On this day

[soulmum]

May 17, 2009. #MichaelJackson and his children visited the Beverly Hills Art Festival in Los Angeles. Michael seemed to be relaxed around his children and greeting the park visitors who came
to meet him peacefully as rarely in his life.

[soulmum]

May 18, 1987. #MichaelJackson
decided to leave the Jehovah's Witnesses. The final breakup
took place on June 6, 1987.
′′ On Victory's turn,..., [Michael] hired someone whose sole job was to place a Kingdom venue in every city so that Michael would not miss a single meeting... Michael...won these records eight honors at the 1984 Grammy Awards. The next morning, an old man gave him an ultimatum that my brother had to choose between music and the [Jehovah's Witness] religion... Because Michael diligently studied the Bible, by I could usually quote chapters and verses supporting their claim that entertaining people was not wrong. ′′
I continue to live by the (Jehovah' s Witness) teachings," he noted, as he had done so many times before. 'I still go door to door wherever I am, even though I'm on tour. I can't stop people from hanging up my poster on the wall or booting up my picture from a magazine. I'm not asking you to idolize me. I just want you to enjoy my music. .... Many Jehovah's Witnesses often gathered outside the Kingdom Hall in hopes of seeing Michael Jackson, knowing full well that this type of flattery was forbidden. Michael did everything humanly possible to prove his devotion to Jehovah.
Once, when an old man criticized him, 'Your movements on stage suggest sex; don't do them anymore,' my brother accomplished without protest and quickly changed the routine. He also invited an old man on tour to see for himself that he lived in harmony with all the rules of the faith, survey. Door to door, and attended all the meetings... One day I walked into Janet's room and found Michael crying in living tears. LaToya,... I can't talk to you anymore... There was a big meeting, and they told me never to talk to you because you hadn't come to the Kingdom Hall.... They said if I didn't stop talking to you, they would kick me out religion. ... Michael decided to disobey the elders' edict and after that he never attended another meeting... he then severed his ties with the organization via a formal letter. What made this painful episode even more agonizing was that for a long time I thought Michael might be one of the remnants, the 144,000 selected
Source : La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family p. 196-200.

[soulmum]

May 19th, 1988. #MichaelJackson arrived at the Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Rome where the first concert of Michael's European tour will take place. Michael was escorted in the city and stays at the Lord Byron Hotel.
Michael made a brief public appearance at a party held on the day of his arrival at Villa Taverna, the residence of the American ambassador in Rome. There he met Italian stars, including the two great names of Italian cinema of the 50s, two rival actresses who had not spoken for years and that Michael will reunite the time of a photo, Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida.
The singer gave two concerts at the Flaminio stadium of the Italian capital, on May 23 and 24, 1988. During this stay of a few days in Rome, Michael took advantage of it to make tourism and visited the most emblematic places of the city. It is in particular the case of this May 21, 1988, when the Vatican agreed to open the Sistine Chapel especially for Michael. Accompanied by the American ambassador, Maxwell Rabb, he could admired the frescoes of Michelangelo, an artist he particularly appreciated. Michael asked to be received by the Pope at the Vatican, but because of his commitments, Jean Paul II was unable to grant the star's request .... It is probably one of the few personalities that the King of Pop has not met during his career.
On May 22, he also went to the Bambino Gesu children's hospital to meet young cancer patients. The Vatican children's hospital, founded in 1869, is one of the most renowned in Italy and Europe, not only for its care of children and adolescents, but also as a research center. In front of the children who could not believe they were seeing the singer, he signed autographs, gave them gifts, distributed sweets and smiles and gave them moral support. Among them was Nunzia Giacco, a 13-year-old girl who had just undergone a heart transplant. Michael donated £100,000 to the hospital for leukemia research.
On May 23, the day of his first concert, Michael visited St. Peter's Basilica in disguise. Finally, On May 25, Michael Jackson took the opportunity to visit the city and he stopped in one of the most prestigious monuments of the Italian capital, the monument to Victor Emmanuel II (Il Vittoriano), which also houses the Altar of the Fatherland, the tomb of the unknown soldier.
On the occasion of the #BadWorldTour in Italy, Loredana Alibrandi is the girl who on May 25, 1988 had the great fortune of accompanying the King Of pop on its visit to the Altare Della Patria in Rome.
"Almost eleven years have passed since I was lucky enough to meet Michael Jackson in person in May 1988, yet it seems to me to have happened just a few days ago. Until now I have never publicly told this wonderful experience of mine, but now I have decided to do so, because I think that nothing more than a Fan Club is indicated and also because, in a certain sense, I would like to share the memory of those moments with the other fans.
At that time I was in charge of Monumental Protection: one of my tasks concerned the authorizations for photographic and cinematographic shooting of various famous and non-famous people.
However, usually, I did not personally accompany these people because I was not particularly interested in knowing celebrities; so much so that my boss once asked me: "But will there also be someone who would accompany you on a visit?" and I jokingly replied that I would have gladly accompanied only Michael Jackson: In fact, although I didn't follow him very much, I always believed that he was a great artist, but I imagined him as a strange person, out of this world, unattainable and vain. And then I definitely had to change my mind.
Well, one day, in the office, towards the end of the morning, I was immediately summoned by the boss who point blank and with a on his lips said to me: “Is there an American character who would like to visit the Altare Della Patria, would you like to accompany him? " It should be noted that I knew that in those days Michael was in Italy, indeed, in Rome, so I understood immediately. The "David Zard" had asked to be able to let him visit the monument the next day at half past two in the afternoon. This meant that I would have to organize everything in a matter of hours. With the help of another girl, Flavia Peroni, I warned the Carabinieri, the Prefecture and other institutions; I must say that it was quite heavy, but even then the strong emotion paid me back for the hard work spent.
The fateful day came before I could really realize what I was going to do: I felt like I was living in a dream. Before two I was already at the entrance of the monument where there is the Institute for the History of the Italian Risorgimento. The van arrived on time, which was white, with tinted windows, followed by a maddened crowd: the plan we had devised was to let the van inside and immediately close the door. However, obviously we had not taken the measurements of the entrance very well, because the mirrors were locked in such a way that the vehicle could no longer go forward or backward.
At that juncture I had a glimpse of what it would have meant to approach Michael Jackson, that is, I found myself in front of a screaming human wall. Scenes of hysteria everywhere, boys and girls with hats, pins, flags singing their hearts out: the first thing that came to me was: “Oh my God!”, But it was still nothing compared to what would have awaited me. There were those who tore their hair, those who wanted to attack the van, those who tried to open it; everywhere I turned I saw incredible scenes: even a not very young gentleman (he must have been about fifty years old) jumped constantly to try to see something between the windows and, at the same time, he sent kisses where he assumed Michael was.
At which I yelled at the driver "Go back, don't do anything!". Instead, a few moments later the bus disengaged and, thanks to the quick reflexes of Battista Ragoni (one of the guardians of the monument), one person was allowed in at a time and closed the doors. After a few moments the van doors opened: the bodyguards came out first (three wardrobes with twelve doors), then Louisa Grasso, (the head of the "David Zard Initiative", who said "Don't worry Loredana, we're here Then I saw "a bundle" come down: it was Michael with his face covered. With him were his personal photographer and the make-up artist. Still terrified he immediately ran to the opposite side q the one I was supposed to show him, or towards the workshops, which among other things are not open to the public.
At that point I yelled, “Michael! This way! It's all right! ”, Then I reached him, introduced myself and welcomed him on our behalf and on behalf of the Italian State. He thanked me and I asked him where he preferred to start seeing the monument: he replied “You do it!”, So we started from the outside. As we walked, I really realized what was happening to me: until then I hadn't realized that Michael was there next to me and talking to me! From that very moment I started speaking in English and German together and I had to ask Luisa for help: “I'm sorry - I said - but I'm not in condition”. I think all the fans can understand me. Then I started smoking nervously: the strange thing is that I had never smoked in my entire life!
During the tour of the various floors, we took the elevator; I had a lit cigarette and then I remembered that Michael doesn't like smoking, so I tried to hide it. The photographer said something that I did not understand well, like "in America only fools smoke", and he replied: "Instead in Italy only stupid people say this kind of nonsense". Michael Jackson had defended me! I still felt like I was dreaming, yet it was reality! We continued the tour. Walking under the colonnade I explained to him the mosaics that are at the top: at a certain point I looked at the ground and right in front of us, due to work in progress, a brick of about two meters was missing! We looked at each other and I said, "Can you imagine?", And he burst out laughing. I showed him the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, but we could not hold back that much because there was an access railing beyond which a mass of people was crowded trying to climb. Furthermore, it must also be said that this is a military zone and therefore, with due respect, although we were escorted and authorized, (with us there was an army colonel).
We could not risk "an invasion" by the public. Michael was very fascinated by the Carabinieri. Luisa had told me that she had a weakness for military uniforms and that she had expressed the desire to see Rome from above, so I asked him: "Michael, would you like to go all the way up?"; he replied enthusiastically: “Yes, of course”. But there was a detail: the top floor could not actually be visited because there are only horses and a terrace surrounded by a very low railing, therefore only a few people can access it at a time. So, with Louisa's help, we insisted that Michael be able to climb up without the bodyguards. It took us several minutes to convince the gorillas to let him go, but in the end we got the better of it: the cameraman and the photographer came with us. We went up the stairs that, being very narrow, they allow only one person to pass and we held each other's hand to help us (unfortunately Michael didn't give it to me!). As we went up I made him promise that he would not lean over the railings: I made him a thousand recommendations and he assured me that he would be calm.
As soon as we got up he started running from one side of the balustrade to the other, looking out dangerously! It should be noted that we were at a height of more than one hundred meters! I turned to Louisa and said, “My God Louisa! What are you doing? ". So I called him, I went over: “Michael! Be careful, do not expose yourself! ". At that moment he turned and looked at me in a very sweet and reassuring way that I will never forget: he didn't say anything, but I understood from the look that he wanted to tell me "Don't worry, it's okay, I just want to have some fun". I don't know how to explain: in the eyes there is an infinite sweetness. And there I thought once again "MY GOD!" and I felt myself dying of emotion.
Among other things, he is also an extremely nice person. Every now and then he made a joke; for example he wanted to take a picture next to a horse and, unwittingly he put his hand right on the ... testicles of the steed. When he noticed it he said: "Isn't it that I'm getting some disease?" and burst out laughing. We enjoyed the Roman landscape for a good half hour; he wanted to know all the main points of the capital: the Pantheon, the Imperial Forums, and, thanks to the clear day, he was able to see the castles as well.
When we went down I couldn't resist the very strong temptation to ask him for an autograph. I had brought a pad and he started writing, (leaving chalk imprints on the sheets!). A few moments later some people from the internal service approached, one of whom took a picture of him with a flash two centimeters from his face. At which I got angry, because I considered this action a total lack of respect for him. Shortly after, the bodyguards joined us and, probably because they sensed that otherwise they would not have made him leave."

