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Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner known as Sting, is an English musician, songwriter, actor and activist. He was the lead vocalist, principal songwriter and bassist for the rock band the Police (1977–1984, 2007–2008). He began a solo career in 1985, after leaving the Police, 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. |
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Sting's music career has been described as many different genres including pop, rock, new wave, post-punk, reggae, jazz, folk, classical, new-age, worldbeat, and soft rock. AllMusic stated that Sting's recorded catalog was "difficult to pigeonhole" due to the wide range of styles he employs in his music. Though he used a guitar pick in the Police, he began using a fingerstyle technique reminiscent of classical guitar in his solo music
Currently, Sting plays a 1957 Fender Precision Bass, with a 1955 Precision Bass as a backup. He previously played a 1962 Fender Jazz Bass in his bands Last Exit and the Police. He has also played fretless Fender Precision Basses, as well as basses from Ibanez, Hamer, Steinberger, and Spector.