Biography of Mychael Kackson

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in full Michael Joseph Jackson

( 1958 ± 2009 )

Singer, songwriter. Jackson was born August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to an

African-American working-class family. His father, Joseph Jackson, had been a

guitarist but had put aside his musical aspirations to provide for his family as acrane operator. Believing his sons had talent, he molded them into a musical group

in the early 1960s. At first, the Jackson Family performers consisted of Michael's

older brothers Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie. Michael joined his siblings when he was

five, and emerged as the group's lead vocalist. He showed remarkable range and

depth for such a young performer, impressing audiences with his ability to convey

complex emotions. Older brother Marlonalso became a member of the group,

which evolved into the The Jackson 5.

Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also

reportedly known to become violent with them. Michael and his brothers spent

endless hours rehearsing and polishing up their act. At first, the Jackson 5 played



local gigs and built a strong following. They recorded one single on their own,

"Big Boy" with the b-side "You've Changed," but it failed to generate much

interest.

The Jackson 5 moved on to working an opening act for such R&B artists as Gladys

Knight and the Pips, James Brown, and Sam and Dave. Many of these performers

were signed to the legendary Motown record label, and it has been reported that

Gladys Knight may have been the one to tell Motown founder Berry Gordy about

the Jackson 5. Impressed by the group, Gordy signed them to his label in 1968.

Relocating to Los Angeles, Michael and his brothers started work on their musicand dancing with their father as their manager. They lived with Gordy and also

with Supremes singer Diana Ross when they first arrived there. In August 1969,

the Jackson 5 was introduced to the music industry at a special event, and later

served as the opening act for the Supremes. Their first album, Diana Ross Presents

the Jackson 5, hit the charts in December of that year. It's first single, "I Want You

Back," hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1970.

More chart-topping singles quickly followed, such as "ABC," "The Love You

Save," and "I'll Be There." At the age of 13, Jackson launched a solo career in

addition to his work with the Jackson 5. He made the charts in 1971 with "Got to

Be There" from the album of the same name. His 1972 album, Ben, featured the

eponymous ballad about a rat. The song became Jackson's first solo No. 1 single.

For several years, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 maintained a busy tour and

recording schedule, under the supervision of Berry Gordy and his Motown staff.

Gordy wrote many of the songs recorded by the group and by Michael Jackson as a



solo artist. The group became so popular that they even had their own self-titled

cartoon show, which ran from 1971 to 1973.

Despite Jackson's individual achievements and the group's great success, there was

trouble between the Jacksons and their record company. Tensions mounted

between Gordy and Joseph Jackson over the management of his children's careers,

and their level of participation in making their music. The Jacksons wanted more

control over their recordings, which led to most of the Jacksons breaking ties with

Motown in 1975. Jermaine Jackson remained with the label and continued to

pursue a solo career, having previously released several albums²none of which

had matched the success of his younger brother Michael.

Now calling themselves the Jacksons, the group signed a new recording deal with

Epic Records. With 1978's Destiny, Michael Jackson and his brothers (which by

now included younger brother Randy) emerged as talented songwriters, penning all

of the record's tracks. Working with producer Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson

wowed the music world with his next solo album, 1979's Off the Wall . It featured

an infectious blend of pop and funk with such hit tracks as the Grammy Award-

winning "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," and the title track.

He also found success with the ballad "She's Out of My Life."

The overwhelmingly positive response to Michael's latest solo album also helped

buoy the Jacksons' career as well. Triumph (1980) sold more than one million

copies, and the brothers went on an extensive tour to support the recording.Jackson, however, began to branch out on his own more. Teaming up with rock

legend Paul McCartney, Jackson sang on their 1982 duet, "The Girl Is Mine,"

which nearly reached the top of the pop charts.



The song also appeared on his next solo album, Thriller (1982), which generated

seven top 10 hits. On a television special honoring Motown, Jackson performed

"Billie Jean"²eventually a number one hit²and debuted his soon-to-be-famous

dance move called the moonwalk. Jackson, a veteran performer by this time,

created this step himself and choreographed the dance sequences for the video of

his other No. 1 hit, "Beat It."

His most elaborate video, however, was for the album's title track. John Landis

directed the horror-tinged video, which featured complex dance scenes, special

effects, and a voice-over done by actor Vincent Price. The video for "Thriller"

became immensely popular, boosting sales for the already successful album. It

stayed on the charts for 80 weeks, holding the No. 1 spot for 37 weeks. In addition

to its unparalleled commercial achievements, Thriller earned 12 Grammy Award

nominations and won eight of those awards.

Jackson's Grammy victories showcased the diverse nature of his work. For his

songwriting talents, he received the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues

Song for "Billie Jean." Jackson also won Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for

"Thriller" and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male for "Beat It." With co-producer

Quincy Jones, he shared the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

At the top of his game creatively and commercially, Jackson signed a $5 million

endorsement deal with Pepsi-Cola around this time. He, however, was badly

injured while filming a commercial for the soda giant in 1984, suffering burns tohis face and scalp. Jackson had surgery to repair his injuries, and is believed to

have begun experimenting with plastic surgery around this time. His face,

especially his nose, would become dramatically altered in the coming years.



That same year, Jackson embarked on his final tour with the Jacksons to the

support the album V ictory. The one major hit from the recording was Michael

Jackson's duet with Mick Jagger, "State of Shock." In 1985, Jackson showed his

altruistic side, co-writing and singing on "We Are the World," a charity single for

USA for Africa. A veritable who's who of music stars participated in the project

including Lionel Ritchie, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce

Springsteen, and Tina Turner.

Releasing his follow-up to Thriller in 1987, Jackson reached the top of the charts

with Bad . It featured five No. 1 hits, including "Man in the Mirror," "The Way You

Make Me Feel," and the title track, which was supported by a video directed by

Martin Scorsese. Jackson spent more than a year on the road, playing concerts to

promote the album. While successful, Bad was unable to duplicate the phenomenal

sales of Thriller .

Raised as a Jehovah's Witness, Jackson was a shy and quiet person off-stage. He

was never truly comfortable with the media attention he received and rarely gave

interviews. By the late 1980s, Jackson had created his own fantasy retreat²a

California ranch called Neverland. There he kept exotic pets, such as a chimpanzee

named Bubbles, and had his own amusement rides. To some, it seemed that

Jackson perhaps was exploring a second childhood. He sometimes opened up the

ranch for children's events. Rumors swirled around him, including that he was

lightening the color of his skin to appear more white and slept in a special chamber

to increase his life span.

In 1991, Jackson released Dangerous, featuring the hit "Black or White." The

video for this song included an appearance by child star Macaulay Culkin, and was

directed by John Landis. In the video's final minutes, Jackson caused some



controversy with his sexual gesturing and violent actions. Many were surprised to

see the Peter Pan-like Jackson act in this manner.

Jackson's music continued to enjoy wide-spread popularity in the upcoming years.

In 1993, he performed several important events, including the half-time show at

Superbowl XXVII. Jackson gave a rare television interview, which aired that

February. Sitting down with Oprah Winfrey, he explained that the change in his

skin tone was the result of a disease known as vitiligo. Jackson also opened about

the abuse he suffered from his father.

In August 1994, Jackson announced that he had married Lisa Marie Presley,daughter of rock icon Elvis Presley. The couple gave a joint television interview

with Diane Sawyer, but the union proved to be short-lived. They divorced in 1996.

Some thought that the marriage was a publicity ploy to restore Jackson's image

after the molestation allegations.

Later that same year, Jackson wed nurse Debbie Rowe. The couple had two

children through artificial insemination. Son Prince Michael Jackson was born in

1997 and daughter Paris Michael Jackson was born in 1998. Rowe and Jackson

divorced in 1999 with Jackson receiving full custody of their two children. He

would go on to have a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, with an unknown

surrogate.

Jackson's musical career began to decline with the lukewarm reception to 1995's

HIS tory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I , which featured some of his earlier hits

as well as new material. The record spawned two hits, "You Are Not Alone" and

his duet with sister Janet Jackson, "Scream." "Scream" earned Michael and Janet a

Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form that year. Another track from



the album, "They Don't Care About Us," however, brought Jackson intense

criticism for using an anti-Semitic term.

By the release of 2001's I nvincible, Jackson was better known as an eccentric

whose quirks were reported in the tabloids than as a performer. The album sold

well, but stories of his odd behavior started to overshadow his talent. He often

appeared in public wearing a surgical mask, and he hid his children's faces under

veils.

In 2002, Jackson made headlines when he seemed confused and disoriented on

stage at an MTV awards show. Soon after, he received enormous criticism for dangling his son, Prince Michael II, over a balcony while greeting fans in Berlin,

Germany. In a later interview, Jackson explained that "We were waiting for

thousands of fans down below, and they were chanting they wanted to see my

child, so I was kind enough to let them see. I was doing something out of

innocence." But many were unforgiving of the star's behavior, with former fans

and media outlets clamoring to have Child Protective Services take Jackson's

children from him.

Jackson's reputation was served another blow in 2003 with the television

documentary, Living with Michael Jackson. British journalist Martin Bashir spent

several months with Jackson, and he got Jackson to discuss his relationships with

children. He admitted that he continued to have children sleepover at his ranch,

even after the 1993 allegations. Jackson said that sometimes he slept with thechildren in his bed. "Why can't you share your bed? That's the most loving thing to

do, to share your bed with someone," Jackson told Beshir.



Jackson faced more legal woes in 2004 when he was arrested on charges related to

incidents with a 13-year-old boy the previous year. Facing 10 counts in all, he was

charged with lewd conduct with a minor, attempted lewd conduct, administering

alcohol to facilitate molestation, and conspiracy to commit child abduction, false

imprisonment and extortion. The resulting 2005 trial was a media circus with fans,

detractors, and camera crews surrounding the courthouse. More than 130 people

testified, including Macaulay Culkin who appeared on Jackson's behalf. He said

that he had been friends with Jackson as a young teen. While he had stayed over at

the Neverland Ranch, he told the court that Jackson never tried to molest him.

Jackson's accuser also appeared via videotape and described how Jackson had

given him wine and molested him.

On June 14, 2005, Jackson was acquitted of all charges. His reputation, however,

was effectively destroyed, and his finances were in shambles. Thanks to mounting

legal bills, the singer no longer had a bank account and was unable to maintain

even his most basic finances. Jackson soon found refuge in his friendship with the

prince of Bahrain, Prince Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, who wired

Jackson the money needed to pay Neverland's utility bills. He then invited the pop

star to his country as a personal guest.

In Bahrain, the prince provided Jackson with more than $7 million, not including

living expenses. He also built the singer a recording studio, hired him a

"motivational guru" and helped Jackson to entertain family at Christmas. In return,

Jackson promised to collaborate with the prince on a new album on Al-Khalifa's

record label, as well as write an autobiography, and create a stage play. None of

the work materialized, however, and Jackson soon faced litigation from his friend

for reneging on his promises. In even greater financial straits, Jackson defaulted on

the $23.5 million loan owed on his Neverland Ranch in 2008. Unable to part with



certain items, including the crystal gloves he used in performances, Jackson sued

to block the auction of some of his personal items from the home the following

year.

Around this same time, the largely reclusive Jackson announced that he would be

performing a series of concerts in London as his "final curtain call." There had

been some speculation regarding whether the fragile singer would be able to

handle the rigors of 50 concerts. Despite all of the allegations and stories of odd

behavior, Jackson remained a figure of great interest, as demonstrated by the

strong response to his concert plans; set to appear at the O2 Arena in London,

England, beginning July 8, 2009, Jackson saw all the tickets to his This Is It tour

sell out in only four hours.

But Jackson would never get to experience the success of his comeback tour. On

June 25, 2009, Jackson suffered cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles home. He was

rushed to the hospital after his heart stopped and CPR attempts failed, but he died

later that morning. He was 50 years old at the time of his death.

News of Jackson's death resulted in an outpouring of public grief and sympathy.

Memorials to Jackson were erected around the world, including one at the arena

where he was set to perform and another at his childhood home in Gary, Indiana.

On July 12, 2009, a televised memorial was held for fans of the King of Pop at the

Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. While 17,500 free tickets were issued to

fans via lottery, more than an estimated one billion viewers watched the memorialon television and the Internet.

The Jackson family held a private funeral on September 3, 2009, for the immediate

family and 200 guests at Forest Lawn Memorial park in Los Angeles. The celebrity



mourners included former child star Macaulay Culkin, ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley,

and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

A film documenting Jackson's preparations for his final performance entitled This

I s I t , hit theaters in October of 2009. The film, featuring a compilation of

interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson, made $23 million

in its opening weekend and sky-rocketed to No. 1 at the box office. This I s I t

would go on to make more than $260.8 million worldwide, and become the highest

grossing documentary of all time. With this final tribute, the family hoped to

finally have closure on the passing of Michael Jackson.

But in February 2010, the coroner released an official report detailing the cause of

Jackson's death. The results revealed that the singer died from "acute propofol

intoxication." The overdose worked in combination with a lethal prescription drug

cocktail²which included the pain killer Demerol, as well as lorazepam,

midazolam, benzodiazepine, diazepine and ephedrine²to shut down the star's

weakened heart. Jackson reportedly used the drugs, with the aid of personal

physician Dr. Conrad Murray, to help him sleep in the evenings. Conrad later told

police that he believed Jackson had developed a particular addiction to propofol,

which Jackson referred to as his "milk." He had the drug administered by I.V. in

the evenings in 50 mg dosages, and Murray was attempting to ween the pop star

off the drug at the time of Jackson's death.

A police investigation revealed that Murray was not licensed to prescribe mostcontrolled drugs in the state of California. The steps he took to save Jackson also

came under scrutiny, as evidence showed that the standard of care for

administering propofol was not met, and the recommended equipment for patient

monitoring, precision dosing and resuscitation were not present. As a result,



Jackson's death was ruled a homicide, and Murray found himself at the center of an

involuntary manslaughter investigation. The Jackson family also began pursuing

measures that would have Murray's medical license revoked. The family is in

continuing litigation with Murray.

Meanwhile, the Jackson family has attempted to move forward with their lives. As

dictated in his will, Jackson's children were placed in the care of their grandmother,

Katherine Jackson. In respect to their father's wishes, Paris, Prince Michael and

Prince Michael II (also known as "Blanket") have been kept largely out of the

limelight, appearing publicly only a few times in the last year. They stepped up to

the mic in 2009 to speak to fans at their father's funeral, and again in January 2010

to accept a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for their father at the

Grammys. In June 2010, it was announced that the children will be heading to

private school in the fall.

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