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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0001776
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q483203
Facebook: https://facebook.com/sting
Instagram: https://instagram.com/theofficialsting
Filmography (Movies)
Kaamelott: The Second Chapter (Part II)
Character:Horsa
Release Date:11/11/2026
Gims à Paris la Défense Arena : le concert événement
Character:Self : Guest (virtual)
Release Date:23/12/2025
In Thanks We Trust
Character:Self
Release Date:27/09/2025
When Bruce Springsteen Came to Britain
Character:Self
Release Date:31/05/2025
FireAid Benefit Concert
Character:Self
Release Date:30/01/2025
The Making of Do They Know It's Christmas?
Character:Self
Release Date:25/11/2024
Sting and the Police at the BBC
Character:Self
Release Date:07/09/2024
Sting: Radio 2 in the Park
Character:Self
Release Date:07/09/2024
Royal Opera House: Message in a Bottle
Character:Self - Lead Vocals
Release Date:30/05/2024
Billy Joel: The 100th - Live at Madison Square Garden
Character:Self
Release Date:14/04/2024
Dolly Parton - From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll
Character:Self
Release Date:07/11/2023
Zucchero | Sugar Fornaciari
Character:Self
Release Date:23/10/2023
Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story
Character:Self
Release Date:31/08/2023
WHAM!
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:27/06/2023
They All Came Out to Montreux
Character:Self
Release Date:16/06/2023
The Book of Solutions
Character:Sting
Release Date:07/06/2023
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Character:Self
Release Date:19/11/2022
Sting : My Songs au château de Chambord
Character:Self
Release Date:16/11/2022
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon
Character:Self
Release Date:06/09/2022
Christmas@Home 2022 Daniel Hope, Sting and Guests
Character:
Release Date:01/01/2022
Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story
Character:Self
Release Date:26/11/2021
The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune
Character:Self (voice) (archive footage)
Release Date:14/10/2021
Sting au Panthéon (50 ans de FIP)
Character:Self
Release Date:06/10/2021
Great North: A Run. A River. A Region.
Character:Self
Release Date:08/09/2021
Kaamelott: The First Chapter
Character:Horsa
Release Date:21/07/2021
Mylène Farmer : Les Clips L'Intégrale (1999-2020)
Character:Self
Release Date:18/06/2021
Under the Volcano
Character:Self
Release Date:20/03/2021
Sting at the Pantheon in Paris 50 Years of FIP Radio
Character:
Release Date:01/01/2021
Herb Alpert Is...
Character:Self
Release Date:02/10/2020
Le Grand Concert Unis pour le Liban
Character:Self
Release Date:01/10/2020
GIMS: On the Record
Character:Self
Release Date:17/09/2020
Citizens Of Boomtown: The Story of the Boomtown Rats
Character:Self
Release Date:23/05/2020
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
Character:Self
Release Date:11/05/2020
Space Songs: Through the Distance
Character:Self
Release Date:30/04/2020
The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration
Character:Self
Release Date:28/11/2019
Mylène Farmer: 2019 - Le Film
Character:Self
Release Date:07/11/2019
Eric Burdon: Rock 'n' Roll Animal
Character:Self
Release Date:09/08/2019
Sting & Shaggy au Château d'Hérouville
Character:Self
Release Date:03/05/2019
I Want My MTV
Character:Self
Release Date:01/05/2019
Gurrumul
Character:Self
Release Date:26/04/2018
The Queen's Birthday Party
Character:Self - Performer
Release Date:21/04/2018
Ruben Blades Is Not My Name
Character:Self
Release Date:18/03/2018
Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen
Character:Self - Performer
Release Date:03/01/2018
Sting - Grenzgänger und Freigeist
Character:Self
Release Date:15/12/2017
Sting: A Free Man
Character:Self
Release Date:08/09/2017
Pavarotti, Birth of a Pop Star
Character:Self
Release Date:06/09/2017
Sting: Beyond The Police
Character:Self - Musician
Release Date:18/08/2017
Sting: Live at the Olympia Paris
Character:Self - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
Release Date:18/08/2017
The Dark Side of The Sun
Character:Narrator
Release Date:11/02/2017
Sting au Bataclan
Character:Self
Release Date:13/11/2016
Sting: 57th and 9th - The Interviews
Character:Self
Release Date:11/11/2016
Sting Live At Irving Plaza
Character:Self
Release Date:09/11/2016
Sting - Live at iHeartRadio Music Festival 2016
Character:Self
Release Date:24/09/2016
Rock'n'roll... Of Corse!
Character:Self
Release Date:21/09/2016
Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:15/06/2016
Attenborough at 90
Character:Self
Release Date:08/05/2016
Sonic Sea
Character:Self
Release Date:22/04/2016
Zoolander 2
Character:Sting
Release Date:06/02/2016
Mylène Farmer : sur les pas d'une icône
Character:Self
Release Date:08/12/2015
Biggest Band Break Ups and Make Ups
Character:Self
Release Date:10/04/2015
Jaco
Character:Self
Release Date:17/03/2015
Iain Goes Inside the Last Ship
Character:Self
Release Date:17/12/2014
Sting: When the Last Ship Sails (Live at the Public Theater)
Character:Self - Host, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass
Release Date:19/09/2014
Bruce Springsteen A MusiCares Tribute
Character:Self
Release Date:25/04/2014
John Mayer: Someday I'll Fly
Character:Self
Release Date:06/04/2014
20 Feet from Stardom
Character:Self
Release Date:14/06/2013
Radioman
Character:Self
Release Date:07/12/2012
Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police
Character:Self
Release Date:09/11/2012
CMT Crossroads: Sting and Vince Gill
Character:Self
Release Date:24/11/2011
Sting - 25 Years
Character:Self - Vocals, Bass
Release Date:26/09/2011
Sting Festival de Viña del Mar
Character:Self
Release Date:25/02/2011
Sting: Live In Berlin
Character:Self - Performer
Release Date:22/11/2010
2012: Time for Change
Character:Self
Release Date:08/10/2010
Still Bill
Character:Self
Release Date:27/01/2010
Hope for Haiti Now
Character:Self
Release Date:02/01/2010
Sting - Fields Of Japan 1994
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/2010
Bruce Springsteen - 32nd Annual of Kennedy Center Honors
Character:Self
Release Date:05/12/2009
The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts
Character:Self
Release Date:29/11/2009
Sting: A Winter's Night...Live From Durham Cathedral
Character:Self
Release Date:17/10/2009
If on a Winter's Night ... Live from Durham Cathedral
Character:Self
Release Date:30/09/2009
Twin Spirits: Sting performs Schumann
Character:Robert Schumann
Release Date:29/09/2009
Brüno
Character:Self - 'Dove of Peace'
Release Date:08/07/2009
PoliWood
Character:Self
Release Date:03/07/2009
Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB
Character:Self
Release Date:24/04/2009
Chris Botti in Boston
Character:Self
Release Date:31/03/2009
The Tribute to Pavarotti One Amazing Weekend in Petra
Character:Self
Release Date:24/02/2009
The Police: Certifiable
Character:Self - Bass, Vocals
Release Date:11/11/2008
The Police: Better Than Therapy
Character:Self
Release Date:11/11/2008
The Police: Live In Concert Tokyo
Character:Self
Release Date:08/08/2008
VH1 Rock Honors: The Who
Character:Self
Release Date:17/07/2008
Pavarotti The Duets
Character:Self
Release Date:09/05/2008
The Police Rock in Rio - Live Madrid
Character:Self
Release Date:07/05/2008
Bee Movie
Character:Sting (voice)
Release Date:28/10/2007
Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who
Character:Self
Release Date:14/09/2007
Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation
Character:Self
Release Date:06/05/2007
Scott Walker: 30 Century Man
Character:Self
Release Date:27/04/2007
Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out
Character:Self - The Police Member (archive footage)
Release Date:31/03/2007
The Police - Greatest Video Hits
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:30/03/2007
STING: The Journey & The Labyrinth
Character:Self
Release Date:19/02/2007
The Police - Live in Rio
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/2007
Chris Botti Live: With Orchestra and Special Guests
Character:Self
Release Date:17/10/2006
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
Character:Self
Release Date:18/04/2006
Live 8
Character:Self
Release Date:07/11/2005
An Intimate Evening with Mary J. Blige - Live from the House of Blues
Character:Self
Release Date:23/08/2005
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
Character:Self
Release Date:13/07/2005
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Character:Self
Release Date:09/12/2004
George Michael: A Different Story
Character:Self
Release Date:27/11/2004
Live Aid
Character:Self
Release Date:16/11/2004
The Secret Policeman's Ball: The Music Edition
Character:Self
Release Date:20/09/2004
Sting: The Journey & The Labyrinth: The Music of John Dowland
Character:Self
Release Date:02/07/2004
Sting: Inside - The Songs of Sacred Love
Character:Self - Bass, Guitar, Lead Vocals
Release Date:03/10/2003
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Character:Self - Bass, Vocals
Release Date:18/03/2003
Freedom Beat
Character:Self
Release Date:05/01/2003
The Sweatbox
Character:Self
Release Date:13/09/2002
Chris Botti & Friends - Night Sessions: Live in Concert
Character:Self
Release Date:06/08/2002
Sting: All this Time
Character:Self - Lead Singer
Release Date:04/12/2001
Being Mick
Character:Self
Release Date:22/11/2001
The Police: Ghost in the Machine Tour - Live at Gateshead
Character:Self
Release Date:01/10/2001
America | A Tribute to Heroes
Character:Self - Performer
Release Date:21/09/2001
All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live!
Character:Self
Release Date:06/04/2001
The Beatles Revolution
Character:Self
Release Date:17/11/2000
Sting: The Brand New Day Tour: Live From The Universal Amphitheatre
Character:Self - Vocals, Bass
Release Date:17/10/2000
The Filth and the Fury
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:29/03/2000
Tina Turner : Celebrate!
Character:Self
Release Date:26/11/1999
Eric Clapton: Standing at the Crossroads
Character:Self
Release Date:10/10/1999
Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward
Character:Self
Release Date:20/07/1999
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Character:JD
Release Date:28/08/1998
The Mighty
Character:The Balladeer
Release Date:01/06/1998
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman
Character:Billy Idol
Release Date:01/01/1998
The Very Best of Sting & The Police
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:18/11/1997
An Audience with Elton John
Character:Self
Release Date:27/09/1997
Music for Montserrat
Character:Self
Release Date:15/09/1997
The Police – Live Ghost In The Machine
Character:Self - Vocals, Bass
Release Date:02/10/1996
The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special
Character:Self
Release Date:27/10/1995
The Grotesque
Character:Fledge
Release Date:09/09/1995
The Police - Outlandos To Synchronicities
Character:Self
Release Date:30/05/1995
Sting – Fields Of Gold - The Best Of Sting
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:08/11/1994
Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:26/12/1993
Take That Away!
Character:Self
Release Date:01/11/1993
Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special
Character:Self
Release Date:18/11/1992
Pavarotti & Friends
Character:Self
Release Date:27/09/1992
Sting's 40th Birthday Celebration: Live from the Hollywood Bowl
Character:Self - Vocals, Bass, Guitar
Release Date:01/10/1991
Two Rooms: A Tribute to Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Character:Self - Guest
Release Date:01/10/1991
The Soul Cages Concert
Character:Self
Release Date:10/08/1991
Sting Unplugged
Character:Self - Double Bass, Vocals
Release Date:10/04/1991
Sting: Unplugged
Character:Self
Release Date:10/04/1991
Branford Marsalis: Steep
Character:Self
Release Date:04/01/1991
One World, One Voice
Character:Self
Release Date:09/12/1990
Resident Alien
Character:Singer
Release Date:14/09/1990
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Character:Heroic Officer
Release Date:07/12/1988
Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Final - Buenos Aires
Character:Self
Release Date:15/10/1988
Human Rights Now 25th Anniversary
Character:Self - Musician
Release Date:14/10/1988
Peter Gabriel, Sting, & Bruce Springsteen - Human Rights Now!
