what does george michael min to me. what does george michael min to you? he is a pioneer. he opened doors for many people. me being younger, influenced by him singing with aretha franklin, and him being british, big with someone who was there before was a real liberation. a great singer, songwriter. you are and r&b songwriter and discover some of the influences, r&b, pop, that george michael had. hello? sorry... you say it was quite an influence? he showed there are no boundaries. he showed there are no boundaries. he had a black and white backing singer even back in the day with wham and you pay attention. he was really soulful. it is crazy, isn't it? he was so young. he also had a side to him that into the social conscience as well, where you aware of that? no, no. i remember him as a legend from wham. every christmas you hear, last christmas. he outed himself, obviously... spectacularly. laughter but him and saying, you know what, and i am not going to sweat but i do care what you think. what was your favourite song? when he did a cover of stink... triple gold, last chr

george michael loved fame but never became used to it. to be obviously a part of people's lives as an artist, that's what i dreamed of and that's what i'm still grateful for. but my god, i wish i could cope with the other stuff the way other people do. i wish i'd been born with that particular suit of armour, you know, because i wasn't. # you know not everybody has got a body like you. but i gotta think twice before i give my heart away... as his career waned, he hit the headlines for other reasons. he was stopped for a series of traffic offences leading to a spell in jail. he was cautioned and fined for drug possession and received treatment for addiction. # time can never mend the careless whispers... in 2011, he suffered a life—threatening bout of pneumonia while on tour in austria. police said his death was unexplained but not suspicious. his family said he had died peacefully at home. they called him a beloved son, brother and friend. john covach is the director of the institute for popular music at the university of rochester in n

a front—page of the times also about george michael. the times also about george michael. the main story is about from's trader chief saying that they will steal trade from the uk. the front page of the sun is also about george michael. george michael pop icon pass away yesterday. the front—page of the daily telegraph carries a picture of prince george. she is leaving the church service yesterday. she attended with his pa rents yesterday. she attended with his parents and sister. the main story says that charities and contract is profit from foreign aid and spends taxpayers money on it exorbitant salaries. they will be named and shamed under government plans. the daily express is focused on the fact that the queen was forced to cancel her traditional church service. that is because she has fallen ill with a cold. use brexit to steal uk trade. what does this mean? yes, we going to have to get very, very used to the new cabinet in america. they look like they might be the most wealthy cabinet ever put together by an american president. this man is reportedly worth somethin

he said, george michael's dead. i thought he was pulling my leg and unfortunately for us and for the music world it was true. he could not have been a nicer guy and i have to tell you the shock in southern california that such a great icon has gone is amazing, just another, a brilliant british act has gone and people have been posting on my facebook page, the year starts with bowie and ends with george michael. the irony is that when wham! first came out their first single was banned by the bbc because they were talking about unemployment and hire purchase and then their second single was more poppy and then wake me up before you go—go was absolutely massive for them and last christmas. but then george became more serious and you could tell that he was transitioning from being a pop star to a serious artist with careless whisper. he actually gave a lot of the songwriting credit to andrew on that one but if you watch the video, it's all george and he's almost staging that the transition from wham! to becoming georg

yet george michael did it. he broke away from wham!. it could be argued he had a even more successful career as a solo artist. how much should we appreciate how difficult that is? it's very difficult. there are only a few people that have done it. one is george and the other is robbie williams. and his first song bas a solo artist was freedom. when you listen to that song, it makes you think, that is what it is likely to be in think, that is what it is likely to beina think, that is what it is likely to be in a band. it really was mental. for him to break away from that and come out with face. . that catapulted him to superstardom. he changes look. he had a leather jacket and then he had a suit if yea rs jacket and then he had a suit if years later. i'm just so happy that i got to see my idol and the legend in concert at least once and that is a memory that will keep forever and ever. it makes you wonder how many stars inspired, as you say, robbie williams. he released his first solo single and coverage. thank you. that was a former mem

