Among his major hits are Fields of Gold, The Very Best of Sting and The Police, Brand New Day, Dream of the Blue Turtles, Ten Summoner's Tales and more recently Sacred Love. Sting's trademarks include his high-pitched, raspy voice and a trademark in his early days was blonde, spiky hair.

To Sting goes the credit for being the first international star to perform in Thailand since the tsunami disaster. The concert, in the capital Bangkok in January this year, raised $50,000 (£26,700) for victims of the disaster, including a $20,000 (£10,600) donation from Sting himself.

He has had a long music career. Primarily a musician, he worked in the band The Police until 1984 after which he went solo. Before his music career he wore several hats: as a ditch digger, a school-teacher who taught English and also a soccer coach. He received an honorary Doctorate of Music degree from Northumbria University in October 1992, and from Berklee College of Music in May, 1994. The versatile artiste not only sings, but plays the guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, piano, harmonica, saxophone and pan-flute, and he gave a name to his bass (Brian). Sting also has an altruistic side: along with his wife Trudie and a Brazilian Indian he launched the Rainforest Foundation in 1989 to help save the rainforests.

The son of a milkman, Gordon Matthew Sumner, grew up in the turmoil of the ship-building industry and wanted to become a musician very early. Having played in jazz/rock bands like Last Exit and other various groups, including a dixieland jazz group, from where he got the name Sting, he joined hands with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers for a decade-long tenure with the smashing rock trio, The Police. He then went on to record solo albums and holds a reputation as one of the most literate songwriters and talented musicians in the world.

Clearly Sting has gone from strength to strength. Most certainly he continues to be a singer to watch for.

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent