Jun 26 2009
Tribute- Michael Joseph Jackson
This is the headlines all over: “Michael Joseph Jackson, the child star King of Pop died on Thursday, June 25, 2009″. In my words he was 50 years young. This is just as weird as hearing of Elvis’s death.
His sudden death was reported earlier by U.S. media including the Los Angeles Times and the entertainment website, which said he was taken ill at his home and rushed to the hospital by paramedics who found him not breathing when they arrived.
As a child raised in NE Philly and Camden, N.J. which titles me as a city girl, I pretty much grew up with The Jackson 5. I favored Jermaine and Randy.
My personal opinion of Michael has been and will always be that he was a confused person with a lot of money. I feel that all those people were in his face because he just happened to be a black man going through personal and private issues. I know there are many white people which have gone through confusion in their life. What about those female twins who is from the show “Full House”? Every time I seen news reports of Michael and plastic surgery, I would say; why don’t you people leave him to his life?
Michael was born on the 29th of August 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He was the 7th of nine children. (brothers: Sigmund “Jackie”, Toriano “Tito”, Jermaine, Marlon, Steven “Randy”, and sisters Rebbie, Janet and La-Toya.
Michael was lead singer for the Jackson 5 which formed in 1964– first performed together at a talent show when Michael was 6. They walked away taking first prize. As I grew up I heard many different opinions but the most popular was that Michael had a cute pudgy face and the group was a family.
In 1968 The Jackson 5 signed for Motown and moved to California. Their first 4 singles, “I Want You Back”, “ABC”, “The Love You Save”, and “I’ll Be There” all made US No1 hits. The Jackson 5 recorded 14 albums and Michael recorded 4 solo albums with Motown. The Jackson 5 stayed with Motown until 1976. The group name Jackson 5 had to be changed because it was owned by Motown, so they went back to The Jacksons. Jermaine married Berry Gordy’s daughter and stayed with Motown and Randy joined as well. The Jacksons had made 6 albums between the years of 1976 and 1984.
Michael and his brothers eventually took full control of writing, producing, choosing, and performing their own material. They formed their own production company, called “Peacock Productions” and each brother formed his own publishing company. It was the birth of Michael’s own publishing company: MiJac Music.
I remember when everybody was trying to do the moonwalk after Michael did it while performing “Billie Jean” during an NBC special the ‘Motown 25 years’ anniversary show for the first time in 1983.
In 1984 Michael won a record breaking 8 Grammy awards in one night. The awards were for his work on the ‘Thriller’ album and his work on the narrative for the ‘ET Storybook’. Michael announced he was splitting from the group and going solo in December 1984.
Michael’s world tour in 1992, took his concerts to countries that had never been visited by a pop/rock artist. Michael also founded the ‘Heal the World Foundation’ to help improve the lives of children across the world. Michael married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock legend Elvis Presley in 1994 and divorced in 1996.
Michael toured again for a 2 year period began in 1995. Michael married Debbie Rowe in November 1996 who was a nurse. They had 2 children, before splitting in 1999.
In September, 2001 Michael celebrated his 30th anniversary as a solo artist and reunited with all of his brothers on stage. I remember this show and it was beautiful and it was well worth watching. I did not know about it. I found it when I was flicking through channels.
Michael has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II. His lifetime record sales is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, made him one of the most successful entertainers of all time. I heard that the concerts for the 50 London sold out minutes after going on sale in March. Now that is amazing in my book but these were scheduled to begin on July 13 and last until March 2010. I wonder if everyone get their money back? Ouch!
Everyone has done wrong things but we have to remember that he has inspired many in different generations, cultures, race, and worlds. His success was our gain.
May your soul rest in peace Michael
The Official Michael Jackson Youtube Channel
