Freddie Mercury

Bio:
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946 in Zanzibar, Tanzania) was a British singer. Freddie’s parents were from Bombay in British India. He spent most of his childhood in India, until the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution forced his family to flee the country. They moved to Feltham, Middlesex, and Freddie enrolled in West Thames College to study art. He befriended a number of musicians at this time, including future bandmates Roger Taylor and Brian May. In 1971, the three of them, along with Jon Deacon, played their first gig as Queen. The band would become one of the biggest bands in the world over the next two decades. Freddie’s natural charisma led him to be considered one of the best frontman in rock and roll history. With Queen, Freddie put on some of the most memorable live performances for a rock band, including the 1985 Live Aid charity concert in London’s Wembley Stadium. The band released 18 number one albums, with 18 number one singles. In addition to the records he released with Queen, Freddie put out two solo albums, including Barcelona with opera singer Montserrat Caballe.

Best Known For:
Freddie Mercury was best known as the lead singer of the rock band, Queen, with hits “We Are The Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “A Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

Personal Life:
Freddie was openly bisexual. In the 1970s, Freddie began a long-term relationship with Mary Austin. The relationship ended after Freddie had an affair with a male American record executive. Freddie was normally private with his personal life, but on November 23, 1991, amid rumors about his health, Freddie released a statement that announced he was HIV positive. Freddie died the next day, November 24, from bronchial pneumonia and complications related to AIDS.