Reflections on Michael Jackson : Articles, Blogs & Stories Thread

[MJ TinkerBell]

The Article:

Michael Jackson's Lawyer, Bob Sanger, Talks to West Coast Sound About the Pop Star, His Life -- and His Reading Habits..By Randall Roberts Thu., Jun. 25 2009 at 7:08 PM

In the wake of the the untimely death this afternoon of Michael Jackson, West Coast Sound contacted the late King of Pop's longtime attorney, Bob Sanger. Sanger represented Michael Jackson for 16 years, and sat at the table with Jackson throughout the high-profile 2005 case in which the family of a boy accused Jackson of child sexual abuse. We spoke with Sanger late this afternoon.

Bob Sanger: This is what I want to say. I do think it's appropriate to speak out at this point in honor of Michael. First of all, he was a great musician and performer, and his impact on music goes on today. I saw something on television today, I forgot who it was, but I looked at it, a current star doing a music video, and thought, 'That's Michael Jackson.' You can just see where all that came from that didn't exist before he started doing that sort of thing. The beat, and the music and everything else. That's an impact that he'll have forever, or certainly for a long time. I think that what people don't appreciate about Michael Jackson was as a human being, which I got to see, was privileged to see this, because he does have a lot of people around him.

When you represent him, which I did, unfortunately - unfortunately for him that we had to do this, but you do get very close to a person, and I sat next to him for four months in the criminal case - it took a full four months, and he was there every day. But what I did learn in the years that I represented him - particularly in that last case - is that he is a very kind person. Truly from his heart. And his whole family is like that. His mother, Katherine, and his sisters, LaToya and Janet - they have their own personalities onstage and everything, but they are the kindest, sweetest people you'll ever want to meet. And his brothers are very nice; they offer to do what they can for you.

I remember having a family meeting out at the ranch, in a room out there that was nicely appointed, as everything was. And we were all going to sit down and have a big meeting. And Janet says, 'Bob, you don't have a place to sit.' I told her it was okay, I could stand, and she said, 'No, no, no, I'll get you a chair.' She walks out the door, and I figure she's going to get someone to bring me a chair. She walks in with this big wing-backed armchair that she's carrying into the room - Janet Jackson - for me to sit in. It wasn't remarkable in that it was any different that what you'd expect from anyone in that family, or from her.

They were very kind. You would go to the ranch, or a house elsewhere where we met on other occasions, and you couldn't get away without being offered something to eat or drink. And personally, and I don't mean snap your fingers and someone comes to do it, they would be very concerned and very kind and generous about everything. And Michael was the same way. He believed that one of the things he could do in life in addition to entertainment was that he could really help children. And I know that's going to immediately get some kind of sarcastic response, but it's absolutely true.

I was there at his ranch when he wasn't even there on at least two occasions when he had a giant group of kids come up. One, a bunch of kids who were from hospitals down in LA -- children's wards -- came up with their families and everything else, and another time it was disadvantaged kids with their families, they were brought up and came up on buses - he had a couple of buses - and he would bring people up and it was like they were at Disneyland. His staff was there, and at one point he had a hundred-something people on staff. They would be offering everybody candy, and something to drink, and play in the game room, and go to the movie theater. And you'd see these kids, and it was just remarkable to see these kids and their eyes so wide and being treated this way.

Did the attorney in you ever become concerned with that? Here are hundreds of strangers coming into this multimillionaire's home, and anyone of them could have ulterior motives.

Bob Sanger: Well, I don't want to get into all that.

No, no, I understand.

Bob Sanger: Well, you know what? Yeah, the attorney in me, I look at what clients do and I always wonder. But, I've got to tell you: until we saw what this last family tried to do to him, which was so completely bizarre and off-the-wall, unfounded, manipulative -- the DA was so committed to get back at Michael Jackson that they just looked with blinders at these people, and ignored the fact that they had scammed other people, and so on. But when you saw that family and looked at that, you had to say, 'Oh my god, how vulnerable' - clearly he was vulnerable. But for a family like this to be able to get the attention of a district attorney and law enforcement was just remarkable. And it just shows you how vulnerable people can be.

And I've certainly seen that in my career in representing people for the last 35 years, certainly there are cases - people are prosecuted because they're guilty, sure, but people are also prosecuted because the government can, and sometimes there are some bad motives. And I don't want to talk about the particulars of that case, but it was just so clear how vulnerable he was.

The groups stopped at that point because we were in the trial - or at least I didn't see any, because I was busy trying to save his life, basically. But prior to that when I'd see these people come in, the generosity, and the kindness - the staff was told at all times, whenever you go to Neverland, or to his house elsewhere, the staff was always instructed to be absolutely kind to everybody. The kindness ran from the top down. And it wasn't the obsequious kind of stuff. It was true kindness, and it came from the top. Michael was kind, the whole family was. And that's the stuff that people don't see. They don't understand how deep the concept of kindness ran in his family. And the third thing was that Michael was extremely well-read.

I didn't know that.

Bob Sanger: No. Few people did. In trial - and I knew Michael, but I got to know him a lot better at the trial. The judge was doing jury selection, and it was time for break. Judge Melville said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to know that jury service is very, very important.' He's trying to convince people not to have stupid excuses to get out of jury service. All judges do this. He says, 'The jury system is a very time-honored system. It's been around for 200 years. We're going to take a break and come back in 15 minutes.

We stand up and the judge leaves, and Michael turns to me and says, "Bob, the jury system is much older than 200 years, isn't it?' I said, 'Well, yeah, it goes back to the Greeks.' He says, 'Oh yeah, Socrates had a jury trial, didn't he?' I said, 'Yeah, well, you know how it turned out for him.' Michael says, 'Yeah, he had to drink the hemlock.' That's just one little tidbit. We talked about psychology, Freud and Jung, Hawthorne, sociology, black history and sociology dealing with race issues. But he was very well read in the classics of psychology and history and literature.