[soulmum]

Michael Jackson Greece

"To Lisa Marie. Your being provides the star that brightens my galaxy and the force that strengthens me.

Love, Michael."

In May 26th 1994, Michael said to the world "The girl is mine" by marrying Lisa Marie Presley. Michael and Lisa had first met as kids in Las Vegas when Elvis took her to watch the Jackson 5 in concert. Then they met again as adults in 1992 and their love story began! Even if the couple divorced in 1996 and had an on-off relationship afterwards.

Joe Jackson said: “Michael never had to be afraid of Lisa marrying because of money. She had enough herself. He knew that all she wanted was his love."

Lisa always defended Michael's innocence and she also claimed that the Martin Bashir interview was unfair and manipulated.

Video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5p6ryyk-lXg&feature=share

[soulmum]

May 26, 2007, #MichaelJackson attended the 25th anniversary party of The Sultan of Brunei’s billionaire Hassanal Bolkiah's son Prince Azim at Stapleford Park Coutry House Hotel in London.
The actor Aaron Paul stated about his greet and meet with
Michael Jackson doing shots in a caste.
On the cusp of fame, Paul attended the 25th birthday party of Prince Azim of Brunei back in 2007 as a plus-one. Set in a magnificent castle outside of London—which Paul rode a hovercraft around—the affair was attended by a slew of celebrities.
And that's where the hustling actor met the King of Pop. "Prince Azim is sitting on the couch with Michael Jackson, and me and Michael Jackson end up having this hour-long heart-to-heart about family and upbringings," Paul told Details. "He just put his arm around my shoulder and said, 'You know, if you've had a rough childhood or not, it's all about forgiveness. Once you realize that, it's fine. Everything's fine.'"
Prince Azim was quite the socialite. We remember the headlines when he paid Michael Jackson $10 million to attend his 25th birthday party in England. Not to sing...just to attend.

[soulmum]

May 30th, 2006. #MichaelJackson and his children Prince, Paris and Blanket enjoyed Peter Pan's Flight, Pooh's Honey Hunt, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, etc. at TDL from around 6:30 pm. in Tokyo. Moved to Yurakucho Bic Camera near 23:00 and went shopping.

[soulmum]

May 29, 2006. #MichaelJackson attended Minami Aoyama Party, a private party was held at the luxury restaurant ′′ Velour ′′of Minami Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan, with the appearance of Yoshiki, Kano Sisters, Zeebra, Mizuki Arisa and President Avex Matsuura. Michael arrived two hours late and greeted with a and responded with a handshake, autographs and a request for photos.

[soulmum]

May 29, 1997. Back from his short stay in Poland, #MichaelJackson arrived in Bremen, Germany, in prior to his German tour which start in Bremen , Michael Jackson met with the city's mayor, Henning Scherf, at the City Hall.
Accompanied with his tour manager Tarak Ben Ammar and Michael's buziness partner Charles Bobbit, the mayor received Michael in the city hall, where he left his signature in the book of memories, Golden Book.
Afterwards they both stood on the balcony, applauded by the crowds of fans. After that they went through the Golden Room and out of the City Hall, where Michael welcomed his fans.

[soulmum]

June 1, 1988. #MichaelJackson made a very specific visit to Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna's historic imperial palace since 1730. Prior to the #BadWorldTour's memorable stop at Vienna's Prater Stadium, a photo shoot with his photographer Sam Emerson is organized near the imposing Neptune fountain, in the park of the castle. In the French gardens, Michael posed on a bench with two old ladies and is also seen in the castle zoo. He was also photographed from the terrace of this palace, admiring the French gardens and the city of Vienna.

[soulmum]

June 8th, 1997. #MichaelJackson performed his 4th European Concert at Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Michael will performed 2 nights ( 8 & 10th ) for a record audience of 100,000 ( 50,000 each ) loving fans. Michael returned to Paris, France after the show. Debbie and Prince accompanied him. It looks like Michael came straight from the airport to the concert.

[soulmum]

June 9, 1999. Michael Jackson helded a press conference hosted by Mama Concerts at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany to discuss his upcoming MJ & Friends concerts, which will raise $3.3 million for the Red Cross, UNESCO and Nelson Mandela Children's Fund charities..." As time goes on, we tend to forget more and more about the terrible things that happen in the world and the men, women and children who suffer when we do. The artists who will be performing at the concert want to show their solidarity with the victims of natural disasters and war."

[soulmum]

June 11, 2003. #MichaelJackson went over to nearby Roosevelt High School where an assembly was held. Roosevelt High School in Gary presented Gary native Michael Jackson with a letter jacket at an assembly in the school's auditorium. Although Michael Jackson is not a Roosevelt graduate, one of his brothers went there. Michael Jackson returned to his hometown of Gary for the first time since his childhood.