george michael was so tragically young at just 53 george michael was so tragically young atjust 53 years old. 0ne george michael was so tragically young atjust 53 years old. one man said he'd seen george michael while he was fishing down by the river, and he didn't look terribly well. many people here are worried —— wondering what happened here. we know he was found in his bed just after lunch and he was unresponsive. he was declared dead inside the house. the cause of death is allegedly heart failure, but we anticipate that over the coming days, we will learn more about what caused george michael to pass away. thank you, ben. let's get some more reaction. we are going to speak to darren scott from the gay times. we are so sorry. darren scott from the gay times. we are so sorry. it's a huge loss to so many fans across the world. a really sad christmas for many. we want to talk to you because george michael is famous for coming out as being 93v, is famous for coming out as being gay, one of the first in his generation, but it goes beyond that what he did for the l g bt community. he w

paul young duetted with george michael. he paid tribute today. he always had an incredible pop sensibility and a voice that could touch people. some people have a voice that cuts straight to your heart. he seemed to have that ability. as well as success over the years, he also had brushes with the law. his car collided with a high street shop, leading to a spell in prison. he was cautioned and fined for drugs possession and received treatment for addiction. to be a part of people's lives as an artist, that is what i dreamed of and what i'm still grateful for. but, my god, i wish i could cope with the other stuff the way others do. i wish i had been born with that particular suit of armour. cause i wasn't. when george michael revealed he was gay, he said he had kept it secret to stop his mother worrying about hiv. in 2011, he said he had nearly died in vienna after a bout of pneumonia. more music was on the way, a collaboration with producer naughty boy and a documentary was due next march. when it came to pop, george michael had it all, the looks

tremendous shock, no suggestion that george michael recently had been u nwell george michael recently had been unwell and reports from the ambulance service that an ambulance had been called. whether reiterating that police are saying there are no suspicious circumstances but his death is unexplained. george michael, of course, as we have been reflecting, sheeting to fame very early in life, one half of the band wham and then an enormously successful career as a solo artist. he burst onto the scene is in the early 1980s when he formed wham with andrew ridgeley. number one singles around the world and concrete china, becoming the first western band performing there. george michael leitch fame but never became used to it. to be a part of people 's leitch fame but never became used to it. to be a part of people '5 lives, thatis it. to be a part of people '5 lives, that is what a dream of and what i rate fall for. but my god, i wish i could cope with the other stuff the way other people do. that i had been born with that particular suit of armour because i born with that particular suit o

our top stories: the singer george michael has died. his publicist says he passed away peacefully at home. george michael rose to fame in the 1980s as a member of the duo wham! police say there were no suspicious circumstances. in other news: a major search operation off the black sea coast has pinpointed a russian military plane that crashed into the water with 92 people on board. israel orders ambassadors of un security council members to be reprimanded after they voted against its settlement building. and queen elizabeth misses her traditional christmas day service as she recovers from a heavy cold, but in a recorded speech she pays tribute to ordinary people doing extraordinary things. the death of the singer george michael has been announced. he was 53. he shot to fame in the 1980s as half of the band wham, and went on to have a hugely successful solo career. he's sold more than 80 million records worldwide. his publicist says he passed away peacefully at his home just outside london on sunday. andy moore looks back at his life. #

george michael, who's died at the age of 53. tanya hart, the host of hollywood live spoke to me a little earlier from los angeles. she says george michael's death comes on a long list of talented musicians that the world has lost in 2016. when i heard about george michael today, my stomach started hurting. i can't imagine losing another person. i was thinking yesterday, it's almost the end of the year, can we get through without losing anyone else? apparently not. he was such an important person in the world of music, especially during the 80s and 90s and was really one of those transition people that made the world of pop music, he made that big transition leading into where we are now with the musical world and with a lot of the alternative music that they now call alternative music, and a lot of the real club music we hear, george michael was at the forefront of that. some incredible collaborations with maryj blige and aretha franklin and he was doing it at a time others weren't. that's right, he was a leader in a lot of genr

george michael did. he represented something greater than just he represented something greater thanjust being he represented something greater than just being a he represented something greater thanjust being a pop he represented something greater than just being a pop star who sold a lot of records. he represented something that the gay and lesbian community and something to left—wing politics, because he was an arch anti— thatcherite. he was suspicious of new labour. he wrote songs making light of his own situation and songs for the downtrodden. he neverforgot the dance beat and the musical hooks, but he meant something more than just selling a lot of records. i think that is why george michael has been such a painful loss these last 36 hours. absolutely. so many of his songs are memorable for many different reasons, because he made an extraordinary comeback. he did, george michael was on the cusp of them even greater comeback, he claimed to have a new solo album in the works 97% done and i'm sure

