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Personal relationships of Michael Jackson

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A man in a red shirt smiling toward the camera. Atop his head is a blue baseball cap.

Michael Jackson in 1988
The personal relationships of Michael Jacksonhave been the subject of public and media attention for several decades. He was introduced to the topic of sexual activity at age nine while a member of The Jackson 5. He and his brothers would perform at strip clubs, sharing the bill with female strippers and drag queens, and the sexual adventures of his brothers with groupiesfurther affected Jackson's early life. The entertainer said his "first real date" was with the child actress Tatum O'Neal,[1]when he was a teenager in the 1970s; he called her "my first love - after Diana [Ross]."[2]The pair eventually "cooled off" and Jackson entered into a romance with model Brooke Shieldsin 1981. Although the relationship became largely platonic, Shields said there were times he had asked her to marry him.[3]As they grew older, the two saw each other less.
Having first been introduced to Lisa Marie Presleyby her father, Elvis, in 1974, Jackson reconnected with Lisa Marie in November 1992.[4]Shortly after becoming involved with her, in 1993, Jackson was subjected to his first set of child sexual abuse accusations, followed by similar allegations in 2003. Presley supported Jackson as he became dependent on pain medication, and eventually helped convince him to enter drug rehabilitation. In a telephone call, he proposed marriage to Presley. She agreed, and the two wed on May 26, 1994, at a private ceremony in the Dominican Republic. Married life for the couple was difficult, and the union ended in divorce in August 1996. Presley and Jackson continued to date, on and off, for four more years after their divorce.
Throughout his marriage with Presley, Jackson maintained a friendship with Debbie Rowe. She was the assistant of the pop singer's dermatologistand had been treating his appearance-changingdisease vitiligosince the mid-1980s. While separated but still married to Presley, Jackson impregnated Rowe, but she suffered a miscarriageand lost their baby in March 1996. Following the ordeal and the finalization of his first divorce, Jackson wed the pregnant Rowe on November 13, 1996, in Sydney, Australia. From the marriage, two of Jackson's three children were produced: son Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson, Jr. (born February 13, 1997) and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson (born April 3, 1998). Jackson and Rowe divorced on October 8, 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children to Jackson. His third and final child, son Prince Michael Jackson II, was born to an unnamed surrogate motheron February 21, 2002.
In July 2009, it was revealed Jackson's will named Diana Rossas the next-in-line guardian for his children, after his mother, Katherine.[5]In September 2009, Rabbi Shmuley Boteachreleased a book based on taped conversations he had with Jackson in 2001.[6]It included Jackson's thoughts on personal relationships in general and specific ones. His romantic feelings for two famous friends were widely cited in the media; when asked if he got jealous when his long-time friend Elizabeth Taylordated other men, he replied, "Yes and no. I know that if we ever did anything romantically the press would be so mean and nasty and call us the Odd Couple. It would turn into a circus and that's the pain of it all."[7][8]


Contents [hide]
1Early sexual and emotional experiences1.1Strip clubs
1.2Groupies and prostitutes
2First relationships2.1Tatum O'Neal
2.2Brooke Shields
3Lisa Marie Presley3.1First meeting and courtship
3.2Proposal and wedding
3.3Married life and disagreements
3.4Primetimeand further marriage difficulties
3.5Divorce
3.6Aftermath
4Debbie Rowe4.1Background and friendship
4.2First pregnancy and miscarriage
4.3Second pregnancy and reaction
4.4Wedding
4.5Birth of Prince Michael
4.6Second pregnancy and birth of Paris
4.7Divorce
4.8After divorce
5Allegations regarding sexuality5.11993 child sexual abuse allegations
5.22003 child sexual abuse allegations
5.32013 and 2014 child sexual abuse allegations
6References

Early sexual and emotional experiences[edit]
Strip clubs[edit]

A mature African American man wearing a grey suit, black shirt and light blue tie. His hair is short and he wears a hooped earring in his right ear.

Jackson's father Joseph had his sons play in strip clubs, despite the boys' strict religion
From a young age, Jackson was exposed to sex. He received mixed messages on the subject from his parents. His mother Katherinewas a devout Jehovah's Witnessand conveyed her thoughts clearly; lust in thought or deed was sinful outside of marriage, and physical intimacy should be saved for marriage. In contrast to his wife, father Joseph, a steel mill worker, shunned the religion and would have The Jackson 5perform at strip clubs and seedy bars in the earliest days of their career.[9][10]He allowed nine-year-old Michael to watch from the wings of the stage as male audience members whistled at women who stripped until nude. In one incident, a fascinated Michael watched as an apparently big breasted female removed all but her underwear. The stripper then proceeded to reach into her bra, removing two large oranges and the wig from her head, to reveal that the person he thought was a female was not a woman at all.[9]
While playing at Chicago's Peppermint Lounge, the brothers made use of a peepholein their dressing room, through which they had a clear view of the women's bathroom. They would take turns watching the women and, as Marlon recalled, "learned everything there was to know about ladies".[9]During other residencies, the siblings would perform Joe Tex's "Skinny Legs and All". Joseph Jackson would instruct a young Michael to make his way into the audience, crawl under tables, lift up ladies' skirts and peek at their panties as part of the performance.[9][11]Though embarrassed by the task, Jackson feigned enjoyment as he knew the audience loved the routine.[9]
Following such performances, the Jackson brothers would be tucked in bed by their oblivious mother and reminded of the virtues of being a good Jehovah's Witness. Katherine remained unaware of her sons' strip club activities for many years.[9]Journalist J. Randy Taraborrellireflected on Jackson's early life and noted that at such a young age, the singer may not have been psychologically equipped to fully understand any sexual stimulation he may have received from such voyeuristic events. The writer further commented that Jackson's views on sex must have been conflicted between those of his religiously strict mother and his more libertine and promiscuous father.[9]
Groupies and prostitutes[edit]
As members of the increasingly successful Jackson 5, Michael's brothers Jermaineand Jackiefound fame advantageous. As they toured the country, they had sex with many female fans. Their guide was their father Joseph, who would often organize and arrange sexual encounters for his sons as well as cheat on his wife Katherine with their sons' groupies. The two brothers would bring girls back to a hotel room, where younger siblings Michael and Marlon were instructed to "play sleep".[10][12]One girl, who had sexual relations with Jermaine, recalled such an experience:

"I jumped into bed with him and he climbed on top of me. As he climaxed, he shuddered so loudly I was afraid he would wake up Michael and Marlon, who were sleeping three feet away in the next bed. Or at least I thought they were sleeping. As I was slipping out of the room, I heard Michael say to Jermaine, 'Nice job. Now, can we pleaseget some sleep?'"[12]
While Marlon would correspond with and eventually marry his wife Carol at 18, Michael never had sex with groupies, finding his brothers' behavior toward women disgusting. In addition to not touching groupies, Jackson reportedly never had an interest in having any type of sex as a youngster. In one alleged incident, when he was 15 years old, a male family member arranged for two prostitutes to take his virginity. They were told to "work him over", before being locked in a room with him.[12]Instead Michael picked up a bible and read bible verses to the girls. The girls left in tears.[12][13]James McField, who worked with The Jackson 5, stated that the lead singer of the band often needed someone to talk with. It was at these times that women would be introduced to him for companionship. McField asserted that he never witnessed anything sexual, and that such females were not Jackson's type; "He liked nice girls, pure girls who appeared to have no street background."[12]
Jackson occasionally admonished and advised the groupies and prostitutes sent to pleasure his siblings. One Jackson fan recalled being selected from the audience to meet with Jackie. Backstage, she was handed a scrap of paper with an address to the location in which they were to meet. Michael approached her from behind and warned her that his brothers did not treat women right and that his brother only wanted to use her for sex. Changing the subject, the female fan asked for the pop star's autograph, which request he obliged in addition to writing, "Please, don't go". The woman ignored Michael's request and headed to the Jacksons' apartment complex, where she had sex with Jackie. Afterward, Jackie informed the woman that they would not meet again. Ashamed and upset, the fan left the apartment in tears.[12]
On another occasion, a prostitute was brought to Jackson's room after a concert in Madison Square Garden. There, the pop star interrogated the sex worker, asking why she was a prostitute, whether she wanted to have sex with him, and how much it would cost. The woman responded that she was a prostitute for the money, but that she would have sex with him for free because she wanted him. The prostitute then proceeded to unbutton her blouse, exposing her breasts. Apparently repulsed, Jackson turned his head and begged her to "put them back".[12]The singer suggested that they talk instead, which the prostitute declined to do; she was not there to talk. Instead, she gave Jackson her telephone number, urging him to call her when he wanted to "get off". Jackson acknowledged the prostitute as she left, stating that he would perhaps call her one day, though he never did.[12]
First relationships[edit]
Tatum O'Neal[edit]
One of Jackson's first documented relationships was with the child actress Tatum O'Nealin the 1970s. Their friendship was established by the time O'Neal was 12 and Jackson was 17, and featured in gossip columns for several years after.[14][15]Jackson reflected in 1982 that he and O'Neal had been engaged in a serious relationship, but because both were busy, it had "cooled off" to the point of their remaining just friends.[15]
In the documentary Living With Michael Jackson(2003), Michael alleged that near the beginning of their relationship, the 12-year-old actress tried to seduce the then 17-year-old singer. According to Jackson, the incident happened at her home, where she attempted to unbutton his shirt and talked explicitly about sex. O'Neal's behavior apparently proved too much for Jackson, who became scared and covered his face, before she walked away. When confronted with the allegation, O'Neal claimed to have been "just as shocked as everyone else". She stated that while having respect for Jackson as an artist and a person, he had "a very vivid imagination". The actress described his statements as "inaccurate"; "at 12 years old, there was no way she was capable of being as mature or as sophisticated as he claimed".[16][17]O'Neal released her autobiography A Paper Lifein 2004, a year after the Jackson documentary. In the book, she claimed it was Jackson who attempted to make out with her. The actress wrote, "I was just 12 and not at all ready for a real-life encounter[...] Michael, who was sweating profusely, seemed as intimidated as I was. He jumped up nervously and said, 'Uh ... gotta go.'"[18]
But this contradicted O'Neal's own account of the relationship in 1995 in Vibe, where she remembered Jackson as "being so shy" and "one of the nicest, most innocent people I've ever met", and, "Once he came into my bedroom, and he wouldn't even sit on my bed."[14]She described the relationship as "a really wonderful friendship" where they would dance and "talk on the phone all the time."[14]She recalled that he found it funny that she could drive at 12 and he couldn't. And that one time they had a "jam session" at her house where he played the drums and her brother played guitar. She said the relationship ended when she was 12, after he asked her to go to the premiere of The Wizwith him, but her agent disapproved, "maybe because they thought he wasn't a big enough star yet", and she did what she was told because she was a child.[14]While she claimed they never spoke after that,[14]they were actually shown to be together a number of times after this would have happened.[19]
Jackson also spoke about O'Neal in 2001 with Rabbi Shmuley. He described holding hands with her: "I was, like, in heaven. It was the most magical thing. It was better than kissing her, it was better than anything."[6]He recalled one of the times they held hands:

I remember we went to this club, and I don't go to clubs, which was called the Roxy. And I was watching the band, I was sitting there, and underneath the table, she was holding my hand, and I was, like melting. [Rabbi Shmuley: She held your hand and you felt love?] Fireworks going off.[6]It was all I needed. But that means nothing to kids today. She grew up too fast. She wasn't into innocence, and I love that.[20]
And similar to what he told Bashir, he said, "...she was 13. And I was naive. She wanted to do everything and I didn't want to have sex at all."[20][21]
Brooke Shields[edit]
Jackson met 15-year-old actress/model Brooke Shieldsin 1981, at the Academy Awards.[6][22]From there, the pair enjoyed a close relationship. Speaking in 2009, she reflected that they were close because sex was never an issue for them.[23]Although the headlines in the media referred to Shields' talking about an "asexual Jackson" after his death, what she actually said was, “As he grew older and the more he started to change physically, the more asexual he became to me.”[3]She also said that as she grew up and started having boyfriends, she would confide in him about her intimate experiences, as he was curious. She said, "he was like a little kid who talked about the bases- what first base was, what second base was" - and his curiosity was understandable given his guarded life.[3]
In 2001, Jackson told Rabbi Shmuley: Shields was "one of the loves of my life. I just wished she loved me as much as I loved her", and, they "dated a lot."[6]Before meeting her, he said that he had pictures of her all over his room. He recalled his happiness when they first met. He was at the Academy Awards with Diana Ross, and Shields walked up and introduced herself; then at the after-party she asked him to dance with her. They exchanged numbers, and he "was up all night, singing, spinning around my room, just so happy."[6]He also said, “We had one encounter when she got real intimate and I chickened out. And I shouldn’t have.”[24]
In Moonwalk(1988), Jackson said his relationship with Shields was "romantically serious for a while."[2]Shields said that while never formally proposing, he would speak about the two marrying and raising adoptive children together. The suggestions were met with disapproval from Shields, who felt such a move would have "divided [her] life too much".[25][26]She recalled: "There were times when he would ask me to marry him, and I would say, 'You have me for the rest of your life, you don’t need to marry me, I’m going to go on...have my own marriage and my own kids, and you’ll always have me.' I think it made him relax. He didn’t want to lose things that meant something to him."[3]
As the couple's separate lives diverged, the two gradually saw each other less.[26]At the time of Jackson's deathin 2009, the pair had not seen each other for 16 years. Shields claimed that in the singer's last years "it was harder to get the right number to get through to him".[26]In July 2009, she spoke at the Michael Jackson memorial service, reminiscing about their time together:[27][28]

"Thinking back to when we met and the many times that we spent together and whenever we were out together, there would be a caption of some kind, and the caption usually said something like 'an odd couple' or 'an unlikely pair,' but to us it was the most natural and easiest of friendships.... Michael always knew he could count on me to support him or be his date and that we would have fun no matter where we were. We had a bond.... Both of us needed to be adults very early, but when we were together, we were two little kids having fun."[27][28]
In a June 30, 2009 interview, Ola Rayalso said that she and Jackson "would play like little kids" when working on the Thriller video(1983), as she recalled how he was clearly "into Brooke Shields" and kept on teasing her about Shields' visiting the set.[29]
Lisa Marie Presley[edit]
First meeting and courtship[edit]

A woman in a black T-shirt holds her left hand on her hip, while leaning against a chest-height surface with her right elbow. She is wearing blue headphones and looks towards her right.

Lisa Marie Presley was introduced to Jackson by her father Elvis
In 1974, a 16-year-old Michael Jackson—who would later be dubbed "The King of Pop"—was introduced for the first time to his future wife at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casinoin Paradise, Nevadaby her father, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", Elvis Presley. Lisa Marie was six at the time, and had been brought to the hotel to watch a show by The Jackson 5, of whom she was a big fan. The young girl was particularly fascinated by lead singer Michael Jackson and his talent at dancing.[30]
According to a friend of Presley's, "their adult friendship began in November 1992 in L.A."[4]They met at a private dinner held at the home of their mutual friend the artist Brett-Livingstone Strong. Knowing that Presley had been looking for help within the music industry, Strong had her play tapes for Jackson, who was impressed with the female singer's voice. The pair talked for the remainder of the night, until it was time for Jackson to leave. At this point, according to Strong, the entertainer gave Presley, who was still married at the time, a penetrating look and said in a conspiratorial voice, "You and me, we could get into a lot of trouble. Think about that, girl."[30]
In the days following this interaction, Presley and Jackson spoke on the telephone almost every day, forging a strong friendship. The two came to realize they had much in common: both had been protected and sheltered from the real world, both felt they had missed out on a normal childhood, both were mistrustful of outsiders having spent most of their lives feeling exploited by them, and both had problems with the media. Presley was raised in Graceland, while Jackson lived at Neverland.
In 1993, he became the subject of child sexual abuse accusationsand the female singer, along with a few others, was there for emotional support. Michael would call Presley from overseas as he embarked upon the second leg of the Dangerous World Tourand the child abuse investigation intensified. During such telephone conversations, the female star attempted to reverse Jackson's sadness with humour and advice. Presley later recalled that she believed in the musician's innocence and that she could "save him".[30]Fueled by her past addictions and her father's death, Presley supported Jackson as he became addicted on painkillers, urging him to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation. He subsequently did both.[30]
Proposal and wedding[edit]
It was during one of Jackson's calls to Presley that he proposed marriage. "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?", the singer queried.[30]Though still married to actor Danny Keough, whom she had wed in 1988 and had two children with, Presley replied that she would. After a pause, Jackson exclaimed that he had to use the bathroom. Having apparently relieved himself, the singer explained to his new fiancee that his love for her was genuine and she had to believe him.[30]In 2010, Presley acknowledged to Oprah Winfreythat Jackson did formally propose one day in the library, taking out a 10 carat diamond ring and getting down on his knees.[31]
Following several months engaged, Jackson and Presley wed on May 26, 1994, at a ceremony in the Dominican Republic.[32][33]Presley had divorced Keough only 20 days before. The 15-minute ceremony was held by Judge Hugo Francisco Alvarez Perez at his home in the La Vega Province. The union was conducted in Spanish and translated for Presley and Jackson by an attorney. Eva Darling, Presley's friend, served as a witness along with Thomas Keough, her ex-husband's brother.[32][33]At the time of their marriage, the press and public were unaware that the two even knew each other. The wedding was kept secret from them, Jackson's family, and Presley's mother Priscilla. However, Gotham Choprarecalled that Jackson called him "in a panic" on his wedding night and asked if he had any "sex advice", wanting "to make sure that Lisa was impressed with his 'moves.'"[34]
Upon being informed of her daughter's marriage with Jackson a week later, Priscilla became irritated; she believed the male pop singer was using her child to rehabilitate his image following the child abuse accusations.[32]To the press, however, Priscilla stated that she was "very supportive of Lisa Marie and everything she does".[35]
The union was met with a mixed reaction from the media when it was made public two months later. Some sources described the union of "The King of Pop" and "The Princess of Rock 'n' Roll" as being "The Marriage of the Century".[36]One newspaper headline scoffed, "Jackson-Presley Union Sparks Shock, Doubt, Laughs."[35]Addressing both the media and public, the new Mrs. Presley-Jackson issued a statement:

"My married name is Mrs. Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson. My marriage to Michael Jackson took place in a private ceremony outside the United States (11) weeks ago. It was not formally announced until now for several reasons; foremost being that we are both very private people living in the glare of the public media. We both wanted a private marriage ceremony without the distraction of a media circus. I am very much in love with Michael, I dedicate my life to being his wife. I understand and support him. We both look forward to raising a family and living happy, healthy lives together. We hope friends and fans will understand and respect our privacy."[37]
Married life and disagreements[edit]
For the next year of their married life, the newly wedded couple divided their time between Jackson's 2,700-acre (11 km2) Neverland Ranch in Santa Ynez, Californiaand Presley's 1-acre (4,000 m2) estate, 100 miles (160 km) away in Hidden Hills. Defying the initial thoughts of some of the public, Presley did not move into Jackson's home upon getting married. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli, this was due to her wanting to remain independent, as well as Presley's children (Danielleand Benjamin) finding their new stepfather "a little strange".[38]
The pair's first appeared together on television at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards, in what has been described as a "memorable moment". Holding hands, the couple walked onto the stage in New York. In front of a television audience of 250 million, Jackson announced, "Just think, nobody thought this would last", before embracing Presley in a kiss.[39]Afterward, Presley became angered at her husband, feeling he had used her. The male pop singer reasoned that the liplock, which was dubbed "The Kiss of the Century", would be talked about for decades, with people playing the clip over and over.[36][39]Jackson's attempts at placating his wife proved futile; she told the singer not to "fucking even come near me" and remained angry for several days.[39]
In the same week, Jackson and Presley had another argument. Newspaper reports had been suggesting that if Elvis were alive, he would not approve of his daughter's marriage. Annoyed, Jackson reportedly suggested that the couple could find out by holding a séanceto contact the deceased "King of Rock 'n' Roll".[39]During the session they would ask his opinion of the union. Presley felt the idea was tasteless and, upon Jackson's continuing to push the idea, warned, "If you stay on this particular road, they're gonna need a medium to contact you in the Great Beyond, because I'm about to put you there, right now."[39]The two supposedly never spoke of the incident again.[39]
Primetimeand further marriage difficulties[edit]
Jackson and Presley appeared on the television show Primetimein June 1995.[39]In Jackson's first interview since 1993 and Presley's first ever, Diane Sawyerquizzed the pair on their private life with, according to Jet, a series of "insensitive" questions.[39][40]Presley boasted that she and Jackson had regular sex, following Sawyer's questioning their sex life.[41][42]When asked if the marriage were a sham, Presley asserted that such rumors were "crap"; the singer claimed that she would never marry someone for any other reason than being in love with him.[39]She concluded that if the public thought differently, they could "eat it".[39]The following day, Presley reflected that the interview had been a disaster; she had hoped the couple would be perceived as being serious, yet Jackson fooled around during the show, at one point holding two fingers behind his wife's head to make bunny ears. Presley's friend Monica Pastelle revealed that it was at this point that the female singer began to wonder whether she had made a mistake in choosing Jackson as a long-term partner.[39]
A further problem for the pair was Jackson's insistence on being around children. Though she never believed he was a pedophile—"I wouldn't have let him near my kids if I thought that"—she felt her husband was only opening himself up to more rumor and innuendo following the 1993 allegations.[43]One evening at Neverland, Presley confronted the pop star on the issue and was met with a defiant Jackson, resulting in another argument. Upon being called selfish, the male musician pointed to his humanitarian endeavors. Presley countered that his philanthropy was irrelevant, that the issue was about them.[43][44]
Presley also disagreed with having children with the singer. Imagining the future and what would happen if the marriage ended, Presley saw a "custody battle nightmare".[45]In addition, she felt her husband was too emotionally immature to be a parent, having watched his daily interactions with other people; she believed he was the one in need of parenting. Jackson explained to his wife over breakfast one morning that she did not have to be the biological mother if she so desired. He explained, "My friend Debbie [Rowe] said she will get pregnant and have my baby. If you won't do it, then she will. How about that?"[45]Unmoved, Presley replied that it was fine by her.[45]
Following several more troubled months, Jackson ended up in the hospital; he had collapsed while rehearsing for a concert in New York. Presley arrived to meet her ill husband, and yet another heated debate ensued. The argument ended after Jackson warned her that she was making his heart rate go up and asked her to leave. She obliged, and was admonished by a doctor and Jackson's mother Katherine along the way.[46]Presley subsequently returned to Los Angeles. Upon being discharged from hospital, Jackson went to Disneyland Paristo recover. Defying his wife, the singer had at least six children accompany him.[46]
Divorce[edit]
Presley filed for divorce in early 1996, citing "irreconcilable differences" and noting their date of separation as December 10, 1995, shortly after the incident in the hospital.[46][47]The divorce was finalized on August 20, 1996. As part of the settlement, the female singer received 10% of the royalties from HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, which album contained the song "You Are Not Alone", whose music video featured a semi-nude Presley and Jackson frolicking against an ethereal backdrop.[48][49]As she did not sign a confidentiality agreement, a further clause stated that Presley could write a tell-all book about her time with Jackson. At the time, "The Princess of Rock 'n' Roll" revealed that she had no wish to write a memoir; the singer still had respect for Jackson and did not want to speak critically of him. Presley also wanted to preserve her own dignity and keep their life together private.[48]



