Sting

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

266

Gender

Male

Birthday

1951-10-02 (74 years old)

Place of Birth

Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK

Sting

Biography

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (born 2 October 1951), known as Sting, is an English singer-songwriter, musician, activist, and actor. He was the frontman, principal songwriter and bassist for new wave band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music. Sting has sold a combined total of more than 100 million records as a solo artist and as a member of the Police. He has received three Brit Awards, including Best British Male Artist in 1994 and Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2002; a Golden Globe; an Emmy; and four Academy Award nominations. As a solo musician and as a member of the Police, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Police in 2003. Sting has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors; a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to music; Kennedy Center Honors; and the Polar Music Prize. In May 2023, he was made an Ivor Novello Fellow. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner was born at Sir G B Hunter Memorial Hospital in Wallsend, Northumberland, England, on 2 October 1951, the eldest of four children of Audrey (née Cowell), a hairdresser, and Ernest Matthew Sumner, a milkman and former fitter at an engineering works. He grew up near Wallsend's shipyards, which made an impression on him. As a child, he was inspired by the Queen Mother waving at him from a Rolls-Royce to divert from the shipyard prospect towards a more glamorous life. He helped his father deliver milk and by ten was "obsessed" with an old Spanish guitar left by an emigrating friend of his father. Sting attended St Cuthbert's Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne. He visited nightclubs such as Club A'Gogo to see Cream and Manfred Mann, who influenced his music. He learned to sing and play simultaneously by listening to records at 78 rpm. After leaving school in 1969, he enrolled at the University of Warwick in Coventry, but left after a term. After working as a bus conductor, building labourer, and tax officer, he attended the Northern Counties College of Education (now Northumbria University) from 1971 to 1974 and qualified as a teacher.[20] He taught at St Paul's First School in Cramlington for two years. Sting performed jazz in the evenings, at weekends, and during breaks from college and teaching, playing with the Phoenix Jazzmen, Newcastle Big Band and Last Exit. He gained his nickname after his habit of wearing a black and yellow jumper with hooped stripes with the Phoenix Jazzmen. Bandleader Gordon Solomon thought he looked like a bee (or according to Sting himself, "they thought I looked like a wasp"), which prompted the name "Sting". In the 1985 documentary Bring On the Night a journalist called him Gordon, to which he replied, "My children call me Sting, my mother calls me Sting, who is this Gordon character?" In 2011, he told Time "I was never called Gordon. You could shout 'Gordon' in the street and I would just move out of your way". Despite this, he chose not to legally change his name to "Sting". ... Source: Article "Sting (musician)" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Known For

  • The Simpsons

    The Simpsons

  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

    The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

  • The Graham Norton Show

    The Graham Norton Show

  • Only Murders in the Building

    Only Murders in the Building

  • Leute heute

    Leute heute

  • Markus Lanz

    Markus Lanz

  • Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live

  • Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live

  • Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live

  • Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

    Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  • The One Show

    The One Show

  • Kulturplatz

    Kulturplatz

  • CBS News Sunday Morning

    CBS News Sunday Morning

  • LIVE with Kelly and Mark

    LIVE with Kelly and Mark

  • Jimmy Kimmel Live!

    Jimmy Kimmel Live!

  • NPR Tiny Desk Concerts

    NPR Tiny Desk Concerts

  • Champs-Elysées

    Champs-Elysées

  • Champs-Elysées

    Champs-Elysées

  • Late Night with David Letterman

    Late Night with David Letterman

  • Vivement dimanche

    Vivement dimanche

  • Sacrée Soirée

    Sacrée Soirée

  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien

    Late Night with Conan O'Brien

  • Bambi

    Bambi

  • The Ellen DeGeneres Show

    The Ellen DeGeneres Show

  • MTV Video Music Awards

    MTV Video Music Awards

  • Le monde est à vous

    Le monde est à vous

  • GMTV

    GMTV

  • TOTP2

    TOTP2

  • Rockpalast

    Rockpalast

  • Titel, Thesen, Temperamente

    Titel, Thesen, Temperamente

  • Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

    Les Rendez-vous du dimanche

  • Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

    Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

  • Parkinson

    Parkinson

  • CMT Crossroads

    CMT Crossroads

  • On Air with Ryan Seacrest

    On Air with Ryan Seacrest

  • An Audience with...

    An Audience with...

  • Finding Your Roots

    Finding Your Roots

  • Behind the Music

    Behind the Music

  • The Larry Sanders Show

    The Larry Sanders Show

  • Inas Nacht

    Inas Nacht

  • Captain Planet and the Planeteers

    Captain Planet and the Planeteers

  • The Oscars

    The Oscars

  • Ally McBeal

    Ally McBeal

  • American Music Awards

    American Music Awards

  • Salut les Terriens !