[soulmum]

June 14, 1995, an estimated 60 million viewers watched Diane Sawyer's interview with #MichaelJackson & Lisa Marie Presley on ABC's 'PrimeTime Live'

[soulmum]

Mourad Mesellaty

#StoryOfTheDay #OnThisDay June 16, 1988. #MichaelJackson performed his tenth European concert at St. Jakob Stadium, Basel, Switzerland, to an audience of 50,000 loving fans. #BadWorldTour
The next day Michael met the Chaplin family at Ban Manor. The circus man Rolf Knie recounted this unforgettable encounter with the King Of Pop. That day, the clown and now producer of the Salto Natale circus served as Michael's guide in the famous Ban mansion inhabited by the Chaplin family, in Corsier-sur-Vevey.
It is necessary to tell. At the origin of this meeting, there is Geraldine Chaplin, eldest daughter of Oona and Charlie Chaplin. At a Michael concert she attended, the singer told her how much he admires her father. Géraldine called Rolf Knie, an old family friend and regular guest at the Manor.
"Michael would like to come to Corsier. Can you arrange something?" When Michael was in Basel, Rolf Knie called his hotel and reached his agent, Frank DiLeo.
"Some friends told me it was crazy and impossible ... ". Half an hour later, however, it was Michael himself who called back. "He was all happy. We agreed on a date for a Friday at 3 p.m." On that day, the Chaplin and Knie families were waiting for the star. The hour flies, Michael did not arrive.
At about 3:30 p.m., the doorman ran over and said..."Someone just called, I didn't quite catch his name." It was Michael..."I picked up the phone. he was all embarrassed, he apologized a thousand times. He had gotten lost and was calling from a gas station in Vevey...". The doorman went to look for him there. The singer arrived without a bodyguard, just accompanied by his assistant, an elderly gentleman.
"The archives amazed him. Then he played in the park with my son Gregory innocently. I think with the children, who take him as he is, he could finally show himself as normal. He had remained a big one."
Two months later, Michael Jackson invited Oona Chaplin and Rolf Knie to his concert in Lausanne ( August 19th )..."Before the show, we visited him in his dressing room. there were long tables covered with caviar and salmon. Michael shrugged: "Oh, it's not for me, but my team is hungry ... "
In the end, Rolf and Oona witnessed the star's hasty departure..."The music was still blaring when he quickly rushed into a car behind the stage. We followed him and we were afraid, thousands of fans were coming at us. I understood then what Michael was going through every day. He was a prisoner of his success."

[soulmum]

June 18, 1992 Michael releases his second and final book ′′ Dancing the dream ′′
A collection of photos, drawings, poems and reflections that every fan should read at least once.
It has been defined as the ′′ greatest spiritual text of all time ′′

[soulmum]

June 17, 1997. #MichaelJackson attended the ′′ Tre Tenori" concert in Modena, Italy. Michael was introduced as the guest of Luciano Pavarotti, sitting in the front row of the audience, along with his friend Franco Zeffirelli and his tour manager Tarak Ben Ammar. The concert raised $1 million for the ′′ United Nations High Commission for Refugees ′′.

[soulmum]

June 19th, 1988. #MichaelJackson performed his 11th European concert at Reichstag Grounds. The Reichstag is a historic edifice in West Berlin, Germany, to an audience of 50,000 loving fans. This concert is symbolic in music history as Michael performed close to the Berlin wall ( wall which will fall the next year in 1989 and reunite the city of Berlin ). Thousands of fans from East Berlin fans attended to hear the concert. The Stasi planned a diversionary maneuver: They claimed to be broadcasting on a big screen in the East Berlin stadium. That didn't happen (of course). Michael Jackson even got a file from the Stasi. On the day of the concert, he was followed by State Security staff, which was recorded in his file. It later emerged that the Stasi employees had been chasing a doppelganger.

[soulmum]

June 22, 1995. #MichaelJackson attended the VH1 Honors and received an award for his humanitarian work. They announced the creation of a special VH1 International Honors Award for the King of Pop which will be presented in future to artists with their world wide charitable work following in the footsteps of Michael Jackson. The award was renamed to “Michael Jackson Special Award.” It was presented to him by American actor Morgan Freeman.
The Los Angeles Times wrote a tribute for his special appearance :
" Jackson’s History Gets a New, Brief Chapter : Pop Beat: Houston, Midler and others are saluted at VH1 Honors, but Michael makes the most of his short appearance.
Though he was on stage for less time than any other star at the VH1 Honors awards ceremony Thursday night, Michael Jackson still managed to take home the most prestigious trophy and, predictably, steal the limelight.
Jackson was among the six honorees at the second annual event at the Shrine Auditorium, a program that refreshingly skips your usual “best of” categories and recognizes musical entities for their charity work.
Also saluted were Whitney Houston, Bette Midler, Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Annie Lennox, Vince Gill and the Red Hot Organization.
But they each just received a plain old VH1 Honors Award.
Jackson was honored with the brand-new “VH1 International Honors Award,” the terms of which weren’t really clear.
“You’ve given me so much, it’s allowed me to take some of that love and pass it on to people whose problems in this world need and deserve our love,” Jackson said during his brief acceptance speech.
The remarks followed Jackson’s grandiose, surprise entrance, in which he came up from under the stage floor during Boyz II Men’s performance of “We Are the World,” the ‘80s charitable anthem that Jackson co-wrote.
While the other performers honored Thursday sang at least two full songs, Jackson only joined in for the final 15 seconds or so of the one song, took his award, and vanished. "
Chris Riemenschneider for Los Angeles Times

[soulmum]

June 23, 2006. #MichaelJackson arrived with his children in Ireland. The family stayed at Blackwater Castle, Co Cork, where the owner of the castle, Patrick Nordstrum, welcomed them.
For almost 6 months in 2006, Michael Jackson found retreat in Westmeath. He managed to maintain his privacy with very few people knowing exactly where he was staying.
Michael stayed at Grouse Lodge in Co. Westmeath, owned by Paddy and Claire Dunning. For the initial few months, they managed to keep his stay secret “If someone said to me I've heard Michael Jackson is there, I would tell them: 'Yeah, so is Elvis Presley!'”- Paddy Dunning
Once locals discovered that Michael Jackson was staying at the Lodge, they would send reporters the wrong way “and one farmer even threatened to empty his slurry trailer over the car of a paparazzo”.
When Michael began taking day trips, local taxi driver Ray O'Hara became his chauffeur. Each weekend, Michael would take his children to either a local play center or movie theatre. One such play centre was ‘Jumping Jacks’ in Tullamore.
” Word didn't get out as the the businesses that he visited chose to stay silent. When a delivery man spotted MJ in a local bowling alley, the owner assured him the man in the funny hat was not Michael Jackson but just "a fella from Tullamore who thinks he's Michael Jackson."
“The first few days I was in shock. I kept looking in the mirror to be sure the guy in the back really was Michael Jackson," - Ray O’Hara. As word got out, Paddy invited the Irish press to the lodge and reported Michael had left. Meanwhile Michael was in the house next door.
“Michael was on the drums, I was playing guitar and Nephew was on the keyboards and we just started getting a rhythm together, and slowly but surely Nephew just creeped the song in to 'Billie Jean'. It was just mad playing 'Billie Jean' with Michael Jackson” - Paddy Dunning
Michael Jackson left Ireland in December 2006, however the stories from his visit have lived on. For those wanting to learn more, this is a fantastic audio doc that includes interviews from Ray, Paddy and others who met Michael at the time.

[soulmum]

June 27th, 2009. The Jackson family issue the following statement regarding Michael's Passing... My prayers go to Katherine and her family #12YearsWithoutMichaelJackson
“In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter. Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon. It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times. “We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words. But Michael would not want us to give up now. So we want to thank all of his faithful supporters and loyal fans worldwide, you who Michael loved so much.
Please do not despair, because to live on in each and every one of you. Continue to spread his message, because that is what he would want you to do. Carry on, so his legacy will live forever.” In addition, Joseph Jackson says: “My grand-children are deeply moved by all the love and support you have shown for them and their father, Michael Jackson.”

[soulmum]

June 28th, 1988. #MichaelJackson perfomed his
second concert from the two consecutive nights ( 27 & 28th ) at the Parce des Princes stadium ( Glad I was there ) in Paris, France, for a total audience of 128,000 ( 64,000 each ) loving fans. I remember the stage crew installed special Pamcam 35mm cameras to film to show. Paris and London (Wembley) performances were choiced for the Live video "Another..." #BadWorldTour

[soulmum]

June 27, 1999. #MichaelJackson performed the second
′′ Michael Jackson and Friends ′′ concert in Munich, Germany.
Around 8 o'clock in the evening, the moderator of the German television ′′ Wetten Dass ′′ appeared and called Michael. Michael with black sunglasses made a short speech introducing opera singer Andrea Bocelli.
After that, Michael's performance began around 10:30 am, but unfortunately there was no duet with Luciano Pavarotti scheduled in Munich, and Liz Taylor and Pavarotti himself would not come
But the whole audience on the spot was excited about Michael's performance regardless of the fact.
After such hits as Billie Jean and Dangerous, he finished his 35-minute set. The peace anthem 'Earth Song' is a war-themed scenario where an iron bridge is hung from a height of 14 meters above the stage, shooting and a flash of light illuminates in the darkness, similar To The Seoul Concert.
When Michael went up on the bridge, it was the climax of the song ! But then I would suffer an accident during the performance of the song, when the braking system of the crane fails, and falls sharply into the ditch, gets out and continued with the performance visibly painful.

