Reactions to the death of superstar singer George Michael

NEW YORK (AP) - Reactions to the death of singer George Michael:

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“I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans.” - Elton John, on Instagram.

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“Farewell My Friend! … Another Great Artist leaves us.” - Madonna, on Twitter.

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“George Michael’s sweet soul music will live on even after his sudden death. Having worked with him on a number of occasions his great talent always shone through and his self deprecating sense of humour made the experience even more pleasurable.” - Paul McCartney, on Instagram.

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“Heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog. Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx” - Michael’s Wham! groupmate Andrew Ridgeley, on Twitter. Yog stands for “Yours Only George.”

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“Whenever an Artist dies, the world loses a bit of what makes us uniquely human. RIP George Michael (1963-2016)” - Neil deGrasse Tyson, on Twitter.

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“My heart, like yours, is broken. George Michael was a musical genius and I am so grateful to have known him. In a world that needs music more than ever, today it is less so.” - Liza Minnelli, on Facebook.

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“I’ve loved George Michael for as long as I can remember. He was an absolute inspiration. Always ahead of his time.” - James Corden, actor, comedian and host of Carpool Karaoke, on Twitter.

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“George Michael RIP. Your music lifted our spirits. Your heart was pure. Sad. You will be missed.” - Goldie Hawn, on Twitter.

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“So sad about George Michael. Truly one of the greatest songwriters.” - singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding, on Twitter.

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“Absolutely devastated to hear of the loss of @GeorgeMichael Truly brilliant talent #sad #sad #sad” - from Twitter account for Martin Fry of band ABC.

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“This is so crazy. I was just at his house the morning of the 23rd. So crazy.” - producer-musician Nile Rodgers, on Twitter.

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“Can’t believe George Michael has passed … one of the greatest singers and writers the UK ever produced. I’m really saddened … a lovely man.” - singer Howard Jones, on Twitter.

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Other than a global pop phenom, George Michael was one of the true British soul greats. A lot of us owe him an unpayable debt. bye George xx” - producer-musician Mark Ronson, on Twitter.

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“I met George Michael a few times & he was ever a gentle, unassuming soul. A rare presence in a world full of self. Honest, genuine talent.” - singer-songwriter Alison Moyet, on Twitter.

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“It’s hard to take in. One of our most talented singer songwriters has left us. RIP George Michael. Such sad, tragic news. 2016 please end.” - pop group Simply Red, on Twitter.