let's go back to the news about george michael. let's listen back to some of george michael's greatest hits — starting with his first appearance with wham on top of the pops. # see me, single and free # no tears, no fears, what i want to be # one, two, take a look at you # death by matrimony! # wham! # bam! #iam! # a man! #job or nojob, you can't tell me that i'm not # do! # you! # enjoy what you do? # if not, just stop! # don't stay there and rot! # you put the boom—boom into my heart # you send my soul sky high when your lovin' starts #jitterbug into my brain # goes a bang—bang—bang till my feet do the same. # club tropicana, drinks are free # fun and sunshine, there's enough for everyone. # all that's missing is the sea but don't worry, you can suntan! # last christmas, i gave you my heart # but the very next day, you gave it away # this year, to save me from tears # i'll give it to someone special. # oh, when that love comes down without devotion # well, it takes a strong man, baby # but i'm showing you the door # cos i

michael i remember. cowboy hat and denim jacket, that is the george michael i rememberlj read the george michael i remember.” read that he said about his personal life and how at various points it threatened to overwhelm the success that he had achieved in his career, but he says it always righted itself like a duck in a bath. hejust had this great talent. it was a combination of a natural gift and ha rd combination of a natural gift and hard work. he grew up loving pop music, he absorbed it is a young teenager, and i think that inspired him to make great pop music himself, but he also worked very hard at it, and that is one of the reason that he didn't produce a lot of new music, that he was a perfectionist, and that is why he reminds me of someone and that is why he reminds me of someone like prince or david bowie. and he was 19 when he wrote club tropicana with andrew ridgeley. he said he wrote it on a bus, it came to him almost like magic, a song that will last forever and he wrote it in that will last forever and he wrote itina that will last forever and he wrote it in a few minut

when it came to pop, george michael had it all. the looks, the voice and the ability to write hit after hit, again and again. remembering george michael who has died at the age of 53. russia is holding a day of national mourning for the 92 people who were killed when a military plane crashed in the black sea. authorities in russia say they've located the site where the plane came down yesterday, soon after it took off from sochi, heading to syria. the first of the bodies have this morning been airlifted to moscow. our moscow correspondent, steve rosenberg reports. across russia, they prayed for the dead for the 92 victims of yesterday's plane crash. there was a special service today in every orthodox church in russia. this is a day of national mourning. as a sign of respect, russian flags were flown at half—mast. this is thought to be the last picture of a chicken of the aircraft. a a few others later it crashed into the black sea. the search operation continued today. not for survivors but for the bodies. and also for the plane'

reaction to his passing and george michael in his own words. what he told abc news about his demons. >>> also, tough travel on this day after christmas. snowy conditions forcing the closure of interstate highways. rain and storms elsewhere making a mess across the middle of the nation. >>> developing story in michigan, a state of emergency declared because of a sinkhole. families out of their homes, forced to evacuate with no word on when they'll be back. >>> and kansas city's hefty quarterback throwing a late touchdown pass for the chiefs as they end the playoff hopes of the defending super bowl champs. >>> and we do say good morning to you on this holiday monday. i'm kendis gibson. >> and i'm marci in for dianne ma said owe. > >>> we begin with the passing of george michael. >> we got the word overnight who said he died of heart failure at his home in england on christmas day. michael had not been ill. we have more on the pop icon's life and career. ♪ >> reporter: the stunning death of george michael brings a sudden end to one of pop music'

george michael, very sad news, were you a george michael fan? i thinking was absolutely an extraordinary fan. the chap you were just talking to who was singing tom i think that demonstrated, that duet he did with aretha franklin demonstrated his fantastic vocal range because he could go from wham, which was pop boy band stuff to that fantastic almost gospel sound. he was very talented, and 53 is now age. so i think everybody is terribly shocked. but this coverage in the i is not so much about his music but the fact he was incredibly generous, to charities and the individual people, but did not seek any sort of fame from it. he didn't want the george michael trust all the george michael foundation. i mean come he gave millions of royalties to child line from the single, jesus to a child, and apparently paid for a woman's ivf treatment after seeing her trying to win the money on a daytime tv show. he did a free concert for nhs nurses after his mother was so ill. so it is nice to see this, and very pleasant to see somebody who actually wasn't seeki

