Gordon (sting) Sumner

Gordon Sumner was born on 2 October 1951 in Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, England. Sting first came to fame with a band called The Police in 1977. Sting, an ex-teacher started the band with his bandmates Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers. They played in a Newcastle jazz band called Last Exit. The band lasted to 1986, but during the time of their fame as The Police they brought a new style of music to the world. Fast paced "pop-style" beats and "white reggae" rhythmic patterns were followed by a series of huge-selling albums, including Outlandos D'Amour (1978), Regatta De Blanc (1979), Zenyatta Mondatta (1980), Ghost In The Machine (1981), and Synchronicity (1983). The Police later came out with a greatest hits album called Sting and The Police.

After the years with The Police, Sting left and became a free lance musician. His first album was Dream Of The Blue Turtles, which wnet back to his jazz roots. This was followed in 1987 by Nothing Like The Sun, which featured some amazingly tallented musicians, including Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton. The lyrics were increasingly displaying a concern for world-wide social issues and Sting toured with Peter Gabriel, Tracey Chapman, and Bruce Springsteen in support of Amnesty International.

Not only has Sting been a successful songwriter, guitaist and amazing bassist but he has also become a big part in supporting the environment. Sting has been an activist for Amnesty International and the Rainforest Foundation for many years. He has produced over 20 albums and has had doubled the hits. The time in history when Sting started his activism was I the last decade. With the environment getting worse and the dying children in other countries, Sting has begun helping in any way he can with the different organizations.

5. What impresses me most about Sting is the fact that he is a bass player that has done something with their life. Many bass players are not usually recognized, and buy playing the bass and singing he has opened the eyes of many that thought it not to be possible. He also has become a very fine guitar player: acoustic, electric, you name it. He has shown many that being a rock star is not all about the hype and glory that it is made out to be. He shows people that he is just a normal person that likes to spend time helping the poor and being with his wife and kids.