That's fascinating.

Bob Sanger: He loved to read. He had over 10,000 books at his house. And I know that because - and I hate to keep referring to the case, because I don't want the case - the case should not define him. But one of the things that we learned - the DA went through his entire library and found, for instance, a German art book from 1930-something. And it turned out that the guy who was the artist behind the book had been prosecuted by the Nazis. Nobody knew that, but then the cops get up there and say, 'We found this book with pictures of nude people in it.' But it was art, with a lot of text. It was art. And they found some other things, a briefcase that didn't belong to him that had some Playboys in it or something. But they went through the guy's entire house, 10,000 books. And it caused us to do the same thing, and look at it.

And there were places that he liked to sit, and you could see the books with his bookmarks in it, with notes and everything in it where he liked to sit and read. And I can tell you from talking to him that he had a very - especially for someone who was self-taught, as it were, and had his own reading list - he was very well-read. And I don't want to say that I'm well-read, but I've certainly read a lot, let's put it that way, and I enjoy philosophy and history and everything myself, and it was very nice to talk to him, because he was very intellectual, and he liked to talk about those things. But he didn't flaunt it, and it was very seldom that he would initiate the conversation like that, but if you got into a conversation like that with him, he was there.

Do you remember the last time you saw him, or talked to him?

Bob Sanger: The last time I talked to him was right after the trial, and then he moved out of the country. I had not seen him personally, in person - I talked to him on the phone - since them. Of course, I talked to people around him, because we still took care of matters for him. But the best I can say, and I don't want to oversell my significance in his world, but I want to convey this side of him that people didn't see. I just hate - every time I hear Jay Leno or somebody take a cheap shot - and Jay Leno I think is a very funny man - but every time they take a cheap shot I think, that really isn't fair, because that's not who he is. And few people had an opportunity to really experience the kindness of him and his family. And few people really had the opportunity the have these intellectual discussions about great thinkers and writers. Freud and Jung - go down the street and try and find five people who can talk about Freud and Jung.

So I have to ask. Are you representing his estate?

Bob Sanger: No, no. I represented him up here for Santa Barbara-type matters.

And what's the status of Neverland Ranch?

Bob Sanger: I don't know the exact - I always hesitate to comment on this because I don't know exactly. It was taken over by an investor. I don't know that it was sold outright, I'm not sure exactly. But Michael - after having it raided three times by the cops to no avail for them, it shook him. He was living there up until the trial, and continued to live there during the trial, but just before the trial, they got a search warrant and went back out, allegedly because they wanted to find as-built plans for the house. And they could have asked us and we would have given them to him. They could have made a motion in court and we would have given them to him. They could have gone down to the archives and got them. But it was just an excuse to go out and raid it one more time. They roused him early in the morning, and his kids were there, and after that he said, 'I don't think I can live here anymore.' And it was a shame. He had his tree. He would go up in this tree, and he wrote some of his songs there. It's kind of like a historic place, but for him it was a very personal place.

The Source:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoasts...er_bob_san.php

[MJ TinkerBell]

Idilvice Fashion Rocks: Story behind the pic ~

The Blog Article:

Michael Jackson
The King of Pop is now living in history... Thursday, June 25, 2009

That small, framed picture on my grandmothers piano magnetized me immensely when I was a young girl. Michael Jackson. Back then, I am sure I did not quiet grasp how big of an icon he really was.

Years later when my grandmother died, my family asked me (I was already living in the US) what I would want from her house as a keepsake and I did not have to think long and said: "I want the picture with Michael Jackson from the piano!" And so it has been in my possession for years now, framed hanging always on the wall in all my different apartments, I never failed to bring it along. Needless to say I am a big fan of Michael Jackson.

To have this personal piece of history means a lot to me and I like to share it here and now. Pictured backstage at a concert in Switzerland are my uncle Dr. Rudy Meyer (a surgeon of Mr. Jackson), his wife, his son and girlfriend and my aunt Estelle Hoefflin surrounding Michael Jackson. We never found out who the little girl in the picture is...The little girl in the photo is backing singer Dorian Holley's daughter.

R.I.P Michael Jackson

The Idilvice Fashion Blog:
http://idilvice.blogspot.co.uk/2009/...l-jackson.html

[MJ TinkerBell]

Lighting Man for Victory Tour shares his memories of Michael Jackson

Life is building memories with the family and friends we make along the way.

And 1984 was a great year for me. I worked for Ozzy Osbourne for six months as the touring Lighting Designer on Bark at the Moon.

Ozzy ended and I moved on to The Jackson’s Victory Tour as lighting crew chief. We spent time in Los Angeles rehearsing and then we flew to Arrowhead for more practice and to kick off their national tour.

I had a little bit of time off to see some of the sights in Kansas City. I met a pretty little woman, just like the song. We had a long distance relationship and in 1985 I moved here and we got married.

The Victory Tour created our chance meeting.

Our daughter was born in 1988.

I continued to work in the concert touring industry until the summer of 1993. I wanted to spend more time at home with my wife, my stepson and my daughter instead of in a bunk on a tour bus.

Lady luck looked my way again and I took over as General Manager at Sandstone. I stayed for 11 boiling hot summers.

I made a lot of friends during my years touring.

It was like getting a new set of brothers and sisters every six months.

However the Victory Tour was the largest touring family I had ever experienced. We would grow and change personnel constantly, but there was a core group of 140 who were pretty much there for the whole tour. And I have kept in contact with a few of my old touring friends through the years.

The day after Michael Jackson’s untimely death, I had some calls and emails. We were all sad and surprised. On each call or in every email we shared little snippets of our time with Michael. He was shy when he was off stage. Michael usually had an entourage of one or two bodyguards, but he would always say hello to anyone in the crew who happened his way. We respected him and his brothers for their talent and drive.

The Victory Tour was on the road for six months in 1984. We experienced heat, rain, and cold as we crossed the country playing each weekend.

