Michael Stipe Biography: Religion, Family, Nationality, Wedding



Known for movies



Michael Stipe is an American singer-songwriter, musician, film producer, and visual artist. He is best known as the lead singer and primary lyricist of the alternative rock band R.E.M., which was founded in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 and achieved international fame in the early 1990s. His lyrics have been noted for their poetic and sometimes cryptic nature.

Stipe was born on January 4, 1960, in Decatur, Georgia. His father, John Stipe, was a serviceman in the United States Air Force and his mother, Elizabeth “Betsy” Stipe, was a homemaker. He has two younger sisters, Lynda and Cindy. Stipe’s family moved frequently during his childhood, living in various places including Germany, Texas, Illinois, and Alabama.

Stipe attended various schools while growing up, including a brief period at a military academy. He eventually graduated from high school in 1977. He then enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens, where he studied photography and painting.

While at college, Stipe began working at a local record store, Wuxtry Records. It was there that he met Peter Buck, who would later become the guitarist for R.E.M. The two bonded over their shared love of punk rock music and formed a band called R.E.M., which stands for “Rapid Eye Movement.” The band released their first album, “Murmur,” in 1983 to critical acclaim.

R.E.M. went on to release a string of successful albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including “Document” (1987), “Out of Time” (1991), and “Automatic for the People” (1992). The band also became known for their political activism, supporting various causes such as environmentalism and human rights.

In the 2000s, R.E.M. continued to release successful albums, although they announced their retirement as a band in 2011.

Since R.E.M.’s dissolution, Stipe has focused on his solo career, releasing the album “Fidelity” in 2018. He has also continued to work as a producer and visual artist.

Stipe has a net worth of $80 million. He has been married twice; first to actress Rosemary Ford from 1983 to 1987, and then to artist Barbara Avedon from 1988 to 1999. He has no children.

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia