The death is announced of Michael Jackson. May his soul rest in peace.

Starting as early as 1966, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Michael formed a musical band called the Jackson Five. The brand of music varied from rhythm and blues, soul, pop, and in the later stages evolved to disco.

They went on to the seventies and eventually Michael Jackson started focusing on a solo career. "Ben" was the title of one of his solo tracks and was a tribute he paid to his pet mouse. Cool! Certainly not a heart-breaker of a chart topper, but it was good enough a track to be given a spin on most international radio stations.

Almost running on a parallel track were the Osmunds. The cheerful Osmunds recorded many interesting tracks at that time. A track titled "Puppy Love" recorded by Donny Osmund was the focus of many a disk jockey on our radio stations. Frequently comparing it with Michael Jackson's "Ben," whenever one of those tracks were played on the air, we were certain the other would follow.

Then something inevitable happened. Michael Jackson's voice cracked. Too bad! He lost that childish voice. That childish voice which launched "Ben" was no more. What was in store for him?

Well, he was already established and recognised as a musician. So he continued as a solo artist. Gradually reached superstar status collecting millions of fans from all the countries in the world.

The solo career of Michael Jackson went on and on and on until the early hours of the morning of the 25th of June 2009.

His solo career was colorful, fruitful, tearful, and had everything that life could offer anyone who would dare to participate in the game. Fame, shame, and acclaim were also part of the package.

Unfortunately the period of time up to his death was riddled with many unusual episodes. In the initial stages of his stardom, he was often seen wearing one white glove, which became a symbol of him at that time. Not really interested in establishing a brand of this sort, he kept on moving. His constant desire to keep altering his appearance until it reached a kind of perfection which only he would have been able to define, although he never did, kept him constantly in touch with plastic surgeons.

His hypochondria was another issue which his doctors found most lucrative. The sane questioned his sanity. Journalists as usual were constantly on the look out for a mere spark to light a bonfire.

Sleeping in an oxygen tent, the excessive demonstration of vanity, being on the verge of filing bankruptcy, and a whole list of unusual events and episodes make him far ... very far from being envied.

Michael Jackson could dance. He really could. It was the time when the 45 rpm vinyl record was almost pronounced dead. Video was getting incorporated into music. The very video that slaughtered many radio stars mercilessly.

The timing could not have been better. The fact that he could dance very well remained true. Well enough to be recognized and admired by thousands, and by millions. He also sang. Videos of Michael performing sold millions and millions. His dancing was hailed by many as out of this world. He continued to sing. However he was not really referred to as a singer or a vocalist.

More often the word musician and entertainer was used. He still continued to sing. He was a performer. He was not competing. Just performing. His energetic dancing continued to gain him fans.

Michael Jackson gained fame for his ability to dance. I guess the music that he generated was only secondary. His style of entertainment appealed to many who were teenagers in the eighties and nineties.

Touring the world, spreading his unique brand of entertainment, whatever part of the world he had visited, he had been received with much frenzy and enthusiasm by his countless number of fans.

Unfortunate in many ways, he was somewhat fortunate in some.

Dynamic on stage, creating megatons of energy to simply blast all his shortcomings to smithereens ... considered to be generous by many ... observed to be polite by all ... never having been reported for arrogance, Michael Jackson lived ... and died.

His snowballing popularity eventually reached such a point which even qualified him to be compared with ELVIS PRESLEY. May the soul of ELVIS PRESLEY rest in peace.

......concluded