Every night the show kicked off with all of the brothers on stage performing.

Michael had thirty or more minutes solo about an hour into the show. There were a lot of us on the crew who were regulars at finding a spot to watch him perform as often as we could.

The transformation from the shy, soft spoken persona to field commander on the stage took place as soon as his microphone was on. The strength and vision Michael had was incredible. He hit every cue. He was a perfectionist. It was all about giving the fans the best.

I learned right away how Michael memorized everything. We had more than 800 lights operating over his head. In one of our first full nights of rehearsal, four lights were not working. He stopped the song to make sure I knew the lights were out. I was stunned that he noticed and even more surprised at how polite he was. It was my first conversation with him and he just wanted to make sure I knew about the malfunction.

One of my cues on the Victory Tour was at the start of the show; I had to push buttons to operate equipment from the side of the stage. I stood in an area masked to the audience, but I had a clear view of the lighting equipment moving higher over the stage set.

Michael would stand beside me often and look out at the stadium of excited fans screaming in anticipation. Michael knew I was busy, so he would grab my elbow to let me know he was there so I would not be startled. I would wish him a great show each time and he would thank me and then take his place for the entrance.

In 1992, I was in Atlanta lighting a television special. Michael was a guest on the show. I was backstage for a moment before we were going to tape his segment. One of his bodyguards saw me and came over to say hello. He told me I should go into the dressing room and say hello to Michael. I said I would be surprised if Michael remembered me, but he told me, Michael already spotted me and would like it if I had the time to come by his dressing room. I walked in and Michael hugged me and asked how I had been. We talked for a couple of minutes but both of us had to get back to work.

On the Victory Tour, Michael and his brothers had parties for the band and crew in a few cities after the show. Hindsight is 20/20. I have worked for a lot of famous people through the years and I wish I had a picture or autograph from each one, but at one of the Victory Tour parties I took the opportunity to sit with Michael and one of my friends took our picture.

My daughter called when she heard the tragic news about Michael. She asked me if I still had the picture she had seen at home as she was growing up. She asked if I could scan it and send it to her. She teased me about my hair having color 25 years ago. I reminded her that gray is a color.

Michael Jackson and his brothers started my life and career in Kansas City. I am grateful for the many memories. I am sad for the loss of a truly gifted performer and someone I had the privilege to know and work with.

Larry Hovick

General Manager, the Midland by AMC

The Source:
kcconfidential.com

[mjjscholar]

Really good story from that "Lighting Man,' very touching. I'm happy to know he started off his own family that way. It's a sweet story, and nice photo. You were incredibly lucky...

[MJ TinkerBell]

Heal the World: Michael Jackson as the King of Charity


Michael Jackson was not only the King where music was concerned, but he was also the King of charity. The Millennium-Issue of the "Guinness Book of Records" named Michael as the Pop Star that supports the most charities. In all, 39 international organizations were named, but Michael was known to give away anonymously and to local charities often, with an estimated $500 million charity donations made in his lifetime.
His most notable charity work came in the form of a song that he co-wrote with Lionel Ritchie in order to help children who lived in countries that were suffering from poverty and civil unrest. "We are the World" was produced by Quincy Jones and performed by Michael and 45 other musicians, friends and actors. The proceeds of the song were donated to those who were starving in Africa.

This led Michael to create the Heal the World Foundation, which was formed to improve the lives of children and teach them how to help others. The foundation helped international charity organizations fight poverty, hunger, cancer, abuse, AIDS, disease, illiteracy and racism. Michael also wrote the flagship song for the organization called Heal The World.

During the History Tour in Bombay, Michael donated the proceeds of his concerts to local hospitals and charities. This is only one example of the many times where Michael would donate proceeds of his concerts to those that were most in need. He also donated his personal items for auction to UNESCO.

In addition, Michael wrote many of his songs to support charity and noteworthy campaigns. His song Gone Too Soon was written in honor of AIDS victim Ryan White, who received a contaminated blood transfusion early on in life. Ironically, White was from Michael's home state of Indiana. All sales of Man In the Mirror went to the Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times for cancer children.

Other famous charities to which Michael donated were the Make A Wish Foundation, the Minority Aids Project, Angel Food, the American Cancer Society and the Society of Singers. While his voice went Platinum many times over in the record world, his heart was golden.

The Source:
http://voices.yahoo.com/heal-world-m...y-4124247.html

Thank-you thrillerchild for Originally Posting this

[MJ TinkerBell]

"But He Never Calls Me !"

Maximilian Schell, Hollywood Reporter, November 1993

In November of 1993, as the media feasted on the first child sex abuse allegation to be made against Michael Jackson, Oscar-winning actor Maximilian Schell sent the following letter to the Hollywood Reporter and paid for it to be printed on the back page of every copy of the publication.
Transcript follows. Many thanks to Robert Schnakenberg.



MAXIMILIAN SCHELL

NOV, 19
1993

TO: MICHAEL JACKSON
(SOMEWHERE ON THIS PLANET)

DEAR MICHAEL,

I AM DEEPLY ASHAMED — FOR THE PRESS, FOR THE MEDIA, FOR THE WORLD – I don’t know you – we met only ONCE on one of those Award-Dinners (“ENTERTAINER of the DECADE”) – We shook hands – you were kind and polite – I don’t think you knew who I was – HOW SHOULD YOU? OUR WORLDS ARE TOO FAR APART – (I am more, “CLASSICAL” – minded -) but I looked into your eyes — THEY WERE KIND –

You are a great artist and I admire you – my little daughter (she is 9½) LOVES YOU! DEEPLY – SHE EVEN WANTS TO MARRY YOU! (-”BUT HE NEVER CALLS ME!”) SHE IMITATES YOU ALL THE TIME – and quite well -

WE ALL LOVE YOU

I would like her more to listen to MOZART – but she loves YOU! AND I RESPECT HER TASTE! –

THAT YOU SURVIVE THIS AVALANCHE OF DIRT THROWN AT YOU – I ADMIRE TREMENDOUSLY -

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE!