[soulmum]

July 2, 1984. The 'Victory' album, fifteenth studio album by The Jacksons was released by Epic Records. The album was recorded between November 11, 1983 – May 7, 1984. Producers are #MichaelJackson and Jackie Jackson.
This is the only album to include all six Jackson brothers together as an official group, also, it was the band's last album to be entirely recorded with lead singer Michael Jackson, as well as their first album to feature Jermaine Jackson since 1975's Moving Violation.
The Victory album has sold over 7 million copies worldwide and was certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in October 1984.

[soulmum]

July 4th, 1997. #MichaelJackson performed his 15th European concert at Olympiastadion in Munich, Germany to an audience of 70,000 loving fans. This concert was choiced to be broadcast on TV in Germany. #HistoryWorldTour
Imagine 160 people working full time on the HIStory tour (including dancers, musicians, technicians, cooks, make-up artists, drivers etc.). In each city we also needed the help of 300 to 400 professionals, who were in charge of security or helping with the assembly and disassembly of the equipment.
The assembly of the stage alone lasted 3 complete days where teams took turns 24 hours a day. Consequently, 3 different stages criss-crossed the world to allow Michael Jackson to perform one concert after another. The stages were built in England. During this time Michael Jackson was rehearsing the tour in Los Angeles. The technical teams working for the singer sent their wishes to the constructor, who put them in place as they went along.
To transport a single "steel structure" stage, 7 trucks of 200 tons are needed. No less than 22 trucks transport the equipment, "videos, sound and lights, pyrotechnic equipment."
If we have fun doing the following calculation: 7 trucks x 3 stages +22 trucks = 43 trucks in total, in other words, a convoy that reflects the gigantism of this tour.
Before a concert, 24 hours were necessary to install the equipment, as well as the backstage area, which is a real miniature city. In total, the stage and its equipment weigh no less than 550 tons.
The lighting, which represents a total weight of 3200 kg, is taken care of by 14 people.
These technicians ensure the installation and maintenance of 35 kilometers of cable and 1000 projectors and other equipment. It takes no less than 8 hours to adjust the lights and this is done at night the night before the concert.
4 specialists are in charge of the pyrotechnical effects of the show. 500 explosions each night. The sound volume is identical to a TNT explosion against a 3-story building.
The sound teams, 30 tons in total, release a power of 400,000 watts "enough to operate 13,333 bulbs of 30 watts simultaneously. "
Know also, that in Germany, for the design of the HIStory Tour stage creators were inspired by the very famous Brandenburg Gate (Berlin). This gate is located at the western entrance of old Berlin.
It was during the HIStory Tour that Michael became a father for the first time, on February 13, 1997.
He had planned the event and divided the tour in two halves. The first half ended at the beginning of January and the second half started at the end of May 1997. The announcement of the pregnancy of Debbie Rowe took place on November 3, 1996 in the tabloid News of The World. Namely that Debbie had informed one of her confidants of the event, this one having recorded their conversation had hastened to resell the cassette to the tabloid.
The teams of Michael Jackson used 13 cameras to film the concerts of Munich for their television broadcast. They were placed in the Olympic stadium in addition to a cinemascope, a 35 mm camera usually used on the shooting of feature films.
Peter Morse, responsible for the lighting of the tour explained this: "Michael Jackson wanted to give the show a theatrical feel while using 1990s technology.
So the lighting uses the latest technology and is positioned in a very theatrical way. They produce a very white light. By comparison, the lights in theaters are often yellow, but on stage, the lights are like daylight.
As everyone knows, Michael had a young woman from the audience come up on stage and hold her while dancing to the rhythm of the song "You Are Not Alone" . However, in Vienna, a fan came on stage, hung on to her idol's neck and .... suddenly Michael Jackson was seen carrying her in his arms. This was not a gallant gesture, but the girl simply fainted the moment she touched Michael. The latter delicately entrusted her to his security chief "Wayne Nagin" and then continued to sing.
On the humanitarian front, Michael, as on every world tour, has donated a large portion of the proceeds from the HIStory Tour to various organizations around the world "especially in India and Africa". He also visited several hospitals in Manila, Amsterdam, Prague, Melbourne etc..
During the tour, Michael was loaned a complete television studio by Nocturne Productions. This allowed him not only to film each of his concerts for his personal archive, but also to film the audience and the cities he visited.
Many viewers from all over the world were able to see HIStory concerts on their television screens. Indeed, 8 shows were broadcasted on television.
* Munich (Germany)
* Bucharest (Romania)
* Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
* Auckland (New Zealand)
* Manila (Philippines)
* Copenhagen (Denmark)
* Gothenburg (Sweden)
* Helsinki (Finland)
To this we can add the HIStory Tour Seoul, released on cassette in the Asian market only.
In some of the stadiums where the tour took place, Michael Jackson simply could not fill all the seats in the stands because the stage occupied so much space, that it was common to have to block an entire stand, thus preventing the rental of seats.
For the golden suit that Michael wore at the beginning of each HIStory Tour concert, it was designed by the famous fashion designer Versace. This suit is made of silver and 18-carat gold. The breastplate, the leggings, the helmet were designed by Michael Bush.
One of the special features of HIStory Tour was the 2 giant Jumbotron screens framing the stage.
A third liquid crystal screen was located above the stage. They allowed the audience located far from the stage to still enjoy the show.
However, when Michael returned home after the tour, he kept one of the screens. It was a cumbersome souvenir, but he simply put it away in the garden of his Californian property Neverland, near the amusement park.

[soulmum]

July 6, 1984. The Jacksons premiered to perform at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri, United States with an audience of 45,000 loving fans.
The Victory Tour, a concert tour of the United States and Canada started from July to December 1984. It was the only tour with all six Jackson brothers, even though Jackie was injured for some of it. The group performed 55 concerts to an audience of approximately 2 million.
Here is the testimony of one of the most important press reviews of the United States with the New York Times :
"The first show of the Jacksons' Victory Tour, a summer road show that is being touted as the most spectacular and potentially the most profitable tour in pop music history, got under way Friday soon after dark at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. And the show's opening minutes certainly were spectacular.
Amid swirling smoke, flashing lights and laser beams, a booming voice intoning, ''Rise, all the world, and behold,'' and a thunderous electronic sound storm, a gaggle of shaggy-haired, shambling creatures reminiscent of some of the creations in the recent fantasy film ''The Dark Crystal'' shuffled onto the stage and gathered around a sword that seemed to be imbedded in a large stone.
Several of the five Jackson brothers who are performing on this tour tried to pull the sword from the stone and failed. Finally, one of them succeeded, as King Arthur is supposed to have done. And, of course, that was Michael Jackson.
At the moment, Michael Jackson is the hottest property in popular music. His most recent album, ''Thriller,'' released late in 1982, has sold nearly 35 million copies worldwide. The Jacksons' new album, ''Victory,'' features Michael Jackson on only three songs; five other songs are written, produced and sung by various combinations of the other Jackson brothers - Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Randy and Tito. Out Front in the Spotlight
But Michael Jackson has always been the focal point of the group's concerts, and he was out front in the spotlight through most of Friday night's show.
Except for a brief, intriguingly eclectic set of four songs by Jermaine Jackson, whose solo career has produced several hit records, Michael was the lead singer, pace-setting dancer and all-round front man throughout the rest of the show, which did not include a single tune from the new ''Victory'' album.
In fact, most of the songs were from ''Thriller'' and from the Jacksons' 1980 album ''Triumph'' - strutting, good-humored paeans to the joys of physicality. But while he plays the roles of sex symbol and entertainer with vocal performances that are finely crafted and painstakingly detailed and with the most fluid and original pop dancing since James Brown was in his heyday, Michael Jackson's songs also have their darker sides. The Sense of Dread
Segments of the Jacksons' show deliberately played on the sense of dread that hovers just beneath the surface of such songs as ''Heartbreak Hotel,'' ''Billie Jean'' and ''Thriller.'' The first of these came early in Friday's show and seemed to spring to life like a switchblade knife flicking open, with lyrics to match: As we walked into the room, there
were faces Staring, glaring, tearing through
me Someone said welcome to your
doom.
Despite the audience's requests to hear what Michael Jackson referred to as ''the old stuff,'' hits from the early and mid-1970's, when the family group was known as the Jackson Five, the group compressed a few of these songs into a somewhat rushed medley. But at the end of ''I'll Be There,'' Michael Jackson stopped the show with an unaccompanied and mostly wordless vocal solo that cut to the heart of his intensity and chrisma.
Editors’ Picks
No Soil. No Growing Seasons. Just Add Water and Technology.
Did the Nazis Force an Art Sale? The Question Lingers 88 Years Later.
A Gifted Writer Returns With a Supremely Harrowing Novel
Continue reading the main story
He moaned like a store-front preacher, showed off his vocal range and more of his deep roots in gospel music with some cascading, melismatic phrasing. Then he switched abruptly to a jazzy scat-singing style to lead into the next song, ''Lovely One,'' from the ''Triumph'' album. A Scorching Conclusion
After a short breather and time for costume changes, the Jacksons returned for the show's scorching conclusion. There was more horror movie imagery, which introduced powerful, churning performances of ''Beat It'' and ''Billie Jean,'' from ''Thriller,'' and ''Shake Your Body,'' an earlier Michael Jackson hit that concluded the evening's 90-minute performance.
By the end of the evening, Michael Jackson was beginning to sound hoarse and winded. But he sang and danced magnificently, with style, grace and unflagging energy.
The other Jacksons sang rich, almost faultless backing harmonies, but while the new ''Victory'' is their album, Friday's show was primarily a triumph for their best-known sibling."
Source : Robert Palmer for The New York Times published July 8, 1984