It's easy to be skeptical of Michael's relationship with her, but doing so risks ignoring his obvious humanity. Despite the plastic surgeries and maddening friendships with boys, and all the rest of the eccentric behavior that goes into making Michael Jackson such a strange individual, he is still a human being with emotions, feelings and a beating heart - and, somehow, Lisa Marie Presley was the one to truly touch it, to truly affect him.
J. Randy Taraborrelli, The Magic and the Madness(2004)[48]
The divorce proved difficult for Jackson, who spent several weeks lamenting his loss. Presley was the first person with whom he had connected on such a high level. She had supported him as he faced allegations and became dependent on pain medication. It was also the first time that the pop singer had had a sexual chemistry with another.[48]Presley was able to make him open up and express himself through their physically intimate moments together. At the time, Jackson was afraid there would never be another who made him feel the way his ex-wife had. He eventually realized he had to move on; he had a world tour coming up and music to work on. Jackson also knew that Presley would never make him a father, which he longed to be.[48]
Aftermath[edit]
Presley was seen with Jackson in various cities during HIStory World Tourin 1997; notably at various functions in South Africa[50][51]and in London, holding hands backstage[52]and around the city.[53]In February 1998, they were photographed in an intimate moment together outside a Beverly Hills restaurant on Presley's birthday.[54]
In a 2010 Oprahinterview, Presley admitted that they spent four years after the divorce "getting back together and breaking up", until she felt she "had to push it away."[31]She described the parallels between the lives of Jackson and her father Elvis, and said Jackson constantly asked her about the details of Elvis' death because he felt that he was "going to end up the same way."[31]She had described such a conversation in a blog post the day after Jackson died, wherein she shared her feelings about his death. According to Presley, the last "coherently good conversation" she had with Jackson was in 2005.[31]She said Jackson told her she had been right about certain people around him, whom she called "vampires."[31]She replied that she was indifferent when he asked if she still loved him.[31]But Presley also said his death made her realize he loved her. She acknowledged his efforts in the relationship, saying, "He honestly tried so hard and went through so much with me", but "I didn’t appreciate it then and I wish I did."[31]At the end of the conversation, he reportedly told her "he felt that someone was going to try to kill him to get a hold of his catalog and his estate" and named some names she didn't want to say in the interview.[31]
Debbie Rowe[edit]
Background and friendship[edit]
Debbie Rowe met Michael Jackson in the mid-1980s, while working as an assistant for the pop star's dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein. Rowe treated Jackson's vitiligo, which he had been diagnosed with in 1986 and which would affect his physical appearance for the remainder of his life.[55][56]Rowe supported Jackson, providing answers to the questions Jackson asked about his medical condition. The pair became good friends; the pop star frequently sent autographed merchandise to the woman, who hung it on the walls of her office. According to Rowe's friend Tanya Boyd, the dermatologist's assistant would obsess over Jackson, gushing over him and his traits. She would say to her friend, "If people knew him like I knew him, they would not think he was strange. He's unique, kinky, actually."[56]
The Jackson-Rowe friendship would last for several years, during which time the female assistant married and divorced Richard Edelman, a man she claimed to have felt trapped by. Rowe and the musician would both talk to each other about their unhappy marriages; his with Presley and hers with Edelman, a teacher at Hollywood High School. Like Jackson's first wife, Rowe supported the entertainer when he was accused of child sexual abuse. Jackson kept his friendship with Rowe a secret from his wife, who eventually found out but thought nothing of it; she felt the dermatologist's assistant was not her husband's type because she was not glamorous enough.[56]
First pregnancy and miscarriage[edit]
As Presley had refused to carry Jackson's children, Rowe offered to give birth to a child for the pop singer. Shortly after Presley and Jackson's separation, Rowe became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage in March 1996. The event devastated the woman, who feared she would never be able to have a baby. Jackson comforted and consoled Rowe throughout the ordeal, which remained hidden from the media and public.[46][48]
Second pregnancy and reaction[edit]
Jackson embarked on the first leg of his HIStory World Touron September 1996. One month into the tour and several months after his divorce from Presley, Jackson's personal life made headlines as it was revealed that Debbie Rowe was pregnant with his child. One tabloid newspaper, the News of the World, told the story under the headline "I'm Having Michael's Baby". Rowe reacted furiously to the publication, labeling the editorial staff "bastards" and complaining that they reported the story as if she and Jackson were freaks. J. Randy Taraborrelli later noted that the article, which had been put together from a secret tape recording between Rowe and a friend, had been fairly accurate. It detailed that Jackson was the father of the baby and that he would be raising the child alone. It also stated that Jackson impregnated Rowe artificiallywith his own sperm cells, a "foolproof" method of insemination. Further reports alleged that the relationship was an "economic" one; she was in it for the money and he sought a baby.[48][57]
In a statement, Jackson condemned the accusations of being in an economic relationship and using artificial insemination as "completely false and irresponsible". Despite the denials, it was noted that Rowe had received millions of dollars from Jackson as "gifts" over the years. Among court papers filed against Jackson in 2002 by business manager Myung Ho Lee, a monthly budget for Jackson was detailed and included a $1.5 million payment to Rowe. The pop musician later bought the woman a $1.3 million home in 1997; he and Rowe never lived together.[57]
When the news of Rowe's pregnancy broke to Jackson's mother Katherine, the Jackson familymatriarch urged her son to wed the mother of his unborn child. Katherine did not want her son to be like his father, who had produced an illegitimate child with a woman while married to Michael's mother. Katherine first spoke on the telephone to Rowe about the sanctity of marriage and about the Jehovah's Witness faith. She later spoke to Jackson, telling him to marry "that nice girl, Debbie" and "give your child a name, not like your poor, half-sister, Joh'Vonnie". The words resonated with the musician, who did not want to repeat his father's sins.[58]
Prior to Katherine's words, the view had been for Rowe to act as a surrogate mother; she would give the baby to Jackson as a friendly favor and he would raise it. Jackson intended to issue a statement following the birth that the identity of the mother was a secret, in the same way that the identities of many surrogates are protected. Katherine's involvement, however, influenced Jackson to call Rowe and ask her to meet him in Australia, where he was staying, as soon as she could. There, the entertainer announced his plans for them to wed the next day.[58]
Wedding[edit]

A man stands to the left of a woman who is smiling. He wears a black military jacket, under which is a white T-shirt. Atop his head is a black fedora. His left hand holds the right of the woman's. Both hands are pressed against the stomach of the woman, who is dressed in black.

Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe on their wedding day
Jackson and Rowe wed on November 13, 1996, at the Sheraton on the Park Hotelin Sydney, Australia. The night before the wedding, Jackson had called Presley, who gave him and Rowe her blessing. In front of 15 friends, the pair exchanged vows at the hotel in Australia's largest city. An 8-year-old boy named Anthony, whom Jackson stated was his nephew, served as the best man during the ceremony. For the occasion, Jackson had put special effort into his appearance.[58][59]J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote in his book Michael Jackson - The Magic and the Madness:

"Michael had on a creamy foundation and transparent powder that made his face almost stark white. He had extra eyeliner on his lids, emphasizing their almond shape; his eyes stood out like dark coals. He highlighted his nose and cheekbones with bronze tones. His eyebrows were tweezed and darkened. He had on a black hat and one long curl framing each side of his face. Also, he appeared to have fake sideburns. The total effect was nothing short of jaw-dropping, in that Disneyland sort of way."[58]
Media and public reaction to the marriage was negative and cynical. Some commentators believed Jackson was marrying a person he did not love, and Rowe was having a baby who may or may not have been biologically Jackson's. The Daily Mirror, a British tabloid newspaper, published a photograph of Rowe on the balcony of an Australian hotel. In it, she is seen holding her head in her hands. One Jackson biographer stated that the woman's dismayed and exasperated pose was most probably due to the excessive presence of paparazzi below. The Daily Mirror, however, ran the photograph while mockingly proclaiming, "Oh, God! I've Just Married Michael Jackson."[59]
Birth of Prince Michael[edit]
Jackson and Rowe's first child together, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (also known as "Prince Michael"), was born on February 13, 1997, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centerin Los Angeles.[60][61]The baby was named after Michael's grandfather and great-grandfather, who were both called Prince.[59][62]After Rowe and Jackson cut the baby's umbilical cordtogether, Prince was taken to intensive care, where he spent five hours with only minor problems. He was subsequently taken by his father to Neverland Ranch. Prince's mother recuperated at a friend's house upon her release from the hospital.[59]
Six weeks after the birth, Rowe saw her son for the first time since his arrival into the world. She had met with Jackson to pose for photographs with their newborn son at a hotel. Upon arriving, Rowe was ushered into the hotel room, where she was given the infant to hold and told to smile for the camera with Michael. Afterward, she was sent on her way. Rowe did not want to become too attached to Prince, as she felt it would make her situation harder to deal with.[59]At Neverland, Prince was cared for by a team of six nannies and six nurses during his first few months. According to one nanny who worked at the Californian ranch, Prince Michael's mother was not a significant presence in the child's early life. "I saw her maybe three times and she seemed very sullen."[63]
Second pregnancy and birth of Paris[edit]
Rowe announced that she was pregnant with Jackson's second child in November 1997.[64]The baby was to be a girl and named Paris, after the French cityin which her parents said she was conceived. On April 3, 1998, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born. Her middle names come from her father and grandmother.[64][65]Jackson later claimed that he was so anxious following the birth of his daughter, that he "snatched" her and ran straight home "with all the placenta and everything all over her". Rowe later confirmed that Jackson had the placentafrozen.[66]Following the birth, Jackson's associates contacted Pope John Paul IIat the Vaticanin Rome, in the hope that the Pontiff would personally baptizethe pop star's daughter. An official for the Pope informed Jackson by letter that the leader of the Catholic Churchwould not participate in what may be perceived as a publicity stunt.[64]
Divorce[edit]
Feeling uncomfortable with their arrangement, Rowe asked Jackson for a divorce, which he granted on October 8, 1999. Rowe received around $10 million in a settlement, which started with an immediate payment of $1.5 million.[64]With the divorce, Rowe gave Jackson full custody rights to their children.[67]At the time, both Rowe and Jackson requested privacy and asked the public not to speculate on the reasons for their divorce. They concluded that despite coming to the end of married life, they would continue to remain friends.[68]
After divorce[edit]

A man in public is dressed in black. He is surrounded by an entourage and members of the public, some of whom are holding cameras. He walks behind three young children, all of whom are wearing facial masks.

Michael Jackson with his three children in 2006. The eldest two were borne by Debbie Rowe.
Following the divorce, Jackson would go on to have a third child. Prince Michael II was born on February 21, 2002, to an unnamed surrogate mother. Rowe denied being the biological mother of Prince Michael II, who is nicknamed "Blanket". Jackson stated that the baby was produced through artificial insemination using his own sperm cells. He further claimed that he did not know the mother, and she did not know him. The pop star added that in asking for a surrogate mother, he did not care what race she was. It did, however, matter to him that she was intelligent, healthy, and had uncorrected eyesight.[64]
In the television documentary, The Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See, a rebuttal video to Martin Bashir's Living with Michael Jackson(2003) interview, Rowe attempted to explain her relationship with Jackson and their two children:[69]

"My kids don't call me Mom because I don't want them to. They're Michael's children. It's not that they are not my children, but I had them because I wanted him to be a father. People make remarks, 'I can't believe she left her children.' Left them? I left my children? I did notleave my children. My children are with their father, where they are supposed to be. I didn't do it to be a mother... If he called me tonight and said let's have five more [children], I'd do it in a heartbeat."[69]
In 2006, Rowe legally applied for her access to her two children to be reinstated and subsequently reached an agreement with Jackson. Following the singer's death in 2009, his mother Katherine was made the permanent guardian of Prince Michael, Paris, and their half-brother Prince Michael II. In addition, a new custody arrangement was made with Rowe, who has visitation rights with her two children and will continue to receive spousal supportpayments.[67]
Questions have frequently arisen as to whether Jackson was the biological father of his three children. Doubts first surfaced after it was reported that his son, Prince, had "white skin".[70]Jackson insisted in 2003 that the children were biologically his.[71]
Allegations regarding sexuality[edit]
Further information: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jacksonand People v. Jackson
Despite his relationships with women, Jackson's sexuality was the subject of speculation and controversy for decades. The pop singer faced allegations of being gaysince he was a teenager, as well as later being labelled asexual.[72][73]One 1970s newspaper story alleged that the then 19-year-old singer was to have a sex change operationand marry the songwriter Clifton Davis. Jackson found out about the story from a crying fan. The musician reassured the girl that the tale was untrue and condemned it as a "stupid rumor".[72][74]The story circulated for many months, during which time Jackson became upset; he was raised in a family where homosexuality was considered sinful. Jackson would continue to deny being gay throughout his life. In a 1979 interview, the pop star stated that he was not gay and that he would not "have a nervous breakdown because people think I like having sex with men".[72]He added that if he let the rumor affect him, it would make him cheap and make it sound as if he was prejudice against gay people. He expressed that many of his fans may be gay, and that he did not mind that. "That's their life and this is mine."[72]
1993 child sexual abuse allegations[edit]
In 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuseby Evan Chandler, on behalf of his then-13-year-old child, Jordan Chandler. To the father's disapproval and concern, his son had become friends with the musician in May 1992. Allegedly under the influence of a controversial sedative administered by Evan Chandler, a dentist, his son said that Jackson had touched his penis.[75]Evan Chandler was tape-recorded threatening to damage the singer's music career, and engaged Jackson in unsuccessful negotiations to resolve the issue with a financial settlement.[76][77]Jordan Chandler then told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbationand oral sex.[77][78]Jackson settled a civil suit out of court with the Chandler family and their legal team for $22,000,000 in January 1994. After Jordan Chandler refused to testify in the criminal proceedings, the state closed its criminal investigation citing lack of evidence, and Jackson was not charged with a crime. After Jackson's death, Evan Chandler committed suicide.[79]
2003 child sexual abuse allegations[edit]
Further accusations of child sexual abusewere made in 2003, by 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo.[80]The allegations came after Jackson and the boy appeared in the documentary Living with Michael Jackson, in which the entertainer stated that he shared his bed with children in a non-sexual fashion.[81][82]The musician was subsequently indicted on four counts of molesting a minor, four counts of intoxicating a minor, one count of abduction, and one count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive at Neverland Ranch.[83]During the five-month trial, Jackson faced allegations of child molestation and assertions that he had attempted to abduct the Arvizo family in a hot air balloon.[84]He denied all the charges and family members proclaimed that he was the victim of an extortion attempt.[85]One friend, Firpo Carr, expressed amazement at the allegations leveled against the singer, who at the time was living at Neverland Ranch. "I'm surprised they haven't accused him of bestiality because he also has a zoo there. I mean, it gets ridiculous after a while."[86]On June 13, 2005, the jury found Jackson not guilty on all charges.[87]
2013 and 2014 child sexual abuse allegations[edit]
In May 2013, choreographer Wade Robsonfiled a civil lawsuit against Jackson's estate for child sexual abuse. The date for the hearing which would determine whether or not Robson could sue Jackson's estate was scheduled for June 2, 2014.[88]
Robson met Jackson when he was 5 years old. In 2005, he had testified in Jackson's defense during his child molestation trial. At that trial, Jackson's former housekeeper Blanca Francia had testified that she had witnessed Robson showering with Jackson when Robson was 8 or 9 years old.[89]
However, in his 2013 filing, Robson claimed that by the time he was 7 years old, he was regularly having sleepovers at Jackson's Neverland Ranch and Jackson's homes in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which lasted until he was 14, and that Jackson sexually abused him throughout the 7-year period. Blanca Francia agreed to testify on Robson's behalf in the case.[90]The attorney for Jackson's estate described Robson's claim as "outrageous and pathetic".[91]
In May 2014, a second man, Jimmy Safechuck, filed a lawsuit against the Jackson estate alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him between the ages of "10 to about 15".[92]Jackson had met Safechuck in 1987 and Safechuck, then 10, was featured in the commercial of Jackson's Pepsi ad advertising his upcoming Bad World Tourat the time. Safechuck frequently traveled with Jackson throughout the duration of the Bad tour until its end in 1989.[citation needed]
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Bibliography
Boteach, Shmuley(2009). The Michael Jackson Tapes. Vanguard Press. ISBN 1-59315-602-2.
Campbell, Lisa (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 0-8283-2003-9.
Grant, Adrian (2009). Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84938-261-8.
Jackson, Michael(2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 0-307-71698-8.
Jones, Jel (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture--The Music! The Man! The Legend! The Interviews: An Anthology. Amber Communications Group, Inc. ISBN 0-9749779-0-X.
Taraborrelli, J. Randy(2004). Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness. Pan Books. ISBN 0-330-42005-4.
Toms, Carl(2010). Michael Jackson's Dangerous Liaisons. Matador. ISBN 978-1-84876-340-1.


