Michael Jackson, singer, songwriter, dancer (1958-2009)

By M. Lyle, Contributing Writer

Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer who was a major cultural figure in the late 20th and early 21st century, notorious for his fashion-sense, and often referred to as ‘The King of Pop’.

Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958. As a child, he began performing with his brothers in the group The Jackson 5, and they had their first number one hit in 1970 with, “I Want You Back”.

Jackson’s solo career began in 1971, but his 1979 album, Off the Wall, was considered his breakthrough

compilation. It was the first solo album to have four Top 10 hits, including “She’s Out of My Life” and “Rock with You.”

His 1982 album, Thriller, is still the best-selling album of all time, selling 120 million copies worldwide. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year for “Beat It,” and Best R&B Song for “Billie Jean.”

Subsequently, his album, Bad, was the first to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. MJ was well known for his ‘Moonwalk’, which was first publicly displayed on March 25, 1983, at the Motown 25th anniversary concert in Pasadena, CA.

Jackson’s influence went beyond music, and he broke down racial barriers for Black artists. He was the only artist whose songs were played on both white pop and Black R&B

stations at the time. Michael Jackson is the first artist in music history to have Top 10 singles in five different decades on the Billboard Hot 100.

In his own words, Michael once quoted: “In a world filled with hate, we must still dare to hope. In a world filled with anger, we must still dare to comfort. In a world filled with despair, we must still dare to dream.”