth featuring the music of John Dowland (anElizabethan-era composer) and accompaniment from Bosnian lute player Edin Karamazov. Stings musical interpretation of this English Renaissance composer and his cooperation with Edin Karamazov brought him significant recognition in classical music circles.[28] As a part of the promotion of this album, he appeared on the fifth episode of Studio 60 during which he performed a segment of Dowland's "Come Again" as well as his own "Fields of Gold" in the arrangement for voice and two archlutes. Reports surfaced in early 2007 that Sting would reunite with his former Police band mates for a 30th anniversary tour. These rumours were confirmed by posts on the popular fanzine Stingus and on various other news websites such as De Standaard, Yahoo! etc. In May 2007, Deutsche Grammophon released the opera Welcome to the Voice (composer Steve Nieve), with Sting portraying Dyonisos.

On 11 February 2007, he reunited with the other members of the Police as the introductory act for the 2007 Grammy Awards, singing "Roxanne", and subsequently announced the Police Reunion Tour, the first concert of which was held in Vancouver on 28 May 2007 for 22,000 fans at one of two nearly soldout concerts. The Police toured for more than a year, beginning with North America and eventually crossing over to Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The last concert was at Madison Square Garden on 7 August 2008, during which his three daughters appeared with him onstage. Toronto documentary producer Vanessa Dylyn, who was producing a film called The Musical Brain, featuring neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, approached Sting about participating in the film. Sting was interested in the experience of having his brain scanned by fMRI while different types of music were played to him. The film was financed by CTV in Canada and National Geographic International (broadcast internationally as My Music Brain). Sting was also featured in Levitin's second book, The World in Six Songs, where several of his songs (including "Russians") are discussed. He is featured as a playable character in the video game Guitar Hero World Tour.[29] "Brand New Day" was the final song of the night for the Neighborhood Ball, one of ten inaugural balls honouring President Barack Obama on Inauguration Day, 20 January 2009. Sting was joined by Stevie Wonder on harmonica. According to an article posted on his official website, Sting entered the studio in early February 2009 to begin work on a new album If on a Winter's Night...,[30] released on October 2009.[31] Initial reviews by fans that had access to early promotional copies were mixed, and some questioned Sting's artistic direction with this album.[32] In 2009, Sting appeared at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concert, playing "Higher Ground" and "Roxanne" with Stevie Wonder.[33][34] Sting himself was inductedin 2003, as a member of The Police.[35][36] In October 2009, Sting played a concert in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for an arts and cultural festival. Despite claiming he thought the concert was sponsored by UNICEF, he faced criticism in the press for receiving a payment of between one and two million pounds from Uzbek president, Islam Karimov, for the performance. Karimov is accused by the UN and Amnesty of human rights abuses and UNICEF stated they had no connection with the event.[37][38]

2010s[edit]

Sting, Budapest, 30 June 2011

In 2010-2011, Sting continued his Symphonicity Tour, touring South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South America and Europe.[39] In the second half of 2011, Sting began his Back to Bass Tour, which would continue (with periodic breaks) through 2013.[40] In 2011, Time magazine named Sting one of the 100 most influential people in the world. [41] On 26 April he performed "Every Breath You Take", "Roxanne" and "Desert Rose" at the Time 100 Gala in New York City.[42] Sting recorded a song called "Power's Out" with Nicole Scherzinger. The song, originally recorded in 2007, was to have been included on Scherzinger's shelved album Her Name is Nicole. The song was released on Scherzinger's 2011 debut album Killer Love. Sting recorded a new version of the song "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" as a duet with Glee actor/singer Matthew Morrison, which appears on Morrison's 2011 eponymous debut album.[43] On 15 September 2011, Sting performed "Fragile" at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, to honour the memory of his friend, financier-philanthropist Herman Sandler, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.[44] On 25 November 2011 Sting performed in an episode of CMT Crossroads with country legend Vince Gill. For several years, Sting has been working on a musical, The Last Ship,[45] partially inspired by his album The Soul Cages. In 2013, the musical had a staged reading.[46] The Last Ship tells a story about the demise of the shipbuilding industry in 1980s Newcastle, and will debut on Broadway in 2014.[47]

