George Michael (including two in the traditionally-black Soul/R&B category), and two Grammy Awards from eight nominations. George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and philanthropist who rose to fame as a member of the music duo Wham! and later embarked on a solo career. He was widely known for his work in the 1980s and 1990s, including hit Wham! singles such as "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Last Christmas" and solo albums such as "Faith" (1987) and "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" (1990). Michael achieved
George (given name) Saint George (Georgios) was born in Lydda, Syria Palaestina in c. 280 as the son of a Greek Christian nobleman from Cappadocia. After his martyrdom in 303, the name Georgios became used more widely among Christians, as an adopted baptismal or monastic name, throughout the Eastern Empire. By the 7th century, at least 25 bishops in Anatolia and the Aegean had taken the saint's name. The veneration of Saint George is established for the 5th century. In the Western Church, he was canonized by Pope Gelasius I in 496, but the given name "Georgius" was only rarely used. Georgius (Giorgo)