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Personal relationships of Michael Jackson

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A man in a red shirt smiling toward the camera. Atop his head is a blue baseball cap.

Michael Jackson in 1988
The personal relationships of Michael Jacksonhave been the subject of public and media attention for several decades. He was introduced to the topic of sexual activity at age nine while a member of The Jackson 5. He and his brothers would perform at strip clubs, sharing the bill with female strippers and drag queens, and the sexual adventures of his brothers with groupiesfurther affected Jackson's early life. The entertainer said his "first real date" was with the child actress Tatum O'Neal,[1]when he was a teenager in the 1970s; he called her "my first love - after Diana [Ross]."[2]The pair eventually "cooled off" and Jackson entered into a romance with model Brooke Shieldsin 1981. Although the relationship became largely platonic, Shields said there were times he had asked her to marry him.[3]As they grew older, the two saw each other less.
Having first been introduced to Lisa Marie Presleyby her father, Elvis, in 1974, Jackson reconnected with Lisa Marie in November 1992.[4]Shortly after becoming involved with her, in 1993, Jackson was subjected to his first set of child sexual abuse accusations, followed by similar allegations in 2003. Presley supported Jackson as he became dependent on pain medication, and eventually helped convince him to enter drug rehabilitation. In a telephone call, he proposed marriage to Presley. She agreed, and the two wed on May 26, 1994, at a private ceremony in the Dominican Republic. Married life for the couple was difficult, and the union ended in divorce in August 1996. Presley and Jackson continued to date, on and off, for four more years after their divorce.
Throughout his marriage with Presley, Jackson maintained a friendship with Debbie Rowe. She was the assistant of the pop singer's dermatologistand had been treating his appearance-changingdisease vitiligosince the mid-1980s. While separated but still married to Presley, Jackson impregnated Rowe, but she suffered a miscarriageand lost their baby in March 1996. Following the ordeal and the finalization of his first divorce, Jackson wed the pregnant Rowe on November 13, 1996, in Sydney, Australia. From the marriage, two of Jackson's three children were produced: son Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson, Jr. (born February 13, 1997) and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson (born April 3, 1998). Jackson and Rowe divorced on October 8, 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children to Jackson. His third and final child, son Prince Michael Jackson II, was born to an unnamed surrogate motheron February 21, 2002.
In July 2009, it was revealed Jackson's will named Diana Rossas the next-in-line guardian for his children, after his mother, Katherine.[5]In September 2009, Rabbi Shmuley Boteachreleased a book based on taped conversations he had with Jackson in 2001.[6]It included Jackson's thoughts on personal relationships in general and specific ones. His romantic feelings for two famous friends were widely cited in the media; when asked if he got jealous when his long-time friend Elizabeth Taylordated other men, he replied, "Yes and no. I know that if we ever did anything romantically the press would be so mean and nasty and call us the Odd Couple. It would turn into a circus and that's the pain of it all."[7][8]


Contents [hide]
1Early sexual and emotional experiences1.1Strip clubs
1.2Groupies and prostitutes
2First relationships2.1Tatum O'Neal
2.2Brooke Shields
3Lisa Marie Presley3.1First meeting and courtship
3.2Proposal and wedding
3.3Married life and disagreements
3.4Primetimeand further marriage difficulties
3.5Divorce
3.6Aftermath
4Debbie Rowe4.1Background and friendship
4.2First pregnancy and miscarriage
4.3Second pregnancy and reaction
4.4Wedding
4.5Birth of Prince Michael
4.6Second pregnancy and birth of Paris
4.7Divorce
4.8After divorce
5Allegations regarding sexuality5.11993 child sexual abuse allegations
5.22003 child sexual abuse allegations
5.32013 and 2014 child sexual abuse allegations
6References

Early sexual and emotional experiences[edit]
Strip clubs[edit]

A mature African American man wearing a grey suit, black shirt and light blue tie. His hair is short and he wears a hooped earring in his right ear.

Jackson's father Joseph had his sons play in strip clubs, despite the boys' strict religion
From a young age, Jackson was exposed to sex. He received mixed messages on the subject from his parents. His mother Katherinewas a devout Jehovah's Witnessand conveyed her thoughts clearly; lust in thought or deed was sinful outside of marriage, and physical intimacy should be saved for marriage. In contrast to his wife, father Joseph, a steel mill worker, shunned the religion and would have The Jackson 5perform at strip clubs and seedy bars in the earliest days of their career.[9][10]He allowed nine-year-old Michael to watch from the wings of the stage as male audience members whistled at women who stripped until nude. In one incident, a fascinated Michael watched as an apparently big breasted female removed all but her underwear. The stripper then proceeded to reach into her bra, removing two large oranges and the wig from her head, to reveal that the person he thought was a female was not a woman at all.[9]
While playing at Chicago's Peppermint Lounge, the brothers made use of a peepholein their dressing room, through which they had a clear view of the women's bathroom. They would take turns watching the women and, as Marlon recalled, "learned everything there was to know about ladies".[9]During other residencies, the siblings would perform Joe Tex's "Skinny Legs and All". Joseph Jackson would instruct a young Michael to make his way into the audience, crawl under tables, lift up ladies' skirts and peek at their panties as part of the performance.[9][11]Though embarrassed by the task, Jackson feigned enjoyment as he knew the audience loved the routine.[9]
Following such performances, the Jackson brothers would be tucked in bed by their oblivious mother and reminded of the virtues of being a good Jehovah's Witness. Katherine remained unaware of her sons' strip club activities for many years.[9]Journalist J. Randy Taraborrellireflected on Jackson's early life and noted that at such a young age, the singer may not have been psychologically equipped to fully understand any sexual stimulation he may have received from such voyeuristic events. The writer further commented that Jackson's views on sex must have been conflicted between those of his religiously strict mother and his more libertine and promiscuous father.[9]
Groupies and prostitutes[edit]
As members of the increasingly successful Jackson 5, Michael's brothers Jermaineand Jackiefound fame advantageous. As they toured the country, they had sex with many female fans. Their guide was their father Joseph, who would often organize and arrange sexual encounters for his sons as well as cheat on his wife Katherine with their sons' groupies. The two brothers would bring girls back to a hotel room, where younger siblings Michael and Marlon were instructed to "play sleep".[10][12]One girl, who had sexual relations with Jermaine, recalled such an experience:

"I jumped into bed with him and he climbed on top of me. As he climaxed, he shuddered so loudly I was afraid he would wake up Michael and Marlon, who were sleeping three feet away in the next bed. Or at least I thought they were sleeping. As I was slipping out of the room, I heard Michael say to Jermaine, 'Nice job. Now, can we pleaseget some sleep?'"[12]
While Marlon would correspond with and eventually marry his wife Carol at 18, Michael never had sex with groupies, finding his brothers' behavior toward women disgusting. In addition to not touching groupies, Jackson reportedly never had an interest in having any type of sex as a youngster. In one alleged incident, when he was 15 years old, a male family member arranged for two prostitutes to take his virginity. They were told to "work him over", before being locked in a room with him.[12]Instead Michael picked up a bible and read bible verses to the girls. The girls left in tears.[12][13]James McField, who worked with The Jackson 5, stated that the lead singer of the band often needed someone to talk with. It was at these times that women would be introduced to him for companionship. McField asserted that he never witnessed anything sexual, and that such females were not Jackson's type; "He liked nice girls, pure girls who appeared to have no street background."[12]
Jackson occasionally admonished and advised the groupies and prostitutes sent to pleasure his siblings. One Jackson fan recalled being selected from the audience to meet with Jackie. Backstage, she was handed a scrap of paper with an address to the location in which they were to meet. Michael approached her from behind and warned her that his brothers did not treat women right and that his brother only wanted to use her for sex. Changing the subject, the female fan asked for the pop star's autograph, which request he obliged in addition to writing, "Please, don't go". The woman ignored Michael's request and headed to the Jacksons' apartment complex, where she had sex with Jackie. Afterward, Jackie informed the woman that they would not meet again. Ashamed and upset, the fan left the apartment in tears.[12]
On another occasion, a prostitute was brought to Jackson's room after a concert in Madison Square Garden. There, the pop star interrogated the sex worker, asking why she was a prostitute, whether she wanted to have sex with him, and how much it would cost. The woman responded that she was a prostitute for the money, but that she would have sex with him for free because she wanted him. The prostitute then proceeded to unbutton her blouse, exposing her breasts. Apparently repulsed, Jackson turned his head and begged her to "put them back".[12]The singer suggested that they talk instead, which the prostitute declined to do; she was not there to talk. Instead, she gave Jackson her telephone number, urging him to call her when he wanted to "get off". Jackson acknowledged the prostitute as she left, stating that he would perhaps call her one day, though he never did.[12]
First relationships[edit]
Tatum O'Neal[edit]
One of Jackson's first documented relationships was with the child actress Tatum O'Nealin the 1970s. Their friendship was established by the time O'Neal was 12 and Jackson was 17, and featured in gossip columns for several years after.[14][15]Jackson reflected in 1982 that he and O'Neal had been engaged in a serious relationship, but because both were busy, it had "cooled off" to the point of their remaining just friends.[15]
In the documentary Living With Michael Jackson(2003), Michael alleged that near the beginning of their relationship, the 12-year-old actress tried to seduce the then 17-year-old singer. According to Jackson, the incident happened at her home, where she attempted to unbutton his shirt and talked explicitly about sex. O'Neal's behavior apparently proved too much for Jackson, who became scared and covered his face, before she walked away. When confronted with the allegation, O'Neal claimed to have been "just as shocked as everyone else". She stated that while having respect for Jackson as an artist and a person, he had "a very vivid imagination". The actress described his statements as "inaccurate"; "at 12 years old, there was no way she was capable of being as mature or as sophisticated as he claimed".[16][17]O'Neal released her autobiography A Paper Lifein 2004, a year after the Jackson documentary. In the book, she claimed it was Jackson who attempted to make out with her. The actress wrote, "I was just 12 and not at all ready for a real-life encounter[...] Michael, who was sweating profusely, seemed as intimidated as I was. He jumped up nervously and said, 'Uh ... gotta go.'"[18]
But this contradicted O'Neal's own account of the relationship in 1995 in Vibe, where she remembered Jackson as "being so shy" and "one of the nicest, most innocent people I've ever met", and, "Once he came into my bedroom, and he wouldn't even sit on my bed."[14]She described the relationship as "a really wonderful friendship" where they would dance and "talk on the phone all the time."[14]She recalled that he found it funny that she could drive at 12 and he couldn't. And that one time they had a "jam session" at her house where he played the drums and her brother played guitar. She said the relationship ended when she was 12, after he asked her to go to the premiere of The Wizwith him, but her agent disapproved, "maybe because they thought he wasn't a big enough star yet", and she did what she was told because she was a child.[14]While she claimed they never spoke after that,[14]they were actually shown to be together a number of times after this would have happened.[19]
Jackson also spoke about O'Neal in 2001 with Rabbi Shmuley. He described holding hands with her: "I was, like, in heaven. It was the most magical thing. It was better than kissing her, it was better than anything."[6]He recalled one of the times they held hands:

I remember we went to this club, and I don't go to clubs, which was called the Roxy. And I was watching the band, I was sitting there, and underneath the table, she was holding my hand, and I was, like melting. [Rabbi Shmuley: She held your hand and you felt love?] Fireworks going off.[6]It was all I needed. But that means nothing to kids today. She grew up too fast. She wasn't into innocence, and I love that.[20]
And similar to what he told Bashir, he said, "...she was 13. And I was naive. She wanted to do everything and I didn't want to have sex at all."[20][21]
Brooke Shields[edit]
Jackson met 15-year-old actress/model Brooke Shieldsin 1981, at the Academy Awards.[6][22]From there, the pair enjoyed a close relationship. Speaking in 2009, she reflected that they were close because sex was never an issue for them.[23]Although the headlines in the media referred to Shields' talking about an "asexual Jackson" after his death, what she actually said was, “As he grew older and the more he started to change physically, the more asexual he became to me.”[3]She also said that as she grew up and started having boyfriends, she would confide in him about her intimate experiences, as he was curious. She said, "he was like a little kid who talked about the bases- what first base was, what second base was" - and his curiosity was understandable given his guarded life.[3]
In 2001, Jackson told Rabbi Shmuley: Shields was "one of the loves of my life. I just wished she loved me as much as I loved her", and, they "dated a lot."[6]Before meeting her, he said that he had pictures of her all over his room. He recalled his happiness when they first met. He was at the Academy Awards with Diana Ross, and Shields walked up and introduced herself; then at the after-party she asked him to dance with her. They exchanged numbers, and he "was up all night, singing, spinning around my room, just so happy."[6]He also said, “We had one encounter when she got real intimate and I chickened out. And I shouldn’t have.”[24]
In Moonwalk(1988), Jackson said his relationship with Shields was "romantically serious for a while."[2]Shields said that while never formally proposing, he would speak about the two marrying and raising adoptive children together. The suggestions were met with disapproval from Shields, who felt such a move would have "divided [her] life too much".[25][26]She recalled: "There were times when he would ask me to marry him, and I would say, 'You have me for the rest of your life, you don’t need to marry me, I’m going to go on...have my own marriage and my own kids, and you’ll always have me.' I think it made him relax. He didn’t want to lose things that meant something to him."[3]
As the couple's separate lives diverged, the two gradually saw each other less.[26]At the time of Jackson's deathin 2009, the pair had not seen each other for 16 years. Shields claimed that in the singer's last years "it was harder to get the right number to get through to him".[26]In July 2009, she spoke at the Michael Jackson memorial service, reminiscing about their time together:[27][28]

"Thinking back to when we met and the many times that we spent together and whenever we were out together, there would be a caption of some kind, and the caption usually said something like 'an odd couple' or 'an unlikely pair,' but to us it was the most natural and easiest of friendships.... Michael always knew he could count on me to support him or be his date and that we would have fun no matter where we were. We had a bond.... Both of us needed to be adults very early, but when we were together, we were two little kids having fun."[27][28]
In a June 30, 2009 interview, Ola Rayalso said that she and Jackson "would play like little kids" when working on the Thriller video(1983), as she recalled how he was clearly "into Brooke Shields" and kept on teasing her about Shields' visiting the set.[29]
Lisa Marie Presley[edit]
First meeting and courtship[edit]

A woman in a black T-shirt holds her left hand on her hip, while leaning against a chest-height surface with her right elbow. She is wearing blue headphones and looks towards her right.

Lisa Marie Presley was introduced to Jackson by her father Elvis
In 1974, a 16-year-old Michael Jackson—who would later be dubbed "The King of Pop"—was introduced for the first time to his future wife at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casinoin Paradise, Nevadaby her father, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", Elvis Presley. Lisa Marie was six at the time, and had been brought to the hotel to watch a show by The Jackson 5, of whom she was a big fan. The young girl was particularly fascinated by lead singer Michael Jackson and his talent at dancing.[30]
According to a friend of Presley's, "their adult friendship began in November 1992 in L.A."[4]They met at a private dinner held at the home of their mutual friend the artist Brett-Livingstone Strong. Knowing that Presley had been looking for help within the music industry, Strong had her play tapes for Jackson, who was impressed with the female singer's voice. The pair talked for the remainder of the night, until it was time for Jackson to leave. At this point, according to Strong, the entertainer gave Presley, who was still married at the time, a penetrating look and said in a conspiratorial voice, "You and me, we could get into a lot of trouble. Think about that, girl."[30]
In the days following this interaction, Presley and Jackson spoke on the telephone almost every day, forging a strong friendship. The two came to realize they had much in common: both had been protected and sheltered from the real world, both felt they had missed out on a normal childhood, both were mistrustful of outsiders having spent most of their lives feeling exploited by them, and both had problems with the media. Presley was raised in Graceland, while Jackson lived at Neverland.
In 1993, he became the subject of child sexual abuse accusationsand the female singer, along with a few others, was there for emotional support. Michael would call Presley from overseas as he embarked upon the second leg of the Dangerous World Tourand the child abuse investigation intensified. During such telephone conversations, the female star attempted to reverse Jackson's sadness with humour and advice. Presley later recalled that she believed in the musician's innocence and that she could "save him".[30]Fueled by her past addictions and her father's death, Presley supported Jackson as he became addicted on painkillers, urging him to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation. He subsequently did both.[30]
Proposal and wedding[edit]
It was during one of Jackson's calls to Presley that he proposed marriage. "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?", the singer queried.[30]Though still married to actor Danny Keough, whom she had wed in 1988 and had two children with, Presley replied that she would. After a pause, Jackson exclaimed that he had to use the bathroom. Having apparently relieved himself, the singer explained to his new fiancee that his love for her was genuine and she had to believe him.[30]In 2010, Presley acknowledged to Oprah Winfreythat Jackson did formally propose one day in the library, taking out a 10 carat diamond ring and getting down on his knees.[31]
Following several months engaged, Jackson and Presley wed on May 26, 1994, at a ceremony in the Dominican Republic.[32][33]Presley had divorced Keough only 20 days before. The 15-minute ceremony was held by Judge Hugo Francisco Alvarez Perez at his home in the La Vega Province. The union was conducted in Spanish and translated for Presley and Jackson by an attorney. Eva Darling, Presley's friend, served as a witness along with Thomas Keough, her ex-husband's brother.[32][33]At the time of their marriage, the press and public were unaware that the two even knew each other. The wedding was kept secret from them, Jackson's family, and Presley's mother Priscilla. However, Gotham Choprarecalled that Jackson called him "in a panic" on his wedding night and asked if he had any "sex advice", wanting "to make sure that Lisa was impressed with his 'moves.'"[34]
Upon being informed of her daughter's marriage with Jackson a week later, Priscilla became irritated; she believed the male pop singer was using her child to rehabilitate his image following the child abuse accusations.[32]To the press, however, Priscilla stated that she was "very supportive of Lisa Marie and everything she does".[35]
The union was met with a mixed reaction from the media when it was made public two months later. Some sources described the union of "The King of Pop" and "The Princess of Rock 'n' Roll" as being "The Marriage of the Century".[36]One newspaper headline scoffed, "Jackson-Presley Union Sparks Shock, Doubt, Laughs."[35]Addressing both the media and public, the new Mrs. Presley-Jackson issued a statement:

"My married name is Mrs. Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson. My marriage to Michael Jackson took place in a private ceremony outside the United States (11) weeks ago. It was not formally announced until now for several reasons; foremost being that we are both very private people living in the glare of the public media. We both wanted a private marriage ceremony without the distraction of a media circus. I am very much in love with Michael, I dedicate my life to being his wife. I understand and support him. We both look forward to raising a family and living happy, healthy lives together. We hope friends and fans will understand and respect our privacy."[37]
Married life and disagreements[edit]
For the next year of their married life, the newly wedded couple divided their time between Jackson's 2,700-acre (11 km2) Neverland Ranch in Santa Ynez, Californiaand Presley's 1-acre (4,000 m2) estate, 100 miles (160 km) away in Hidden Hills. Defying the initial thoughts of some of the public, Presley did not move into Jackson's home upon getting married. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli, this was due to her wanting to remain independent, as well as Presley's children (Danielleand Benjamin) finding their new stepfather "a little strange".[38]
The pair's first appeared together on television at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards, in what has been described as a "memorable moment". Holding hands, the couple walked onto the stage in New York. In front of a television audience of 250 million, Jackson announced, "Just think, nobody thought this would last", before embracing Presley in a kiss.[39]Afterward, Presley became angered at her husband, feeling he had used her. The male pop singer reasoned that the liplock, which was dubbed "The Kiss of the Century", would be talked about for decades, with people playing the clip over and over.[36][39]Jackson's attempts at placating his wife proved futile; she told the singer not to "fucking even come near me" and remained angry for several days.[39]
In the same week, Jackson and Presley had another argument. Newspaper reports had been suggesting that if Elvis were alive, he would not approve of his daughter's marriage. Annoyed, Jackson reportedly suggested that the couple could find out by holding a séanceto contact the deceased "King of Rock 'n' Roll".[39]During the session they would ask his opinion of the union. Presley felt the idea was tasteless and, upon Jackson's continuing to push the idea, warned, "If you stay on this particular road, they're gonna need a medium to contact you in the Great Beyond, because I'm about to put you there, right now."[39]The two supposedly never spoke of the incident again.[39]
Primetimeand further marriage difficulties[edit]
Jackson and Presley appeared on the television show Primetimein June 1995.[39]In Jackson's first interview since 1993 and Presley's first ever, Diane Sawyerquizzed the pair on their private life with, according to Jet, a series of "insensitive" questions.[39][40]Presley boasted that she and Jackson had regular sex, following Sawyer's questioning their sex life.[41][42]When asked if the marriage were a sham, Presley asserted that such rumors were "crap"; the singer claimed that she would never marry someone for any other reason than being in love with him.[39]She concluded that if the public thought differently, they could "eat it".[39]The following day, Presley reflected that the interview had been a disaster; she had hoped the couple would be perceived as being serious, yet Jackson fooled around during the show, at one point holding two fingers behind his wife's head to make bunny ears. Presley's friend Monica Pastelle revealed that it was at this point that the female singer began to wonder whether she had made a mistake in choosing Jackson as a long-term partner.[39]
A further problem for the pair was Jackson's insistence on being around children. Though she never believed he was a pedophile—"I wouldn't have let him near my kids if I thought that"—she felt her husband was only opening himself up to more rumor and innuendo following the 1993 allegations.[43]One evening at Neverland, Presley confronted the pop star on the issue and was met with a defiant Jackson, resulting in another argument. Upon being called selfish, the male musician pointed to his humanitarian endeavors. Presley countered that his philanthropy was irrelevant, that the issue was about them.[43][44]
Presley also disagreed with having children with the singer. Imagining the future and what would happen if the marriage ended, Presley saw a "custody battle nightmare".[45]In addition, she felt her husband was too emotionally immature to be a parent, having watched his daily interactions with other people; she believed he was the one in need of parenting. Jackson explained to his wife over breakfast one morning that she did not have to be the biological mother if she so desired. He explained, "My friend Debbie [Rowe] said she will get pregnant and have my baby. If you won't do it, then she will. How about that?"[45]Unmoved, Presley replied that it was fine by her.[45]
Following several more troubled months, Jackson ended up in the hospital; he had collapsed while rehearsing for a concert in New York. Presley arrived to meet her ill husband, and yet another heated debate ensued. The argument ended after Jackson warned her that she was making his heart rate go up and asked her to leave. She obliged, and was admonished by a doctor and Jackson's mother Katherine along the way.[46]Presley subsequently returned to Los Angeles. Upon being discharged from hospital, Jackson went to Disneyland Paristo recover. Defying his wife, the singer had at least six children accompany him.[46]
Divorce[edit]
Presley filed for divorce in early 1996, citing "irreconcilable differences" and noting their date of separation as December 10, 1995, shortly after the incident in the hospital.[46][47]The divorce was finalized on August 20, 1996. As part of the settlement, the female singer received 10% of the royalties from HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, which album contained the song "You Are Not Alone", whose music video featured a semi-nude Presley and Jackson frolicking against an ethereal backdrop.[48][49]As she did not sign a confidentiality agreement, a further clause stated that Presley could write a tell-all book about her time with Jackson. At the time, "The Princess of Rock 'n' Roll" revealed that she had no wish to write a memoir; the singer still had respect for Jackson and did not want to speak critically of him. Presley also wanted to preserve her own dignity and keep their life together private.[48]



