Was Michael ever into country music? did he ever planned to do some country?

[Hurley509]

I find country and soul music to be something of distant cousins of eachother, with country music considered the "white" variant, perhaps, of the same kinds of musical concepts, just reversed or spun around into a different flavour. Certainly "Don't walk away" is a country inspired song.

 

[Victorious]

I'm not denying the fact that he may have had that idea, however, the footage from Private Home Movies that is supposedly Michael coming up with ideas for the Western themed Smooth Criminal short film looks more like him rehearsing for the 1990 L.A Gear commercial.
The short film for Smooth Criminal was shot in February/March 1987 and the footage shown in PHM is apparently from 1988 and it looks like it was shot at Neverland (which couldn't have happened before 1988).

Yes this is interesting. I agree that it seems more likely for LA Gear according to the timeline. Strangely enough he looks more 80s in that commercial than in the Neverland clip!

That commercial is weird enough; pretty much the panther dance minus the racial theme..?