Filmography[edit]
Sting has also ventured into acting. Film and television roles include:

As actor

Quadrophenia (1979) - The Ace Face, the King of the Mods, a.k.a. The Bell Boy in the film adaptation of The Who album

Radio On (1980) - Just Like Eddie Artemis 81 (1981) - The angel Helith (BBC TV film) Brimstone and Treacle (1982) - Martin Taylor, a drifter Dune (1984) - Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen Titus Groan - Steerpike (BBC Radio 4 broadcasts based on the Mervyn Peake novels)

Gormenghast (1984) - Steerpike Plenty (1985) - Mick, a black-marketeer The Bride (1985) - Baron Frankenstein The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) - A "heroic officer" Stormy Monday (1988) - Finney, a nightclub owner Julia and Julia (1988) - Daniel, a British gentleman Saturday Night Live (1991) - host, various The Grotesque (1995) - Fledge Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) - J.D., Eddie's father and owner of a bar

As himself

The Simpsons episode "Radio Bart" (1992) The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer Episode 5 (1995) The Larry Sanders Show episode "Where Is the Love?" (1996) Ally McBeal season four episode "Cloudy Skies, Chance of Parade" (2001)

Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out (2006) Studio 60 on Sunset Strip (2006) Vicar of Dibley Comic Relief special (2007) Bee Movie (2007) Little Britain USA (2008) as Stomp, the lead singer of "The Cops" (playing "Fields of Gold")

Brno (2009)

Still Bill (2009) Do It Again (2010) Life's Too Short (2011)

Sting narrated the American premiere of the musical Yanomamo (1983), by Peter Rose and Anne Conlon, outlining problems that existed in the Amazon rainforest. This was made into a film and later broadcast as Song of the Forest. He also provided the voice of Zarm on the 1990s television show Captain Planet and the Planeteers. In 1989 he starred as Macheath (Mack the Knife) in John Dexter's Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera. Sting also appeared as himself in the video game Guitar Hero World Tour.

Activism[edit]
Sting's first involvement in the human rights cause came in September 1981 when he was invited by producer Martin Lewis to participate in the fourth Amnesty International galaThe Secret Policeman's Other Ball following the example set at the 1979 show by Pete Townshend.[48] Sting performed two of his Police compositions as a soloist "Roxanne" and "Message in a Bottle"' appearing on all four nights of the show at the Theatre Royal in London. Sting also led an impromptu super-group of other musicians (dubbed The Secret Police) performing at the show including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Phil Collins, Donovan, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in the show's grand finale Sting's own reggae-tinged arrangement of Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Released. The event was the first time that Sting had worked with Geldof, Collins and Ure an association that developed further with 1984'sBand Aid and 1985's Live Aid. Sting's performance at the Secret Policeman's Other Ball his first live appearances as a solo performer was prominently featured on the album of the show (being its lead tracks) and in the feature film of the show. His association with Amnesty continued throughout the 1980s and beyond and he was a pioneering participant in many of Amnesty's Human rights concerts a series of music events and tours staged by the US Section of Amnesty International between 1986 and 1998. In June 1986, Sting reunited with the Police for the last three shows of Amnesty's six-date A Conspiracy of Hope concerts of the US. The day after the final concert, he was interviewed on NBC's Today Show about the origins of his support for Amnesty International and he stated: "I've been a member of Amnesty and a support member for five years, due to an entertainment event called The Secret Policeman's Ball and before that I did not know about Amnesty, I did not know about its work, I did not know about torture in the world."[49] Also in 1986, Sting contributed a haunting song made famous by Billie Holiday, "Strange Fruit," to a fund-raising compilation album entitled Conspiracy of Hope: Honouring Amnesty International's 25th Anniversary.