It's easy to be skeptical of Michael's relationship with her, but doing so risks ignoring his obvious humanity. Despite the plastic surgeries and maddening friendships with boys, and all the rest of the eccentric behavior that goes into making Michael Jackson such a strange individual, he is still a human being with emotions, feelings and a beating heart - and, somehow, Lisa Marie Presley was the one to truly touch it, to truly affect him.
J. Randy Taraborrelli, The Magic and the Madness(2004)[48]
The divorce proved difficult for Jackson, who spent several weeks lamenting his loss. Presley was the first person with whom he had connected on such a high level. She had supported him as he faced allegations and became dependent on pain medication. It was also the first time that the pop singer had had a sexual chemistry with another.[48]Presley was able to make him open up and express himself through their physically intimate moments together. At the time, Jackson was afraid there would never be another who made him feel the way his ex-wife had. He eventually realized he had to move on; he had a world tour coming up and music to work on. Jackson also knew that Presley would never make him a father, which he longed to be.[48]
Aftermath[edit]
Presley was seen with Jackson in various cities during HIStory World Tourin 1997; notably at various functions in South Africa[50][51]and in London, holding hands backstage[52]and around the city.[53]In February 1998, they were photographed in an intimate moment together outside a Beverly Hills restaurant on Presley's birthday.[54]
In a 2010 Oprahinterview, Presley admitted that they spent four years after the divorce "getting back together and breaking up", until she felt she "had to push it away."[31]She described the parallels between the lives of Jackson and her father Elvis, and said Jackson constantly asked her about the details of Elvis' death because he felt that he was "going to end up the same way."[31]She had described such a conversation in a blog post the day after Jackson died, wherein she shared her feelings about his death. According to Presley, the last "coherently good conversation" she had with Jackson was in 2005.[31]She said Jackson told her she had been right about certain people around him, whom she called "vampires."[31]She replied that she was indifferent when he asked if she still loved him.[31]But Presley also said his death made her realize he loved her. She acknowledged his efforts in the relationship, saying, "He honestly tried so hard and went through so much with me", but "I didn’t appreciate it then and I wish I did."[31]At the end of the conversation, he reportedly told her "he felt that someone was going to try to kill him to get a hold of his catalog and his estate" and named some names she didn't want to say in the interview.[31]
Debbie Rowe[edit]
Background and friendship[edit]
Debbie Rowe met Michael Jackson in the mid-1980s, while working as an assistant for the pop star's dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein. Rowe treated Jackson's vitiligo, which he had been diagnosed with in 1986 and which would affect his physical appearance for the remainder of his life.[55][56]Rowe supported Jackson, providing answers to the questions Jackson asked about his medical condition. The pair became good friends; the pop star frequently sent autographed merchandise to the woman, who hung it on the walls of her office. According to Rowe's friend Tanya Boyd, the dermatologist's assistant would obsess over Jackson, gushing over him and his traits. She would say to her friend, "If people knew him like I knew him, they would not think he was strange. He's unique, kinky, actually."[56]
The Jackson-Rowe friendship would last for several years, during which time the female assistant married and divorced Richard Edelman, a man she claimed to have felt trapped by. Rowe and the musician would both talk to each other about their unhappy marriages; his with Presley and hers with Edelman, a teacher at Hollywood High School. Like Jackson's first wife, Rowe supported the entertainer when he was accused of child sexual abuse. Jackson kept his friendship with Rowe a secret from his wife, who eventually found out but thought nothing of it; she felt the dermatologist's assistant was not her husband's type because she was not glamorous enough.[56]
First pregnancy and miscarriage[edit]
As Presley had refused to carry Jackson's children, Rowe offered to give birth to a child for the pop singer. Shortly after Presley and Jackson's separation, Rowe became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage in March 1996. The event devastated the woman, who feared she would never be able to have a baby. Jackson comforted and consoled Rowe throughout the ordeal, which remained hidden from the media and public.[46][48]
Second pregnancy and reaction[edit]
Jackson embarked on the first leg of his HIStory World Touron September 1996. One month into the tour and several months after his divorce from Presley, Jackson's personal life made headlines as it was revealed that Debbie Rowe was pregnant with his child. One tabloid newspaper, the News of the World, told the story under the headline "I'm Having Michael's Baby". Rowe reacted furiously to the publication, labeling the editorial staff "bastards" and complaining that they reported the story as if she and Jackson were freaks. J. Randy Taraborrelli later noted that the article, which had been put together from a secret tape recording between Rowe and a friend, had been fairly accurate. It detailed that Jackson was the father of the baby and that he would be raising the child alone. It also stated that Jackson impregnated Rowe artificiallywith his own sperm cells, a "foolproof" method of insemination. Further reports alleged that the relationship was an "economic" one; she was in it for the money and he sought a baby.[48][57]
In a statement, Jackson condemned the accusations of being in an economic relationship and using artificial insemination as "completely false and irresponsible". Despite the denials, it was noted that Rowe had received millions of dollars from Jackson as "gifts" over the years. Among court papers filed against Jackson in 2002 by business manager Myung Ho Lee, a monthly budget for Jackson was detailed and included a $1.5 million payment to Rowe. The pop musician later bought the woman a $1.3 million home in 1997; he and Rowe never lived together.[57]
When the news of Rowe's pregnancy broke to Jackson's mother Katherine, the Jackson familymatriarch urged her son to wed the mother of his unborn child. Katherine did not want her son to be like his father, who had produced an illegitimate child with a woman while married to Michael's mother. Katherine first spoke on the telephone to Rowe about the sanctity of marriage and about the Jehovah's Witness faith. She later spoke to Jackson, telling him to marry "that nice girl, Debbie" and "give your child a name, not like your poor, half-sister, Joh'Vonnie". The words resonated with the musician, who did not want to repeat his father's sins.[58]
Prior to Katherine's words, the view had been for Rowe to act as a surrogate mother; she would give the baby to Jackson as a friendly favor and he would raise it. Jackson intended to issue a statement following the birth that the identity of the mother was a secret, in the same way that the identities of many surrogates are protected. Katherine's involvement, however, influenced Jackson to call Rowe and ask her to meet him in Australia, where he was staying, as soon as she could. There, the entertainer announced his plans for them to wed the next day.[58]
Wedding[edit]

A man stands to the left of a woman who is smiling. He wears a black military jacket, under which is a white T-shirt. Atop his head is a black fedora. His left hand holds the right of the woman's. Both hands are pressed against the stomach of the woman, who is dressed in black.

Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe on their wedding day
Jackson and Rowe wed on November 13, 1996, at the Sheraton on the Park Hotelin Sydney, Australia. The night before the wedding, Jackson had called Presley, who gave him and Rowe her blessing. In front of 15 friends, the pair exchanged vows at the hotel in Australia's largest city. An 8-year-old boy named Anthony, whom Jackson stated was his nephew, served as the best man during the ceremony. For the occasion, Jackson had put special effort into his appearance.[58][59]J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote in his book Michael Jackson - The Magic and the Madness:

"Michael had on a creamy foundation and transparent powder that made his face almost stark white. He had extra eyeliner on his lids, emphasizing their almond shape; his eyes stood out like dark coals. He highlighted his nose and cheekbones with bronze tones. His eyebrows were tweezed and darkened. He had on a black hat and one long curl framing each side of his face. Also, he appeared to have fake sideburns. The total effect was nothing short of jaw-dropping, in that Disneyland sort of way."[58]
Media and public reaction to the marriage was negative and cynical. Some commentators believed Jackson was marrying a person he did not love, and Rowe was having a baby who may or may not have been biologically Jackson's. The Daily Mirror, a British tabloid newspaper, published a photograph of Rowe on the balcony of an Australian hotel. In it, she is seen holding her head in her hands. One Jackson biographer stated that the woman's dismayed and exasperated pose was most probably due to the excessive presence of paparazzi below. The Daily Mirror, however, ran the photograph while mockingly proclaiming, "Oh, God! I've Just Married Michael Jackson."[59]
Birth of Prince Michael[edit]
Jackson and Rowe's first child together, Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (also known as "Prince Michael"), was born on February 13, 1997, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centerin Los Angeles.[60][61]The baby was named after Michael's grandfather and great-grandfather, who were both called Prince.[59][62]After Rowe and Jackson cut the baby's umbilical cordtogether, Prince was taken to intensive care, where he spent five hours with only minor problems. He was subsequently taken by his father to Neverland Ranch. Prince's mother recuperated at a friend's house upon her release from the hospital.[59]
Six weeks after the birth, Rowe saw her son for the first time since his arrival into the world. She had met with Jackson to pose for photographs with their newborn son at a hotel. Upon arriving, Rowe was ushered into the hotel room, where she was given the infant to hold and told to smile for the camera with Michael. Afterward, she was sent on her way. Rowe did not want to become too attached to Prince, as she felt it would make her situation harder to deal with.[59]At Neverland, Prince was cared for by a team of six nannies and six nurses during his first few months. According to one nanny who worked at the Californian ranch, Prince Michael's mother was not a significant presence in the child's early life. "I saw her maybe three times and she seemed very sullen."[63]
Second pregnancy and birth of Paris[edit]
Rowe announced that she was pregnant with Jackson's second child in November 1997.[64]The baby was to be a girl and named Paris, after the French cityin which her parents said she was conceived. On April 3, 1998, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson was born. Her middle names come from her father and grandmother.[64][65]Jackson later claimed that he was so anxious following the birth of his daughter, that he "snatched" her and ran straight home "with all the placenta and everything all over her". Rowe later confirmed that Jackson had the placentafrozen.[66]Following the birth, Jackson's associates contacted Pope John Paul IIat the Vaticanin Rome, in the hope that the Pontiff would personally baptizethe pop star's daughter. An official for the Pope informed Jackson by letter that the leader of the Catholic Churchwould not participate in what may be perceived as a publicity stunt.[64]
Divorce[edit]
Feeling uncomfortable with their arrangement, Rowe asked Jackson for a divorce, which he granted on October 8, 1999. Rowe received around $10 million in a settlement, which started with an immediate payment of $1.5 million.[64]With the divorce, Rowe gave Jackson full custody rights to their children.[67]At the time, both Rowe and Jackson requested privacy and asked the public not to speculate on the reasons for their divorce. They concluded that despite coming to the end of married life, they would continue to remain friends.[68]
After divorce[edit]

A man in public is dressed in black. He is surrounded by an entourage and members of the public, some of whom are holding cameras. He walks behind three young children, all of whom are wearing facial masks.

Michael Jackson with his three children in 2006. The eldest two were borne by Debbie Rowe.
Following the divorce, Jackson would go on to have a third child. Prince Michael II was born on February 21, 2002, to an unnamed surrogate mother. Rowe denied being the biological mother of Prince Michael II, who is nicknamed "Blanket". Jackson stated that the baby was produced through artificial insemination using his own sperm cells. He further claimed that he did not know the mother, and she did not know him. The pop star added that in asking for a surrogate mother, he did not care what race she was. It did, however, matter to him that she was intelligent, healthy, and had uncorrected eyesight.[64]
In the television documentary, The Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See, a rebuttal video to Martin Bashir's Living with Michael Jackson(2003) interview, Rowe attempted to explain her relationship with Jackson and their two children:[69]