GOD BLESS YOU

Maximilian Schell

P.S. “ONE CAN ONLY SEE GOOD WITH THE HEART – THE ESSENTIAL IS INVISIBLE FOR THE EYES” – (“THE LITTLE PRINCE”)

The Source:
http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/01...-calls-me.html

[MJ TinkerBell]

Thank-you Anitka for Originally Posting this Article

The professionals in radio and the music industry who were welcomed aboard and helped contribute to the MJ phenomenon recall many of those moments when they learned firsthand the work ethic, discipline, passion and pursuit of excellence through which Michael defined not only his artistry but his very lifeform—a template upon which to build a better world.


Quote~ When I first met Michael Jackson, he was 10 years old. A friend of mine, Mavis Staples of the world-famous Staples Singers, introduced me and said, “You are not going to believe this.” She was right…I was knocked off my feet. Without a shadow of doubt, Michael Jackson was the greatest entertainer ever to grace the face of this earth. The pop culture world is measured by this man—a man who had a good and kind soul. During one of the tours, he wanted to visit Haiti. When we arrived, it was a cultural shock for all of us, but to see the hurt on Michael’s face—at these poverty-stricken people—it was devastating to him. He was real quiet all the way back.

I have been very fortunate to be raised with James Brown, to work with Elvis Presley and to know Michael Jackson. It just don’t get no better than this, to know Michael Jackson—the man, the pioneer, the humanitarian. There are so many who owe this man so much.
—Lonnell “King Ro” Conley, Announcer and Blues Director Jazz City Radio

Quote~ I’ve had the opportunity to talk with people like Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey, but the relationship with Michael was very special. Every time I left him, I’d be sad seeing him standing on the porch waving good-bye. He was always so welcoming, so hospitable. He was never about selfishness or harming anyone. He was always about trying to be closer to God, to be Christ-like. He loved more than he was loved and was always trying to get closer to God, to do the right thing even though it wasn’t always what he wanted to do. And whenever he was tested, he looked for his strength within, from bringing God into his body and putting him first in his life. Michael was really very spiritual and put God in control of his life. He was truly blessed by God.

Michael was truly the greatest performer. When he hit that zone, no one could touch him. I remember him doing three shows in a row and Justin Timberlake was supposed to join him onstage, but when Justin came out, he just froze and Michael was poppin’! Awesome! He didn’t need the special effects or anything else; he was the real performer.

And you could see him going into that spiritual zone backstage when he was getting ready for a show. He was always calm, relaxed, smooth. He would do his own makeup and take a few minutes alone in his dressing room where he had a picture of The Three Stooges that he liked on the wall. Then he would very calmly emerge and just blow the audience away. Even in Japan on his comeback tour when he was a little nervous about how people felt about him then, he always had the utmost professionalism and was always on time, and again, just blew them away.

Japan has more orphanages than any place in the world and Michael wanted to do something for them while he was there so we picked one to visit that just so happened to be supported by Bill and Melinda Gates. Michael would arrive with no publicity and with multiple toys for each child. His own kids would go with him and he would be educating them as to what was going on. The kids were delighted, but Michael would also take the time to personally shake the hands of each of the nuns at the orphanage thanking each of them for taking care of the children.

And people just melted around him. One time when he was taking his kids to Disneyland, word had gotten out that he was coming and everyone knew his favorite ride was Peter Pan, so there was gridlock by the time he arrived. But he just held his hands up and the crowd opened up like parting the Red Sea. Then he would watch the parade from the Main Street rooftop and eat hot dogs and French fries with his kids. I thank God everyday that I was graced by this angel and am reminded even moreso that we can’t take our time here for granted. There is no tomorrow promised and you’ve gotta let people know you love them. That’s what Michael was about.
—Qadree El-Amin, Southpaw Entertainment

Quote~ On the occasions that I talked with Michael, I found him to be very attentive, a very good listener, and he was very much in control of that group even though he was the youngest member. He knew his place on stage, and as quiet as he seemed to be with his soft-spoken voice, when he was on stage, he was in command…There was something about him that was attractive. He had two decades of greatness, and it’s easy to see that staying power was not going away. When he walked into a room, even CEOs of major companies acted like groupies, running to the stage, doing everything they could to get autographs. His persona was gigantic, and his talent matched that. Michael’s music is his legacy…
-“Super” Jay Johnson, ABC/Citadel Media, Dallas, Texas

Quote~ I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Jackson a few years ago at BET CEO Debra Lee’s home. Down to earth. That sums him up, and he deserves every accolade bestowed upon him!
—Rosalind R. Ray, Esq, Co-Manager The O’Jays

Quote~ The thing I admired most about Michael was what a hard worker he was. He was a perfectionist who gave his all to whatever he did, writing, dancing or singing We all need something that drives us and pushes us into staying on top of our game, no matter what it is. Michael worked so hard that he’s still making money even though he’s no longer with us! He only wanted us to have his best.
—Tom Joyner, host of the nationally syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” founder of REACH Media, Inc, the Tom Joyner Foundation and BlackAmericaWeb.com

Quote~ Though it ended way too soon, Michael’s life was beautiful. Sure there were some sad times, but Michael Jackson accomplished everything he dreamed of.
My memories of Michael are of a 10-year old, whose passion was to be the greatest entertainer in the world and he was willing to work as hard and do whatever it took to become what he indeed became—the undisputed “King of Pop” the world over. What kid wouldn’t give his right arm to fulfill his wildest childhood dreams? Michael loved it all…every moment on stage, every moment in rehearsal. Michael loved creating what had never been done before. He loved everything and everybody. Especially his fans. Off stage Michael was shy, soft-spoken and child-like. But when he took that stage in front of his screaming fans, he turned into another person, a master, a “take no prisoners” showman. It was kill or be killed. I mean, Michael was awesome!!! Totally in charge. In fact, the more I remember and talk about Michael Jackson, the more I feel the “King of Pop” is not big enough for him. I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived.
–Berry Gordy, Founder of Motown

