Michael Jackson - "Life & Death Of The Legend"

“Life & Death Of The Legend”

Michael Joseph Jackson
(August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
By Carolyn Cooper
June 26, 2009

Micheal Jackson's Death

Pop Star and music legend, Michael Jackson passed away this afternoon in his rental home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles. Jackson was home alone with his personal Physician, Dr. Conrad Robert Murray when he collapsed. At 12:21 PM a 9-1-1 call came in from Jackson's home reporting the music icon on the floor, unresponsive to CPR and not breathing. Jackson (50) was pronounced dead at 2:26, after Emergency Room doctors tried for an hour to resuscitate him from cardiac arrest.

The Jackson family is considering Dr. Murray a suspect in Jackson's death. The family believes Jackson, who was addicted to the prescription drugs Oxycotin, Valium, Xanax and Ativan, may have been over dosed with Demerol, shots Dr. Murray were administering. Dr. Murray could not be found for questioning. A full autopsy was scheduled and the case remains under investigation. Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran, witness from the OJ trial, will perform the autopsy.

Michael Jackson's Life

Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana to Katherine Esther and Joseph Walter Jackson. Michael was the seventh of nine children, Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, LaToya, Marlon, Randy and Janet. Michael began performing at 5-years-old and by six he joined his brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito in their band, “The Jackson Brothers.” The band performed at local functions, including strip shows before winning a Talent Show at the Apollo Theater in Manhattan and signing with Motown Records in 1968 as the Jackson 5.

By 1972 Michael Jackson released four solo albums, including “Got To Be There” and “”Ben”. In 1975 the group signed with CBS Records and changed their name to The Jacksons. In 1978, Quincy Jones agreed to produce Michael Jackson's next album, “Off The Wall,” after working with him on the movie, “The Wiz.” By this time Michael Jackson was the lead singer and songer writer of The Jacksons.

In 1982, under the hospices of Epic Records Michael Jackson reached the height of his career. Jackson released the “Thriller” album which sold 109 million copies, making it the best selling album of all time. Seven of the nine tracks on the Thriller album, including “Billy Jean” and “Beat It” made Billboard's Hot 100 Top 10, and 10 singles including “Don't Stop Til You Get Enough,” “Rock With You,” and “Human Nature,” all produced by Quincy Jones stayed on the Billboard Top 200 for 80 consecutive weeks.

Jackson debuted the infamous Moon-Walk dance alongside his red leather jacket and jewel studded white glove, during the 1983 televised broadcast of the “Motown 25 – Yesterday, Today, Forever” program. The memory of the day will outlive the artist but not the legend.

After Jackson's music career peaked, he excelled in television and film, earning his first Grammy in 1982 for a musical collaboration of “Someone In The Dark,” from the hit movie, “ET – The Extraterrestrial.”

Michael Jackson – The Philanthropist

By the time Jackson achieved acclaimed Grammy status he had already began his humanitarian and philanthropic work, donating great portions of his performance earnings to charity, i.e. famine and alcohol and drug abuse recovery efforts. Following the 1984 Grammy show, where Jackson won eight Grammy's, the artist performed for the Reagan's at the White House and began the “We Are The World,” campaign to promote famine relief and eliminate poverty in Africa and around the world. That single alone, which Jackson co-wrote with Lionel Richie and performed with 39 other musical artists, sold 20 million copies, record sales far behind those of “Thriller” but enough to make it one of the highest selling records of all time.

Michael Jackson's Descent

1984 marked Jackson's decline. Doctors warned Jackson in 1979 after his first rhinoplastic operation following a broken nose from a fall, that the surgery could effect his ability to breath normally which in turn could negatively impact his career. But being forced to undergo full cosmetic facial reconstruction and a third rhinoplasty after suffering 3^rd degree burns during a Pepsi commercial shoot proved detrimental. In January 1984 Jackson began suffering breathing complications from the compression on his naval cavity.

Whether planning ahead or thoughtless fame, Jackson made a 47.5 million dollar business venture in 1985 to acquired the Lennon-McCartney music catalog and publishing house. The deal cost Jackson a dear friend, old mentor and business development and management coach, Paul McCartney. McCartney who forfeited on the acquisition, called the move by Jackson, doggy.

