Michael Jackson

Watch Michael Jackson MegaMix

My first memory of Michael Jackson is the album "Thriller". I was about twelve years old when I heard "Billie Jean" for the first time. Even though The Jackson 5 existed before Michael Jackson went solo, I didn't know about them. In my mind, I was something of a rebel. If the parents listened to something, I tuned out. I felt like I was being forced to listen to "their" music and unfortunately for me, I missed a lot of good songs.

I loved Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller and PYT. I tried to do the dances and sing the songs. I even begged for a red leather zipper jacket.

On June 25th 2009, I was watching TV when the news broke in and announced the death of Michael Jackson. I gasped, shouted NO!!! and sat on my sofa in disbelief. I called my co-host and told him. Within two minutes of that call, I received multiple text messages from people all across the country telling me about his death.

It's been a week and I still can't believe it. Like all radio show hosts, I wanted to do a tribute, but I didn't want to just play his songs. I had to mix them on the one's and two's. My top five songs are Liberian Girl, Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller, and Smooth Criminal - in that order. I know he has hundreds of other songs, but these are MY favorites.




-->Last night, I was watching Jada Pinkett Smith's new show "Hawthorne" (it's a good show) when my seven year old daughter came in the living room with the laptop. She set it up on the ottoman next to me, grabbed my headphones and plugged them in. I didn't think anything of it as she uses the laptop a lot to play games online.

Not too long after she comes in the room, I feel a foot tapping me on my side and I look back. She looks at me, smiles and says, "I love Michael Jackson's music. Will you make me a cd?" Before that moment, she never told me she liked Michael Jackson.

She turns the laptop around and she has the "Smooth Criminal" video playing. She had googled and youtubed Michael Jackson to see why everyone was so sad about his passing. Even with his death, he still inspires children.

My grandparents and parents danced to The Jackson 5's music. I danced to Michael Jackson's music and now my daughter is learning who Michael Jackson is. That is how you remember a legend, an icon, the King of Pop! You remember what it was like to listen to his music as a kid. You tell your kids about him. You laugh. You joke. You reflect. You cry.

He will be missed!