Reactions of friends and family :
The sudden death of Michael Jackson jolted his friends and family, a second blow to the entertainment world after it lost another icon, Farrah Fawcett, just hours earlier.
Jermaine Jackson spoke to the media on behalf of the family Thursday evening. Speaking about his brother Michael, he said, “It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of death is unknown until the results of the autopsy are done.”
Pacific, television news channels showed a city helicopter moving Mr. Jackson’s body to the coroner’s office. Workers placed the body, which was wrapped in a white sheet, onto a stretcher and then into a waiting van. “Such a larger than life figure is, in the end, just a human body,” a commentator said on Fox News.
Tommy Mottola, a former head of Sony Music, called Mr. Jackson “the cornerstone to the entire music business.”“He bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and pop music and made it into a global culture,” said Mr. Mottola in a telephone interview. Mr. Mottola worked with Mr. Jackson until the singer cut his ties with Sony in 2001. “No one has ever done what he did in his time — and no one will ever do what he did after his time.”
"I can't stop crying over the sad news," Madonna says. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless."
Lisa Marie Presley, who was briefly married to Jackson in the mid-1990s, says, "I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and for his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me."
"My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend Michael," adds Brooke Shields, who raised eyebrows when she briefly dated Jackson. "He was an extraordinary friend, artist and contributor to the world. I join his family and his fans in celebrating his incredible life and mourning his untimely passing."
Elizabeth Taylor, one of Jackson's closest and longstanding friends, was "too devastated" to issue a statement, her rep says, while Quincy Jones, who produced Jackson's biggest hits, says, "I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words."
Our colleague Jennifer Mascia reports: Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records who helped turn the Jackson 5 into pop stars, said on CNN.com that he felt sorry “for all of the fans around the world that are so much in love with Michael.”Mr. Gordy said that Mr. Jackson, as a boy, “always wanted to be the best, and he was willing to work as hard as it took to be that. And we could all see that he was a winner at that age. And I’ve always believed winners are winners long before they win. And picking them out before they win is very easy with a Michael Jackson.”
Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, which honored Jackson with 13 Grammys, says, "Rarely has the world received a gift with the magnitude of artistry, talent, and vision as Michael Jackson. He was a true musical icon."
Biography of Michael Jackson :
Jackson was born in Gary, Ind., on Aug. 29, 1958, and by the age of 6 the prodigiously talented singer and dancer was performing alongside his brothers.
Named as "King of Pop" in the world.He was the seventh of nine children. His musical career began at age five when he became the lead singer of the Jackson 5 in 1964.The Jackson 5 signed to Motown in 1968 and released a string of huge hits including “ABC” and “I Want You Back.” Jackson entered the charts as a solo artist in 1972 with the song “Ben,” The group’s first four singles all made US No. 1 hits. They recorded 14 albums with Motown before signing with Epic. With Epic Michael recorded his first solo album, “Off The Wall.” The album became the first album ever to release four No.1 singles in the US.In1978 he appeared in the big screen musical The Wiz alongside Diana Ross. The following year, his album Off The Wall established Jackson as a solo superstar. His musical career continued to grow releasing the world’s largest selling album, “Thriller,” which produced 7 hit singles and sold 50 million copies including “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.”
Michael can’t be mentioned without speaking of his legendary moonwalk which he performed for the first time in 1983 on the “Motown 25 years” anniversary show, shooting him into the superstar genre.Michael continued his success, winning eight Grammies in one night.He officially went solo in 1984 and was named “Artist of the Decade” at the end of the 1980’s.Michael performed all over the world, being the first to perform in countries that had never been visited by a pop/rock artist.Through the years Jackson’s legacy remained but his reputation wavered.In the late 1980’s Jackson created Neverland, a ranch in California where he housed exotic pets and had his own amusement rides. In 1993 Jackson was charged with child molestation after a 13-year-old boy claimed the star had fondled him.
Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994 and later divorced her in 1996, only to marry Debbie Rowe that same year.The star’s public profile was badly damaged in the '90s when he was accused of child sex abuse, and in recent years he had become an extremely reclusive figure. Despite his reputation as one of pop’s greatest dancers and all-round in-concert showman, he also effectively abandoned touring.Criticism of Jackson continued throughout the years, including criticism of his many facial surgeries and his skin lightening due to what he said was because of the disease vitiligo. In 2002 he received enormous criticism for dangling his son over a balcony while greeting fans in Germany which he claimed was, “out of innocence.”
While his personal life often attracted criticism and controversy, the oft-dubbed King of Pop’s influence on the musical realm is unarguable. That influence was demonstrated in 2008 when Kanye West, will.i.am, Fergie, and Akon all contributed to the remixes featured on the 25th anniversary reissue of Thriller. In his long career Jackson also worked with some of pop’s most talented artists, including both Paul McCartney and Thriller producer Quincy Jones.
However, Jackson had planned to play a series of dates in London, starting next month.Michael Jackson was set to perform in a comeback tour with 50 shows to begin July 13th. Tickets sold out in only four hours.But unfortunately this is impossible to set up the show as he is now out of his life,died Thursday, June 25th after going into cardiac arrest.Michael-Jackson.
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