Blueprints of Sir Michael

Blueprints of Sir Michael

by J Moffett Walker
Blueprints of Sir Michael

Blueprints of Sir Michael

by J Moffett Walker

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Overview

London, England, welcomes a thirteen-Grammy winner and the "King of Pop." Michael Joseph Jackson chooses the 02 Arena for fifty performances in July 2009, with ticket sales reaching 1.5 million dollars within a few weeks. Worldwide fans are waiting to get a glimpse of this talented and sometimes controversial singer, dancer, producer, and actor. Jackson, often called the most powerful performer in the universe, secures music brilliance through the sales of 104 million copies of Thriller. How did he create a style allowing the world to see him, thus generating over a billion dollars for the recording industry? He is shy, but can be demanding at times. He is accepting and warm. He is candid in interviews, perhaps too frank. He believes in sharing, yet relationships have been a challenge for him. The question remains: who is this native of Gary, Indiana-this African American male, rich with talents? J. Moffett Walker believes you and others want to know about Michael the individual and how he moonwalked all the way to the top. Blueprints of Sir Michael, a resourceful yet creative book, provides new information about this world superstar.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781449092634
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Publication date: 05/19/2010
Pages: 160
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.37(d)

Read an Excerpt

Blueprints of Sir Michael


By J. Moffett Walker

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 J. Moffett Walker
All right reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4490-9263-4


Chapter One

Before the Break

From the city, Gary, Indiana, population about 180,000, Michael Joseph Jackson rose to stardom. Although known for making steel, Gary produced entertainers like other cities about its size. To name a few, the Spaniels, also right out of Gary Roosevelt High School rose to fame with "Goodnight Sweetheart," in the 1950s. Vivian Carter, a promoter of entertainers, gained recognition helping to jump-start the Spaniels, Jimmy Reed, Johnny Lee Hooker, Gene Chandler, Jerry Butler and the Four Seasons. Charles O. Finley, the owner of the Kansas and Oakland Athletics for two decades, called Gary his home. The "Steel City" has continued to nourish performers.

No one forgot William Marshall, the actor with the untouchable voice, known for roles in "Carmen Jones," 1944, and Shakespearean plays. He also starred in "The Green Pasture," in 1951. Tom Harmon, a Horace Mann High School graduate, gave a bright spotlight to Gary while playing for the Los Angeles Rams in 1946. Avery "Hawk" Brooks, an actor, jazz musician and television personality, like Michael, was born into a musical family. He lived in Michael's neighborhood, right down the street from Michael's home.

Then came Deniece Niecy Williams known for her high pitch voice. Some reports have suggested that Niecy was blessed with a four octave range. Her popular albums included Gonna Take a Miracle, The Best of Deniece Williams, and Black Butterfly.

Roland Buddy Lewis, the 1981 Gary West Side High School and Howard University graduate, developed into a popular stand-up comedian, actor and writer of television scripts. BET's Holla credited him as a behind the scene worker. But he played Holla Man. He did voice-over for Fox Television in Junior the Planet. Other roles he played included Beverlyhood, Thicker Than Water, House Party 4, and Martin.

The most recent Garyite who earned celebrity status, Chester Gregory, graduated from Emerson Performing Arts. Chester sang with the school choir, and his talents budded. A role as Jackie Wilson at the Blackstone Theater, Chicago, Illinois, nailed it for him. He was credited with roles in Hairspray, Tarzan, and Cry Baby.

Anyone wanting to become a star may dream. Plenty do. Michael did more than dream. He did it, the old-fashioned way. Michael worked hard. He practically placed his childhood on hold to do whatever was necessary to follow that dream.

"I am a product of a lack of a childhood, an absence of that precious and wondrous age when frolic playfully without a care in the world...."

Michael Joseph Jackson, born August 29, 1958, began his career at a time when most children his age were engaged in surviving in kindergarten. He was just five years old. His father, Joseph Walter Jackson, was employed at Inland Steel Mill. His mother, Katherine Jackson, was a homemaker who cared for her family.

Lots of men in the Gary, Indiana, area were steelworkers during the time. Nevertheless, Joseph knew how to take his boys and prep them for show business. Joe Jackson, as he was called, had a vision and a plan to accomplish his goal. Despite being called a "character" during his children's early training years, Joseph was admired for his tenacity and stick-to-it-ness. He was seen as a very strict father. However, after Joe Jackson's plan materialized, and the boys were offered a contract, others began to comprehend what the father was all about.

The Jackson family's story began to unfold when Daddy found out that his boys used the forbidden guitar. One day Joseph Jackson found a broken string on it. It was not fair to accuse anyone, especially a child, with a "who done it," story. Michael's neighbors declared that it was Tito who broke the guitar string! After being caught, the boys decided to do something to impress their dad. The young go-getters put on a show. Yet, they knew they had broken an important rule. To Joe Jackson's surprise, he saw his own boys from a different perspective, something he hadn't realized like this before. That was the beginning of Joe Jackson's realization that his boys had the capabilities and talents to possibly go into show business.

