Showing posts with label 1980. Show all posts

1971 - The single "Mama's Pearl," by the Jackson 5, hit #2 in the U.S.

1980 - Michael Jackson won the Best R & B Vocal Performance, Male award for Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough at the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards. The award was his first Grammy.

Michael was greatly disappointed that Off The Wall did not win Record of the Year or Album of the Year (losing to the Doobie Brothers and Billy Joel, respectively) and vowed the next album would not be overlooked in the same way.

1984 - MTV previewed the two 60 second PEPSI GENERATION commercials free of charge.

Jingle based on Billie Jean, which accompanied Michael’s first sponsorship deal with Pepsi Cola in 1984. Pepsi campaign ‘The Choice of a New Generation’ launched at the Lincoln Center, New York. Launch attended by 1,600 people; the programme for the evening came with a 7” promo of Michael’s re-working of Billie Jean, for the advertising campaign.

1997 - ABC-TV aired "Happy Birthday, Elizabeth." Michael Jackson had performed on the show that was taped on February 16, 1997.

1979 – The Jacksons perform their Destiny Tour in London, UK.

1980 - Off The Wall enters the Black singles chart peaking at #5 and remains their for 13 weeks.


1988 - The U.S. leg of the Bad World Tour began at Kansas City’s Kemper Arena in front of 16,960 fans.

Michael performed his first ever U.S. solo concert in Kansas City. The newly revised shows included more songs from the BAD album than did the shows in Japan. Michael left the sold out house of about 17,000 spellbound with moves that weren't around until he invented them. When not dumbfounded the fans cheered and waved their arms in response to the Gifted One's world-class talent and showmanship.

For the first few shows, there were also surprise appearances by Tatiana Thumbtzen for the performance of The Way You Make Me Feel. It was also a surprise for Tatiana, who was contacted by Michael's secretary only one week before the tour's opening. She was glad to be a part of the show, describing it as being like Christmas in February.

A month into the tour, Michael – finally ready to leave his family’s Encino home – bought a property he had been looking at for some time, a 2,700-acre ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara that he would christen “Neverland”.

Although Michael’s tour would keep him away from his new home for most of 1988, the purchase gave him time to refurbish it into a magical space, complete with amusement rides and a petting zoo. It was a deeply symbolic move for the 29-year-old man who saw himself as a “Peter Pan” figure, a committed champion for the happiness of children.

1985 – Michael Jackson is on TV Guide


1995 - "The National Association of Recording Merchandisers" (NARM) rewards Michael with the "Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award", at the 37th annual NARM Convention in San Diego, Ca.

The award recognizing efforts to advance social change. Harry Forster Chapin was an American singer-songwriter and dedicated humanitarian who fought to end world hunger. On that occasion, Michael gives a special preview of several new songs off of his forthcoming album, "HIStory".

2002 - Michael won three awards [out of six nominations] at the "33rd Annual NAACP Image Awards" which took place at the Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA. Michael won for Best Variety Special: "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration", Best Performance in a Variety Special: "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration" and Best Music Video: "You Rock My World". However, Michael did not attend the ceremony.

2010 - Return of the Captain EO.
The groundbreaking 3D movie called “Captain Eo”, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas. Jackson writes and records two songs for the 17 minute epic: “We Are Here to Change the World” and “Another Part of Me”. He also helps create a “Captain Eo” ride for Disneyland. The movie enjoy great success and run ran for 8 years at Disneyland and 10 years at Epcot. It also released at Tokyo Disneyland where it ran for 9 years and Disneyland Park in Paris - for 6 years.

The attraction, now entitled Captain EO Tribute, re-opened at Disneyland Park on February 23, 2010. The attraction returned to Discoveryland at Disneyland Park (Paris) on June 12, 2010, returned to Epcot at Walt Disney World on July 2 and to Tokyo Disneyland on July 1.

1979 - The Jacksons perform a concert in Frankfurt, Germany on Destiny tour.

1980 - Michael attends the 12th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Hollywood Palladium. The Jacksons won the Best Singing Group of the Year award.

1984 - Filming of the second Pepsi commercial "Concert" concluded at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium.

