Friday June 26, 2009

Michael Jackson Dies
The man who invented "moonwalk" dies aged 50

By Sky news, CNN, MJ official website
J H - compilation

The most memorable and probably one of pop music's biggest stars, has died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office.

Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home Thursday afternoon to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said brother Jermaine Jackson. He said the famed singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT.

An autopsy is scheduled Friday, he said. Results are expected Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles coroner's office, who also said Jackson was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN paramedics were sent to a west Los Angeles, California, residence after a 911 call came in at 12:21 p.m.

Law enforcement officials said the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division opened an investigation into Jackson's death. They stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing but that they would conduct interviews with family members and friends.

Police want to interview Michael Jackson's doctor after the star's family suggested he died because of a drug overdose, according to reports. Tmz.com said Jackson received a daily injection of Demerol, a synthetic narcotic similar to morphine, but was given "too much" on Thursday.

Los Angeles police want to talk to the doctor - who lived at the star's home and administered his injections - but he has not yet been found, the entertainment website said.

TV channels around the world interrupted programmes to break the news of Jackson's death, while many radio stations are playing his hits back-to-back.

The first reports of Jackson's death emerged on the internet and sparked a huge surge in online traffic as people searched for the latest news.

Twitter has been flooded with tributes from fans and celebrities alike including Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Stephen Fry.

Singer and actress Cher paid tribute saying: "He was a great singer. You know, it's like God gives you certain gifts. And some people he gives different gifts and some people he gives more gifts.

"And this child was just an extraordinary child, touched by this ability to have people feel him and feel people. You know, he was a genius, like Ray Charles, like Stevie Wonder. They just have this gift."

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney described Jackson's death as "sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever."

Madonna added: "The world has lost one of its greats but his music will live on forever."

Fans gathered near Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, to pay their respects to the singer who left the city years ago.

In LA, people lined the streets outside the hospital and coroner's office while others laid flowers and candles on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jackson lived most of his life in the public spotlight after first performing in public with his brothers at the age of just six.

How Singer Lived, Loved And Died

EARLY LIFE

Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson boys - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael - first performed together at a talent show when Michael was six. They walked off with first prize.

Their group later became The Jackson Five, and when they were signed by Motown Records in the late 1960s they underwent their final metamorphosis to become The Jackson 5. Jackson made his first solo album in 1972.

SUCCESS

Ten Years later Michael Jackson released Thriller in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top 10 singles.

The album spawned seven singles which made the Top 10 and its global sales have been estimated at anywhere between 50 million and 100 million.

The next year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move while performing Billie Jean during an NBC special gliding across the stage and instantly setting a trend which would be copied countless times.

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

ACCUSATIONS

But alongside his success, his personal life was frequently the subject of controversy and his eccentric behaviour saw him nicknamed Wacko Jacko.

In 1993, Jackson was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy, and police raided his California ranch "Neverland", but no charges were filed against him and the matter was settled out of court in 1994.

The same year, Jackson announced he had become addicted to painkillers and abruptly cancelled a world tour to promote his album, Dangerous.

MARRIAGE & FAMILY

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.

Jackson has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hote balcony in 2002 causing widespread criticism.

MORE CONTROVERSY

A television documentary titled Living With Michael Jackson was screened in 2003, saying that Jackson still had sleepovers with young boys and had his third child with a surrogate mother. Jackson aired his own rebuttal.

Jackson went on trial in 2005 on charges of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 2003, as well as conspiring to abduct the boy. The singer faced nearly 20 years in prison if convicted.

The four-month trial ended in June 2005 with his being acquitted of all charges. Jackson has spent much of his time living outside the US(Bahrain, Ireland and France) since then.

COMEBACK?

After several false dawns, Jackson and music promoter AEG Live announced he would perform 50 concerts at London's O2 Arena. Jackson had been due to start the concerts on July 13.

Jackson had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the London shows, which sold out within hours of within hours of going on sale in March.

Copyright:CNN, Sky News, MJ official website