George Michael: His Life in Photos
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George Michael in Wham!
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley of Wham! in 1983. (Photo: Peter Still/Redferns)
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‘Solid Gold’
George Michael of Wham! performs on the TV Show Solid Gold in the band’s first American TV appearance in 1983. (Photo: Ron Wolfson/WireImage)
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Wham! in 1984
Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael of Wham! perform onstage in London in 1984. (Photo: Phil Dent/Redferns)
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Wham! in Beijing
In this April 7, 1985, photo, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley of the British group WHAM! perform during a concert in Beijing. (Photo: AP/File)
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George Michael in 1985 ‘Live Aid’ concert
A July 13, 1985, photo shows, from left, George Michael of Wham!, concert promoter Harvey Goldsmith, Bono of U2, Paul McCartney, concert organizer Bob Geldof, and Freddie Mercury of Queen in the finale of the Live Aid famine relief concert at Wembley Stadium in London. (Photo: AP/Joe Schaber)
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‘The Final Concert’
Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael of Wham! perform onstage at The Final Concert, Wembley Stadium, London, June 28, 1986. (Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images)
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Celebs React to George Michael’s Death
Celebs React to George Michael’s Death - 8/24
George Michael and Boy George
George Michael and Boy George perform onstage at an AIDS awareness concert in London in April 1987. (Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images)
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George Michael in Japan
George Michael performs onstage in Japan in March 1988. (Photo: Michael Putland/Getty Images)
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George Michael in Holland
George Michael performs onstage on the “Faith World Tour” at Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands, April 12,1988. (Photo: Rob Verhorst/Redferns)
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‘Cover to Cover’
George Michael performs on his “Cover To Cover” tour at Wembley Arena on March 22, 1991, in London. (Photo: Peter Still/Redferns)
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George Michael and Aretha Franklin
In this Aug. 30, 1988, photo, Aretha Franklin joins George Michael during his “Faith World Tour” in Auburn Hills, Mich. (Photo: AP/Rob Kozloff)
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Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation show
George Michael, Whoopi Goldberg, Lionel Richie, Liz Taylor, and Elton John perform at a benefit concert for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Oct. 11, 1992. (Photo: Ebet Roberts/Redferns)
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‘Concert of Hope’
George Michael performs at the Concert of Hopeat Wembley Arena on Dec. 1, 1993, in London. (Photo: Peter Still/Redferns)
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George Michael with Elton John
George Michael performing live with Elton John in the early 1990s. (Photo: Steve Rapport/Photoshot/Getty Images)
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George Michael and Stevie Wonder
George Michael and Stevie Wonder during the 1997 VH1 Honors in Los Angeles. (Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
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George Michael at NetAID
George Michael performs at NetAID at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 9, 1999, in London. (Photo: Peter Still/Redferns)
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Garth Brooks and George Michael
Garth Brooks and George Michael sing during the Equality Rocks concert on April 29, 2000, at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Mazur/WireImage)
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George Michael at Live 8 with Paul McCartney
In this July 2, 2005, photo, George Michael and Paul McCartney perform during the Live 8concert in Hyde Park, London. (Photo: AP/Lefteris Pitarakis)
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George Michael in 2006
George Michael performs at Datch Forum (now Mediolanum Forum) on Oct. 07, 2006, in Milan.(Photo: Morena Brengola/Getty Images)
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George Michael’s Prescient 2008 Interview: ‘In 10 Years, I Won’t Be Able to Stand Unassisted’
George Michael’s Prescient 2008 Interview: ‘In 10 Years, I Won’t Be Able to Stand Unassisted’ - 22/24
‘George Michael Live’
George Michael performs on the first night of his “George Michael Live” Australian tour at Burswood Dome on Feb. 20, 2010, in Perth, Australia. (Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images)
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George Michael in Berlin
George Michael performs during a concert at O2 World arena on Sept. 5, 2011, in Berlin. (Photo: Frank Hoensch/Getty Images)
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George Michael in Paris in 2012
George Michael performs at Palais Garnier on Sept. 9, 2012, in Paris. (Photo: David Wolff-Patrick/Redferns via Getty Images)
On Christmas Day, a day when Wham!’s “Last Christmas” plays at celebrations around the world, it was announced that Grammy-winning pop icon and former Wham! frontman George Michael had passed away at age 53. Here, we look back on the life of one of pop’s brightest stars.