Quote~ Michael should be the Man of Every Year! He was truly a nice person who put his everything into everything he did. He was more gifted than anyone I’ve ever known.
—Ron Isley

Quote~ Michael has always had a big heart. One time he came to Atlanta at the request of me and then President Jimmy Carter and his appearance enabled us to immunize some 37,000 pre-school kids. He was phenomenal.
—former UN Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young

Quote~ I remember in 1975 as a “lil girl” I won a Jackson 5 ‘45 from the legendary AM 850 WRAP in Norfolk, Virginia. OMG! Still today I can recall my excitement. At the time Michael Jackson had all the potential to be a musical genius–a star in the making. He became that and more and I will always treasure the fact that from the beginning I would live to see the entire legacy of this musical genius as a fan and professional. The world has not yet grasped the true loss of this icon. With his solid encore performances in “Michael,” we get to hear musically what was on Michael’s heart and the message that he wanted to give the world. His trademark sound is heard throughout the project, but I wonder what it would’ve sounded like if it had Michael’s final touches on it, a promotional tour to see this giant at his best with his signature style and dance performances… we can only dream, but thank God I have an archive of music and memories to last me a life time.
—Frankie Darcell, syndicated host of the “Mid-Day Mix” and “Sunday Morning Talk of the Town” on WMXD-FM (Mix 92.3) in Detroit, Michigan

Quote~ All the explosions, nakedness and poorly choreographed steps we see today couldn’t replace ONE of Michael’s “moonwalks.” All I can say is Michael, the WORLD misses you! Your time, dedication, sacrifice and financial support will never be forgotten. Your life itself was a gift to all of us!
—Skip Dillard, PD Inner City Broadcasting UAC WBLS-FM (107.5), New York City

Quote~ Some people spend their lives loving Michael as a fan.
Some people fulfill their life’s dream working with Michael as a colleague.
Some people were blessed to know Michael as a friend.
I have experienced all three and my life is enriched because of it.
There are a million beautiful and personal memories of Michael worth more than the most precious thing the world has to offer.
I will cherish those memories forever.
–Greg Phillinganes, musician, artist

Quote~ I’ve been very fortunate to work with some of the best, from Frank Sinatra to Elton John, Dylan to Garth Brooks…and, then there was Michael. Mike was more fun than Barnum and Bailey, exciting, incredibly smart, with unbelievable and unequaled gifts. There is no doubt he was the greatest entertainer of all time.
—Norman Winter, More Than the Norm

The Sources:

http://respeconize.com/tag/jesse-jackson/

www.mjj-777.com

[MJ TinkerBell]

The Article:

Michael Jackson Opinion by bubbles0/ 2010

Michael Jackson carried so much hope and light for the world. Through his beautiful voice, amazing dance, and tireless devotion to others, God worked miracles through Michael Jackson.

However, his neglected childhood would become the catalyst to multi faceted complexities that would combust in a lifetime of struggle. Many never realized and do not take the time to understand that Michael was truly a child at heart. Michael never experienced a childhood. He never enjoyed the years that would teach him the many things he would later need in life. And by his own admission, he over compensated for it. While he was gifted, educated, intelligent, and well read, these lost formative years deprived him of insight into mature boundaries and the difference between intelligence and common sense.

When Michael was entering his 20s, his Pop star was on the rise. While on one side, Michael Jackson stood as a "once in forever" genius entertainer and businessman, Michael stood on the other as a boy destitute of significant childhood experiences that would balance his life. Perhaps this was God's plan. Someone once said to me, "The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you."

To the "collective", to the "media" I ask, where was our love, our compassion, our justice?

Michael once pleaded in the autobiographical lyrics of "Childhood", "Before you judge me, try hard to love me." Jesus said, "Do not judge, lest ye be judged." The dichotomy of Michael Jackson was clearly a complex mix of brilliant superstardom that rose so high, you had to look down to see heaven and a journey so low, you were blinded by the depths of his despair. It is through his perfection and his flaws, his "perfect imperfection" that we have glimpsed ourselves; that we have witnessed the human condition.

The media brutalized a lovely human being. Often misunderstood, Michael would spend a lifetime facing unyielding pressures and scrutiny while he tried to live a balance between the professional and the personal, always attempting to overcome the boundaries between the surreal and the real. Until his death, he searched for truth, and through his inner child, I am convinced that God called him home.

He had the heart of a child, the patience of Job, and the drive of a warrior. Michael Jackson is worthy of our respect. He was on the front lines every day fighting for the sake of others who could not help themselves. He used his blessings to create a magical place for kids and the kid at heart to visit...to escape the torments of life, even if just for a short while. He used his musical influence to heal the planet and help special needs, at risk, and sick children across the globe. Throughout his life, he contributed $300 Million (some sources say $500 Million) to worldwide charities, forever relentless in his fight to help others.

I am sick and tired of hearing and reading that Michael Jackson should not be celebrated as a hero. Michael Jackson is EXACTLY the kind of hero we should be celebrating. We should celebrate the man who gave us everything he had to give, despite horrific abuse, a neglected childhood, lupus, skin disorders, chronic pain from relentless physical exertion, and unimaginable stress he would have to endure at the hands of those who would seek to destroy him.

Though he was an idiosyncratic, flawed man, this gentle soul could never cause harm. In the end, he would not be able to escape the effects of life's personal torment. He deserves our respect; our love; our compassion. He made the world a better place.

God blessed Michael with inimitable gifts. His light shone because of Jesus. Those of us who know the truth, we hurt because we sense the loss of that light. But truly, Michael's spirit has finally discovered peace. The miracle is that Jesus continues to do His work through Michael even now, after his death. Many are now understanding what this man did for the world through God's gifts.