Real terror struck during the filming when a spark from the bombs [for pyrotechnical effects] set his hair on fire. Michael suffered second and third degree scalp burns.

At 6:00 PM, director Bob Giraldi called for another take of the scene with Michael dancing down the staircase. This was the last scene to be shot after four days of filming. Michael stood at his spot at the top of the stairs, and was told to stand there until the bombs went off this time, then make his descent. So after the pyrotechnics went off, Michael began to dance down the stairs. Suddenly he cried out in pain. A spark from the lightning effects had set his hair on fire. He pulled his jacket up over his head to try to put out the flames. Mass confusion followed. Fans and extras used in the audience were horrified as were his brothers and the crew. Jermaine initially thought Michael had been shot!

The first to reach Michael to help was his personal secretary, Miko Brando, Marlon Brando's son, who quickly extinguish the flames, possibly saving the singer's life. Miko did smother the flames with his hands and suffered burns on his own fingers trying to put out the flames in Michael's hair. A fan from the audience applied an ice pack on the burn.

Michael was rushed to the emergency room of Cedar Sinai Medical Center and was later moved to Brotman Memorial Hospital for treatment. Having been told a barrage of reporters and photographers awaited his arrival at the hospital, Michael told the ambulance attendants that he wanted to wear his glove when he was wheeled into the hospital.

Somewhat badly burned, television news was on alert as Jackson was hospitalized overnight, footage of him being rushed from the ambulance on a stretcher – head bandaged, faced covered, hand glitter-gloved – played at regular intervals, an image that became as much a part of his legend as any of his staged performances.

Michael had suffered a palm sized second degree burn on the back of his head with a smaller third degree burn the size of a half dollar at the center. It was a serious burn that reportedly could have burned through his scalp and killed him. Michael at first refused any pain killers due to his strong disapproval of any drugs. Later, he did give in to the extreme pain and accepted medication.

1986 - "We Are The World" win the "Song of the Year" award at the 14th American Music Awards ceremony held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Ca.

Michael arrives half-way through the American Music Awards ceremony in company of Elizabeth Taylor, dressed in a green khaki uniform that looked like a cross between a Canadian mountie and a school crossing guard.

American Music Award of Appreciation went to Harry Belafonte, who first conceived the idea to create a project for the relief of famine in Ethiopia. On accepting the award, he called Ken Kragen, Quincey Jones, Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson up on stage to share the award.

At the show's conclusion, most of the celebrities including Diana Ross, Janet & LaToya, reunited with them on stage to sing "We Are The World".







Following the awards presentation, Michael, with Elizabeth Taylor, joined Lionel Richie and Brenda Richie for dinner. Michael took along his personal chef who prepared him steamed okra.


1989 - Michael played the 123rd and final show of the "Bad" tour at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

Michael Jackson's final performance of the Bad World tour. Los Angelese mayor Tom Bradley declared it "Michael Jackson Day" and presented Michael with the proclamation. Several celebrities showed up to wish him farewell. Among them were Raquel Welch, Michael Landon, Phil Collins, Dionne Warwick, Lola Falona, Tiffany, Diahann Carroll, Ava Gardner, and Sidney Poitier. Many of Michael's closest friends were also there; Suzanne dePasse, Sophia Loren, Jane Fonda, and Smokey Robinson. Rebbie, Jackie, Jermaine, Janet and his mother, Katherine, were all there for Michael's final concert performance. Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross also attended the last show. One other very special friend visited Michael backstage that night, Bubbles.

For this performance, Berry Gordy was again in the audience. Michael dedicated the Motown medley to Gordy, and at the end of the show he told the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, there is a man here tonight who helped my career. He is Berry Gordy. Stand up Berry!"

Among the children to join Michael on stage for this final performance was Jimmy Safechuck. Jimmy was dressed as Michael and performed the new sideways moonwalk right along side Michael.

The "Bad" tour broke all existing records and became the biggest tour ever done up to that date. The "Bad" World Tour attendance figures total 4.4 million, making Michael's 16 month tour [September 12, 1987 - January 27, 1989], which played in 15 countries, the largest in history. The tour became also the highest grossing concert tour, grossing over US$ 125 million, more than any other entertainer has ever grossed on a single tour. The BAD tour was the 6th largest tour of the year in the US, playing in only 19 cities, the tour grossed $20.3 million.