early in his career, george michael hid his homosexuality. something he later said made him feel fraudulent. a series of unhappy events and scandals followed his career peak in the 1990's. his mother died, as did his partner. and he was dogged by health problems and brushes with the law. but the singer always found a way to come back. after the hits faded, he expanded his repertoire. the new material had reinvigorated his voice. >> i can feel myself singing every night. reporter: you will always be known for classic hits like last christmas. the loss of such a huge star, aged just 53, left fans outside his london residence in shock. >> i cannot believe we are standing here. i can't believe we're standing here and george has passed away. >> euros songs for the good times and bad times. we came here today just to say thank you, george. reporter: george michael is gone, but his music remains. >> ♪ i think i'm through ♪ christopher: we're good -- we are going to get a personal perspective on this from this man, richard blade. you can see him

they found george michael dead there. police say they are treating the death as unexplained but at this stage there are no suspicious circumstances. we had a statement in from the star's publicist saying that it is with great sadness we confirm that george michael passed away at home over the christmas period. the family asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time. it goes on to say there will be no further comment at this stage because of the timing, i guess, we will not guess, get much more information now until daylight. but because of the news machine, as it is, tributes have been coming in thick and fast. have you got some we can look at? we will hear in a moment from elton john who can look at? we will hear in a moment from eltonjohn who is leading the tributes but a number of his contemporaries, remember this was a man about a career for decades. he formed wham in the early 19805 decades. he formed wham in the early 1980s and went on to forge an excellent solo career, notching up a lot of number

he did say thatth george michael -- he said i have hav loved george michael from as frs long as i can remember.can he was an absolutesolu inspiration. always ahead of his time. t >> let's find it. we'll find it. >> i'll find the video. i'l >> cool. >> thanks a lot guys.>> t >> allha right. all rig >> all right.>> allig >> doing movies.>> d >> i thought we were out of time. >> we'll do them next time. tim. >> time to meet our facebookur k fan of the day. today it is monica estevez.stevz cue monica.on >> let me see her.. >> tucker you got off easy eas 'cause this is monica dresseda s up as an elf.up asn elf. good morning, monica.good mng, toooo cute. monica says she watches us wates every morning and she says "this little self checking tolfg see if we've been naughty or nice.ce >> i love it. se boy>>stell you the up here have been naughty. >> no. always snow and ice. >> okay, t right, tuck? >> eh. >> where is the fun in that? >> this is is where you'rehereu supposed play along.ong. >> oh, okay, yes, i've been b night. kev you forgot about last christmas. >> great song. itthey've been pl

that picture they say is george michael in september. exactly. in the mirror, from tony parson, who was george michael's higher refund but he wrote this in 2011 when george michael was actually dying from pneumonia in a vienna hospital and it was about the 30 years he had known him and he says that george went from being too fat, ron smart too stupid, from straight to overtly gay, from a responsible driver to someone who crashed into a shop. it is that celebrity and all the interviews i heard from george michael, there was this conundrum, this lack of self—confidence despite this amazing talent. "in the mirror, in his words, there is no such thing as a relu cta nt words, there is no such thing as a reluctant star, stars are almost a lwa ys reluctant star, stars are almost always people who want to make up for their weaknesses by being loved by the public and i no exception. it is interesting he had that tag. what he really wanted was claimed, that he really wanted was claimed, that he craved it, never thinking what fame brought and what it mean

george michael's death. it's a real shame, a tragedy. 53 yea rs it's a real shame, a tragedy. 53 years old. i suppose one of the interesting thing is, as you said, it is difficult for the papers because it happened so late last night. some of the papers, including the daily mail, carry some of the tributes, mainly drawn from social media. eltonjohn, tributes, mainly drawn from social media. elton john, who tributes, mainly drawn from social media. eltonjohn, who was very close to him. but they did have a difficult relationship and they did fallout when elton john was difficult relationship and they did fallout when eltonjohn was seen to be giving him particular advice about drugs and the misuse of drugs. at eltonjohn about drugs and the misuse of drugs. at elton john commented about drugs and the misuse of drugs. at eltonjohn commented last night that he is heartbroken and his thoughts go out to the family and his friends. george michael was also, earlier this year, his friends. george michael was also, earl

