Living Life...Boomer Style

We were all stunned yesterday with the notification that Michael Jackson had passed away. When we first heard the news we almost brushed it off as a hoax. Looking online one would get a slew of information that led the reader to a dizzying journey. You would be confused hearing that he had passed of a cardiac, arrest then hearing that he was in a coma, only to hear later he had died in the hospital.

When the news of his actual death became a reality we, his loyal and devoted fans, went into a frenzy trying to figure out exactly how to mourn his passing. Some cried, some screamed, some laughed and shared a good time or two with friends, some sang his songs; however out of tune they were!

Michael crossed all color lines. He related to everyone and they related to him. He was an international icon to say the least. The day of his passing, the tickets to his comeback tour, which I believe was to start in London, went on sale.

My 23-year-old son called to see if I had heard the news. I told that I had and in joking with him, stated that I needed to get off of the phone to mourn and listen to music. My son however was seriously sad that his idol was gone. I realized at that moment Michael touched everyone regardless of age.

As a child in the 70's I would watch Michael and his brothers on TV. They were on Soul Train, American Bandstand, their variety show, and on their Saturday morning cartoon show. Who did not read 16 Magazine to find out what he and his brothers were up to next? I remember getting the 45 record off of the back of the "Alphabet" cereal box to play one of their popular singles. We had those metal lunch pails with their likeness on them.

My favorite songs of his are way too many to list but if I had to pull a few out of my hat I would choose the following:

Heartbreak Hotel, Stop, The Love You Save, Got To Be There, Remember The Time, You Rock My World, Bad, Beat It, Billie Jean, P.Y.T., and last but not least Thriller. There are so many more I could choose but these are my favorites!

Michael did not make videos, he created small movies that had music in them. This is the Michael that our children came to know and love.

I had at one time wanted to be the lead singer of a female group, that would sing with not only the Osmond Brothers but with the Jackson Five. Then Donny, Michael, and myself could sing a song together!

Michael battled many scandals and demons in his years as an entertainer, some that scarred him for life. But in his lifetime, no matter what you thought of him, he was and will always be the "King of Pop" and no one can ever take that away from him!

Michael Jackson, my brother, my music muse, Rest In Peace! (1958 - 2009)