GEORGE Michael's death on Christmas Day 2016 left friends, family and fans around the world devastated.
One person who felt an enormous lost when the singer died was his best friend, David Austin.
Who is David Austin?
Born on July 14, 1962, David Austin is a British guitarist and songwriter.
He is known for his work with the late singer and Wham! member George Michael.
In 2004 documentary film A Different Story, the late singer referred to David as his "best friend" – an honour considering George was also close to the likes of Princess Diana and Kate Moss.
David has never spoken publicly about George's death at 53 on Christmas Day 2016.
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How did David Austin know George Michael?
The pair had known each other since they were kids.
Speaking about how they met, David told TheGayUk: "Well, we were very old friends. Our mothers were best friends. We met at the grand old age of about six months I think it was.
"Our mothers’ sort of crossed prams in the street and that was when we met. We grew up together and went to school together and wrote our first song together at six."
With his good friend George, David co-wrote hit Turn To Gold, on which George also sang backing vocals, which hit the charts at number 21 in 1984 – shortly before Wham's megahit Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go came out.
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In the late 1980s, he worked on George and cousin Andros' musical project Boogie Box High, and around that time he began writing a string of songs for the singer.
They include John And Elvis Are Dead, You Have Been Loved and Look At Your Hands from the 1987 album Faith, which won a Grammy in 1989.
Where is David Austin now?
As of 2023 David continues to be part of the music industry, and works for the label Notting Hill Music.
In 2022 he co-directed the movie George Michael: Freedom Uncut.
At the film's premiere, David opened up about the late musician’s vault of recordings, revealing there are “a few tracks that were finished” by the singer before his death.
Speaking to the press, he said: “There are three or four recordings that were complete, George Michael finished [and] mastered recordings. That’s what we’ve got.”
Asked whether there was anything else that “could” be released in the future, David said: “There might be… We’re not going to ever, ever do [a full album].
“I remember just after Amy [Winehouse] had passed away, they put that album out, you know what I mean? And they pulled all these fucking demos out of the drawer and started getting people involved. I think they did the same with [Michael] Jackson, didn’t they?
“We would never ever do that. George’s complete body of work is his body of work. That’s what we have to work with.”
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