Evangelists Andrae and Sandra Crouch (brother and sister), worked with Michael on many projects. They were friends to the end. There has been a lot written about Michael's faith. Michael believed in God. Michael believed in Jesus. He met with Andrae and Sandra three weeks prior to his death, and while they both have clarified they did not pray what is called the "sinners prayer", they prayed together over the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

God knew Michael's heart. I like to think in his final moments, the Holy Spirit came upon him, and not only did Michael accept, he ran into the open arms of his Lord. At last, he has found rest.

Michael is asleep now. We will see him again.

The light will continue to shine, and Michael will continue to smile.

The Source:
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/michael-...ichael-jackson

[MJ TinkerBell]

Tom Bahler's soulful memories with Michael Jackson



DAYTON, Ohio – Electrifying sell-out crowds, with distinguished vocals and mind-blowing dance routines is one way fans remember Michael Jackson. For Tom Bahler, memories of Jackson are meaningful, filled with harmonies, laughter and Motown soul.

As a songwriter, studio singer, arranger and producer, Bahler has worked with a variety of artists, including the Temptations, Barbara Streisand, Elvis Presley and Smokey Robinson. Among his list of seasoned performers is Michael Jackson, dating back to the early 1970s. "Back in the day when I first met Michael, he was warm, and at the same time, inside of himself," Bahler said. "He knew there was a fire inside of himself."

Bahler, along with his brother John Bahler began working at Motown Records in 1972. They were given multiple tasks, including background singing and vocal arranging. Together, they worked with the Jackson 5. "We use to start [around] 4:30 p.m., after school [let out,]" Tom said. "They'd arrive in a limousine from school and go straight into the studio."

According to Tom, he and John treasure their memories at Motown because of the music. "It was a wonderful chapter in our lives," he said. "It was the greatest experience ever. I think it was spiritually fulfilling."

Tom reminisces about Jackson and considers his memories to be priceless. He said it's hard to pinpoint specific memories because there are many, but said he will never forget what Jackson did one day in Motown's studio. "Being the youngest of the Jackson 5, everybody was always telling Michael where to stand," he said. "It wasn't because he was ‘Michael Jackson,' but because he was the youngest. One day, Michael walked over and leaned against a piano and just started singing. I was thinking, ‘A kid this young with this much soul.' It was just extraordinary."

In 1973, Tom began working with Quincy Jones. (He arranged Jones' album "Body Heat.") The two became fast friends and enjoyed working together. At the same time, Tom and John continued working with a variety of artists, including the Jackson 5. Jones knew who the group was, but never worked with them musically.

Both Tom and Jones remained busy with music-related projects, but stayed connected. In 1977, Jones began directing the 1978-released film "The Wiz." Tom worked behind the cameras as the film's vocal arranger. The cast featured a star-studded lineup, including Diana Ross as "Dorothy," Nipsey Russell as the "Tin Man," Ted Ross as the "Cowardly Lion," Lena Horn as "Glinda the Good Witch," Richard Pryor as "The Wiz" and Jackson as the "Scarecrow." "When we did ‘The Wiz' I knew Michael, but Quincy was [just getting better acquainted with him,]" Tom said. "It was fun seeing that relationship grow. It shows you what can happen when you have the right combination of mind and spirit."

The same year, 1977, Tom wrote a ballad describing emotional heartbreak, detailing what was currently going on in his life. The song was called "She's Out of My Life." "I was going with a wonderful woman and woke up with her, and she wanted to get married, and I wasn't ready," he said. "These thoughts were going through my mind on the freeway one night. I said [to myself,] ‘Hey man, you made a choice. Face it. She's out of your life.' I was like ‘Wow' at what I was thinking. By the time I got home, the song was written in 13 minutes."

Tom's ballad is featured on Jackson's 1979 solo album Off the Wall. According to him, Jackson wasn't his original choice to sing the track. "But [Michael] understood drama," he said. Jackson was moved by the song and tearful toward the end of every recording he made. Tom said Jones had Jackson record the song 12 times before deciding to keep the emotional ending. The version released on Off the Wall is the first recording Jackson made. "When he sang ‘She's Out of My Life," he cried," Tom said. "People don't hear how he apologized at the end of every take. I asked Michael on a break if he was alright. I said, ‘Hey man, sorry if I hit a chord.' [Michael] said, ‘No man, I was just getting into the lyrics."



Throughout his career, Tom and John remained connected with Jackson, becoming his vocal arrangers. "Any time he'd do something on voices, he'd call us," Tom said. "Michael was great. He was always open [to our comments.] But at the same time, he was an incredible singer."

Tom said he can't remember every song he worked on with Jackson while at Motown, but said he has beautiful memories, filled with "funny moments." "There were so many songs, that if I hear them, then I can remember them," he said. Still, one song stands out in his mind: Jackson's version of "Rockin' Robin." Tom remembers helping him practice his vocals for the song. Another reason the track is important to him is because of a memory he has with Jackson years later. "John and I met with Michael at Neverland Ranch, and when he came into the room and sat down, John and I got on each side of him and started singing, ‘Tweedly-deedly-dee. Tweedly-deedly-dee.' [Michael] was a fun guy. He had such a bright spirit."

Memories of music fill Tom's head when thinking of Jackson, and are close to his heart. "Michael was an amazing spirit and had a real gift for singing," he said. "Everything he did, I found to be unique, funky, hip and tasteful. He was one of the greatest entertainers I've ever encountered and I'll never forget him."



Christina Chaffin - About the Author:
As a freelance writer based in Dayton, Ohio, I have published over 20 articles for a small newspaper in the Midwest. I have spent time covering multiple topics including the economy and entertainment. However, my passion revolves around writing artist profiles, album reviews and anything else music-related. To get in touch, e-mail cmchaffin@gmail.com.

The Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/music-ar...n-2720728.html

[mdiegee210]

does any know were i can find the article calling michael the king of pop? thank you

[MJ TinkerBell]

mdiegee210

Could you please elaborate a little more on the specifics about this Article you are looking for ?

Like.. Magazine Company, the Year ? This would help us narrow our search down for you

does any know were i can find the article calling michael the king of pop? thank you

[Jabberwock Jackson]

does any know were i can find the article calling michael the king of pop? thank you

Are you talking about this?



That was the first time he was referred to as the KOP in print.

[MJ TinkerBell]

Jabberwock Jackson really nice Newspaper Article thanks for sharing

Are you talking about this?



That was the first time he was referred to as the KOP in print.

[MJ TinkerBell]

Reflections on Michael Jackson's Number 1 Hits
Michael Jackson Lived on Billboard Charts, Especially in the 80's
Wendy Dawn, Yahoo! Contributor Network

With the passing of the "King of Pop," an era of musical history ends. Despite your personal opinions of Michael Jackson, his talent and artistry is undeniable. Michael Jackson is known and loved all over the world.
"Thriller" is the first song, album, and video to come to mind when you mention Michael Jackson. That single album went platinum 28 times, according to Billboard.com. "Thriller" became the top-selling studio album in the United States, surpassed only by the Eagles Greatest Hits collection, reports Billboard.com.

As a child of the 80's, I don't need to look at Billboard or any other chart to remember the impact of Michael Jackson's music. He created an entire new era of music. He put the "pop" in pop and proclaimed himself the "King of Pop." His passing is eerily reminiscent of "The King," Elvis Presley's passing.

As a solo artist, Michael Jackson had 13 hits at number 1 on Billboard's charts. The following songs hit number one on Billboard.

"You are Not Alone" was Michael Jackson's last album to hit the number one spot, Sept 2, 1995.

Other number one hits include:

Who is it? - 1993

In the Closet - 1992

Remember the Time - 1992

Black or White - 1991

Another Part of Me - 1988

Dirty Diana - 1988

Man in the Mirror - 1988

The Way You Make Me Feel - 1988

Bad - 1987

I Just Can't Stop Loving You - 1987

We are the World - 1985

Say, Say, Say - 1983

Beat It - 1983

Billie Jean - 1983

Rock with You - 1980

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - 1979

Ben - 1972

Reading through Michael Jackson's list of number one Billboard hits is like taking a walk down memory lane. It was Michael Jackson's music that kept us moving, dancing, and inspired through the tough years of middle school and high school in the 1980s.

Everyone tried to imitate his seemingly fluid dance moves, very few ever came close.

While pop music was on the rise all around him, Michael Jackson rose to be the cream of the crop in the pop music field.

This doesn't even take into consideration the soulful music that Michael began making on-stage at the age of four. The influence of the Jackson 5 is just as profound for their era. The Jackson 5 helped usher Motown in to the mainstream.

The impact of Michael Jackson's music will never be forgotten, nor will the day of his death.

The Source:
http://voices.yahoo.com/reflections-...002.html?cat=9

[MJ TinkerBell]

Never Can Say Goodbye:
Michael Jackson One Year On

Just a little warning, this isn’t anything more than me wanting to put down on paper how Michael Jackson influenced me, made me think about things, brought music into my life. It is not supposed to be any sort of well researched biography - there are plenty of those around, and one or two of them well written and quite informative actually!
I can tell you exactly where I was 365 days ago today. I could even narrow it down to within a few centimeters as I was in this very same spot (ironically both physically and mentally, but thats another story). I was sat here chatting to my girlfriend when on the twitter stream came up some breaking news of Michael Jackson being hospitalized having suffered a heart attack. We carried on chatting, talk now moved on to just one topic and we watched the reports and rumors kept streaming through in disbelief.
The gossip sites were going crazy with rumors but there just seemed to be a lack of credibility about it all, it did not seem believable - it’s Michael Jackson, your heroes don’t die, they live on forever. They are meant to still be banging out the old hits until you are old enough to know better like the Stones, living off their former bands glory like McCartney, being a recluse like the blonde one from ABBA, maybe even start spreading whispers of a come back with a modern ueber-cool producer of the day like Neil Diamond but they don’t go and die. But actually now I’ve written that list, and I read it through again, Michael had already done all of that. In fact he had done most of it by about 1987.
In some ways I feel that I was born, and so came to his music, too late to truly appreciate how ground breaking it was at the time. I missed out on all the Motown classics, the Jacksons and the teenage solo albums and Off The Wall. I guess I really missed out on the cultural shockwave that Thriller and the videos to those tracks must have been at the time so I don’t think it would be fair to use hindsight and knowledge gained to talk impartially on just how good all that music is. It must have been around 1985 or ’86 when I first consciously took notice of Michael’s music. Of the mega stars of the 1980’s, Michael, Prince and Madonna, there was only one in our house. My dad has only ever had about three tapes in his car. Thriller was the one we wanted all the time. I didn’t know it at the time of course but those car journeys were the start of my musical journey - everything I have been into since can be traced through Michael, everything that influenced him to everything he influenced after him.
From the opening stabs of duff-duff-duff here comes the funk, we are going on a journey and you wanna be startin’ something? Too right! What a start to an album. It is clearly the biggest selling album of all-time for a reason. The reason isn’t some clever marketing brainwash to tell everyone to buy it for a fashion. It is because it is the best 40 minutes of hit followed by even bigger and better hit ever. I mean Beat It into Billie Jean into Human Nature into PYT - most artists don’t have that many good tracks in a career. Michael had them all on side two. I even love the corny chatty bit at the end of The Girl Is Mine! Even as a kid though, I always, and still do, wondered how The Lady In My Life made it on as the last track? But I kind of like Michael the flawed genius and anyway the thing good about that track was that it meant I was only a few minutes away from the start of the tape again.
That tape became a right of passage or a ritual for our family. When my older brother got his first car, my dad left Thriller in there. When that car went to the great scrapheap in the sky, the only thing he had to make 101% sure he took out was that tape. The evening I picked up my first car, dad gave me the tape. I purposely drove around long enough to listen to the whole album.
I think I must have got the Bad tape for my 6th birthday in 1988, there is no way my uncle would have been the sort of person to buy a record on release date, plus as a 5 year old I must have wanted to know all the singles first so given that it came out in August ’87, I think it must have already been just over a year old when I got my copy. Now this wasn’t like the family’s Thriller tape - that was a proper official release version, Bad was a taped copy off my uncle’s lp but I didn’t mind. Just like Thriller, Bad was and still is the sort of album you just put on and listen straight through and then start it again, there just aren’t really any weak tracks. Again, it was the b-side of the lp where all my favourite section of the album is; Another Part Of Me, Man In The Mirror, I Just Can’t Stop Loving You, Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal. I remember constantly rewinding the tape trying to catch the lyrics to Smooth Criminal. Listening to it again now it isn’t hard at all and I know we have since had super fast rappers like Twista and every juke track out at the moment uses sped up r’n’b vocals, but back then, I just couldn’t believe how fast the verses were.
I remember when we went to see Moonwalker and again I have just had to check the release date because I’m sure we went to see it in the summer holidays yet it was released in October 1988 - it must have either still been on 9 months later or had a re-release for the summer. I must have been the biggest fan at the moment - and the most annoying kid about it. I can still remember to this day me and my brothers were given a choice of a treat day out during the holidays, they wanted to go swimming and I wanted to see Michael Jackson. God only knows how despite being out voted, we ended up going to the pictures - my mind must have blocked out whatever fuss I kicked up! Well despite the fact it had no plot, only the briefest snippets of what were (with hindsight) his best work with the Jackson 5 and some pretty dreadful acting, I loved it. I wanted to dance to Speed Demon with a 6 foot rabbit, I wanted to hear him pay himself the royalties for covering Beatles songs and I really wanted to be able to defy gravity and lean over THAT far!
Then it all went quiet. The late ‘80s and early ‘90s meant new and weird sounds from Chicago, Detroit and Manchester coming via my brothers bedroom. Anonymous, slightly illicit records just seemed to complete opposite of the high production values and mini movies of Michael Jackson. My tastes changed and yet word of comeback still brought levels of hysteria and excitement that something special was coming.
I vividly remember the first time I saw the video to Black Or White on TV. Or more specifically the first two times I saw it as the very first time was on prime time and it stopped at what I think is generally accepted as the standard video edit version these days, after all the faces change on the final chorus. I felt a little underwhelmed by both the song and the video in all honesty - after all I had been waiting four years for this moment and this wasn’t to be my Thriller moment. I soon saw the full version where he smashes up a car and dances on top of it, I think my brother must have taped it but I can’t think now which channel would have shown it, we certainly didn’t have MTV then. Anyway, the dancing told me he still had it.
Yet Dangerous followed on where Black Or White had left me, unimpressed. There were some decent tracks there but nothing even then I felt was up to his exceptionally high (and clearly unrealistic) standards. Then there was the fact that almost every track on the album seemed to be a released as a single. I must have been feeling a little cynical at the time but I just couldn’t believe that one, he needed the money to release every track or two, that he thought all of them tracks were strong enough.
Although I now thought was making the first weak records of his career, if I had dug a little deeper, I would have seen that actually he did have his ear to the ground, utilizing the producers I was now idolizing to remix his back catalogue - Masters At Work, Brothers In Rhythm and Roger Sanchez to name but a few - on the b-sides to singles for the HIStory album.
I don’t really want to speak too much about all the controversies about his private life that began emerging around this time. It did nothing to diminish his crown as the King of Pop in my eyes as it has nothing to do with his music and that is all I love him for - the music. I admired him as a philanthropist and charity worker, I worried about him as a person, his state of mind but the love was never questioned, it was all about the music.
So musically at least, he went quiet again and off my radar. Then as a teenager I began working backwards, checking all the old records as my favourite djs and producers name checked Off The Wall as their most influential record of all time. At the same time bootleg remixes and records based almost entirely on samples of his tracks started floating around. It seemed that momentum was again leading up to something big - rumors abound of working with the most in demand producers of the day, The Neptunes. It all seemed so plausible - they had transformed Justin Timberlake from boy band nobody to the coolest guy in the world by basically ripping off every Michael trick in the book - in fact his best record, Rock Your Body, had been written for Michael.
As it tuned out, he went for what I felt was a safer option, using Teddy Riley again as on the Dangerous work. I actually like a lot of Invincible, You Rock My Word and Butterflies are the obvious classics and although it was never likely to be the next Thriller, it is certainly a lot more listenable than a lot of other big budget r’n’b stars make of their albums.
From what I have seen of the rehearsals for the This Is It shows, it looked as he was back on form. I guess that was one of the big reasons it seemed so unbelievable he was gone - he looked better than he had done for a number of years, he was moving better than any 18 year old Pop Idol wannabe and his voice sounded strong. He looked fighting fit.
I have spent the past few days listening to a lot of Michael’s stuff from across the years to try to find some inspiration to maybe find some unique twist on the conversations and debates that have run throughout his career and intensified over the past 12 months. If you like popular music you will find a Michael at least one track for you; soul, disco, ballads, rock, jazz, house, check, check, check. I think the legacy will unfortunately always be tainted with the controversy but ultimately in the way that, say, Elvis will forever be caricatured in the lost-it Vegas years but no-one in the right mind ever listens to anything but the ’57 rock’n’roll hits up to the ’68 comeback special classics, I guess Michael will always be seen as the guy in the red outfit from Thriller, but the voice, the music will live on.

The Source:
http://northernbynature.blogspot.ca/...l-jackson.html