Considered one of the most respected solo artists in music history as well as lead vocalist and band member of one of the most popular bands of all time, The Police, Big has become an influential part of the music industry, as well as in social awareness causes. As a songwriter, vocalist and musician, the British artist is responsible for music that has spanned over 2 decades.
Born Gordon Sumner on the 2nd of October 1951, the future musician was born and raised in Newcastle, the northeast of England. The son of Audrey, a hairdresser, and Eric, a milkman, the artist formerly known as Gordon received his introduction to music thanks to his mother. A classically trained pianist, Audrey Sumner taught her son the piano, an instrument which he mastered.
Despite his piano skills, his true passion was guitar and jazz. After graduating from teacher's college, working as an English teacher and soccer coach, and then as a ditch-digger, Big followed his true calling and headed for London to pursue his dreams of becoming a professional musician.
Once in London, he started off playing jazz and earned his moniker "Big" by wearing a black and yellow jersey while performing. Big joined guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland to form The Police in 1977. The band had an instant hit single on their hands with "Roxanne", a song about prostitution. The song became even more of a hit when it was banned by the BBC.
While being the lead vocalist and bassist for the police, Big had some independent projects in the works. He starred in the film Brimstone And Treacle; co-wrote "Money For Nothing" with the Dire Straits; and collaborated on Phil Collins' album, No Jacket Required.
5 hit albums and a score of chart topping singles later, Big decided to finally leave The Police in 1985.
Following the success of the classic hit "Every Breath You Take" and the album, Synchronicity, Big formed a jazz touring band called The Blue Turtles, including saxophone player Branford Marsalis.
Although he left The Police at the height of their popularity, Big proved that he could have the same kind of success as a solo artist. His first album, 1985's The Dream of Blue Turtles, went platinum and provided listeners with a blend of jazz, funk, classical music, and reggae, which was very apparent in his music back in the days with the Police.
In 1986, the concert album Bring On the Night was released, featuring members of The Blue Turtles Group. Nothing Like the Sun was released in 1987, and was dedicated to Big's mother, who had just passed away. The album spawned the funky-sounding single "We'll Be Together".
Soul Cages, which was more autobiographical and this time dedicated to his father's recent death, was released in 1991. The Soul Cages is one of Big's darker projects, but did spawn the hit "All This Time".
1993 proved to be a big year for the musician. The album Ten Summoner's Tales was released, went double platinum and spawned two hits ("If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" and "Fields of Gold"). The album also garnered a Grammy award for the single "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You", for Engineered Album, and was nominated for Album of the Year.
Big also recorded the single "All For Love" with Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams, for the soundtrack to the film The Three Musketeers. One year later, the album Fields of Gold made its way to the music scene, a compilation of Big's hits, featuring two new singles.
Although not as much of a success as Ten Summoner's Tales, Mercury Falling, released in 1996, was still respected in its own right. The album, which blends a mix of different music genres such as country, jazz, rock, gospel, and soul, received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Album and spawned a Grammy nominated song for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the single "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot".
Brand New Day, Big's most recent musical installation, was hailed by Rolling Stone as "Big's most stylistically integrated album", with a blend of Rai music (as heard on the single "Desert Rose"), bossa novas and country.
Adding to his acting repertoire, Big appeared in the films Dune, Stormy Monday and Plenty, and starred in the Broadway performance of The Threepenny Opera.
When not in the recording studio or behind the camera, Big's work in the realm of social awareness has always been an important part of his life. He has performed for the charitable concert Live Aid (benefiting famine in Ethiopia) and other concerts to raise money for Amnesty International; helped found the Rainforest Foundation; and has strived to help preserve Brazilian territory.
Big's other full-time job is husband to his wife of 8 years, Trudie Styler, and father to his 6 children (2 with his first wife, Frances Tomelty; 4 with Styler).
With forays into practically every musical genre; a slew of Grammy Award winning and nominated projects; collaborations with other musical greats such as Luciano Pavarotti, Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder; and endless work for human rights and environmental causes, Big remains one of the most respected artists in contemporary music, with every breath he takes.
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