A high point in his many contributions to the human rights cause came in 1988, when he joined a team of other major musicians including Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen assembled under the banner of Amnesty International for the six-week Human Rights Now! world tour commemorating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Sting with Chief Raoni in Paris, in April 1989

Sting had first shown his interest in social and political issues in his 1980 Police song "Driven to Tears", an angry indictment of apathy in the face of world hunger. Sting took part in Bob Geldof's "Feed The World" project in December 1984. Sting sang on "Do They Know It's Christmas?" the single recorded by Geldof's super-group "Band Aid" that eventually led to the Live Aid concert in July 1985, in which Sting also took part, performing with Branford Marsalis, Phil Collins and Dire Straits. In 1988, he released the single "They Dance Alone" which chronicled the plight of the mothers, wives and daughters of the "disappeared", the political opponents of the regime killed by the Pinochet government in Chile. Unable to publicly voice their grievances to the government about their missing loved ones, for fear that they would "go missing" too, the women of Chile would pin photos of their "disappeared" relatives on their clothing, and dance in silent outrage against the government in public places.[50]Later, Sting would perform the song on stage in Chile and Argentina, dancing with some of those same women. He has said it was one of the most moving moments in his life. With his wife Trudie Styler and Raoni Metuktire, a Kayap Indian leader in Brazil, Sting founded the Rainforest Foundation Fund to help save the rainforests and protect the rights of the indigenous peoples living there. In 1989 he flew to the Altamira Gathering to give a press conference offering his support while promoting his charity.[51] His support for these causes continues to this day, and includes an annual benefit concert held at New York's Carnegie Hall with Billy Joel, Elton John, James Taylor and other music superstars. A species of Colombian tree frog, Dendropsophus stingi, was named after him in recognition of his "commitment and efforts to save the rain forest".[52] On 21 October 1991, Sting joined Don Henley and Billy Joel at New York's Madison Square Garden for a benefit rock show, the Concert for Walden Woods.

On 15 September 1997, Sting joined Sir Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Sir Elton John, Phil Collins and Mark Knopfler at London's Royal Albert Hall for Music for Montserrat, a benefit concert for the Caribbean island that had recently been devastated by an eruption from a volcano. Sting and his wife Trudie Styler were awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience award in Sherborn, Massachusetts on 30 June 2000. Singer/song writer, documentary film producers for their commitment to the environment through the establishment of the Rainforest Foundation; to human rights in China through the documentary film on Tiananmen Square; and to peace and social justice through the powerful gift of song.[53] In September 2001, Sting also took part in the post-9/11 rock telethon America: A Tribute to Heroes singing "Fragile" to help raise money for the families of the victims of terror attacks in the United States. Sting lost a close friend in the collapse of New York's World Trade Center twin towers. In February 2005, Sting performed at the Leeuwin Estate Concert Series in Western Australia, with the concert raising $4 million for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamirelief efforts.[54][55][56] On 2 July 2005, Sting performed a complete set at the Live 8 concert, the follow-up to 1985's Live Aid concert. In 2007, Sting joined Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland and played the closing set at the Live Earth concert at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Joined by John Mayer and Kanye West, Sting and the Police fittingly ended the show singing "Message in a Bottle," as the event was dubbed "The SOS Concert." In 2008 Sting contributed to an album called Songs for Tibet, to support Tibet and the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso.[57] On 22 January 2010, Sting performed "Driven to Tears" during the global telethon Hope for Haiti Now.[58] On 25 April 2010, he performed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. during the 40th anniversary celebration of Earth Day.[59] In 2010, Sting became a Patron of the poverty alleviation and beekeeping charity Bees for Development[60] In 2011, Sting was among more than 30 signatories to an open letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron calling for the "immediate decriminalisation of drug possession" if a policy review shows it has failed. Sting was quoted: "Giving young people criminal records for minor drug possession serves little purpose it is time to think of more imaginative ways of addressing drug use in our society." [61] On 4 July 2011, Sting cancelled a concert appearance scheduled for the Astana Day Festival in Astana, Kazakhstan. Amnesty International convinced him to cancel the appearance, due to concerns over the rights of Kazakh oil and gas workers and their families. It was later discovered that BGR Gabara

"told undercover reporters from the Bureau for Investigative Journalism that it was proposing to the Kazakh officials that they generate an "online social media campaign" by Kazakh children who were upset about the cancellation".[62] He is a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.[63] On 2 November 2012, Sting appeared on Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together and sang a solo acoustic/rock version of "Message in a Bottle" to help raise funds for the American Red Cross in support of those affected by the storm which hit the east coast of the United States earlier that week. The show reportedly raised $23 million.[64]

Personal life[edit]

Sting at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 1 August 2007.