he found a quote from george michael and quoted around it. george michael said that he believes that music is to one of the greatest gifts god gave to man. andrew originally replied that it was from god, it was from george himself. and the horrible irony that george michael saying two of the biggest christmas songs of all time, do they know it's christmas? ? by band aid and last christmas? ? by band aid and last christmas by an wham. it is still number 16 christmas by an wham. it is still number16 in the christmas by an wham. it is still number 16 in the charts at the moment. and on christmas day. thank you very much. russia is holding a day of national mourning for the 92 people who were killed when a military plane crashed in the black sea. authorities in russia say they've located the site where the plane came down yesterday, soon after it took off from sochi, heading to syria. 0ur moscow correspondent, steve rosenberg reports. this is one of the final images of the tupolev 154 jet. it was taken by a journalist before he boarded the plane.

i think george michael came of age asa i think george michael came of age as a pop star in the early 1980s just as the music video for dominant was really beginning to take off. it was really beginning to take off. it was the early days of mtv and he was really one of the pioneers that helped launch that format as a vehicle of expression for music and for pop music in particular. you think back to some of his early hits like careless whisper, faith, wake me up before you go—go, whether with wham or as me up before you go—go, whether with wham orasa me up before you go—go, whether with wham or as a solo artist, he was really on the cutting edge of that whole phenomenon. he also managed to make the transition that a lot of people don't quite make from boy band pinup to actual serious respected artist. that is true. he started out as this kind of teenybopper star with andrew ridgeley and wham and transition very quickly to be this kind of new male sex symbol that we haven't really seen before, a guy with... who goes from being the teenybopper pinup idol to the stubbornly guy weari

let's go back to the death of george michael. his publicist confirmed last night that he died of heart failure at his home in oxfordshire. he sold more than 100 million albums during a four decade career which started as the front man of wham!. we can talk now to simon hattenstone, a guardian journalist who has interviewed george michael twice. he joins us via webcam from north london. he didn't give many interviews so you are privileged to have been able to meet him in that context. what was he like? george was really complicated. he was lovely, he was big headed, he was vulnerable, he was sweet, he was depressed, he was frustrated with himself, he was funny. and, like you say, he didn't give many interviews but when he did, hejust give many interviews but when he did, he just wanted to tell everything that he could about himself. there is something slightly weird that i thing happened in his life, in that it was almost as if his private life became public. he was happy to talk about drugs and his sex life and he almost found it

and we will be talking a bit more about george michael shortly. russian media is reporting that the black—box flight recorder has been recovered from the military plane that crashed into the black sea on sunday. 92 people were on board, 11 bodies have been found so far. 3000 people are involved in the search operation, including 200 divers. liz smith, the actor best known for playing nana in the sitcom the royle family, has died at the age of 95. a spokesperson for her family announced she passed away on christmas eve. peter ruddick has been looking back at her life. what is she? she's a vegetarian, nana. 0hhh! could you have some wafer thin ham? could she have wafer thin ham, barbara? no! 0hhh. from dotty nana norma speakman in the royle family to the eccentric baker letitia cropley in the vicar of dibley, liz smith carved out a niche playing scatty but hilarious older ladies. it's chocolate spread! chocolate? yeah, yeah. you promise? yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah. all right, i will. very...unusual taste. well, i put in a little something extra as wel

." >> tonight -- ♪ gotta have faith >> remembering george michael. the singer/songwriter who always kept the faith with his fans. dead at 53. a straight sex symbol and a gay hero. >> women seem to ignore the fact that i'm gay. >> who always dared to be different. a look back at his inspirational life of freedom. ♪ i don't want your freedom >> and unfor-gettable music. >> eventually it's all gone but the songs are still there. >>> plus life animated. one family's journey with autism. forging a new dialogue through the magic of movies. >> it's the first conversation we've ever had. >> the discovery that changed their lives. but first the "nightline 5." >> what's your dog food's first ingredient? corn? wheat? in purina one true instant grain free, real chicken is number one. no corn, wheat or soy. support your active dog's full-body health with purina one. >>> can't sleep worrying about your big day tomorrow? don't forget about the client dinner. hope you didn't forget. did you get that e-mail? i need you to respond before you wake up. >> z quill help

