Fans, musicians mourns passing of George Michael, who had Jewish roots

Michael first achieved fame as one of two members of the popular 80s band WHAM! before beginning his solo career.

By JTA, REUTERS
Singer George Michael dies at 53
British pop singer George Michael, who disclosed a decade ago that he had Jewish roots, has died unexpectedly at the age of 53.
Michael died at his home in England of heart failure, his publicist said. His family asked for privacy during this time.
Michael first achieved fame as one of two members of the popular 80s band WHAM! before beginning his solo career, where he was known for his catchy dance tunes and provocative lyrics.
In a June 2008 interview, Michael told the Los Angeles Times that his maternal grandmother was Jewish but married a non-Jewish man and raised her children with no knowledge of their Jewish background due to her fear during the period of World War II.
“She thought if they didn’t know that their mother was Jewish, they wouldn’t be at risk,” Michael told the newspaper. His mother attended convent school, losing any shred of memory of her mother’s Jewishness.
He acknowledged his homosexuality in 1998 after being arrested for public lewdness in Los Angeles, where he attempted to pick up a man in a public bathroom.
His first solo album, 1987’s “Faith,” sold more 20 million copies, and he had several hit singles including “I Want Your Sex,”  “Father Figure,” “One More Try,” and “Praying For Time.”
His was named Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou when he was born in 1963 in London to Greek Cypriot parents.
Police said in a statement that the death was “unexplained but not suspicious,” and his publicist said he had not been ill.
Madonna, Elton John and Paul McCartney paid tribute on Monday to British pop idol George Michael, who has died age 53 after a career of soulful ballads and dance songs that provided a soundtrack to much of the 1980s and 1990s.
"Heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog (nickname). Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved," said former Wham! partner and school friend Andrew Ridgeley on Twitter. "Cleft with grief."
"Farewell My Friend. Another Great Artist leaves us," Madonna tweeted.
"George Michael's sweet soul music will live on even after his sudden death," said McCartney. "Having worked with him on a number of occasions his great talent always shone through and his self-deprecating sense of humour made the experience even more pleasurable."


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