"My kids don't call me Mom because I don't want them to. They're Michael's children. It's not that they are not my children, but I had them because I wanted him to be a father. People make remarks, 'I can't believe she left her children.' Left them? I left my children? I did notleave my children. My children are with their father, where they are supposed to be. I didn't do it to be a mother... If he called me tonight and said let's have five more [children], I'd do it in a heartbeat."[69]
In 2006, Rowe legally applied for her access to her two children to be reinstated and subsequently reached an agreement with Jackson. Following the singer's death in 2009, his mother Katherine was made the permanent guardian of Prince Michael, Paris, and their half-brother Prince Michael II. In addition, a new custody arrangement was made with Rowe, who has visitation rights with her two children and will continue to receive spousal supportpayments.[67]
Questions have frequently arisen as to whether Jackson was the biological father of his three children. Doubts first surfaced after it was reported that his son, Prince, had "white skin".[70]Jackson insisted in 2003 that the children were biologically his.[71]
Allegations regarding sexuality[edit]
Further information: 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jacksonand People v. Jackson
Despite his relationships with women, Jackson's sexuality was the subject of speculation and controversy for decades. The pop singer faced allegations of being gaysince he was a teenager, as well as later being labelled asexual.[72][73]One 1970s newspaper story alleged that the then 19-year-old singer was to have a sex change operationand marry the songwriter Clifton Davis. Jackson found out about the story from a crying fan. The musician reassured the girl that the tale was untrue and condemned it as a "stupid rumor".[72][74]The story circulated for many months, during which time Jackson became upset; he was raised in a family where homosexuality was considered sinful. Jackson would continue to deny being gay throughout his life. In a 1979 interview, the pop star stated that he was not gay and that he would not "have a nervous breakdown because people think I like having sex with men".[72]He added that if he let the rumor affect him, it would make him cheap and make it sound as if he was prejudice against gay people. He expressed that many of his fans may be gay, and that he did not mind that. "That's their life and this is mine."[72]
1993 child sexual abuse allegations[edit]
In 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuseby Evan Chandler, on behalf of his then-13-year-old child, Jordan Chandler. To the father's disapproval and concern, his son had become friends with the musician in May 1992. Allegedly under the influence of a controversial sedative administered by Evan Chandler, a dentist, his son said that Jackson had touched his penis.[75]Evan Chandler was tape-recorded threatening to damage the singer's music career, and engaged Jackson in unsuccessful negotiations to resolve the issue with a financial settlement.[76][77]Jordan Chandler then told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbationand oral sex.[77][78]Jackson settled a civil suit out of court with the Chandler family and their legal team for $22,000,000 in January 1994. After Jordan Chandler refused to testify in the criminal proceedings, the state closed its criminal investigation citing lack of evidence, and Jackson was not charged with a crime. After Jackson's death, Evan Chandler committed suicide.[79]
2003 child sexual abuse allegations[edit]
Further accusations of child sexual abusewere made in 2003, by 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo.[80]The allegations came after Jackson and the boy appeared in the documentary Living with Michael Jackson, in which the entertainer stated that he shared his bed with children in a non-sexual fashion.[81][82]The musician was subsequently indicted on four counts of molesting a minor, four counts of intoxicating a minor, one count of abduction, and one count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive at Neverland Ranch.[83]During the five-month trial, Jackson faced allegations of child molestation and assertions that he had attempted to abduct the Arvizo family in a hot air balloon.[84]He denied all the charges and family members proclaimed that he was the victim of an extortion attempt.[85]One friend, Firpo Carr, expressed amazement at the allegations leveled against the singer, who at the time was living at Neverland Ranch. "I'm surprised they haven't accused him of bestiality because he also has a zoo there. I mean, it gets ridiculous after a while."[86]On June 13, 2005, the jury found Jackson not guilty on all charges.[87]
2013 and 2014 child sexual abuse allegations[edit]
In May 2013, choreographer Wade Robsonfiled a civil lawsuit against Jackson's estate for child sexual abuse. The date for the hearing which would determine whether or not Robson could sue Jackson's estate was scheduled for June 2, 2014.[88]
Robson met Jackson when he was 5 years old. In 2005, he had testified in Jackson's defense during his child molestation trial. At that trial, Jackson's former housekeeper Blanca Francia had testified that she had witnessed Robson showering with Jackson when Robson was 8 or 9 years old.[89]
However, in his 2013 filing, Robson claimed that by the time he was 7 years old, he was regularly having sleepovers at Jackson's Neverland Ranch and Jackson's homes in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, which lasted until he was 14, and that Jackson sexually abused him throughout the 7-year period. Blanca Francia agreed to testify on Robson's behalf in the case.[90]The attorney for Jackson's estate described Robson's claim as "outrageous and pathetic".[91]
In May 2014, a second man, Jimmy Safechuck, filed a lawsuit against the Jackson estate alleging that Jackson had sexually abused him between the ages of "10 to about 15".[92]Jackson had met Safechuck in 1987 and Safechuck, then 10, was featured in the commercial of Jackson's Pepsi ad advertising his upcoming Bad World Tourat the time. Safechuck frequently traveled with Jackson throughout the duration of the Bad tour until its end in 1989.[citation needed]
References[edit]
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2.^ Jump up to: abJackson, p.166
3.^ Jump up to: abcd"Brooke Shields Reveals Michael Jackson Relationship Secrets". ETonline. CBS Studios. 2009-07-07.
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5.Jump up ^"Jackson shared bond with 'very dear friend Diana Ross'". CNN. 2009-07-03. Retrieved 2011-01-17.
6.^ Jump up to: abcdefVieira, Meredith (2009-09-25). "The Michael Jackson Tapes". Dateline MSNBC. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
7.Jump up ^Boteach, p.231
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10.^ Jump up to: abAdams, Tim (October 4, 2009). "Michael Jackson: now for the encore". London: The Guardian. Retrieved October 9,2009.
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13.Jump up ^http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/14/11-juiciest-bits-from-untouchable-the-strange-life-and-tragic-death-of-michael-jackson.html
14.^ Jump up to: abcde"Michael Makes HIStory". Vibe Vol. 3, No. 5. Google Books. Jun–Jul 1995. p. 56. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
15.^ Jump up to: abSanders, Charles. L (December 1982). Michael. Jet. Retrieved September 28,2009.
16.Jump up ^"Tatum O'Neal Scoffs At Michael Jackson's Story". WCVB-TV. February 10, 2003. Retrieved September 28,2009.[dead link]
17.Jump up ^Hoffmann, Bill (February 11, 2003). "Tatum denies Jackson seduction story". Fox News. Retrieved December 20,2009.
18.Jump up ^"Tatum's tell-all teaser released". The Sydney Morning Herald. October 13, 2004. Retrieved September 28,2009.
19.Jump up ^"Michael Jackson's ultimate disguise: Never seen before incredible picture of King of Pop". Daily Mirror. July 10, 2009. Retrieved February 23,2014.
20.^ Jump up to: abBoteach p.196-197
21.Jump up ^"MJ had a crush on Di.". Asian News International. Free Online Library. 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
22.Jump up ^Michael Jackson is 'painfully shy', says Brooke Shields on TV. Jet. July 15, 1985. Retrieved October 3,2009.
23.Jump up ^"Brooke Shields talks about `asexual' Jackson". MSNBC. 2009-07-06. Retrieved 2010-01-14.
24.Jump up ^"Five Lingering Questions From 'The Michael Jackson Tapes'". Newsweek Pop-Vox. 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
25.Jump up ^Matre, Lynn Van (April 24, 1988). "Jackson's 'Moonwalk' treads lightly". Boca Raton News. Retrieved October 3,2009.
26.^ Jump up to: abcShields, Brooke (July 13, 2009). "Michael Jackson Remembered". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 3,2009.
27.^ Jump up to: abVena, Jocelyn (July 7, 2009). "Brooke Shields Remembers Her Friend At Michael Jackson Memorial". MTV. Retrieved October 3,2009.
28.^ Jump up to: ab"Brooke Shields says she felt young with Michael Jackson". Melbourne: The Age. July 8, 2009. Retrieved October 8,2009.
29.Jump up ^"'Thriller' Star Ola Ray Talks to The Insider". The Insider. 2009-06-30. 4:29 minutes in. Retrieved 2011-01-14.[dead link]
30.^ Jump up to: abcdefTaraborrelli, pp. 506–545
31.^ Jump up to: abcdefgh"Lisa Marie Presley Opens Up About Michael Jackson". Oprah. 2010-10-21. Retrieved 2011-01-12.(The link does not have the full transcript but there are online videos of the interview).
32.^ Jump up to: abcTaraborrelli, pp. 553–557
33.^ Jump up to: abJones, p. 11
34.Jump up ^Chopra, Gotham (2009-06-26). "Writing Songs With My Friend Mike". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
35.^ Jump up to: abJohnson, Robert E. (August 22, 1994). Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie presley 'look forward to raising a family and living happy...'. Ebony. Retrieved October 10,2009.
36.^ Jump up to: abJones, p. 12
37.Jump up ^Johnson, Robert E. (October 1994). Michael tells 'where I met Lisa Marie and how I proposed'. Ebony. Retrieved October 9,2009.
38.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, pp. 558
39.^ Jump up to: abcdefghijkTaraborrelli, pp. 560–565
40.Jump up ^Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley reveal intimate side as lovers, parents and best friends. Jet. July 3, 1995. Retrieved October 9,2009.
41.Jump up ^Roeper, Richard (January 29, 1996). "Split decision? Say it ain't so!". Tampa Tribune. Retrieved November 29,2009.
42.Jump up ^"The shame old story". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 31, 1995. Retrieved November 29,2009.
43.^ Jump up to: abTaraborrelli, pp. 566–567
44.Jump up ^Breznican, Anthony (June 30, 2009). "The many faces of Michael Jackson". USA Today. Retrieved November 8,2009.
45.^ Jump up to: abcTaraborrelli, pp. 574–575
46.^ Jump up to: abcdTaraborrelli, pp. 576–579
47.Jump up ^Citing irreconcilable differences, Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson. Jet. February 5, 1996. Retrieved October 9,2009.
48.^ Jump up to: abcdefgTaraborrelli, pp. 580–581
49.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, p. 609
50.Jump up ^"Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson at a private function in Sun City, South Africa.". Contact Music. 1997-11-10. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
51.Jump up ^"Michael & Lisa Marie @ South African Ceremony 1997"(YOUTUBE VIDEO). Associated Press. 2009-12-07. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
52.Jump up ^"Backstage on Michael Jacksons History Tour - London 1997"(YOUTUBE VIDEO). Entertainment Tonight. Presley appears at 0:44. 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
53.Jump up ^"Michael Jackson & Lisa Marie Presley in London (1997)"(YOUTUBE VIDEO). German news show. 0:53-arrival at Carlton hotel, 1:36-shopping trip to Hamley's. 2009-08-11. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
54.Jump up ^"Michael Jackson & Lisa Marie Presley share an intimate moment outside the Ivy Restaurant". Getty Images. 1998-02-07. Retrieved 2011-01-16.[dead link]
55.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, p. 521
56.^ Jump up to: abcTaraborrelli, pp. 570–573
57.^ Jump up to: abTaraborrelli, pp. 582–584
58.^ Jump up to: abcdTaraborrelli, pp. 585–587
59.^ Jump up to: abcdeTaraborrelli, pp. 588–590
60.Jump up ^Grant, p. 193
61.Jump up ^Michael Jackson and wife become parents of baby boy. Jet. March 3, 1997. Retrieved November 8,2009.
62.Jump up ^Pinkerton, p. 47
63.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, p. 591
64.^ Jump up to: abcdeTaraborrelli, pp. 597–600
65.Jump up ^Michael Jackson and wife, Debbie Rowe, expecting second child, a daughter. Jet. December 22, 1997. Retrieved November 9,2009.
66.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, p. 603
67.^ Jump up to: ab"Jackson's mother granted custody". BBC News. August 4, 2009. Retrieved November 9,2009.
68.Jump up ^Michael Jackson and wife, Debbie Rowe, agree to divorce in LA. Jet. October 25, 1999. Retrieved November 9,2009.
69.^ Jump up to: abTaraborrelli, pp. 607–608
70.Jump up ^"Why do Jacko's kids have white skin?". The Palm Beach Post. February 15, 2003. Retrieved November 29,2009.
71.Jump up ^Westby, Matt (June 26, 2009). "Michael Jackson: star's family offer to take in children". London: The Times. Retrieved November 26,2009.
72.^ Jump up to: abcdTaraborrelli, pp. 156–158
73.Jump up ^"Show misled 'sad little boy' Michael Jackson". USA Today. February 11, 2003. Retrieved November 9,2009.
74.Jump up ^Michael denies sex change; says he is not gay and did not swim nude with Tatum O'Neal. Jet. September 22, 1977. Retrieved November 8,2009.
75.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, pp. 485–486
76.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, pp. 477–478
77.^ Jump up to: abCampbell, p. 53
78.Jump up ^Taraborrelli, pp. 496–498
79.Jump up ^Daily News(New York) http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/evan-chandler-dad-boy-accused-michael-jackson-molestation-commits-suicide-new-jersey-article-1.417751.Missing or empty |title=(help)
80.Jump up ^"Michael Jackson cleared of child abuse". London: The Daily Telegraph. June 13, 2005. Retrieved November 9,2009.
81.Jump up ^Sullivan, James (February 5, 2003). "The never-ending thriller". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved November 29,2009.
82.Jump up ^"First star witness at Jackson trial". Melbourne: The Age. March 2, 2005. Retrieved November 29,2009.
83.Jump up ^"Charges against Michael Jackson". BBC News. June 13, 2005. Retrieved November 9,2009.
84.Jump up ^Gumbel, Andrew (June 14, 2005). "How a TV show triggered the Jackson case". London: The Independent. Retrieved November 9,2009.
85.Jump up ^Bauder, David (December 28, 2003). "Jacko: I'd slit my wrists". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved November 9,2009.
86.Jump up ^Morales, Tatiana (December 5, 2003). "Is Jackson Case Getting Cold?". CBS News. Retrieved August 28,2009.
87.Jump up ^"Michael Jackson jury reaches verdict". London. Associated Press. June 13, 2005. Retrieved November 9,2009.
88.Jump up ^"D-Day For Michael Jackson Molestation Accuser: Trial Scheduled To Determine If Wade Robson Can Sue Estate". Radar Online. 2013-10-10. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
89.Jump up ^Vineyard, Jennifer (2005-04-05). "Witness Says She Saw Jackson Showering With Wade Robson - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
90.Jump up ^"Maid who claims she saw Michael Jackson shower with Wade Robson when he was EIGHT 'asked to testify at choreographer's new lawsuit' | Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. 2013-05-18. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
91.Jump up ^"Wade Robson Accuses Michael Jackson of Molestation". ETonline.com. 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
92.Jump up ^Dimond, Diane. "Exclusive: Michael Jackson Hit With New Sex Abuse Claim". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
Bibliography
Boteach, Shmuley(2009). The Michael Jackson Tapes. Vanguard Press. ISBN 1-59315-602-2.
Campbell, Lisa (1995). Michael Jackson: The King of Pop's Darkest Hour. Branden. ISBN 0-8283-2003-9.
Grant, Adrian (2009). Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-84938-261-8.
Jackson, Michael(2009) [First published 1988]. Moonwalk. Random House. ISBN 0-307-71698-8.
Jones, Jel (2005). Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Big Picture--The Music! The Man! The Legend! The Interviews: An Anthology. Amber Communications Group, Inc. ISBN 0-9749779-0-X.
Taraborrelli, J. Randy(2004). Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness. Pan Books. ISBN 0-330-42005-4.
Toms, Carl(2010). Michael Jackson's Dangerous Liaisons. Matador. ISBN 978-1-84876-340-1.


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Debbie Rowe

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Debbie Rowe
MichaelJacksonDebbieRowe1.jpg
Deborah and Michael Jackson at their wedding in 1996.