the music world is mourning the death of pop icon george michael. today, michael's manager announced the singer died in his london home on christmas day. ♪ ♪ because there ain't no joy for an uptown boy who just isn't willing to try ♪ >> george michael's career began as a member of the british duo wham!. wham! was the first western pop group to ever perform in china. you remember their songs so well. i implore you to try to not dance when you hear their music. when they broke up in 1986, george michael began his solo career and a huge career it was. winning two grammys and selling millions upon millions of albums along the way. cnn correspondent ian lee is outside george michael's home right now. early this morning, it was just you and some tributes we saw outside his door. i see behind you now a lot more people are gathering there. what are you hearing? >> reporter: that's right. i will give you a look at the people behind me. we have seen this steady stream of people throughout the day coming in. they are leaving flowers, candles, also perso

a lot of people remembering the late singer george michael. i'll show you some of the tributes down here that we have. what the people are saying. here we have dear, george, one of the world's sensitive souls. the world has yet to embrace those who feel deeply and hold the flame of love for all. over here, we have another one that says, you have been loved. you were loved. you w

why george michael was a true pop visionary. thank you. >>> fierce blizzard conditions move across parts of the midwest and northern plains causing major delays and road closures on one of the busiest travel days of the year. people getting ready to head back home after celebrating hopefully with family and friends. when people can expect relief, especially those of you who are traveling. i'm only in my 60's. i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, it could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. call now to request your free decision guide. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be

again, michael george -- george michael, excuse me, dead, according to the pub la cyst, that statement coming from the star's pub la cyst just within the last half-hour. this was not expected by most consideration and the information that was available, george michael 53 years old. born june 25th, 1953 and had so many different cycles in his stardom. his 1987 album, for instance, "faith" won a grammy. george was born again in 1963. let me correct the date i said earlier. wham an american sensation in the 1980s. wake me up before you grow go go, everything she wants and careless whisperer. in 1998 maybe a head line that was most frequently remembered is that george michael faced scandal after being arrested for lewd conduct. but again this statement coming from his pub la cyst saying that george michael dead at the age of 53. i want to go to london. lucy kaf naf, our correspondent has been following the story. what do we no in terms of what and how this happened? >> very little but certainly tragic news this christmas day. the pub la cyst saying that the 53-year-old died peacefully in h

george michael has always stood out. >> george michael is brilliant, a perfectionist, very talented and gave 110% to make sure everything was always as he wanted it to be. there are only a few artists that really go to that extreme, and he's one of them. >> reporter: like the rest of the world, walden learned that michael died on christmas. the two worked together on the grammy-winning duet with"i knew you were waiting" with aretha franklin back in 1987. ♪ >> reporter: that same year, walden won a grammy for producer of the year. he keeps the award in his san jose home. >> i am saddened, but i can't say i'm surprised, with prince leaving, whitney leaving, all these people, it's like, okay, god is taking them back home. >> reporter: since the late 1990s, walden has followed his work and is proud of his legacy. >> george had it all. sex appeal, dance, great stage presence, great recording, great production, great everything. he's one of those people that just had everything going on. so it's a great loss. >> reporter: alyssa harrington, abc 7 news. >> and "20/20" will have a full hour d

that george michael was one of britain's biggest pop stars is without question. the hundred million—plus albums he sold on a continual presence of his music on oui’ continual presence of his music on our radios and a sold—out arena tours standards testaments to his talent. he made a life affirming music that her stumble continues to touch millions of fans the world over. “— touch millions of fans the world over. —— that will continue to touch. well, we heard george michael speaking in will gompertz‘s report to michael parkinson about life on the road. the interview was filmed in 1998 and in it, the musician spoke at length about his relationship with his parents, his desire for fame and one of his firstjobs as a dj in hertfordshire. my connection with my mother, i spent a lot of time around her, so from that point of view, my mother being english and in a strange way, very kind of classless, because she came from a working—class background, but she had been sent to a convent school, because her mother was afraid she was going to be a tomboy. so

