A couple of weeks ago, George Michael announced he was collaborating with another songwriter, Shahid Khan, and for his fans (myself included) it was set to be a highlight for 2017. The strange thing about his music was that it just got better, even if his newer releases had only a fraction of their earlier profile. Some of his greatest songs (like Waltz Away Dreaming with Toby Bourke, above) are hardly known at all. He’d go through quiet phases, followed by an creative bursts and he might well have managed one again. But about an hour ago, it was announced that he has died, aged just 53.
George Michael’s voice could be recognised, instantly, anywhere. It electrified any song and his achievements as a vocalist would have guaranteed his place as one of the greatest musicians of recent times even if he hadn’t written any songs. As it stood, he wrote songs that people have never stopped playing. Last Christmas was, again this year, the most-played of all Christmas songs. When
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