Michael will break his "tour records" a couple years later.

During his European leg of the "Bad" tour, Michael was earning UK£ 3'425 a minute. Michael had negotiated a deal worth UK£ 20 million, of which he received 90% of the preceeds from all concerts. After paying his entourage of 140, he was left with profits of around UK£ 400'000 per show.

The Bad World Tour was supposed to end on December 26, 1988, but Michael was forced to postpone five concerts at Memorial Arena in Los Angeles after suffering from swollen vocal chords following his performance there on November 13, 1987. Those final five shows were held between January 16-27, 1989, bringing the massive 16-month odyssey to an end.

Between September 12, 1987 and January 27, 1989, Michael had performed 123 concerts to a total of 4.4 million people, grossing a total of $125 million, a sum that earned him yet another entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. Along the way, he made numerous large charitable donations and frequently invited underprivileged children to see the show for free.

1990 - Michael receives the Entertainer Of The Decade award at the 7th American Cinema Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Ca.



The American Cinema Foundation awarded special honors to three entertainers. Elizabeth Taylor and Gregory Peck were honored for their career achievements in films. The Entertainer of the Decade honor was awarded to Michael Jackson.

Among Michael's guests at the award presentation were Janet, Tito, and Jermaine. The award ceremony was a little late getting started, as Michael showed up two hours late. When he finally showed up, dressed in a red shirt, and black military jacket, Sophia Loren presented Michael with his award, and he gave an incredible three minute speech. "I'm giving a long speech because I'm not on television." In fact, no cameras were allowed to film him. In his speech, Michael spoke of his deep affection for fellow honoree Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor had had similar praise for Michael in her own speech saying she was happy to be honored with "my beloved Michael, whom I would have loved and admired if I had never seen him dance or heard him sing."

2007 - Michael has dinner with UK producer Simon Fuller, Emmy award winning director and choreographer Kenny Ortega who choreographed the HIStory tour and US journalist Robin Leach at "Wing Lei" Chinese Restaurant at Wynn in Las Vegas.


Both Michael and Ortega have been associated with Steve Wynn. Michael was often a guest of Wynn's at The Mirage and there was talk that Wynn was bringing Michael back to Las Vegas.

1977 - Eight more episodes of The Jacksons CBS-TV variety show were taped and broadcast in early 1977, but unfortunately by then the genre had burned itself out, and the show was canceled alongside its counterparts. The first of the new episodes, co-starring Redd Foxx, was broadcast on January 19, 1977.

1980 - Rock With You become the Off The Wall album's second #1 single, reaching the top of the pop singles chart the week of January 19, 1980 and remaining for four weeks. Rock With You was also the album's second single to reach #1 position on the black singles chart. Rock With You isn't as fast paced as Don't Stop, but the beat is definitely just as infectious.

1993 - Michael performs Gone To Soon and Heal The World at "An American Reunion" the 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala held in Washington, DC.

He walked through the crowd to the stage dressed in black pants and a red military style shirt, with his hair pulled back in a ponytail. He first addressed the very soon to be new President on the need for continued and increased funding for AIDS research.

Before performing song Gone To Soon, in memory of his friend, late activist Ryan White – who passed on due to AIDS – he speaks on White and their friendship, his immune system malady and on the necessity of supporting AIDS cure research by the incoming presidential administration: "Thank you, Mr. President elect, for inviting me to your inauguration gala. I would like to take a moment from this very public ceremony to speak of something very personal. It concerns a dear friend of mine, who is no longer with us. His name is Ryan White. He was a hemophiliac, who was diagnosed with the AIDS virus when he was 11. He died shortly after turning 18, the very time most young people are beginning to explore life’s wonderful possibilities. My friend, Ryan, was a very bright, very brave and very normal young man who never wanted to be a symbol or a spokesperson for a deadly disease. Over the years, I’ve shared many silly, happy and painful moments with Ryan, and I was at the end of his brief, but eventful journey.
Ryan is gone, and just as anyone who has lost a loved one to AIDS, I miss him deeply and constantly. He is gone, but I want his life to have meaning beyond his passing. It is my hope, President elect, Clinton, that you and your administration commit the resources needed to eliminate this awful disease that took my friend... and ended so many promising lives before their time. This song is for you, Ryan."

