Gordon Matthew Sumner, CBE (born October 2, 1951), universally known by his stage name Sting, is a British musician from Newcastle upon Tyne. Prior to a distinguished solo career, he was the lead singer, principal composer and bassist of the 1970s/1980s rock band The Police. Sumner was born in Wallsend, which is a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, in North-East England to Audrey (a Protestant) and Ernest Sumner (a Catholic via his own mother, Agnes White, whose father was an Irish stevedore). Ernest was a milkman, and raised his children as Roman Catholics. From an early age, Sumner knew that he wanted to be a musician. He attended the University of Warwick, but did not graduate. From 1971 to 1974, he attended Northern Counties Teacher Training College. He is the oldest of four children and has a brother, Philip, and two sisters, Angela and Anita. Philip owns a pub in Newcastle, Angela works for British Airways, and Anita is an artist. Both Audrey and Ernest Sumner died of cancer, but Sting did not (or could not) attend either funeral. |