McCartney wasn't the only person noticing changes. Who knows whether fear or fame is to blame but Jackson, who in the past, wowed audiences around the world and spent millions for charitable causes had began developing an absurd and outright strange public image. Rumors stirred that Jackson was sleeping in a glass hyperbaric oxygen chamber to preserve his youth; he bought a pet friend chimpanzee whom he slept, bathed and shared a toilet with; and Jackson had undergone yet another rhinoplasty, a forehead lift, cheek reconstruction, lip reduction, skin-lightening and had a cleft put in his chin to highlight his masculine features.

The infamous Michael Jackson, streamed headlines under the name “Wacko Jacko,” not so much for the wacky behavior but because many of the absurd stories were said to have been sent to the press by Michael Jackson himself in an effort to shape an image. By the mid 80's Jackson was diagnosed with the skin disorder, vitiligo, lupus, anorexia, nervosa and body dismorphic disorder.

Micheal Jackson's Comeback

It wasn't until 1987, five years later that Jackson released his next album, “Bad” with the hits “Man In The Mirror,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and “I Just Can't Stop Loving You.” In 1988 Jackson released his first autobiography, “Moon Walk,” where he disclosed secrets of family abuse and plastic surgery and purchased land for the development and construction of Neverland Ranch. That acquisition later proved to be Jackson's glory and demise.

Michael Jackson earned the true title of King Of Pop, Rock and Soul, and was issued the Artist Of The Decade Award at the White House by then President George H.W. Bush. Jackson signed with Sony in 1991 for 65 million, the highest paying music contract issued in music history and released the “Dangerous,” album including the hits “Black or White,” and “Heal The World.” The album sold 32 million copies worldwide. Following the miraculous Super Bowl XXVII half-time performance of 1993, Jackson was awarded the “Living Legend Award,” at the 35^th Grammy Awards show, then his career took a nosedive.

Michael Jackson's Drug Addiction

Child friend Evan Chandler, then 13-years-old, accused Jackson of being a pedophile after spending a year with him alone at the Neverland Ranch. Chandler accused Jackson of drugging him and foundling him and forcing him to kiss him, masturbate and perform oral sex on him. Jackson was not indicted but settled with the family out of court for 22 million dollars. The out of court settlement was rumored to be a result of Jackson's failing health and sudden addiction to prescription drugs to cope with the stress of the trial. In 2003 Jackson faced similar child sexual abuse allegations by another 13 year old, who also accused Jackson of drugging him and forcing him to perform sexual acts and partake in sexual intercourse with him. Jackson faced seven counts of child sexual abuse in a two year trial. Jackson was acquitted of all charges. It was at this time that Jackson reportedly became addicted to demerol and morphine but is said to have recovered from the addictions.

Michael Jackson's Marriages

In 1994 following the first child molestation accusations, Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, who says she believed the musician was wrongly accused. The press called the marriage a hoax but Presley says the marriage was a normal marriage. The Jackson – Presley marriage ended in divorce almost two years later.

In 1997 Jackson married his Dermatologist Nurse, Deborah Jeanne Rowe after fathering his first child Michael Joseph “Prince” Jackson I. Jackson's mother, a devout Jehovah's Witness, encouraged the marriage and a year later the couple had a daughter, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. In 1999 the marriage ended.

Jackson is rumored to have had a third child out of wedlock in 2002, Prince Michael “Blanket” Jackson II. “Blanket” conceived by artificial insemination, was the the baby Jackson controversially held over the ledge for Paparazzi photos. The name and identity of the mother was never released, all that is known is that Jackson had full custody of all his children.

Michael Jackson, The Legend

In 2001 Jackson was inducted into the Rock-N-Roll Hall Of Fame. Jackson continued to tour and release music through his trials and marriages and was scheduled to begin his London concert tour in July 2009. It is unclear whether the tour was an announcement of Jackson's retirement or an attempt to move back on the music scene but the tour or its final purpose will never truthfully be revealed. On June 25, 2009 the music Legend was pronounced dead. Ticket holders will be reimbursed. There was a compilation album, “King Of Pop,” renamed “This Is It,” to honor the Legend and commemorate Jackson's 50^th birthday. The album reportedly sold out nationally with in hours of the artists' passing.