Sting married actress Frances Tomelty from Northern Ireland, on 1 May 1976. Before they divorced in 1984, the couple had two children: Joseph(born 23 November 1976) and Fuchsia Catherine (a.k.a. "Kate", born 17 April 1982). In 1980 Sting became a tax exile[65][66][67] and moved toGalway in Ireland. In 1982, shortly after the birth of his second child, Sting separated from Tomelty and began living with actress (and later film producer) Trudie Styler. The couple eventually married on 20 August 1992. Sting and Styler have four children: Bridget Michael (a.k.a. "Mickey", born 19 January 1984), Jake (born 24 May 1985), Eliot Pauline (nicknamed "Coco", born 30 July 1990), and Giacomo Luke (born 17 December 1995). Coco is the current singer and founder of the London based group I Blame Coco. Both of Sting's parents died from cancer in 1987. He did not, however, attend either funeral stating that the media fuss would be disrespectful to his parents.[68] In 1995, Sting prepared for a court appearance against his former accountant who had misappropriated several million pounds of his money.[69] Sting owns several homes worldwide, including Elizabethan manor house Lake House and its 60 acre country estate

near Salisbury, Wiltshire; a country cottage in the Lake District; a New York City flat; a beach house in Malibu; a 600-acre (2.4 km2) estate in Tuscany, Italy;[70] and two properties in London: a flat on the Mall, and an 18th-century terrace house in Highgate.[71] He also owns homes in the Caribbean, including one in the upscale community of Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic.[citation needed] Sting was estimated to have a fortune of 180 million in the Sunday Times Rich List of 2011, making him one of the 10 richest people in the British music industry.[72]

Kasparov and Sting, Times Square, New York.

To keep physically fit, for years Sting ran five miles (8 km) a day and performed aerobics. He participated in running races at Parliament Hill and charity runs similar to the British 10K. Around 1990 he met Danny Paradise who introduced him to yoga, and he later began practising regularly. His practice consisted primarily of an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga series, though now he practices Tantra andJivamukti Yoga as well.[73] He wrote a foreword to the book Yoga Beyond Belief,[74] written by Ganga White in 2007. An avid chess player, Sting played Garry Kasparov in an exhibition game in 2000, along with four bandmates: Dominic Miller, Jason Rebello, Chris Botti and Russ Irwin. Kasparov beat all five simultaneously within 50 minutes.[75] Formerly eating only animals that he brought up himself, Sting now adheres to a macrobiotic diet.[76] In 1969 Sting read the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake and became a passionate fan. He later bought the film rights to the books, and also named household pets, a racehorse, his publishing company, and even one of his daughters (Fuchsia) after characters from the books.[77] Sting is a supporter of Newcastle United, and in 2009, backed a Newcastle United Supporters' campaign against the controversial plan of owner Mike Ashley to sell off the naming rights to St James' Park.[78]

When asked about his religious beliefs in a 2011 interview with Time, Sting stated: "I'm essentially agnostic. I don't have a problem with God. I have a problem with religion. I've chosen to live my life without the certainties of religious faith. I think they're dangerous. Music is something that gives my life value and spiritual solace."[10]

Discography[edit]
Main article: Sting discography See also: The Police discography
Billboard UK Top album [80] [79] 100 200

Year

Title

RIAA[81]

BPI[82]

1985 The Dream of the Blue Turtles

3 Platinum 2 Platinum

1987 ...Nothing Like the Sun

2 Platinum

Platinum

1991 The Soul Cages

Platinum

Gold

1993 Ten Summoner's Tales

3 Platinum 2 Platinum

1996 Mercury Falling

Platinum

Platinum

1999 Brand New Day

3 Platinum

Platinum

2003 Sacred Love

Platinum

Silver

2006 Songs from the Labyrinth

25

24

2009 If on a Winter's Night...

15

Gold

2010 Symphonicities

30

2013 The Last Ship