well george michael wasn't

this time, george michael dead at the age of 53. dyi dying of heart failure in his home in new england. >> michael rose to fame as part of the duo what happens in the '80s before a solo career selling more than 100 million albums. we'll look back with the bbc. ♪ >> reporter: burst into the scene in the early 1980. the duo had number one singles around the world and conquered china, and they were the first pop band to perform there. he loved fame, but never became used to it. >> hip hop artist, that's what i dreamed of, what i'm still grateful for. but my god, i wished i coped with the other stuff the way other people do. i wish i was born with a suit of armor because i wasn't. ♪ >> reporter: hit the headlines for other reasons, stopped for a series of traffic offenses rs leading to a spell in jail, cautioned and fined for drugs possession and received treatment for drug addiction. in 2011, he suffered a life threatening bout of pneumonia while on tour in australia. it was unexplained, but not suspicious. the family said he died

george michael passes away overnight at just 53 years of age. we have details and tributes from london. >>> and a fierce response from israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu after the u.s. refuses to stand in the way of the u.n. resolution condemning settlements in the west bank. netanyahu meeting with the u.s. ambassador behind closed doors. >>> and donald trump looking to calm concerns of conflicts of interest. he says he will shutter his charitable foundation. is that possible to do before the oath of office? good morning. welcome to "early start." i'm alison kosik. >> i'm joe johns. it is monday, december 26th. 5:00 a.m. in the east. christine and john are off. up first, the evntertainment world mourning the death of george michael at the age of 53. ♪ last christmas i gave you my heart but the very next ♪ ♪ day you gave it away >> british pop icon first rising to fame in the 1980s as part of the two-man group wham!. michael went on to have a solo career selling more than 100 million records and collaborating with the biggest names i

we start with the death of george michael on the age of 53. his career spans the decades classics such as last christmas. now reports. among the first to react, on twitter she wrote farewell my friend, another great artist leaves us, accompanied by a video presenting michael with the award. reached -- his song don't let the sun go down on me reached number one in the u.s.. he wrote, i am in deep shock. a beloved friend, the kindest most generous soul and a brilliant artist. his family,s out to friends, and fans. the costar said he was also heartbroken by michael's death. meanwhile fans in australia said they were devastated. >> i admired him as an artist. another artist gone this year. >> the most heartfelt tribute came from lgbt activists around the world, including in taiwan where george michael is andbrated as a gay icon strong supporter of gay rights. >> i think he was a brave person who stayed true to himself. hearing that he passed away makes me sad. counts as a very special icon in the community. i think he left this world happy. >> geo

back to the death of george michael. some of the biggest names in music — and fans from around the world — have been paying tribute to george michael, who's died at the age of 53. his manager says he suffered heart failure at his oxfordshire home. friends and fans have been sharing their memories. sir eltonjohn has led tributes. said from his former long—term partner, kenny goss. after news of the death of george michael, stories have been emerging, detailing his philanthropic and charitable work and we will hear from the actor and activist, emily mondo, who worked with george at a homeless shelter. tell us about it, it was about four yea rs tell us about it, it was about four years ago? why he wanted to do it and what sort of work he was doing. it was quite some time ago and the work we were involved in was really mundane complaining and packing boxes. who did not talk in great detail about why he wanted to do it, but there was a great mutual respect of understanding that he didn't want to speak about it or take p

george michael, dying suddenly at age 53. found in his home in london on christmas day ♪ wake me up before you go go >> he raised to fame as one half of wham! before restoring our faith as solo superstar. ♪ i got to have faith >> captivating millions of fans. >> he made such a tremendous contribution musically. it's a huge loss. >> the tributes pouring in from around the world this morning. ♪ please don't go away >>> good morning. if you're around for the 1980s and if you teenagers that voice is unmistakable sfwlit's a huge loss. that's our big story this morning. the shock to the music world. singer george michael dead at the age of 6 53. fans showing their support for the music legend, even leaving flowers at hiss home. >> online, tributes have been pouring in. george michael was a musical genius and i'm so grateful to have known him. ellen degeneres calling her friend a brilliant talent. and sir elton john posting on on instagram, i am in deep shock. i have lost a good friend. >> the pop star being remembered as a wi