Joseph Jackson and his brother, Luther, had been members of a rhythm and blues (R&B) band called "The Falcons." That band did well locally, but it did not become a nationally known group. The band practiced at Joe Jackson's home. The Falcons had great significance for the family. The children lived with live music around them, and with music it was a tradition of the African-American family to dance to the beat. Further, the band provided proof of family music lovers with talents. What was remarkable about Joe Jackson's experience unfolded as he worked with his boys planning, practicing instrumental, vocals and dance steps.

Joseph planned and gave the children experience in actually performing. At first he accepted volunteer performances. Then at a certain point the Jacksons began to get some compensation for their hard work. The young musicians' dad knew some things about performing and what it took to put on super shows, although Joe Jackson still had plenty to learn about the big industry he was about to enter.

Joe had to make one major decision. The steel mill crane operator worked full-time. That meant he had a rigid schedule to follow. Joe worked a second job as a welder at General American. Working long hours, Joseph was setting standards necessary for his children's performing success. As a result, the children learned to put in the necessary time to become winners, not losers. Yet, finding time to practice with his school-age sons required a sacrifice, a schedule change. Joe knew he could not walk into the official office at Inland or General American and say "Here are the hours I will work." Inland and General American operated on a schedule. Joseph was just one of many workers.

If Joseph were to practice what he believed about this show business possibility, it would take time and energy to train and manage a beginning young group. It probably would have been easier working with a group of adult non-relatives, but training his own children for show business was what Joseph Jackson wanted to do. According to Michael, "My father would rehearse with a belt in his hands. You could not mess up." The belt became a symbol of seriousness, no play. Michael's father meant business when he placed the belt on display. Was this abusive behavior? The belt was a common practice during the '60s and earlier in homes, schools, churches, especially in the elementary grades and with piano and typing teachers. The ruler served to remind one of wrong or incorrect procedure. Corporal punishment has been controversial for sometime. However, the United States Supreme Court upheld corporal punishment, even if the parents disapproved, in the public schools as late as 1977 in the Ingraham v. Wright case. Parents and schools have begun to choose another form of discipline.

Records show Joseph Jackson decided to cut his work hours. Joseph still had to feed his family-nine children and a wife. Because of that decision Joseph had the time to train his boys.

One day Joseph entered his sons in a talent show at the high school right behind 2300 Jackson Street, Roosevelt High School. The auditorium where the contest took place was rather small. Actually, the auditorium did not match the size of the school. At one time the school had nearly 2,500 students. The auditorium capacity-500, was once used as a classroom. The class was called auditorium class.

Roosevelt High School required every student to take this class. Students spent time learning to speak distinctly and publicly. They went through a rigorous training process. The speech class helped students to overcome shyness. Michael, being about six years old at the time of discovery, did not experience the auditorium class. His older siblings did attend Roosevelt.

The Jackson Brothers performed well that day in 1967 on that small stage and won first place. Opportunities for them began to come at a faster rate.

Gary constructed Roosevelt High School, the first high school in Gary built for African-American students. Rather than enforce a transfer policy, and allow Negro students to attend Emerson High School located on the Eastside of Gary, the Gary School Board voted to build Roosevelt. All of this came around 1928 after a delegation of white students walked out at Emerson High School because of the transfer policy.

For years an "air" of pride existed among staff, students and alumni within the Velt, family that has been unbelievable. The community has talked about that performance for about 43 years as though it were yesterday.

"I was teaching day and night classes. During my break that evening in 1967-I decided to go down to the auditorium to look in on the talent show. I remember standing in the back, up against the wall of the half-packed auditorium when the Jackson Brothers performed their number," the social studies teacher William Massie replied. The brothers thrilled the audience with their dance steps and voices.

It wasn't too long before the brothers landed a memorable public appearance. The Jackson Brothers did their first real "gig," at a nightclub. That performance occurred at the then popular hangout called Mister Lucky's.

Some Gary residents believed the name " Mister Lucky's" symbolized success for the Jacksons. The building at 11th Avenue and Grant Street has remained. Mister Lucky's may not have been a fabulous place, however, it provided a haven for middle class locals to hangout for weekend partying. The Jackson Brothers put on a show and the patrons loved it. Young adults looked forward to good entertainment and delicious soul food: fried chicken, greens, cornbread and potato salad.

Teens went to Mister Lucky's, but it happened during the daytime to purchase fries, hamburgers, hotdogs and other fast foods. Mister Lucky's location, near the center between two high schools, Roosevelt and Horace Mann, made it easy for students to meet. Classmates, friends, relatives and schoolmates from those two schools met during the lunch hours.

Another popular place, the City Memorial Auditorium, housed activities: concerts, gradations, plays, sports, and talent shows. The Jackson Brothers appeared in contests at that auditorium. The family singers won so many contests some local groups became more concerned about the Jackson Brothers' winning, rather than concentrating on perfecting their own acts.

