Michael Jackson Remembered
Monday, July 6th, 2009I thought a tribute to Michael Jackson would be the perfect way to start this blog. The world lost one of the best performers of all time last month, and I for one am very saddened.
Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana Michael Joseph Jackson – the seventh child in a family of nine kids. Michael passed away on June 25, 2009.
Here he is above with younger sister Janet Jackson
Michael Jackson was first introduced to the world as part of the Jackson 5, by Diana Ross in 1968. He began a solo career in 1971, but became the King Of Pop in the early 1980’s. Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller remains the world’s best-selling album of all time, and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world’s best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).
Above is a photo from the famous THRILLER video
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in American popular music and culture. He was the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV, with videos such as “Beat It”, “Billie Jean” and Thriller—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—bringing fame to the relatively new channel. Videos such as “Black or White” and “Scream” made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV well into the 1990s. Beyond his success on television, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, with his elaborate stage performances. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop music and contemporary R&B artists across several generations. (Source: wikipedia.org)
Above: Michael Jackson with Lionel Ritchie
In 1983 Michael Jackson won a world record 8 Grammy awards for his Thriller album.
Michael Jackson with Quincy Jones at the 1983 Grammy Awards.
In what remains one of the most talked-about halftime performances of all time, Jackson took the stage at 1993’s Super Bowl XXVII in his trademark spangled military-style gear and stood motionless for a few moments – before kicking into the energetic “Jam.” The surprise? He then ripped off his jacket and broke out in a medley of his hits “Billie Jean” and “Black or White” – ending the appearance, arms outstretched, in a hail of pyrotechnics and smoke.
Michael Jackson at the Super Bowl, 1993