george michael has always stood out. >> george michael is brilliant, a perfectionist, very talented and gave 110% to make sure everything was always as he wanted it to be. there are only a few artists that really go to that extreme, and he's one of them. >> reporter: like the rest of the world, walden learned that michael died on christmas. the two worked together on the grammy-winning duet with "i knew you were waiting" with aretha franklin back in 1987. ♪ >> reporter: that same year, walden won a grammy for producer of the year. he keeps the award in his san jose home. >> i am saddened, but i can't say i'm surprised, with prince leaving, whitney leaving, all these people, it's like, okay, god is taking them back home. >> reporter: since the late 1990s, walden has followed his work and is proud of his legacy. >> george had it all. sex appeal, dance, great stage presence, great recording, great production, great everything. he's one of those people that just had everything going on. so it's a great loss. >> reporter: alyssa harrington, abc 7 news. >> and "20/20" will have a full hour

george michael has died. he was 53 years old. we'll have more on that after the break. quit smoking. but when we brought our daughter home, that was it. now i have nicoderm cq. the nicoderm cq patch with unique extended release technology helps prevent your urge to smoke all day. it's the best thing that ever happened to me. every great why needs a great how. for over 100 years like kraft has,natural cheese you learn a lot about what people want. honey, do we have like a super creamy cheese with taco spice already in it? oh, thanks. bon appe-cheese! okay... ♪ ♪ see ya next year. this season, start a new tradition. experience the power of infiniti now, with leases starting at $319 a month. infiniti. empower the drive. >>> we bring you a fox news urgent, iconic singer george michael has died. the publicist saying he passed away peacefully at home but he did not go into detail about the cause of death so that remains unclear this hour. george michael selling more than 100 million records, first as one half of the musical duo wha

george michael, who has died at the age of 53. as a tribute, bbc one will broadcast george michael in concert from 2012 tomorrow evening at 10pm. russia is holding a day of national mourning for the 92 people who were killed when a military plane crashed in the black sea. pilot error or a technical fault are being blamed for the plane coming down just moments after it left sochi airport after refuelling. from moscow, steve rosenberg reports. across russia, they prayed for the dead... for the 92 victims of yesterday's plane crash. there was a special service today in every 0rthodox church in russia. this is a day of national mourning. this may be the last ever picture of the tupolev154. a few hours later it crashed into the black sea. the search operation continued today to recover bodies and wreckage of the plane. russia's transport minister said that technical failure or pilot error may have caused the crash. terrorism is thought less likely. killed in the crash, more than 60 members of the russian army's song and dance troupe wh

everybody was touched somehowedw by george michael's music. his forme wrote heartbroken at the loss of my beloved. yog. the world at large for never fov loved. if you're wondering what yog it's a nickname that's whate ha his family called him it's derse advised from his greek name.am it's a fan run fan club backlu b in the early 90's. 9 elton john took to instagram. very great friend of georgerg michael saying i in deep dee shock. i have lost a beloved friend.ri the kind defendant mostndanst generous soul and a brilliantria artist.tist my heart goes tout his family, l friends and all of his fans f and for people who don't knowonk elton john and george michaelae were friends but they wereenut t also -- they had incrediblencrel duet together where theyogethery covered the song that elton tha john wrote many years befores be that called don't let the sunlee go down on me which came out in 74 but the live duet that tha elton john and george michael had in 91 became the mosthe mos popular version. v >> it was a singoff.>> it was ai it was amazing.

iconic singer george michael dead at the age of 53. more on his life and his l >>> president-elect donald trump is promising plenty of action in his first 100 days in office. and one area where he is vowed to get results is reforming corporate taxes and bringing home good-paying jobs. fox business networks peter barns takes a closer look at how he could get that done. >> reporter: every weekday in washington, d.c., these food trucks line up on massachusetts avenue to serve lunch to nearby workers. many of the trucks are operated by small business owners, entrepreneurs who serve food, like this woman, who serves $80,000 in meals every year. she knows what she would do with a cut in her taxes from trump. >> we could invest in more equipment and replacing newer equipment and also the truck itself, the engine, generators, there is a lot of things you can do that with. with newer equipment and we can run the business smoothly. >> reporter: mr. trump has proposed a big cut in corporate taxes as part of the plan to stimulate business investme