More than two decades before he died on Sunday at age 53, George Michael was publicly struggling with the trappings of fame. And when he spoke out about his concerns about the nature of celebrity, Frank Sinatra pulled out his stationery and responded.

A 1990 story by The Los Angeles Times focused on Mr. Michael’s refusal to promote his music by making videos which, at the height of MTV, was a risky move at best, and career suicide at worst.

“I’m not stupid enough to think that I can deal with another 10 or 15 years of major exposure,” Mr. Michael said at the time. “I think that is the ultimate tragedy of fame.”

He added: “People who are simply out of control, who are lost. I’ve seen so many of them, and I don’t want to be another cliché.”