[soulmum]

July 6, 1984. #MichaelJackson and The Jacksons were selected to receive the 1984 Dr. H. Claude Hudson Medal of Freedom Award for exemplifying the high standards of the Los Angeles NAACP founder. Just before the Jacksons began the #VictoryTour in Kansas City, Michael and Tito accepted on behalf of the entire family. The award was presented at a private ceremony sponsored by the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills-Hollywood branches of the NAACP.

[soulmum]

On July 7th, 2009 a memorial service for Michael Jackson was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Jackson family is still mourning the loss of a son, brother, father and uncle. We are still mourning.

[soulmum]

July 7, 1997. #MichaelJackson's ′Thriller′ album has been certified 25 X Platinum by RIAA. After Michael passing the RIAA certified Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' First Ever 30X Multi-Platinum RIAA Certification on December 16, 2015.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Estate of Michael Jackson, Epic Records and Legacy Recordings announced today that Michael Jackson’s THRILLER is the first album in RIAA Gold & Platinum Program history to be certified 30X Multi-Platinum for U.S. sales, continuing The King of Pop’s reign as the biggest selling artist of all time with worldwide sales of over 100 million for Thriller and 1 billion overall.
“RIAA has awarded Gold & Platinum records on behalf of the music business for nearly 60 years, but this is the first time an artist has crossed the 30X multi-Platinum plateau,” said Cary Sherman, Chairman & CEO, RIAA. “We are honored to celebrate the unique status of Thriller in Gold & Platinum history. What an exceptional achievement and testament to Thriller’s enduring spot in our hearts and musical history.”
Michael Jackson’s masterpiece Thriller, produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, won a record setting 8 Grammys, more than any album ever, and has been earning awards and setting new standards of success since its release on November 30, 1982. Thriller spent nearly 2 -1/2 years on the Billboard album chart and holds a modern day record of 37 weeks at #1. It was the first album in history to spend each of its first 80 weeks in the album chart’s Top 10, a feat only reached by one other album in the more than three decades since. During its 112th week on Billboard’s album chart, it became the first title ever to be certified RIAA 20X multi-Platinum (October 30, 1984). Worldwide, Thriller went to #1 in practically every country in the world, including the UK, France, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and apartheid South Africa.
The album was acclaimed for its range and depth. Rolling Stone referred to the album as a “watershed” moment for Michael, and Newsweek prophetically wrote that “Michael’s voice haunts these songs, gives them heart…It is what will make this music endure.” Seven tracks from the album became Top 10 singles, and three, “Beat It”, “Billie Jean” and “Thriller”, went #1. All nine assumed a permanent place in hearts and memories of everyone on the planet.
More than just an album, Thriller has remained a global cultural multi-media phenomenon for both the 20th and the 21st centuries, smashing musical barriers and changing the frontiers of pop forever. The music on Thriller is so dynamic and singular that it defied any definition of rock, pop or soul that had gone before. ‘“Beat It” was a new kind of pop rock hybrid and demolished the longstanding segregation between black and white music with Eddie Van Halen’s incendiary guitar. On “The Girl Is Mine” a black man and a white man bantered about the same girl. On the same album were songs like the African-rooted “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” and the rhythm and blues based “Billie Jean”. No one had ever released an album with such a vast range of material.
“Perhaps Michael’s most significant racial trailblazing came with music videos,” wrote Joe Vogel in Man in the Music. Fascinated with the fledgling art form Michael wanted to tell a story and entertain on a grand scale. Despite the luscious cinematography, dramatic narrative and spectacular choreography of “Billie Jean”, a fledgling MTV, which was programming white rock artists almost exclusively, refused to play it. Epic persisted. Once the wall came crashing down, MTV’s ratings soared and a door was opened for a generation of African American artists. “He was MTV’s Jackie Robinson,” said cultural critic Touré. Next came the unforgettable short film for “Beat It” which featured Michael bringing two gangs together through the power of music and dance. And then there was “Thriller”. Premiered at the AVCO Theatre in Los Angeles in 1983, it sold out every night for three weeks. No other video before or since has generated such excitement and has such a hold on our attention such that more than 30 years later we all share it as a collective memory and it remains the only music video to be inducted into the elite National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
The importance of Thriller was recognized by Michael Jackson’s industry peers at the Grammys. Thriller was nominated in a record breaking 12 categories, and won a history making eight, which stands as the record for most Grammy Awards to be won by any album. Seven of those Grammys that year were awarded to Michael for: Album of the Year; Record of the Year (“Beat It”); Best Male Pop Vocal Performance (“Thriller”); Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical (Thriller); Best Male Rock Vocal Performance (“Beat It”); Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (“Billie Jean”); Best R&B Song (“Billie Jean”). (Michael’s eighth Grammy that year was in the Best Recording for Children – Single or Album, Musical or Spoken category for “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”). That same year, Michael Jackson took home eight American Music Awards and three MTV Video Music Awards. The following year, “The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller” took home the Best Video Album trophy at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards.
During his extraordinary career, Michael Jackson sold more than a billion 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 World’s Top-Selling Album of All Time. His artistry, choreography and music continue to inspire generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists and fans.
“It is crystal clear that Michael Jackson is simply the greatest, and biggest artist of all time,” says LA Reid, Chairman & CEO of Epic Records. “Not only are his charts hits and sales stats staggering, but his pure musicality was other-worldly. Thriller was groundbreaking and electrifying…it was perfection. I am extremely proud that Michael is the heart and soul of Epic Records and he will forever remain the one-and-only King of Pop.”
“100 million albums and counting. There has never been a phenomenon like Thriller,” says John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson. “Michael opened the floodgates of his creativity, explored emotional depths and pushed the boundaries of sonic innovation. In the process, he breached destructive barriers in the music industry and literally united the world through his music: there isn’t a place on this planet that hasn’t been exhilarated by the music of Michael Jackson. 30 years after its release, Thriller continues to be a revelation.
Music from Thriller and Michael’s other hit albums is featured in the hit Las Vegas show Michael Jackson ONE, produced by Cirque du Soleil and the Estate of Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson ONE is selling out shows and amazing fans at the Michael Jackson ONE Theatre at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.

[soulmum]

July 10, 1979, #MichaelJackson's first single from the
"Off The Wall" album "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" was released !

