Michael Jackson, King of Pop dies at age 50

[totalmotorcycle]

From Bloomberg, the lastest update on the story:


Michael Jackson, Tormented ‘King of Pop,’ Dies at 50 (Update2)
By Laurence Arnold, David Wilson and Andy Fixmer

June 26 (Bloomberg) -- Michael Jackson, the pop music and dance innovator who died yesterday at 50, achieved worldwide fame rivaling that of the Beatles and Elvis Presley before his own behavior tarnished his image in later years.

Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. local time at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, said Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. An examination begins today to determine the cause of death, he said in an interview.

The singer, who was preparing for his first series of concerts in more than a decade, appeared to have suffered a cardiac arrest in his home, UCLA medical center officials said in a statement. His personal physician, who was there at the time, tried to resuscitate Jackson, as did paramedics and doctors later at the hospital, according to the statement.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a 911 call around 12:21 p.m. in the 100 block of Carolwood Drive in the wealthy Bel-Air area of Los Angeles, Captain Steve Ruda said in an interview. Jackson wasn’t breathing when they arrived. Medics treated the singer before taking him to the hospital.

As a singer, songwriter, dancer and self-proclaimed “King of Pop,” Jackson “transfixed the world like few entertainers before or since,” according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which inducted him in 2001. “He has enjoyed a level of superstardom previously known only to Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Frank Sinatra.”

750 Million Records

Jackson, who’s won 13 Grammy Awards and sold more than 750 million records, rose to stardom by performing with his brothers in the Jackson 5, then moved on to a solo career that peaked with the 1982 release of “Thriller,” the biggest-selling album in history. In his later years, he became tabloid fodder as plastic surgery altered his appearance, faced allegations of child sexual abuse and refinanced debt to stave off bankruptcy.

In March, Jackson announced he would perform in a series of 50 London concerts promoted by Anschutz Entertainment Group to raise money. In 2006, Jackson gave Sony Corp. an option to buy half of his 50 percent stake in Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, allowing him to refinance about $300 million of loans.

At the time of his death, Jackson was rehearsing for the sold-out shows at London’s 20,000-seat O2 arena, with the first concert set for July.

‘Tragic News’

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic news today about Michael Jackson,” Thomas J. Barrack, chairman and chief executive of Colony Capital LLC, the Los Angeles-based company that was financing the comeback, said in a statement. “We were privileged to help support his return to public life for his family, friends and fans, who meant so much to him.”

Michael Joseph Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh child of a musically gifted family. He was 11 years old when the Jackson 5’s first single, “I Want You Back,” climbed to No. 1 on Billboard magazine’s charts in 1970.

His solo career began in 1971 with the single “Got to Be There.” “Thriller,” his 1982 recording, and especially the 14-minute video made for the title song and released a year later, propelled Jackson into the upper echelon of pop stardom. It topped the charts for 37 weeks, according to Billboard.

“Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era,” Sony Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer said in a statement. Sony owns the rights for Jackson’s “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous” and “HIStory” albums, according to the company.

‘Thriller,’ ‘Billie Jean’

“Billie Jean,” the second single from the “Thriller” album, led the charts for another seven weeks in 1983. It was with that song that Jackson introduced his famous and much- imitated “moonwalk” dance move. His 1987 album, “Bad,” produced seven more hit singles, including the title song.

“Through his music, Michael Jackson touched the lives of generations of fans worldwide,” said Dave Johnson, chairman and chief executive of Warner/Chappell Music, which owns publishing rights to some of the singer’s catalog.

Jackson’s career gradually took a back seat to his behavior. He reshaped his nose with multiple plastic surgeries and befriended a chimpanzee named Bubbles. He was reported to have slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and bought the bones of John Merrick, the so-called Elephant Man.

Presley Marriage

Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, in 1994. They divorced within two years. He then married a nurse, Deborah Jeanne Rowe, and they had a son, Michael Jr., and a daughter, Paris. A third child, Prince Michael II, known as Blanket, was born to Jackson and a surrogate mother in 2002.

Jackson and Rowe had met when Jackson received treatment for vitiligo, a rare disorder that discolors the face and body. Jackson disclosed he had the condition in 1993 to answer critics who said he was intentionally bleaching his skin. A Beverly Hills, California, dermatologist, Arnold Klein, came forward to confirm the claim and say he was treating the pop star.

Jackson also had brushes with the law. In 1993, lawyers for a 13-year-old boy accused him of sexual abuse in a civil lawsuit. Jackson denied the accusations and reached an out-of-court settlement, with the terms kept secret.

