"John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) is an American singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer and lyricist of alternative rock band R.E.M. throughout its history. He is known for his distinctive vocal quality, poetic lyrics and unique stage presence.
Possessing a distinctive voice, Stipe has been noted for the "mumbling" style of his early career. Since the mid 1980s, Stipe sings in "wailing, keening, arching vocal figures" that R.E.M. biographer David Buckley compared to Celtic folk artists and Muslim muezzin. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual aspect, often selecting album artwork and directing many of the band's music videos. Outside the music industry, he owns and runs two film production studios, C-00 and Single Cell Pictures." - (en.wikipedia.org 02.01.2021)
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