Hello

Michael Jackson

By Michael Shelden

It was on a Sunday night in December 1969 that Michael Jackson received his first real

taste of stardom. Singing with his brothers in the Jackson 5, he appeared on Ed Sullivan’s

weekly CBS television variety show and became a national celebrity overnight. He led

the group through three songs, belting out each number with verve and confidence.

Wearing a purple hat and fringe vest, he looked like a little boy trying to dress up like a

man. But as viewers quickly discovered, this precocious eleven-year-old was able to sing

and dance like someone twice his age.

Take a look at Michael’s performance that night in the YouTube video of the group doing

their early hit “I Want You Back.” From the first time he steps to the microphone, he

completely overshadows his brothers. The tune was the work of professional songwriters

at the group’s Motown label, so it’s odd to hear a little boy sing of wanting an old

girlfriend back. But Michael smiles straight into the camera and sings to his imaginary

“darling” without a trace of shyness, snapping his fingers and kicking up his heels. It is

still a breathtaking experience to watch someone so young perform with such mature

sophistication and style.

What fans at the time didn’t know, however, was the high price that Michael paid for his

early stardom. It cost him his childhood, causing him to grow up too soon and act like an

adult when other boys his age were still enjoying the carefree world of playgrounds and

backyard games. The driving force behind this tragedy was his father, Joseph Jackson. A

steelworker with nine children to support in Gary, Indiana, Joe was determined to turn

five of his boys into a hit musical group with Michael as the chief attraction. He wanted

nothing less than perfection from them and rehearsed the group endlessly in an effort to

achieve it. Michael’s talent was a gold mine, and Joe wanted to mine it for all it was

worth.

In the long history of...