January 2004
H.E.A.R. Honors Sting
Composer singer, actor, activist- Sting has won universal
acclaim in all these roles, but he defies any easy labeling.
He's best described as an adventurer, a risk-taker. As he
himself said," I love to put myself in new situations.
I'm not afraid to be a beginner." Husband and father
of six, masterful guitarist and bassist, a devoted Yoga practitioner,
and now a writer who has just published his memoirs entitled
Broken Music.
A milkman's son from Newcastle, England, Sting was a teacher,
soccer coach and ditchdigger before turning to music. Inspired
equally by jazz and the Beatles (eclectic tastes that would
prove prophetic), he met Saturate Copeland and they, along
with guitarist Andy Summers, formed the Police in 1977. The
band quickly became a success both in UK and U.S. scoring
several no. 1 hits including " Roxanne, " "Every
Breath You Take," King of Pain," and "Every
Little Thing She Does Is Magic." They earned five GRAMMY
Awards and two Brits, and earlier this year were inducted
into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The trio's live work
forecast the astonishing inventiveness and range of influences
that Sting would realize fully in his solo career.
With the release of The Dream of the Blue Turtles in 1985,
followed by Bring On the Night, Nothing Like The Sun, The
Soul Cages, Ten Seminar's Tales, Mercury Falling, Brand New
Day and All This time, Sting has evolved into one of the most
distinctive and highly respected performers of the 20th Century.
With an additional 10 Grammys, Two Brits, a Golden Glove,
an Emmy and two Oscar nominations to his credit, Sting defines
excellence. He has remained at the forefront of the public
consciousness for four decades and has written some of the
most enduring songs of our time. Continually pushing the boundaries
of pop music crossing cultural lines, and cutting through
the barriers of high and pop art, Sting writes compelling
lyrics that seem continually in touch with the plight of the
human spirit. His latest recording, Sacred Love-released in
September to both critical and commercial sucess- is a perfect
example of this. Not one to limit himself creatively, Sting
has appeared in more than 10 films and in 1989 starred in
a Broadway play " The Threepenny Opera".
Sting's support for human rights organizations like the Rainforest
Foundation, Amnesty International, Live Aid and the Juvenile
Diabetes' Carousel of Hope mirrors his art in its universal
outreach. Along with with Trudie Styler, Sting founded the
Rainforest Foundation in 1989 to protect both the world's
rain forests and the indigenous peoples who live there. Together,
they have raised more than 18 million dollars with their 13
benefit concerts to raise funds and awareness of our planet's
endangered resources. Since its inception, the Rainforest
Foundation has expanded to a network of interconnected organizations
working in 18 countries around the globe.
This year Sting is honored as MusiCares 2004 Person of the
Year. The Grammy's MusiCares
provides assistance for basic living expenses, prescription
costs, medical and dental bills, medical equipment, addiction
treatment and sober living costs. This program is open to
music people who are able to document at least five years
of employment in the music industry or their contribution
to six commercially released recordings or videos, and who
can demonstrate proof of need. MusiCares has become a leading
force in the effort to identify, raise awareness of and address
the problems of addiction in the music industry.
|