Character:Self - Musician
Release Date:14/10/1988
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
Character:Self
Release Date:11/06/1988
Prince's Trust Rock Gala - Volume 3
Character:Self
Release Date:06/06/1988
Stormy Monday
Character:Finney
Release Date:01/05/1988
Julia and Julia
Character:Daniel Hosler
Release Date:05/02/1988
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Concert
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1988
Sting and Gil Evans: Strange Fruit
Character:Self - Vocals, Electric Bass
Release Date:11/07/1987
The Best of Max Headroom
Character:Self
Release Date:05/03/1987
U2 & The Police: A Conspiracy of Hope
Character:Self
Release Date:15/06/1986
Sting - Bring on the Night
Character:Self
Release Date:08/11/1985
Plenty
Character:Mick
Release Date:20/09/1985
The Bride
Character:Frankenstein
Release Date:16/08/1985
Live Aid
Character:Self
Release Date:13/07/1985
Dire Straits at Live Aid
Character:Self
Release Date:13/07/1985
Ligmalion: Or How to Help Yourself in Self-Help Britain
Character:Machiavelli
Release Date:08/04/1985
Dune
Character:Feyd Rautha
Release Date:14/12/1984
'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video
Character:Self
Release Date:01/12/1984
The Police: Synchronicity Concert
Character:Self - Bass, Vocals
Release Date:27/08/1984
The Police - Live In Oakland
Character:Self - Vocals, Bass
Release Date:10/09/1983
Police in Montserrat
Character:Self
Release Date:08/03/1983
Destination Dune
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1983
Brimstone & Treacle
Character:Martin Taylor
Release Date:01/10/1982
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
Character:Self
Release Date:01/03/1982
The Police: Around The World
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1982
Artemis '81
Character:Helith
Release Date:29/12/1981
Urgh! A Music War
Character:Self
Release Date:07/11/1981
The Police: Live in Essen - Rockpalast 1980
Character:Self
Release Date:18/10/1980
Punk and Its Aftershocks
Character:Self
Release Date:10/05/1980
The Police: Live At Rockpalast
Character:Self - Vocals, Bass
Release Date:11/01/1980
Radio On
Character:Just Like Eddie
Release Date:30/11/1979
Quadrophenia
Character:Ace Face
Release Date:14/09/1979
Talking Pictures: Quadrophenia
Character:Interviewee
Release Date:07/09/1979
The Police - Live '79 at Hatfield Polytechnic
Character:Self
Release Date:21/02/1979
Acceleration Punk
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1977
Television Appearances
Billy Joel: And So It Goes
Character:Self
Live Aid at 40: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World
Character:Self
Lubach
Character:
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
Character:Self (archive footage)
Only Murders in the Building
Character:Sting
Mylène Farmer, l’Ultime Création
Character:Self
Reel Stories
Character:Self - Guest Star
Brian Johnson's A Life on the Road
Character:Self
Catherine et Liliane
Character:Sting
Michael McIntyre's Big Show
Character:Self - Performer
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Character:Self - Guest/Musical Guest
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Character:Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Character:Self
The Michael J. Fox Show
Character:Sting
Finding Your Roots
Character:Self
Life's Too Short
Character:Sting
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Character:Self - Guest
Little Britain USA
Character:Self
Markus Lanz
Character:Self
NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
Character:Self
Inas Nacht
Character:Self
The Graham Norton Show
Character:Self
Legends
Character:Self
Salut les Terriens !
Character:Self - Guest
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Character:Self
The One Show
Character:Self
Miley's New Year's Eve Party
Character:Self - Musical Guest
Kulturplatz
Character:Self
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Character:Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Character:Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Character:Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Character:Self - Musical Guest
CMT Crossroads
Character:Self
Star Academy
Character:Self
Rove
Character:Self
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Character:Self - Guest
TV total
Character:Self
Vivement dimanche
Character:Self
Parkinson
Character:Self
Ally McBeal
Character:Sting
Behind the Music
Character:Self
Leute heute
Character:Self
TFI Friday
Character:Self
MADtv
Character:Self
Lo + plus
Character:Self - Guest
TOTP2
Character:Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Character:Self - Guest
GMTV
Character:Self
The Larry Sanders Show
Character:Sting
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Character:Zarm (voice)
The Simpsons
Character:Sting (voice)
MTV Unplugged
Character:Self
MTV Rockumentary
Character:Self
Under the Sun
Character:Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Character:Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Character:Self - Guest
Le monde est à vous
Character:Self
Sacrée Soirée
Character:Self
Victoires de la musique
Character:Self
The Max Headroom Show
Character:Self
MTV Video Music Awards
Character:Self
Al TV
Character:Self (archive footage)
Late Night with David Letterman
Character:Self
Champs-Elysées
Character:Self
Champs-Elysées
Character:Self - The Police
De TV Show
Character:Self
CBS News Sunday Morning
Character:
The Kenny Everett Video Show
Character:
Bio’s Bahnhof
Character:Self
An Audience with...
Character:Self
The Secret Policeman's Ball
Character:Self
Saturday Night Live
Character:Self - Host
Saturday Night Live
Character:Self - Host & Musical Guest
Saturday Night Live
Character:Self - Musical Guest
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Character:Self
Rockpalast
Character:
American Music Awards
Character:Self - Musical Guest
The Old Grey Whistle Test
Character:Self
Titel, Thesen, Temperamente
Character:Self
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
Character:Self - The Police
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
Character:Self - Musical Guest
The Grammys
Character:Self
The Oscars
Character:Self
Today
Character:Self
Bambi
Character:Self
Images