During the time that Michael lived in the powerful waterfront-city right off Lake Michigan, Michael's father booked many performances in Chicago. Joseph drove his boys about thirty miles to Chicago for performances. The clubs where the Jacksons performed in the "chi town" mostly owned and operated by African-Americans, provided exposure. Several clubs included Guys and Dolls, the Regal and the Blackstone. Those opportunities gave the family a chance to connect with well-known artists. The family also got additional bookings and received compensation for their hard work.

Naomi Lyles, a Gary educator and her husband, Bill, lived in the 2400 block of Jackson Street. "Many times I remember seeing Joseph driving by in a truck with the children riding in the back," the semi-retired administrator said. "During the '60s riding on the back of an open-bed truck was not illegal. It was a common practice. I believe the family was going some place to perform because the boys always had on dark pants and white shirts. It also appeared to be an instrument of some sort in the bed of the truck." Lyles went on to say.

When the boys began performing opening acts before well-known performers hit the stage, opportunities began to increase. The Jacksons did an opening-act for the man with the mellow voice, the Your Precious Love, man, Jerry Butler. Another example of the Jackson's success story-they preceded a group called the Chi-lites. That group hit the charts with a song called, Have You Seen Her. With that kind of exposure for a talented group, expectations from fans ran high.

Fans knew the Jackson Brothers had something going for them. The boys had talents coupled with a father who failed to accept less than excellent performances. So the boys kept progressing. Joe Jackson must be credited for programming his sons for success. And, the daughters, Rebbie Jackson, LaToya Jackson and Janet Jackson profited from this regimented preparation style. Joe Jackson said that he administered corporal punishment to his children.

There have been two main theories about African-Americans and corporal punishment. The first one connected corporal punishment with slavery, except slavery practiced beatings. The ex-slaves did not believe in beating their children; they knew about that pain. However, they did administer what they called whippings, now called corporal punishment. That meant they gave a few controlled lashes in the hands or on the buttock. Secondly, African-Americans have been a religious people. The ex-slaves believed the Bible said "Spare the rod, spoil the child." They practiced that literal meaning. The adage came from several verses of King Solomon's book of Proverbs. "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." African-Americans handed down the "spare the rod, spoil the child" concept from generation to generation. Yet, most of the ex-slaves could not read nor write. They whipped their children because that was their understanding of that passage in the Great Book. On the other hand, African-Americans, by no means, held a monopoly on corporal punishment. It is now believed that corporal punishment may have a negative effect on some children. Therefore, it has been considered old and out of date. Many parents learned to use other forms of reprimands.

The Jackson Brothers were the first family members who captured the attention of the press locally, statewide, nationally and later internationally.

Chapter Two

The Breakthrough

"I wanted to build tree houses, have water balloon fights, play hide and seek with my friends...." The boys used the time for practicing and performing.

When convenient, Joseph took his boys to meet Berry Gordy. Joe Jackson set out for New York but made a stop in Detroit. Like many African-American performers, the Jackson Brothers participated in the Amateur Contest at the Apollo Theater. The Apollo audience tested amateur performers. Those who survived at that theater usually made it in show business. Not only did the brothers participate, they walked away winners.

Before Michael joined his brothers officially, he had watched intently. His dad thought Michael could not handle the demanding rehearsals and performances. Nevertheless, the child prodigy not only paid attention and showed great interest, he proved to his father that he had talent. When the father realized Michael's readiness for the family group, his dad gave him a spot with his four brothers.

(Continues...)



Excerpted from Blueprints of Sir Michael by J. Moffett Walker Copyright © 2010 by J. Moffett Walker. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Table of Contents

Contents

Dedication....................vii
Prologue....................ix
Chapter 1: Before the Break....................1
Chapter 2: The Breakthrough....................9
Chapter 3: The Break, Community Part 1....................15
Chapter 4: The Break, Community, Part 11....................23
Chapter 5: Break....................31
Chapter 6: Breakup....................33
Chapter 7: Break and Beyond....................35
Chapter 8: Precious Break....................39
Chapter 9: Breakout....................43
Chapter 10: Breakdown....................45
Chapter 11: Break, Upside Down....................49
Chapter 12: Break, Inside Up....................51
Chapter 13: Break, Awards, Recognition....................53
Chapter 14: Breaking With Fans....................61
Chapter 15: Breaking Into Feelings Through Music....................63
Chapter 16: Breaking Into Philosophy - Books, Speeches....................69
Chapter 17: Break Goes On....................73
Chapter 18: Breaking Into The Big Comeback....................77
Chapter 19: Broke - Gone Too Soon....................79
Chapter 20: Broke - Worldwide Reflections....................81
Chapter 21: Broke - A Humanizing Homegoing....................87
Chapter 22: Broke - Michael Forever!....................91
Epilogue....................95
About the Author....................99
Acknowledgements....................101
Special Note:....................103
About the Sources....................105
Sources....................107
Notes....................111
Michael Joseph Jackson's Works....................117
A List of Michael Jackson's Awards....................121
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