[soulmum]

July 12, 1968. The Jackson brothers
( later recalled the Jackson 5 ) performed at the Regal Theatre, a night club and music venue, popular among African-Americans. Located in the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois.
Earlier in July 1967, they performed at the Amateur Talent Show at the Regal Theater in Chicago where they meet a great success and are praised by the public during 3 weeks. They opened for famous bands such as The Temptations, The O'Jays, Sam & Dave, and Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers.
It is only on July 12, 1968, when they participated in a Battle Of The Groups, in the presence of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, at the Regal Thater, that Bobby Taylor presses the step on Ralph Seltzer, artistic manager at Motown. The record company knows the existence of the group but still hasn't contacted them.
An old friend of Joe Papa who was a member of the event starring Gladys Knight & The Pipps..." I was sitting in my dressing room on the second floor of the Regal Theater in Chicago when I heard these little voices. I could look out from the banister to the stage, so I got up from my make-up chair and saw these little kids. I couldn't see that well because the curtains were in the way, but I could see how they moved. I thought to myself, 'Oh, my god. Who is that?' As young as
I was, I knew talent when I saw it. Even with their little children voices
I heard their potential and knew what these guys could achieve. I went back to my dressing room and when The Pips came upstairs I asked, 'Who was that singing a few minutes ago?' They told me it was
'Joe's boys'."
Gladys who saw this stage was the first person to push "Joe's boys"
to Motown.
"I had some doubts," recalls Ralph Seltzer. Apart from the artistic considerations, I had a problem with their age, not being able to predict how they would develop, physically or vocally. But Bobby was so enthusiastic that I ended up telling him to take them to Detroit.
Bobby Taylor succeeded where Gladys Kyght had failed some time before: to get an appointment for the 5 brothers. A dilemma arose for Joe Jackson: the day of the appointment was the day the boys were to appear on the David Frost Show, a popular New York television program. In the end, they didn't go to New York, Motown was the thing they had been dreaming of.
Michael recalls, "Someone recommended us for the David Frost show in New York City. We were going to be on TV. It was the most exciting time of our lives.
I was telling everyone at school about it, and I was telling my story twice to people who didn't believe me to try to convince them.
We had to leave in the car a few days later. I was counting the hours...My teacher had prepared homework for me to make up for my absence. We still had a dress rehearsal and a final song selection to do.
That afternoon, Dad told us that the trip to New York was cancelled. Stunned, we looked at him in disbelief. It was a real shock and
I wanted to cry. We were so close! How could he do this to us? What had happened? Why had Mr. Frost changed his mind? My head was spinning and I'm sure the others were too. "I was the one who cancelled," my father said calmly. We were too stunned to speak. Then my father said, "
The Jackson family arrived in Detroit on July 22 and slept in Bobby Taylor's hotel room.
It was a quarter to ten on July 23, 1968, when the Jackson family's Volkswagen van pulled into the parking lot of a small bungalow community at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. The sign above a building said it all: Hitsville, USA. It was the home of Motown Records, the label that had launched so many unforgettable hits.
"Tito, Jermaine and I started the group. We were just fooling around on guitar and bass and then one day Michael joined us, playing bongos on a Quaker oatmeal box. He played them so well, we thought he should be part of the group. As soon as we did that, he started dancing up in front, doing his James Brown thing. Michael always watched James Brown on television, and Jackie Wilson, too – also The Temptations and then The Four Tops. He would copy what they were doing. That's when we realised how much showmanship he had, and we thought maybe he should be singing lead." Jackie Jackson on starting the band
The brothers are welcomed with open arms to audition, they are taken to a studio, where they meet Suzanne DePasse, Bery Gordy's artistic assistant. Joe learns that Bery Gordy has not been able to attend the audition because he is in Los Angeles; he is very disappointed and is ready to postpone the audition. But Ralph Seltzer, pointing to a camera, explains to him that the audition will be recorded and sent to Berry Gordy who would then make a decision.
The audition is about to start, the boys' equipment is installed and ready to be used in the studio. Eight people arrive to note the Jackson's passage. Michael, holding his microphone, was about to sing but stopped short because he heard someone sniffing in the corner and said, "Yeah, that's the Jackson Jive" ("Jackson Jive" is an old colloquialism for "bullshit"). Ralph Seltzer glared at whoever uttered that phrase.
The Jacksons 5 performed several songs: Ain't Too Proud To Beg, Tobacco Road, I wish It Would Rain and the now famous I Got The Feeling by James Brown. Tito is on guitar, Jermaine on bass.
During the performance, Suzanne de Passe and Ralph Seltzer exchange a and nod their heads. The other members of Motown beat time. However, at the end nobody applauds, they simply note in their notepad.
Yet Berry Gordy said in his 1994 autobiography, To Be Loved, that "these songs seemed written for them" and "Michael's amazing footwork would certainly have made the Godfather of Soul very proud.
Michael finally announced a Motown song, Who's Loving You by Smokey Robinson. "Bullshit, huh?" someone in the room said. These kids don't talk trash. They're just great. Ralph Seltzer just shook hands with all the band members without letting on what he thought of the performance. The family left the studio disappointed, without saying a word.
Two days later, Berry Gordy saw the video of the audition, he quickly made a decision "Yes without hesitation, sign these kids," he told Ralph Seltzer. They're amazing. Don't waste a second. Get them signed."
Three days after the audition, Ralph Seltzer gave Joseph an appointment in his Motown office. During two hours, while the boys waited in the lobby, he explained to him that Berry Gordy wanted to sign the J5 on his label. Seltzer presents a 9-page contract, in which the group commits to the label for 7 years.
Joe disagrees and negotiates with Gordy by phone. Finally the band signs the contract for one year. Unfortunately, the contract contains other clauses that Joe did not take the time to read, which will bind the group to Motown in many other ways.
The Jackson Five and Joe Jackson signed on July 26, 1968.

[soulmum]

July 12, 2003. Barry White took a final journey yesterday - to have his ashes scattered at sea. The soul legend's ex-wife Glodean James sprinkled his remains off the coast of California after a moving service on board the boat.
#MichaelJackson, White's godson, was among the 40 friends and relatives who gathered for the funeral. Eight of them were Barry's children. During the 90-minute service, three-miles off Santa Monica, mourners linked arms in prayer for the star nicknamed the Walrus of Love.
One onlooker said: "It was a very moving service. People were crying. In many ways it was a bizarre sight...."There were women tottering around in high heels, Glodean with six-inch-long gold fingernails and Michael Jackson looking like he was in a circus with a guard holding a silver umbrella over his head."
Notable absentees were Barry's partner Katherine Denton and their five-week-old daughter, Barriana. A battle over the singer's fortune looms after one of his daughters questioned whether Barriana was his child and demanded DNA tests.
Barry died this month on July 5th of kidney failure. He was 58. (R.I.P)

[soulmum]

July 16, 1988. Prince Charles and Princess Diana attended #MichaelJackson 3rd Wembley concert. The Royal guests met Michael backstage and presented to the Royal couple with special jackets for princes William and Harry, as well as a $ 450,000 cheque for Prince's Trust and another $100,000 to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
" July 16, 1988 marks the meeting and the beginning of friendship between the Princess of Wales and the "King of Pop". That evening, the princess did not hide to make him understand how much she adored one of the songs of the artist who bears her first name, "Dirty Diana".
Lady Diana has always declared to be a big fan of Michael Jackson , then listening to her Thriller and Bad albums on repeat . She has also always hoped to meet the "king of pop" in the flesh. This was done one evening in July 1988, when the Princess of Wales and Prince Charles attended the artist's concert at Wembley Stadium in London, on the occasion of the "Bad Tour". They take the opportunity to donate $ 450,000 to the foundation of the interpreter of "Billie Jean". For his part, the latter offers them two jackets specially designed for the tour, for Princes William and Harry , aged 6 and 4 respectively.
A meeting that made Michael Jackson completely nervous. So much so that he wanted to upset the course of his concert, in order to welcome the princely couple as well as possible. For that, it was necessary then according to him to withdraw from the list of songs of the show "Dirty Diana", yet one of the flagship singles of the album Bad . A song that evokes the groupies he could meet at different events. He who thought that singing it on the evening when Princess Diana was present could prove to be a lack of respect for the crown had it all wrong: this song, Lady Diana was a fan of. And she herself asked Michael Jackson to interpret it especially for her.
"She took me aside, and asked me 'Are you going to perform Dirty Diana tonight?' ", Reported the King of Pop in an interview with American journalist Barbara Walters on September 31, 1997." To which I replied 'No, I took her off the show for you'. She said to me “No! I would love for you to sing it… sing it, sing the song! ” », He describes in the interview.
Obviously, after having dedicated this concert to the princess, he did so. And this interpretation, Lady Diana was delighted. Several reporters at the event noticed how playful the princess was during the song. As the first notes then began, she got up to dance, and sang all the words, next to a Prince Charles who remained seated. After this meeting, the Princess of Wales and the King of Pop then began a warm friendship, confiding in each other on the weight that the press had on their respective lives. "
Source : Vanity Fair

[soulmum]

July 17,1990 - Michael Jackson attends the wedding of Grace Eaton to Berry Gordy in Santa Barbara. Among the other wedding guests were Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross.