Michael then performed his anthem to his friend Ryan White, Gone Too Soon, his voice cracking with emotion at the last lines. Several children joined Michael on stage next for Heal the World, which he dedicated to "all the children of the world". Michael later joined a specially reunited Fleetwood Mac and several other celebrities to sing Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow).

2002 - Michael received the award as 'Best International Male Singer' at the NRJ Awards 2002, which just took place in Cannes, France. He did not attend the award show.

1980 - Michael attends the 7th Annual American Music Awards, at the ABC-TV Studios in Hollywood, Ca.


Michael receives 3 awards for Off The Wall and presents an award to the Bee Gees. Dressed in his trademark tux with a sequined shirt, Michael took home the awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Album for Off The Wall, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough.

1989 - Michael Jackson in concert at the Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, US.

1993 - Michael performs "We Are The World" with celebrities at the Pre-Inaugural Celebration for Bill Clinton held at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.


The day before the Inaugural Gala, Michael made an unscheduled appearance on pre-Inaugural celebration. He joined Diana Ross and several other celebrities on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in a performance of We Are The World, standing, dressed in black and gold, next to President elect Clinton, the soon to be new First Lady, and their daughter Chelsea.

1996 - Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson filed for divorce from Michael, ending a 19-month marriage that merged pop royalty. A statement from Jackson spokesman Lee Solters said the two "have mutually agreed to go their separate ways. However, they remain good friends." Irreconcilable differences were given as reason. Michael got married to Lisa on May 26, 1994 in the Dominican Republic.

1998 - Michael wins the copyright infringement case against Al Bano Carrisi for the song Will You Be There.

2008 - 'The Girl Is Mine 2008' - the first single from the upcoming 'Thriller 25th Anniversary Edition' - has released to radio stations worldwide.

1969 - The Jackson 5 got their first* national television debut in U.S. on the ABC-TV show Hollywood Palace Special when Diana Ross introduced them.

One week after I Want You Back was released, the Jackson 5 made their first national television appearance on a live broadcast of Hollywood Palace on ABC-TV at 9:30 p.m(EST). Diana Ross was serving as the guest host of a special show devoted to Motown acts.

For their performance, the Jackson 5 did some fancy footwork to the first few measures of their exhilarating versions of Sly & the Family Stone's Sing a Simple Song (a cover song that was never released in its entirety, assuming the J5 did a studio recording of it, as they did with several songs by the Family Stone), and then sang a beautiful slow tempo song from their first LP, Can You Remember, a Delfonics cover.

After a smattering of polite applause, Michael is barely audible when he introduces their next song - new debut single, saying: "Now we'd like to do our very first release on Motown. It's on sale everywhere!" and they tore into a blistering version of I Want You Back, their first live performance of I Want You Back, and about a minute into the song, you can see Michael begin to relax. Suddenly it appears that he is really enjoying being on stage and in front of a national audience. Watching it, we get a strong sense that we are witnessing a star being born.


You might think little of the adult Michael Jackson but I defy even the most cynical to remain unmoved by the video of the Jackson 5 featuring Michael Jackson on the Diana Ross show belting out James Brown's There Was A Time along with Sammy Davis Jr. The pint-sized 11-year-old with the huge Afro and eyes to match, a big sweet voice and a determination to outflank Miss Ross in camera position, was already an experienced performer, though his grown-up moves were slightly off-kilter. He could simulate sexuality as he did a pretend ad lib but he was a kid all the same.

In their heavily scripted banter, Michael and Diana made several references to Michael's similarity to Sammy Davis Jr., and Sammy himself made a surprise cameo appearance to carry the the running gag one step further by pretending to be worried that Michael was going to take his place. In a way, this is a watershed episode of the past (Sammy Davis Jr. in a fit of mock jealousy over young Mike), present (Diana and the Supremes), and future (Michael and the Jackson 5) of African American entertainment.

