Happy 71st Birthday Sting!  Sting is one of my favorite musicians and I have listened to his music for over 30 years.  He is on my first line of musicians that I listen to regularly.  The list includes The Pat Metheny Group, Incognito, Brand New Heavies, Ronny Jordan(RIP), Bill Withers, Sade, Kem, Guru (from GangStarr), Poncho Sanchez, Wayne Shorter, & Miles Davis.

His ability to blend genres has been on display since his days as the frontman for The Police.  The Police is my favorite rock band and when he transitioned to his solo career; I went along with him. Ten Summoner’s Tales is my favorite solo album, but The Soul Cages are a close second. So much has been written about him that there is not a lot to add. But, I want to share my top ten 10 Sting songs (which includes his time in The Police) and link to two videos that Sting fans and music lovers should watch. Here are my top ten Sting songs:

1) Fragile (from Nothing Like The Sun)

2) Seven Days (from Ten Summoner’s Tales)

3) I Hung My Head (from Mercury Falling)

4) Roxanne (from Outlandos D’Amour as a member of The Police)

5) Everything She Does is Magic (from Ghost in the Machine as a member of The Police)

6) We Work The Black Seam (from The Dream of the Blue Turtles)

7) A Thousand Years (from Brand New Day)

8) Island of Souls (from The Soul Cages)

9) When We Dance (from Greatest Hits & All This Time Live albums)

10) Tea in the Sahara (from Synchronicity as a member of The Police)

Those are my ten favorites. However, I could have added at least five or six more songs on this list.  His body of work has impacted pop music for a long time.  In closing, I wanted to link two videos that show the brilliance of Sting in different arenas.  This first link is from when Sting invited Stevie Wonder to sing his song, Fragile. Stevie Wonder commented he loved this song and his rendition floored everyone, including Sting. I have watched this video many times, and it is the best rendition I have ever heard.

The second link is an interview that Sting did with Rick Beato.  Beato is a musician as well and creates a nearly perfect interview with a legend that has seen it all.  At first, Sting comes across aloof, but when he realizes Beato knows what he is talking about, he opens up to reveal his creative process that produces artistic gems. I recommend this video not only for musicians but for all artists (as well as Sting fans). It is one of the most revealing interviews from a musical standpoint that I have ever listened to.

I can not recommend watching this interview enough.  Sting realizes he has someone on his wavelength and he opens up to his artistry.  Happy Birthday Sting and thanks for all the great music you have provided for the past 4 decades.