[soulmum]

July 18, 1988, after his first concerts at London's Wembley Stadium #MichaelJackson accepted filmmaker Steven Spielberg's invitation to accompany him on the film set for recordings of the feature film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The third film in the blockbuster franchise from the cinema's greatest archaeologist had Michael Jackson closely following the recordings, and soon after, when Michael left the filming recitation, the entire collaborative film crew including actors and the director won tickets to the last two shows of the King of Pop at Wembley

[soulmum]

1998, Johannesburg, South Africa, #MichaelJackson, Stevie Wonder and 2,000 other guests sang for President Nelson Mandela Sunday, but the highlight of the star-studded birthday bash was a kiss.
The party at an estate north of Johannesburg marked the first time Mandela appeared in public with Graca Machel, his long-time sweetheart, since he married her at his home on Saturday, his 80th birthday.
Surrounded by 80 children - each carrying a candle marking his years - and facing a chest-high birthday cake, Mandela said: "My wife and I ..."
At those four words, the estate's banquet hall erupted into applause, cheers and whistles. Mandela and Graca then kissed, causing outright pandemonium. When it subsided, Mandela - by now grinning widely - was able to continue: "My wife and I say thank you very much."
After Mandela and Machel blew out a candle atop the cake on the third try, Wonder, on keyboards, led Jackson - replete in black hat, spangly black jacket and aviator sunglasses - and dozens of others in a funky version of Happy Birthday.

[soulmum]

July 19, 1996. #MichaelJackson gave a conference in South Africa

[soulmum]

July 21st, 1996. Prior to the launch of the #HistoryWorldTour #MichaelJackson came a visit Casablanca, Morocco, studying with his tour promotor Mama Concert / Marcel Avram the possibility of his first concert in an Arab country (which happened finally in Tunisia ). Unfortunately the situation was not helping, the authorities told him that they weren't be able to provide enough security due to some problems the country was going through. Michael spent a day in Casablanca visiting the touristic places around, and allegedly was invited to the king's palace and signed the golden book. He also visited the monumental Hassan II mosque.

[soulmum]

July 22 and 23, 1996. #MichaelJackson returned in Budapest, Hungary for a few days to meet Bela Farkas at Bethesda Hospital, as well as other young patients. He also visits the Hungarian Parliament and attends a children's show at the Nep Stadium, where he interacts with the children and holds some of them in his arms.

[soulmum]

July 24, 1998. #MichaelJackson received a welcome dinner in his honor held in Hoshigaoka, accompanied by the president of the United World Karate Association, Daikaku Chodoin.
Daikaku Chodoin, 68, is the founder and president of the United World Karate Association, which combines all five iemoto (the traditional branches of the martial art) with an estimated 50 million practitioners around the world. A kyuudan (9th degree black belt) of Goju-ryu, one of Okinawa’s “hard-soft” karate styles, Chodoin is a fearless fighter who thrives on going to battle both on and off the dojo floor. His winning streak began in his 20s: He first struck gold with shipbuilding and later made a killing with real estate and stocks. He has used his vast fortune to fight racial discrimination and supported revolutionary movements in Africa, South America and the Middle East. In 1985 Chodoin established the World Black Congress in order to unite Africans and that same year he created the Society of International Outer Space Law to draw up a legal framework that would give all nations equal right to space. Chodoin’s desire to heal and save the world struck a chord with Michael Jackson: Since their first meeting in 1997, The King of Pop and the King of karate got along royally. In 1998, Chodoin presented Michael with the Honorary Chairmanship of the United World Karate Association and a godan (fifth degree) black belt.

[soulmum]

July 24, 1985. It is officially announced that #MichaelJackson will play the main role of Disney's new 3D musical film Captain Eo, It’s a spectacular, 70-millimeter, 3D space adventure by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas.
Prior to the project, it was 1984. Michael Jackson was at the height of his career. His 1982 album Thriller, already the best-selling album of all time, was still on the charts. In 1983, Jackson had debuted the moonwalk. His 1984 “Victory” tour played to sold-out stadiums. Michael Jackson wasn’t just a pop star. He was a cultural phenomenon.
Also in 1984, movie executives Michael Eisner and Frank Wells took over the top jobs at Disney. In addition to launching an aggressive slate of movie projects, Eisner and Wells sought to invigorate Disney’s theme parks. They brought their movie experience to the parks too. Traditionally, theme park attractions didn’t rely on star performers. That would now change.
"The third idea we came up with for Disneyland was to create something with Michael Jackson, who appealed to teenagers, but also to young kids, and even their parents. Jackson was a huge fan of our parks, sometimes visiting several times a month, in and out of disguise. Our notion was to put him in an extended 3D music video. George Lucas happened to be one of Jackson’s heroes, and provided another lure. Ultimately, Lucas decided to produce the video and recruited Francis Ford Coppola to direct." #MichaelEisner
The result of this collaboration was Captain EO, which opened at Disneyland on September 18, 1986.

[soulmum]

On August 31, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car accident in Paris [France]. That day, Michael Jackson canceled the HIStory Tour concert minutes before entering the stage, as he was in no condition to perform in front of fans. The show in Oostende [Belgium] was rescheduled for September 3rd, and Diana's image was projected on the screen in memory of her friend. On September 1, Michael made the following statement:
"The sudden loss of Diana, Princess of Wales, is one of the great tragedies of the millennium. [Diana] was a friend of the world. As someone who has been under scrutiny most of my life, I speak with authority when I say the paparazzi , supported by the animalistic behavior of the tabloids, have become acceptable in modern society. The world's acceptance of this practice, if continued, will accelerate tragedies of this magnitude.'' Michael did not attend Diana's funeral in the UK, but on September 13, 1997 , he attended a memorial service for the princess at St. James's Church in Los Angeles. ''Lady Diana, in truth, was one of the sweetest people I ever met because we could relate. We had a friendship, a friendship. beautiful friendship. We could call each other late at night, just to talk, cry on each other's shoulders. She was a wonderful person, safe, compassionate, very caring. And it was real, it wasn't publicity or anything. did you mind is true.''
[Michael Jackson]
Source: The Visual Documentary by Adrian Grant.

[soulmum]

July 25, 1995. #MichaelJackson attended a press conference at the Bryant Park Grill together with Mayor Rudolf Giuliani in New York City to announce the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards nominations.
Michael Jackson crowned King of the MTV Awards. The King of Pop Michael Jackson is gone, but he's not been forgotten, certainly not by MTV Video Music Award voters.
Two days before the very close awards show, MTV on Friday revealed a poll of the main moments chosen by voters in the almost three decades of the program, and Jackson was chosen as the lead of the most representative and best pop performance by a medley of songs he sang in 1995.
Michael Jackson singing and dancing to “The Way You Make Me Feel,” “Scream,” “Beat It,” and “Smooth Criminal” garnered 57 percent of the vote for the most iconic or iconic performance, beating Madonna's with “Like a Virgin ”in 1984 and Lady Gaga with“ Paparazzi ”in 2009.
Michael also took the lead when it came to best pop performance with the same mix of songs, again beating artists like Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, TLC and his own sister, Janet Jackson, who performed a tribute to Michael the year he died.
MTV annually presents awards for the best videos in what has become one of its most viewed television broadcasts. Last year's VMAs were watched by 11.4 million viewers, its largest audience since 2002.
Source : Reuters Staff, August 26, 2011

[soulmum]

July 27, 1998. A dinner for the inauguration of the Olympic Promotion Committee Karate Memorial Party was held in the evening at the same Okura Hotel. The president of the Karate Promotion Foundation presented Michael with a letter of thanks and a commemorative gift, and the president also presented a letter of appreciation for his contribution to the improvement of the image of karate. The third time Michael took the stage was for Yukio Hashi, who is also the director of the World Karate Federation, to place an emblem welcoming Michael as honorary president. ( via Matilde Beatriz Latini )

[soulmum]

July 28, 2003. #MichaelJackson attended a children's party at Al Malnik's home in Florida with his children. Al Malnik became friends with Michael in the early 2000's and since then, Michael often spent time with his children at his Florida home.
"All of our kids spent a lot of time together and Michael's kids loved it. When they were with us, they were able to hang out with Nancy (Al Malnik's wife) and they didn't have to wear the veil, because nobody knew who they were. When they spent time with us, they had the opportunity to experience normal situations that were missing in their daily lives, like visiting St. Andrew's school or going to the movies. When they were with my family, they could literally take off their masks and no one would bother them.
Michael was able to do the same. We worked to create daily experiences for him, like shopping. One time we rented a Publix supermarket so he could do what regular people do on a regular basis." #AlMalnik

[soulmum]

July 28, 1998. Prior to his departure from Japan to
Los Angeles via Singapore, #MichaelJackson visited Sony's headquarters in Shinagawa and then went to SEGA's Tokyo Joypolis.
When Michael visited the place in the past, it was reserved for him alone, but this time Michael was mixed with the general public and he enjoyed it for over an hour. SEGA security was added to the security of the karate officers that accompanied him, Michael was able to enjoy the attractions of different types ′′ Time Fall ′′ and ′′ Rail Chase The Ride ′′ "Halfpipe Canyon′′ seemed to be his favorite, juice over and over again, there was a scene where he was laughing while clapping as he was exited the attraction. Right after his visit, Michael Jackson and his staff went straight to Narita airport followed by a dozen cabs with fans.