Besides Diana Ross and the Supremes, other guests on the show included Gladys Knight and the Pips and Stevie Wonder, but it was the smallest of these stars that night, the most dynamic as well, who stole the show from everyone. In fact, the line up was so remarkable, Motown put out a soundtrack album for it on March 1970.

Motown had already been circulating the story that Diana had discovered the Jackson 5, so the show provided the perfect opportunity for her to introduce her young protegees. We all know the back story: Diana Ross got credit for the discovery because Berry Gordy asked her to "present" the Jackson 5 to the public, thereby launching their career and Ross's solo career in one fell swoop. Immediately -- and it may have had something to do with the language Motown used in their promotional materials, such as "the Jackson 5 were discovered by Diana Ross". This added an additional power of seduction including them public, and it was also a great enhancement of Diana Ross, who was preparing to leave the Supremes.

The notion that Diana had a hand in grooming the young group for stardom was driven home by publicity photos showing her helping Michael with his stage make up...	...and in making certain the microphone was at just the right height for the lead singer.

Source: j5collector

*The show is often cited in biographies, as the "first nationally broadcast television appearance," while the first was "Miss Black America" in August 1969.

1970 - The Jackson 5 perform at Chicago, Illinois on their first national tour.

1980 - The Jackson's album Triumph hit #13 in the U.K.

Triumph was the 13th album by The Jacksons, released in 1980 on Epic Records. It was certified platinum in the U.S. and peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200. Hit singles from the album were Lovely One, Heartbreak Hotel (This Place Hotel) and Can You Feel It.

The Jacksons shared lead vocals and solo spots on most songs, but Michael Jackson handles most of the lead vocals. Triumph was the Jacksons' first album to reach #1 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart since Maybe Tomorrow in 1971. The album would sell over two million copies worldwide, and the Jacksons would not release another studio LP for four years after Triumph's release.

1982 - The Girl Is Mine released as the first single off the THRILLER album.

The song hit #1 on the R&B singles chart and #2 on the Hot 100 in U.S, and #8 in the UK.

The writing of The Girl Is Mine was completed by Michael as he watched cartoons with Paul McCartney:
"It started with Quincy Jones asking me to write a song about two guys quarreling over the same girl, and I thought about it and I came up with The Girl Is Mine."
"I woke up from my sleep and I had this song," said Michael, explaining his
inspiration for writing the song, "and I went over to the tape recorder and I sang it into the tape recorder, and I sang exactly what I heard in my head, starting with the melody and the keyboard and the strings and everything. So I just orally put it on tape."
The rap in the song, Michael explained, was Quincy Jones’s idea. Asked about his
other songs, and if any of them were similar to The Girl Is Mine, Michael replied, "Oh, yes, lots of other songs... they are mainly the same chords that I use in so many... That’s What You Get (For Being Polite) is one. Others would be Why Can’t I Be, Thank You For Life – all have the same main, the same type of chords as The Girl Is Mine.
To prove his point, Michael sang The Girl Is Mine to an instrumental version of That’s What You Get (For Being Polite).

McCartney spent three days at Westlake Studios, Los Angeles, working on the song with Michael from 14th-16th April 1982 – the year after the pair first worked on Say Say Say and The Man, although it was the first Jackson/McCartney duet to gain a release. The single's cover photograph was taken by McCartney's wife, Linda.

Michael is on record as saying the duet is one of his most enjoyable recording moments:
"One of my favourite songs to record, of all my recordings as a solo artist, is probably The Girl Is Mine, because working with Paul McCartney was pretty exciting and we just literally had fun... it was like lots of kibitzing and playing and throwing stuff at each other and making jokes... and we actually recorded the track and the vocals pretty much live at the same time, and we do have footage of it, but it's never been shown – maybe one day we’ll give you a sneak preview of it."

Its lukewarm reception from fans prompted many industry insiders to presume Thriller would be a sales failure. They couldn’t be more wrong.

1988 - Michael performs BAD tour at Capital Centre in Washington DC [US].

1993 - Michael arrives in Santiago(Chile) to perform a concert on October 23 at the Chile National Stadium.


1996 - Michael performs HIStory concert at Chungshan Soccer Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan attending 40,000.

2005 - Michael & his entourage leave London.