Molestation Charges

In June 2005, he was acquitted by a jury in Santa Maria, California, of charges that he sexually molested a 13-year-old boy in 2003 and served alcohol to the boy with the intent to molest him.

Jackson spent many years out of the public eye, behind the walls of the Neverland Ranch amusement park-like estate in California. In that time, reports of financial difficulty arose.

An auction of some of Jackson’s possessions in Beverly Hills was called off in April after the singer sued to block the sale of about 2,000 items, including a trademark crystal-covered glove, a 1999 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph and the entry gate to the ranch.

To fans and associates in the music industry, it was the songs and performances that mattered.

“He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever,” Quincy Jones, Jackson’s longtime producer, said in a statement. “To this day, the music we created together on ‘Off The Wall,’ ‘Thriller’ and ‘Bad’ is played in every corner of the world.”

Last Tour

Jackson’s last series of concerts was the HIStory Tour in 1996-1997 and his last studio album was “Invincible” in 2001. He performed at halftime of Super Bowl XXVII in 1993.

“Of all the thousands of entertainers I have worked with, Michael was the most outstanding,” producer Dick Clark said in a statement. “Many have tried and will try to copy him, but his talent will never be matched.”

Hundreds of fans gathered along Westwood Plaza, near the hospital, as word of the singer’s death spread. Pop radio stations in Los Angeles and around the country switched to Jackson’s music.

“Everything you hear now and heard growing up probably had some Michael Jackson influence,” said Q. Dixon, 24, a sociology major at UCLA. “He was mostly about energy and love. He was just a wonderful person,” she said

[totalmotorcycle]

Sony Comments on the Passing of Michael Jackson


NEW YORK, NY – June 25, 2009 – Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.

Commenting on his passing, Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman, CEO and President, Sony Corporation, said: "Michael Jackson was a brilliant troubadour for his generation, a genius whose music reflected the passion and creativity of an era. His artistry and magnetism changed the music landscape forever. We have been profoundly affected by his originality, creativity and amazing body of work. The entire Sony family extends our deepest condolences to his family and to the millions of fans around the world who loved him."

Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, CEO, Sony Music Entertainment, said: "Michael Jackson's unsurpassed artistry and beloved music brought joy to every corner of the world. We join today with his millions of fans in expressing our profound sadness and we offer our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. It was a true privilege for all of us in the Sony Music family to work with one of the most talented superstars in the history of music. We will miss him greatly."

Martin Bandier, Chairman & CEO of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, said: "Michael was the kind of amazing talent that comes along once in a lifetime. He was an incredible recording artist, an insightful businessman, an unmatched performer, and a true icon. To all of us at Sony/ATV Music Publishing, he was also a trusted and passionate partner, who was very proud of our accomplishments. He will be dearly missed. We wish his children and entire family our deepest condolences."

Five of Jackson's solo albums – "Off the Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous" and "HIStory," all with Epic Records, a Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time. During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and "Thriller" as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award.

Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early 1980s, he defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking videos as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the epic "Thriller." Jackson's sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.

[totalmotorcycle]

I couldn't fin a photo of Michael Jackson riding a motorcycle, but apparently he did own one:



Harley Davidson touring motorcycle. Outfitted as a police bike complete with lights, this FLHPEI model has rear-wheel drive and a fuel-injected Big Twin 2-cylinder engine. Estimate: $6,000 - $8,000

Photograph: Shaan Kokin/Julien's Auctions

[Gummiente]

I'm more upset by the death of Farrah Fawcett, really.

[totalmotorcycle]

I'm more upset by the death of Farrah Fawcett, really.

I was shocked to hear Farrah Fawcett also passed away myself too. Who didn't have a crush on her eh?

[slimcolo]

I still have that bottom poster. still wraped and unopened.

[BuzZz]

Farrah...... that's a sad thing.

Jackson...... the world's a slightly better place now. I hope it hurt a lot.

[NorthernPete]

what about Ed mcmahon, he died too...even though celeb deaths arnt news...or shouldnt be...

side note, was MJ taken to the hosptial in the NAMBLAnce?

[Ryethil]

Sorry, they were both passed their prime when I realized there was a bigger world out there. So I never knew their magic.

I think it is strangely poetic that Micheal Jackson's motorcycle was a cop bike with the full kit.

I saw a video of MJ when he was with the Jackson 5. It was so different than all the news stories of him in trouble with everybody.

Well, death happens to the best of us (and the worst of us[or just us])!

[redwing]

Farrah ... a lovely woman. A sixty year old has alot of time left. She will be missed.