"Whether he was with the reggae-influenced New Wave band the Police or on his own, Sting has always made an impression. His good looks, beautiful voice and charisma helped his band find an audience in the late '70s and early '80s, and would eventually help him launch a successful solo career of his own.Sting was born Gordon Sumner in Wallsend, Northumberland, England. He was working as a teacher and ditch-digger, occasionally playing gigs in jazz-rock bands on the side, when he met fellow Police cohorts Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers. Though they moved through the punk scene, their music was not definitively punk--it was more commercial sounding, and unlike most English punk bands of the time, they could actually play their instruments.By 1980, the group had earned some major hits with songs like ""Roxanne,"" ""Message in a Bottle"" and ""Don't Stand So Close to Me."" Sting had embarked on an acting career, as well, with notable turns as a fiery Mod in The Who's film adaptation of Quadrophenia. He would be featured more prominently as the ruthless Feyd-Rautha in the sci-fi film Dune.The band climbed the charts and became one of the most popular in the commercial world before deciding to call it quits in 1984. By then, Sting had already been working on a solo album, debuting in 1985 with The Dream of the Blue Turtles, which was heavily influenced by prog and jazz. His complex songwriting and lyrics would earn him a reputation as a serious artist, and he would enjoy the most success as a solo performer for 1993's Ten Summoner's Tales. Sadly, his popularity would wane, though he experienced a resurgence after releasing 1999's Brand New Day."