1980 - A month before they issued their fourth album, the Jacksons (including Jermaine) were honored with a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s world famous 'Walk Of Fame'.
In recognition of their contribution to contemporary music, the star is situated on Vine Street, and it was unveiled by the city’s Chamber of Commerce.

More than 2000 adoring fans of the famous Jacksons--Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Michael and Randy--turned out to witness the talented brothers receive their star at the famed corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood.

The crush of screaming, shoving admirers was so great that bodyguards, in order to prevent injury, had to whisk the singers away before they could be photographed with the stars.

The "stars" bearing the names of show business celebrities are placed in the Hollwood Walk of Fame by the Hollwood Chamber of Commerce.

Following the ceremony, the Jackson clan gathered for a dinner party at Chasen's Restaurant.
In attendance were proud parents, Katherine and Joseph Jackson, and grandmother, Mrs. Crystale Jackson, Maureen Jackson-Brown with 2-year-old daughter Yashi, and sister LaToya and Janet Jackson.

Also on hand were Enid, Dee-Dee and Carole Jackson, the wives of Jackie, Tito and Marlon, respectively, as well as singer-composer Barry White and wife Glodean, television producer Dick Clark and wife, Carrie. Clark received a plaque from the Jacksons thanking him for his support of their careers.

1984 - The Jacksons third Philadelphia concert is rained out, it is rescheduled for 28th September.

1993 - Several Jackson family members arrived in Taipei, Taiwan, the Dangerous tour's next stop. Joseph & Katherine, Rebbie, Jackie, Tito & Jermaine all joined Michael. Michael arrived in Taipei on the same day with Elizabeth Taylor and was greeted by hordes of cheering fans who then followed him to his hotel. He later waved to his fans from his penthouse suite at the Taipei Sherwood Hotel. Just after the arrival of his family, Liz & Larry Fortensky left Taiwan. Between his two Dangerous Tour concerts at Taipei's Municipal Stadium in Taiwan, Michael Jackson visits a Toys ‘R’ Us store that closed for two hours for his visit. He spends 4,500 dollars on video games, water pistols and other toys for his nephews who accompanied him to the store; he also spends time with the store manager's children and stops to paint a picture.

1997 - When the Ostend concert finally went ahead, Michael dedicated it to the ‘Queen of Hearts’, and prior to the show he had two huge pictures of Diana put on stage. During the concert fans held burning lighters high above their heads as Michael played Gone Too Soon and his planned (but ultimately withdrawn) Christmas single Smile, in remembrance of Diana.

In paying tribute to Diana, speaking via Kingdom International, Michael also took a swipe at the world’s paparazzi:
The sudden loss of Diana, Princess of Wales, is one of the greatest tragedies of the millennium. Diana was a friend to the world.
As one who has been under scrutiny the majority of my life, I speak with authority when I say that I am horrified that the paparazzi, supported by the tabloids’ animalistic behaviour, may be acceptable to the public.
The world’s acceptance of this practice, if continued, will accelerate tragedies of this magnitude.

Michael subsequently contributed Gone Too Soon to TRIBUTE (USA: Diana Memorial Fund 69012, UK: Diana Memorial Fund VVR 1001052), an album comprising 36 songs, 13 of them previously unreleased. All proceeds from sales of the album went to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

1980 - Michael films a special at Disneyland for Disney's 25th anniversary. Disneyland celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary with a 25 hour party starting at midnight and ending at 1 AM on the 20th.

1982 - Michael attends a gala in honor of Quincy Jones at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.


1985 - The charity single We Are The World by the super group USA for Africa, quickly became an anthem for the 80s, and along with the Band-Aid single, inspired a wave of musical charity events, from Live Aid on July 17, 1985 (which, ironically, Michael did not participate in, due to being tied up in filming Captain EO) to Hands Across America on May 25, 1986.
The music-charity movement grew to become far greater than the sum of its parts, but Michael’s crucial contribution guaranteed him a special place in a mass movement that came to define the 1980s pop culture almost as much as Thriller had two years earlier.

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



1993 - Michael Jackson's single "Will You Be There" hit #9 in the U.K.

1997 - Michael Jackson's "Blood On The Dance Floor: History in the Mix" was certified gold by the RIAA.