MEMORIES of Michael at the Memorial Service in Los Angeles
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FACT FILE The Memorial Service, Los Angeles Madonna Many stars performed and spoke about ‘I can’t stop crying.’ MEMORIES OF Michael at the memorial service in Los Angeles. People watched it live on TV all MICHAEL over the world. When the news of Michael Jackson’s death on 26th June, 2009 reached fans Usher sang one of around the world, thousands wrote about it on social networking sites such Michael’s songs, as Twitter and Facebook. He gave fans, young and old, some wonderful ‘Gone Too Soon’, music, and was a strong musical infl uence on many singers and songwriters. and started to cry How was the ‘King of Pop’ remembered? during his song. ‘My music President Barack wouldn’t be the Obama Live Concerts same without ‘I often listened to Many musicians were in the middle Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson when of concert tours when they heard the His death has been very, very hard for me.’ I was a kid in Hawaii. news. Madonna had a huge picture of He was one of our Michael above the stage while his songs ‘Sing our songs among the stars greatest performers.’ played. A dancer dressed like Michael and walk our dances across the face and performed all of his famous dance of the moon …’ moves, while Madonna watched. At the Queen Latifah read a poem which was end she said, ‘To one of the greatest written about Michael by black writer artists that the world has ever known!’ Maya Angelou. Justin Timberlake P Diddy ‘Michael Jackson is now In 2001, Justin Timberlake performed ‘He made the moonwalking in heaven. RIP.*’ with Michael Jackson at the MTV Music music come alive. Video Awards. ‘I’m lucky to have I will miss him.’ ‘Thanks for the music and the memories with him on and off stage ... memories. RIP, MJ.’ He really was, and always will, be the ‘King of Pop.’ ’ Britney Spears ‘I was so excited about seeing his tour in What memories Quincy Jones, producer on London, and performing with him there. do you have of Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad I’m devastated.’ What do these words mean? You can use a dictionary. Michael Jackson and his ‘I’m devastated. The music that we social networking site influence memory music? What will people recorded in the ‘80s is played in every Beyoncé devastated heaven memorial service poem remember most about corner of the world. I’ve lost my little ‘This is a terrible day. Michael Jackson will him, do you think? brother, and part of me has gone with him.’ always be the King of Pop.’ * We say ‘Rest in Peace’ (RIP) when someone dies. 56 57 FACT FILE Diana Ross with the Supremes BLACK OR MICHAEL JACKSON, MOTOWN AND THE WHITE? COLOUR BARRIER When Michael Jackson fi rst started singing in the 1960s, the music business was very different in the US. There was the main pop chart, but there was also a chart for R&B (Rhythm and Blues) music. Most African-American artists had their music only on the R&B chart. Many radio stations only played music from one chart or the other. Michael Jackson’s success helped to change this. ‘WHITES, ONLY’ THE MOTOWN YEARS Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video In 1983, Michael’s record company African-American artists had faced Stevie In 1960, African- CBS wanted MTV to play the ‘Billie Jean’ problems for years. Sammy Davis, Jr was Wonder American Berry video. MTV refused, saying it was the a famous performer and singer. In 1945, Gordy started wrong kind of music for the channel. he was paid a lot of money to perform at a new record CBS said that they would take all of a big hotel in Las Vegas. There was just company – their other artists away from MTV if they one problem: at fi rst he was not Motown. Gordy didn’t play Michael Jackson’s videos. allowed to stay wanted to bring The channel agreed to play ‘Billie Jean’ in the hotel; black music to several times each day and it was hugely it was for white white America. He carefully controlled popular. The same was true for the people only. the image of his artists – including their ‘Thriller’ video, and many other Michael clothes and dance style. Gordy believed Jackson hits. that this image would help white After Michael Jackson’s solo success in Americans to become more interested MICHAEL AND MTV the 1980s, it was less unusual for black in music by African-American artists. In the early 1980s, the music channel singers to be on MTV, to be on the front It worked: Motown had many hugely MTV appeared. It was very popular with cover of magazines, and to be in the successful black artists in the 1960s teenagers. At fi rst, the channel played main pop charts. Many African-American and ’70s including Marvin Gaye, Diana mostly rock music by white artists, artists believe that Michael Jackson Ross, Stevie Wonder and, of course, The but Michael Jackson’s huge success opened the door to a fairer Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson. changed all of this. world for them. What Things had changed a lot, but many kind of music people still spoke about a ‘colour barrier’ What do these words mean? You can use a dictionary. do you like? for African-American artists. barrier chart image channel Do you know its history? 58 59 FACT FILE TEENAGE MOVIE STARS CHILD STARS: Actors in two of the world’s biggest movies TOO FAMOUS were child stars. Kristen Stewart TOO YOUNG? plays Bella in Big Brother, X-Factor, Britain’s Got Talent – with the growing number of TV the Twilight ‘talent’ shows, it sometimes seems that everybody wants to be famous, and fi lms. Her fi rst this includes children. But as Michael Jackson’s story shows, becoming a child big fi lm was star doesn’t always lead to a happy life. Young stars have to grow up very Panic Room quickly. Is it possible to be too famous too young? with Jodie Foster, when she was twelve. Kristen wants to become a writer one BRITNEY SPEARS AND THE day too. FRIENDS OF MICHAEL DISNEY ‘STAR FACTORY’ Harry Potter Michael Jackson Britney Spears was chosen to be on star Daniel felt close to Disney’s All New Mickey Mouse Club on Radcliffe people who television when she was ten years old. made his fi rst had been child Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera television stars. One of were on the show at the same time! Six appearance his close friends years later, she had a hit with ‘(Hit Me), when he was was Elizabeth Baby One More Time’. It was the start ten. Then he Taylor, the of a hugely successful career but Britney got the part of famous actress. had many problems. In 1994 she married Harry Potter. THE WORLD’S FIRST Another friend an old school friend in Las Vegas but As well as the CHILD STAR was Macaulay Culkin. In 1990, when ended the marriage after 55 hours. She Harry Potter Shirley Temple was a huge movie star in Macaulay was ten, he starred in the fi rst had two children with her next husband, fi lms, Daniel has made other movies the 1930s. She made her fi rst movie at of the Home Alone movies. However, but that marriage also ended. At times and appeared on stage in London and the age of fi ve. She could act, sing and his success came with family problems; she has seemed out of control, and she New York. ‘I do everything that a normal dance and her movies made a lot of his parents started to fi ght over divorce is often followed by a large group of teenager does,’ he said in one interview. money. However, Shirley Temple did arrangements and money. Macaulay said press photographers. ‘I’m very normal!’ What not continue acting as an adult and her that he wouldn’t act again until they are the biggest movie career ended when she was stopped fi ghting. It took two years for it What do these words mean? You can use a dictionary. dangers for a about 20. In later life, she worked to end. As an adult, Macaulay hasn’t had grow up childhood divorce marriage child star, do as a politician. any more hit movies. you think? 60 61.