Today in MJJ HIStory

1970 - The Jackson 5ive made their first guest appearance on a musical variety show, performing on the Jim Nabors Show.

The Jackson 5 were the only guests on the Jim Nabors Hour for his 1970 season premiere. Nabors was an affable, goofy actor who had achieved national fame as a country bumpkin named Gomer Pyle on the situation comedy, The Andy Griffith Show.

The Jackson 5 sang "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There," their latest single (with an oddly truncated counter-lead from Jermaine), and they acted in a skit set in a hotel in which Nabors played a bellhop being duped by the Jackson 5 and their manager, who was trying to sneak all five boys into a hotel room that had a limit of two guests. When Jackie popped out of the closet to place his sandwich order he says: "I'll have a tuna and tomato!"

On musical variety shows, it was nearly always incumbent on the musical guests to perform a number with the host. The Jackson 5 performed two songs with Jim: they sang a gorgeous a cappella introduction to the Beatles' current hit, "Let It Be" before Jim took over with a version that wasn't going to make Paul McCartney nervous about the competition. The embarrassing ensemble of dancers at the end of the song was also a strange requirement of musical variety shows.

They also sang a song that was a very odd choice: an hip, updated version of "Shortnin' Bread." The song, written in a faux Negro dialect, was popularized in minstrel shows of the early 20th century, and at least Jim had the good sense to sing it without blackface and to tweak the lyrics a bit.
~j5collector


1984 - The Jacksons perform Victory tour at Montreal's Olympic Stadium in Quebec [Canada] attending 58,270.
During the finale, Jackie hobbles on stage to join The Jacksons for 'Shake Your Body' (Down To The Ground), which sees all six brothers together and in costume for the first time during the Victory Tour.

1988 - Michael's song Another Part of Me hit #1 on US Hot 100 chart.
Another Part Of Me made its first appearance in September 1986, when it was one of two new songs featured in the 17 minute Disney-exclusive 3D space fantasy Captain EO. The other new song in the mini-movie was We Are Here To Change The World.

1996 - Michael performs HIStory tour at Dynamo Stadium in Moscow [Russia] attending 50,000.