    Salut les Terriens !

  • Star Academy

    Star Academy

  • MTV Unplugged

    MTV Unplugged

  • The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn

    The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn

  • Today

    Today

  • Legends

    Legends

  • Viña del Mar International Song Festival

    Viña del Mar International Song Festival

  • Viña del Mar International Song Festival

    Viña del Mar International Song Festival

  • The Old Grey Whistle Test

    The Old Grey Whistle Test

  • Bee Movie

    Bee Movie

  • Lo + plus

    Lo + plus

  • Michael McIntyre's Big Show

    Michael McIntyre's Big Show

  • Scott Walker: 30 Century Man

    Scott Walker: 30 Century Man

  • Dune

    Dune

  • Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

    Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

  • Rove

    Rove

  • The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

    The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

  • The Michael J. Fox Show

    The Michael J. Fox Show

  • Il était une fois Champs-Élysées

    Il était une fois Champs-Élysées

  • Victoires de la musique

    Victoires de la musique

  • TFI Friday

    TFI Friday

  • Sting & Shaggy au Château d'Hérouville

    Sting & Shaggy au Château d'Hérouville

  • 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

    2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

  • Radio On

    Radio On

  • George Michael: A Different Story

    George Michael: A Different Story

  • Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon

    Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon

  • America | A Tribute to Heroes

    America | A Tribute to Heroes

  • The Book of Solutions

    The Book of Solutions

  • Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

    Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

  • Under the Sun

    Under the Sun

  • GIMS: On the Record

    GIMS: On the Record

  • Herbie Hancock: Possibilities

    Herbie Hancock: Possibilities

  • Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story

    Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story

  • Still Bill

    Still Bill

  • Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy

    Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy

  • Al TV

    Al TV

  • Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann

    Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann

  • Under the Volcano

    Under the Volcano

  • Little Britain USA

    Little Britain USA

  • Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari

    Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari

  • Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute

    Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute

  • The Filth and the Fury

    The Filth and the Fury

  • The Tribute to Pavarotti One Amazing Weekend in Petra

    The Tribute to Pavarotti One Amazing Weekend in Petra

  • The Mighty

    The Mighty

  • The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special

    The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special

  • Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who

    Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who

  • Eric Burdon: Rock 'n' Roll Animal

    Eric Burdon: Rock 'n' Roll Animal

  • The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration

    The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration

  • Zoolander 2

    Zoolander 2

  • Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today

    Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today

  • De TV Show

    De TV Show

  • Life's Too Short

    Life's Too Short

  • Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out

    Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out

  • Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics

    Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics

  • An Audience with Elton John

    An Audience with Elton John

  • Julia and Julia

    Julia and Julia

  • WHAM!

    WHAM!

  • Billy Joel: And So It Goes

    Billy Joel: And So It Goes

  • Bio’s Bahnhof

    Bio’s Bahnhof

  • The Secret Policeman's Ball

    The Secret Policeman's Ball

  • Ligmalion: Or How to Help Yourself in Self-Help Britain

    Ligmalion: Or How to Help Yourself in Self-Help Britain

  • Plenty

    Plenty

  • Bruce Springsteen A MusiCares Tribute

    Bruce Springsteen A MusiCares Tribute

  • The Making of Do They Know It's Christmas?

    The Making of Do They Know It's Christmas?

  • Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB

    Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB

  • Brimstone & Treacle

    Brimstone & Treacle

  • Sting: Live In Berlin

    Sting: Live In Berlin

  • The Police: Around The World

    The Police: Around The World

  • Lubach

    Lubach

  • Kaamelott: The First Chapter

    Kaamelott: The First Chapter

  • Miley's New Year's Eve Party

    Miley's New Year's Eve Party

  • The Kenny Everett Video Show

    The Kenny Everett Video Show

  • Brüno

    Brüno

  • Radioman

    Radioman

  • Two Rooms: A Tribute to Elton John & Bernie Taupin

    Two Rooms: A Tribute to Elton John & Bernie Taupin

  • Chris Botti in Boston

    Chris Botti in Boston

  • The Bride

    The Bride

  • Sting : My Songs au château de Chambord

    Sting : My Songs au château de Chambord

  • Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris

    Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris

  • The Dark Side of The Sun

    The Dark Side of The Sun

  • PoliWood

    PoliWood

  • Jaco

    Jaco

  • TV total

    TV total

  • Attenborough at 90

    Attenborough at 90

  • Artemis '81

    Artemis '81

  • Police in Montserrat

    Police in Montserrat

  • Stormy Monday

    Stormy Monday

  • Take That Away!

    Take That Away!

  • The Max Headroom Show

    The Max Headroom Show

  • Branford Marsalis: Steep

    Branford Marsalis: Steep

  • Live 8

    Live 8

  • Quadrophenia

    Quadrophenia

  • MTV Rockumentary

    MTV Rockumentary

  • Royal Opera House: Message in a Bottle

    Royal Opera House: Message in a Bottle

  • Chris Botti & Friends - Night Sessions: Live in Concert

    Chris Botti & Friends - Night Sessions: Live in Concert

  • Sting - Bring on the Night

    Sting - Bring on the Night

  • Live Aid

    Live Aid

  • Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part II)

    Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part II)

  • Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman

    Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman

  • Sting: All this Time

    Sting: All this Time

  • 2012: Time for Change

    2012: Time for Change

  • MADtv

    MADtv

  • Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?

    Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?

  • Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups

    Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups

  • Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World

    Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World

  • Reel Stories

    Reel Stories

  • Destination Dune

    Destination Dune

  • John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly

    John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly

  • Herb Alpert Is...

    Herb Alpert Is...

  • The Grotesque

    The Grotesque

  • The Beatles Revolution

    The Beatles Revolution

  • Mylène Farmer : sur les pas d'une icône

    Mylène Farmer : sur les pas d'une icône

  • Sting Live At Irving Plaza

    Sting Live At Irving Plaza

  • Brian Johnson's A Life on the Road

    Brian Johnson's A Life on the Road

  • The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert

    The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert

  • Urgh! A Music War

    Urgh! A Music War

  • Billy Joel: The 100th - Live at Madison Square Garden

    Billy Joel: The 100th - Live at Madison Square Garden

  • Tina Turner : Celebrate!

    Tina Turner : Celebrate!

  • Mylène Farmer, l’Ultime Création

    Mylène Farmer, l’Ultime Création

  • VH1 Rock Honors: The Who

    VH1 Rock Honors: The Who

  • Freedom Beat

    Freedom Beat

  • Iain Goes Inside the Last Ship

    Iain Goes Inside the Last Ship

  • Catherine et Liliane

    Catherine et Liliane

  • The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Music Edition

    The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Music Edition

  • The Queen's Birthday Party

    The Queen's Birthday Party

  • Sting: When the Last Ship Sails (Live at the Public Theater)

    Sting: When the Last Ship Sails (Live at the Public Theater)

  • Sonic Sea

    Sonic Sea

  • Chris Botti Live: With Orchestra and Special Guests

    Chris Botti Live: With Orchestra and Special Guests

  • 20 Feet from Stardom

    20 Feet from Stardom

  • The Grammys

    The Grammys

  • Sting: The Brand New Day Tour: Live From The Universal Amphitheatre

    Sting: The Brand New Day Tour: Live From The Universal Amphitheatre

  • The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts

    The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts

  • Live Aid

    Live Aid

  • Sting Unplugged

    Sting Unplugged

  • They All Came Out to Montreux

    They All Came Out to Montreux

  • All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!

    All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!

  • Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police

    Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police

  • I Want My MTV

    I Want My MTV

  • The Best of Max Headroom

    The Best of Max Headroom

  • The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune

    The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune

  • Sting and Gil Evans: Strange Fruit

    Sting and Gil Evans: Strange Fruit

  • Pavarotti, Birth of a Pop Star

    Pavarotti, Birth of a Pop Star

  • The Soul Cages Concert

    The Soul Cages Concert

  • The Police: Synchronicity Concert

    The Police: Synchronicity Concert

  • Mylène Farmer: 2019 - Le Film

    Mylène Farmer: 2019 - Le Film

  • Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People

    Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People

  • The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

    The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

  • One World, One Voice

    One World, One Voice

  • FireAid Benefit Concert

    FireAid Benefit Concert

  • Pavarotti & Friends

    Pavarotti & Friends

  • Dolly Parton - From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll

    Dolly Parton - From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll

  • Pavarotti The Duets

    Pavarotti The Duets

  • 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video

    'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video

  • Sting au Bataclan

    Sting au Bataclan

  • Space Songs: Through the Distance

    Space Songs: Through the Distance

  • Resident Alien

    Resident Alien

  • Sting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love

    Sting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love

  • The Sweatbox

    The Sweatbox

  • Music for Montserrat

    Music for Montserrat

  • An Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues

    An Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues

  • Sting: The Journey & The Labyrinth: The Music of John Dowland

    Sting: The Journey & The Labyrinth: The Music of John Dowland

  • Hope for Haiti Now

    Hope for Haiti Now

  • Being Mick

    Being Mick

  • Talking Pictures: Quadrophenia

    Talking Pictures: Quadrophenia

  • Punk and Its Aftershocks

    Punk and Its Aftershocks

  • The Police: Live In Concert Tokyo

    The Police: Live In Concert Tokyo

  • Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen

    Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen

  • Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special

    Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special

  • The Police: Certifiable

    The Police: Certifiable

  • The Police - Live In Oakland

    The Police - Live In Oakland

  • The Police - Live '79 at Hatfield Polytechnic

    The Police - Live '79 at Hatfield Polytechnic

  • Citizens Of Boomtown: The Story of the Boomtown Rats

    Citizens Of Boomtown: The Story of the Boomtown Rats

  • Acceleration Punk

    Acceleration Punk

  • Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story

    Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story

  • Mylène Farmer : Les Clips L'Intégrale (1999-2020)