[soulmum]

Danny Silva Sparkles
@antoniadannysil
@michaeljackson

On August 29, 2002, during the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony held at Radio City Music Hall in New York, Michael Jackson received a special award. At the beginning of the MTV show, singer Britney Spears arrived on stage to present the award. Since it was was Michael Jackson's birthday, there was a huge white four-tier cake with black musical notes and silver stars positioned on the back. The prize, a silver key, was on the table with the cake. Britney Spears began with these words: "I'm so happy to be here with you in New York on such a special night, and it's all the more special because it's someone special's birthday, it's someone who inspired me and almost everyone in this room. and in the world. I call him the Artist of the Millennium. He's a true innovator who pioneered the true art of music video, broke countless barriers and sold more records than any other artist along the way. So happy birthday my friend , King of Pop." Then Michael walked on stage for Billie Jean's introduction and received a standing ovation from the audience. He hugged Britney Spears, took the award and walked to the microphone for her acceptance speech: "Well...God bless you...I love you too...[he speaks to fans calling him] Thank you so much Britney Spears, you look amazing. When I was a little boy in Indiana, if someone had told me... if someone had told me that one day I would be receiving the Millennium Artist Award as a musician, I wouldn't have believed it [ laughs.] It's really amazing, I can't believe it, thank you so much. But there are a couple of people I have to thank who made it possible. First, I'd like to thank God who makes all things possible. My mom, Joseph Jackson, Katherine Jackson, Trudy Green, Howard Koffman, the genius of John McClain, John Brenka, Berry Gordy, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Quincy Jones, I love you David Blaine, your magic is real and I believe in you And I would like to of thanks... I think James Brown is a genius. And all the fans around the world, I Love you. God bless you. Thank you.” Then Michael made the peace sign, took the prize, looked at the cake again, and left the stage.
the controversy
On the same night, there was a controversy - whether MTV had really given Jackson a Millennium Artist award. It is a fact that MTV had promised to honor Michael Jackson with a special award at that event. Later, MTV made fun of the whole event and this happened during Michael Jackson fall with the Sony record label. Either MTV pretended to give him such an award, or there was a "misunderstanding" of how he was being honored that night, coinciding with his birthday by the way. But apparently no one warned the employees who ran the MTV website because they had posted the Millennium Artist award information on the MTV website that night:
''An unprecedented award, Michael Jackson, the Millennium Artist!'' MTV later defended: ''Michael was apparently confused, not understanding the concept of his birthday or the big birthday cake on stage, and instead , believed MTV was honoring him with a Millennium Artist Award. For this invaluable moment in Video Music Awards history, we've been trying to give him an authentic Millennium Award ever since, but he never showed up to receive it.'' It's worth remembering that on May 18, 2000, Michael Jackson already he had received a legitimate Millennium Artist Award from Prince Albert of Monaco.
Source:
http://mtv.com

[soulmum]

July 30, 1986. #MichaelJackson attended the funeral of Vincent Minnelli at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California.
Director Vincente Minnelli was an artist whose legacy will endure for generations of movie audiences, actors Gregory Peck and Kirk Douglas said in a eulogy for the film maker.
″Our friend Vincente will never die,″ Douglas said Wednesday at Minnelli’s funeral. ″All that he created from that spacious, imaginative mind will live as long as films exist. We should leave here with the joyous memories from all the films that Vincente left us.″
Peck called Minnelli ″a man who literally gave his life to reach for the distant star, to create works that 100 years later will glow with life and power.″
Minnelli, known for his direction of movie musicals and winner of the Academy Award as best director for ″Gigi,″ died Friday at the age of 83. He had suffered from emphysema and pneumonia.
Following the half-hour funeral service Wednesday, singer Michael Jackson escorted the director’s widow, Lee, and daughters Liza Minnelli and Christina Miro from the Wee Kirk o’ the Heather Church at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Actors James Stewart, Ricardo Montalban and Douglas joined singer Kenny Rogers, composer Henry Mancini, and producers Jack Haley Jr. and Fred de Cordova as pallbearers.
A private burial followed the service.
A telegram to Mrs. Minnelli from President and Mrs. Reagan was read during the service.
″Nancy and I send our heartfelt condolences on Vincente’s death to you, Liza and Christina. He was a multitalented man who brought unforgettable magic into our lives with his fine and magnificent films. They will live on as beautiful tributes to his special capabilities,″ Reagan said.
″An artist has a right to be judged by his best work,″ said Peck. ″In ‘Gigi,’ ‘An American in Paris,’ and especially Vincente’s favorite picture, ‘Lust for Life,’ we see that special perfection in every foot of film.″
He said Minnelli crossed the line from moviemaker to artist ″more often than most.″
″By pleasing himself he pleased millions of filmgoers. He sent them out of theaters dreaming they could sing like Judy (Garland) or dance like (Fred) Astaire.″
The late Miss Garland was Minnelli’s former wife and the mother of Liza Minnelli.
The memorial service was attended by more than 60 people, including Bob Hope, Stuart Whitman, Eva Gabor and Ed McMahon. About 50 fans waited outside, watching celebrities as they arrived and left the church.
″He was not only a superb director, but a great director. I grieve very much for him,″ said Miss Gabor, who appeared in ″Gigi.″
Liza Minnelli and the director’s widow announced Monday that a fund for cancer research had been established at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles in Minnelli’s memory.
Source : AP

[soulmum]

August 1st, 1984 and prior to their performances
at Madison Square Garden ( 4th & 5th ), #MichaelJackson and his brothers were presented with a commemorative plaque and T-shirt by Al Sharpton (Founder and the head of the National Youth Movement), to celebrate the success of The Jacksons, the pride of poverty-stricken minority children, and held at Hemsley Hotel in New York.

[soulmum]

August 5, 1976. #MichaelJackson and his sister LaToya attended a party held in Beverly Hills with everyone decked out in sparkling white and discussed with Stevie Wonder's back vocal Minnie Riperton about show business. Michael had the opportunity to meet Minnie a few times, notably during private events in Los Angeles.
Minnie Julia Riperton Rudolph, known as Minnie Riperton, is a black American soul music artist, born November 8, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois, known for her four and a half octave vocal range.
Michael Jackson was also approached and recorded a virtual duet with the singer. "I'm In Love Again" is a classic ballad typical of Minnie's register, written by her and her husband Richard Rudolph, where the voices of the two artists blend wonderfully.
In 1978, Minnie and Michael were also among the guests at a party thrown by Richard Pryor (The Wiz) for the birthday of photographer Isaac "Ike" Sutton.
On July 12, 1979, Minnie lost her battle with breast cancer which she had been fighting for several years and died in Los Angeles at the age of 31.
On October 18, 1980, "Love Lives Forever", a posthumous album was released, co-produced by her husband Richard Rudolph. Composed of vocal sessions recorded by Minnie in 1978.
On the back cover, the artists who contributed to the album left a note about what Minnie meant to them. Michael wrote : "She was phenomenal...she did things with her voice that were incredible"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zk_f6rdIU4...
Minnie Riperton - I'm In Love Again ( in duet with Michael Jackson )

[soulmum]

August 6, 1994. #MichaelJackson and Lisa Marie Presley visited two children’s facilities in Budapest, Hungary : the Heim Pal Hospital For Children and the Bethesda Hospital, while shooting the Communist-themed video for the HIStory album. The King Of Pop distributed an estimated 2,600 toys to the afflicted young patients, while "HTWF", along with partners "Toys 'R' Us" and "AmeriCares", distribute 20,000-dollar-worth toys, food and provisions suchlike therein. Michael Jackson also offers to purchase a respiratory machine for the Bethesda Hospital.