    Mylène Farmer : Les Clips L'Intégrale (1999-2020)

  • The Police - Every Breath You Take

    The Police - Every Breath You Take

  • Sting: A Free Man

    Sting: A Free Man

  • Sting: Beyond The Police

    Sting: Beyond The Police

  • Ruben Blades Is Not My Name

    Ruben Blades Is Not My Name

  • When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain

    When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain

  • Dire Straits at Live Aid

    Dire Straits at Live Aid

  • Great North: A Run. A River. A Region.

    Great North: A Run. A River. A Region.

  • Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Final - Buenos Aires

    Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Final - Buenos Aires

  • Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward

    Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward

  • Le Grand Concert Unis pour le Liban

    Le Grand Concert Unis pour le Liban

  • U2 & The Police: A Conspiracy of Hope

    U2 & The Police: A Conspiracy of Hope

  • Sting: A Winter's Night...Live From Durham Cathedral

    Sting: A Winter's Night...Live From Durham Cathedral

  • Sting au Panthéon (50 ans de FIP)

    Sting au Panthéon (50 ans de FIP)

  • Gurrumul

    Gurrumul

  • Rock'n'roll... Of Corse!

    Rock'n'roll... Of Corse!

  • Sting and the Police at the BBC

    Sting and the Police at the BBC

  • The Police - Live in Rio

    The Police - Live in Rio

  • Sting Festival de Viña del Mar

    Sting Festival de Viña del Mar

  • The Police: Better Than Therapy

    The Police: Better Than Therapy

  • Human Rights Now 25th Anniversary

    Human Rights Now 25th Anniversary

  • Peter Gabriel, Sting, & Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Now!

    Peter Gabriel, Sting, & Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Now!

  • Sting's 40th Birthday Celebration: Live from the Hollywood Bowl

    Sting's 40th Birthday Celebration: Live from the Hollywood Bowl

  • Bruce Springsteen - 32nd Annual of Kennedy Center Honors

    Bruce Springsteen - 32nd Annual of Kennedy Center Honors

  • Sting: 57th and 9th - The Interviews

    Sting: 57th and 9th - The Interviews

  • CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill

    CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill

  • Sting - Grenzgänger und Freigeist

    Sting - Grenzgänger und Freigeist

  • The Police - Outlandos To Synchronicities

    The Police - Outlandos To Synchronicities

  • The Police: Ghost in the Machine Tour - Live at Gateshead

    The Police: Ghost in the Machine Tour - Live at Gateshead

  • The Police: Live in Essen - Rockpalast 1980

    The Police: Live in Essen - Rockpalast 1980

  • The Very Best of Sting & The Police

    The Very Best of Sting & The Police

  • Sting: Unplugged

    Sting: Unplugged

  • In Thanks We Trust

    In Thanks We Trust

  • If on a Winter's Night ... Live from Durham Cathedral

    If on a Winter's Night ... Live from Durham Cathedral

  • The Police: Live At Rockpalast

    The Police: Live At Rockpalast

  • Sting ‎– Fields Of Gold - The Best Of Sting

    Sting ‎– Fields Of Gold - The Best Of Sting

  • The Police ‎– Live Ghost In The Machine

    The Police ‎– Live Ghost In The Machine

  • The Police - Greatest Video Hits

    The Police - Greatest Video Hits

  • In The City

    In The City

  • Sting: Radio 2 in the Park

    Sting: Radio 2 in the Park

  • Sting - Fields Of Japan 1994

    Sting - Fields Of Japan 1994

  • Sting - Live at iHeartRadio Music Festival 2016

    Sting - Live at iHeartRadio Music Festival 2016

  • Sting - 25 Years

    Sting - 25 Years

  • The Police Rock in Rio - Live Madrid

    The Police Rock in Rio - Live Madrid

  • STING: The Journey & The Labyrinth

    STING: The Journey & The Labyrinth

  • Sting - Live at iHeartRadio

    Sting - Live at iHeartRadio

  • Kaamelott Premier Volet Director's cut

    Kaamelott Premier Volet Director's cut