Born
Deborah Jeanne Rowe
December 6, 1958 (age 56)
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Residence
Palmdale, California, U.S.
Education
Hollywood High School
Occupation
Dermatologynurse, horse breeder
Known for
Marriage to Michael Jackson
Spouse(s)
Richard Edelman (1982–1988; divorced)
Michael Jackson (1996–1999; divorced; 2 children)
Children
Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (born February 13, 1997)
Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson (born April 3, 1998) [1]
Parent(s)
Gordon Rowe
Barbara Chilcutt
Deborah Jeanne"Debbie" Rowe(born December 6, 1958)[2]is an American nurse known for her marriage to Michael Jackson, with whom she had two children. She lives in Palmdale, California.[3]


Contents [hide]
1Early life
2Relationship with Michael Jackson2.1Children and marriage
2.2Divorce
3After Jackson's death
4In popular culture
5References
6External links

Early life[edit]
Rowe was born in Spokane, Washington, the daughter of Barbara Chilcutt and Gordon Rowe. Her father divorced her mother a few weeks before her second birthday. Rowe had a lonely childhood.[4]She was raised by her mother, a few aunts, and maternal grandmother. She has one half-sister named Loretta Scarlett Rowe who was born in 1961. She was raised in a middle classhome, and was later adopted by a millionaire couple from Malibu, California.
Relationship with Michael Jackson[edit]
See also: Relationship of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe
Rowe met Michael Jacksonwhile working as a nurse in Dr. Arnold Klein's dermatology office, where Jackson was being treated for vitiligo.[5][6]She recalled that after Jackson's divorce from Lisa Marie Presleyin 1996, he was upset at the possibility that he might never become a father. Rowe, a longtime Jackson fan, proposed to bear his children.[7]In an interview with Playboy, Lisa Marie stated that she knew at the time that she and Jackson were married, that Rowe wanted to have his children and that Rowe had "a crush on him".[8]
Children and marriage[edit]




Michael Jackson with his three children (the two oldest were born by Rowe), in Disneyland Resort Parisin 2006.
It was announced she was pregnant in 1996, and the two were later married on November 14, 1996, in Sydney, Australia. It was her second marriage, her first being to Richard Edelman in 1982.[6]
Three months after Rowe and Jackson's marriage she gave birth to a son, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr.[1](born February 13, 1997),[9]who was subsequently known as Prince.[10]The next year she gave birth to a daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson.[1](born April 3, 1998).[11]Jackson took full responsibility for raising the children.[7][12]
Divorce[edit]
Rowe, who described herself as a private person and almost never gave interviews, was overwhelmed by the publicity that came with being married to Jackson.[7]The couple divorced on October 8, 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children to Jackson. Rowe received an $8-million settlement, and a house in Beverly Hills, California.[13]Court documents indicated she had signed a prenuptialagreement and therefore could not obtain an equal division of community propertyunder California law.[14]
In 2001, Rowe went to a private judgeto have her parental rightsfor the two children terminated.[13]In 2004, after Jackson was charged with 10 counts of child abuse, she went to court to have the decision reversed.[15]According to the Jewish Telegraphic AgencyRowe, who is Jewish, sought the reversal in part because she feared the nanny and some of Jackson's siblings were exposing the children to teachings of the Nation of Islam.[16]2005 court documents noted that "Because she is Jewish, Deborah feared the children might be mistreated if Michael continued the association."[17]On the stand, in the 2005 People v. Jacksoncase, she explained that she had been allowed limited visits to her children, for eight hours every 45 days.[18]
In 2005, Rowe sold her Beverly Hills house for $1.3 million, and bought a ranchin Palmdale.[19]In 2006, she sued Jackson for one immediate payment of $195,000 and one payment of $50,000 to pursue a child custody case.[15]Jackson was ordered to pay her $60,000 in legal fees.[20]
After Jackson's death[edit]
Following Jackson's deathon June 25, 2009, Rowe made statements through her attorney to deny a series of gossip reports, including reports that she was not the children's biological mother[21][22]and that she was attempting to bargain her parental rights for money.[23]Several gossip outlets reported that Debbie Rowe was the surrogate motherfor the children and not their biological mother.[24]
In July, 2009, she filed a lawsuit for defamationand invasion of privacyagainst a source who handed over alleged private e-mails to the television entertainment news program Extra[25]and on March 3, 2010 she was successful in the defamation lawsuit. She was awarded $27,000 in damages, although she had originally sought $500,000.[26]
In August 2009, Rowe reached a settlement with Katherine Jackson, the children's guardian, under which she has rights to supervised visitations. Mrs. Jackson's attorney stated that the negotiations were "never about money" and the settlement was in the best interests of the children.[27]
In popular culture[edit]
Rowe was portrayed by April Telekin the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story.[28]
Rowe was parodied in actress/comedian Tracey Ullman's series Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: abc"Birth certificates"(PDF). County of Los Angeles. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
2.Jump up ^"Debbie Rowe". nndb.com. 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
3.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe: I won't see Jackson's children again, WaToday.com.au, 2009-06-29
4.Jump up ^"Debbie Rowe Biography". Biography.Com. Retrieved 10 December2013.
5.Jump up ^Entertainment: Jackson to divorce again, BBC, 1999-10-08
6.^ Jump up to: abSchneider, Karen S. (1996-12-02). "What Friends Are for". People. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
7.^ Jump up to: abcThe Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See
8.Jump up ^"Complete Lisa Marie Presley Playboy Interview". Playboy. 30 Jul 2003. Retrieved 20 October2014.
9.Jump up ^People – Manchild Has Boy Child, Time, February 24, 1997
10.Jump up ^"Last Will Of Michael Joseph Jackson". The Smoking Gun. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
11.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe reaches out to Jackson family, MSNBC, 2009-06-30
12.Jump up ^Living with Michael Jackson
13.^ Jump up to: abCase Reopens Debate on Private Judges; Michael Jackson's clash with ex-wife heads for county court as officials seek to reform system., Los Angeles Times(archive), September 6, 2006
14.Jump up ^Bruce Simon, Michael Jackson Divorce Details Revealed, YahooMusic news, October 8, 1999.
15.^ Jump up to: abMichael Jackson sued by ex-wife, BBC News, July 13, 2006
16.Jump up ^Jackson kids' Jewish mother could regain custody, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, June 28, 2009.
17.Jump up ^Rowe seeks parental rights over Nation of Islam, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, July 3, 2009.
18.Jump up ^Jacko's Ex Rowe: Interview Wasn't Scripted, FoxNews, April 27, 2005
19.Jump up ^Daly: Debbie Rowe continues to waffle on custody decision for Michael Jackson's kids, New York Daily News, July 2, 2009
20.Jump up ^Jackson child custody fight ends, BBC News, September 30, 2006
21.Jump up ^Lawyer: Debbie Rowe Is Biological Mom, US Weekly, 2009-06-30
22.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe, Dermatologist Respond To Reports Over Michael Jackson's Children, NBC New York, 2009-06-30
23.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe Sics Her Lawyers on the New York Post over Report She Sold Her Kids. Gawker.com(2009-07-14). Retrieved on 2012-04-09.
24.Jump up ^Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe 'are not biological parents of any of his children', Daily Mail, July 1, 2009
25.Jump up ^Goldman, Russell; Murphy, Eileen; Pearle, Lauren (2009-07-17). "Debbie Rowe Files Suit Over Custody Rumors". ABC News. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
26.Jump up ^"Debbie Rowe wins judgment in defamation case". USA Today. Associated Press. 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
27.Jump up ^Showbiz :: Jackson's lawyer praises Rowe in custody case. Daily Express, (2009-08-04). Retrieved on 2012-04-09.
28.Jump up ^Fuchs, Cynthia (7 February 2005). "Man in Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story". popmatters.com. Retrieved 4 January2010.
External links[edit]
Debbie Roweat the Internet Movie Database


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Debbie Rowe

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Jump to: navigation, search


Debbie Rowe
MichaelJacksonDebbieRowe1.jpg
Deborah and Michael Jackson at their wedding in 1996.

Born
Deborah Jeanne Rowe
December 6, 1958 (age 56)
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Residence
Palmdale, California, U.S.
Education
Hollywood High School
Occupation
Dermatologynurse, horse breeder
Known for
Marriage to Michael Jackson
Spouse(s)
Richard Edelman (1982–1988; divorced)
Michael Jackson (1996–1999; divorced; 2 children)
Children
Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. (born February 13, 1997)
Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson (born April 3, 1998) [1]
Parent(s)
Gordon Rowe
Barbara Chilcutt
Deborah Jeanne"Debbie" Rowe(born December 6, 1958)[2]is an American nurse known for her marriage to Michael Jackson, with whom she had two children. She lives in Palmdale, California.[3]


Contents [hide]
1Early life
2Relationship with Michael Jackson2.1Children and marriage
2.2Divorce
3After Jackson's death
4In popular culture
5References
6External links

Early life[edit]
Rowe was born in Spokane, Washington, the daughter of Barbara Chilcutt and Gordon Rowe. Her father divorced her mother a few weeks before her second birthday. Rowe had a lonely childhood.[4]She was raised by her mother, a few aunts, and maternal grandmother. She has one half-sister named Loretta Scarlett Rowe who was born in 1961. She was raised in a middle classhome, and was later adopted by a millionaire couple from Malibu, California.
Relationship with Michael Jackson[edit]
See also: Relationship of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe
Rowe met Michael Jacksonwhile working as a nurse in Dr. Arnold Klein's dermatology office, where Jackson was being treated for vitiligo.[5][6]She recalled that after Jackson's divorce from Lisa Marie Presleyin 1996, he was upset at the possibility that he might never become a father. Rowe, a longtime Jackson fan, proposed to bear his children.[7]In an interview with Playboy, Lisa Marie stated that she knew at the time that she and Jackson were married, that Rowe wanted to have his children and that Rowe had "a crush on him".[8]
Children and marriage[edit]




Michael Jackson with his three children (the two oldest were born by Rowe), in Disneyland Resort Parisin 2006.
It was announced she was pregnant in 1996, and the two were later married on November 14, 1996, in Sydney, Australia. It was her second marriage, her first being to Richard Edelman in 1982.[6]
Three months after Rowe and Jackson's marriage she gave birth to a son, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr.[1](born February 13, 1997),[9]who was subsequently known as Prince.[10]The next year she gave birth to a daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson.[1](born April 3, 1998).[11]Jackson took full responsibility for raising the children.[7][12]
Divorce[edit]
Rowe, who described herself as a private person and almost never gave interviews, was overwhelmed by the publicity that came with being married to Jackson.[7]The couple divorced on October 8, 1999, with Rowe giving full custody rights of the children to Jackson. Rowe received an $8-million settlement, and a house in Beverly Hills, California.[13]Court documents indicated she had signed a prenuptialagreement and therefore could not obtain an equal division of community propertyunder California law.[14]
In 2001, Rowe went to a private judgeto have her parental rightsfor the two children terminated.[13]In 2004, after Jackson was charged with 10 counts of child abuse, she went to court to have the decision reversed.[15]According to the Jewish Telegraphic AgencyRowe, who is Jewish, sought the reversal in part because she feared the nanny and some of Jackson's siblings were exposing the children to teachings of the Nation of Islam.[16]2005 court documents noted that "Because she is Jewish, Deborah feared the children might be mistreated if Michael continued the association."[17]On the stand, in the 2005 People v. Jacksoncase, she explained that she had been allowed limited visits to her children, for eight hours every 45 days.[18]
In 2005, Rowe sold her Beverly Hills house for $1.3 million, and bought a ranchin Palmdale.[19]In 2006, she sued Jackson for one immediate payment of $195,000 and one payment of $50,000 to pursue a child custody case.[15]Jackson was ordered to pay her $60,000 in legal fees.[20]
After Jackson's death[edit]
Following Jackson's deathon June 25, 2009, Rowe made statements through her attorney to deny a series of gossip reports, including reports that she was not the children's biological mother[21][22]and that she was attempting to bargain her parental rights for money.[23]Several gossip outlets reported that Debbie Rowe was the surrogate motherfor the children and not their biological mother.[24]
In July, 2009, she filed a lawsuit for defamationand invasion of privacyagainst a source who handed over alleged private e-mails to the television entertainment news program Extra[25]and on March 3, 2010 she was successful in the defamation lawsuit. She was awarded $27,000 in damages, although she had originally sought $500,000.[26]
In August 2009, Rowe reached a settlement with Katherine Jackson, the children's guardian, under which she has rights to supervised visitations. Mrs. Jackson's attorney stated that the negotiations were "never about money" and the settlement was in the best interests of the children.[27]
In popular culture[edit]
Rowe was portrayed by April Telekin the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story.[28]
Rowe was parodied in actress/comedian Tracey Ullman's series Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: abc"Birth certificates"(PDF). County of Los Angeles. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
2.Jump up ^"Debbie Rowe". nndb.com. 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
3.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe: I won't see Jackson's children again, WaToday.com.au, 2009-06-29
4.Jump up ^"Debbie Rowe Biography". Biography.Com. Retrieved 10 December2013.
5.Jump up ^Entertainment: Jackson to divorce again, BBC, 1999-10-08
6.^ Jump up to: abSchneider, Karen S. (1996-12-02). "What Friends Are for". People. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
7.^ Jump up to: abcThe Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See
8.Jump up ^"Complete Lisa Marie Presley Playboy Interview". Playboy. 30 Jul 2003. Retrieved 20 October2014.
9.Jump up ^People – Manchild Has Boy Child, Time, February 24, 1997
10.Jump up ^"Last Will Of Michael Joseph Jackson". The Smoking Gun. Retrieved 2009-09-20.
11.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe reaches out to Jackson family, MSNBC, 2009-06-30
12.Jump up ^Living with Michael Jackson
13.^ Jump up to: abCase Reopens Debate on Private Judges; Michael Jackson's clash with ex-wife heads for county court as officials seek to reform system., Los Angeles Times(archive), September 6, 2006
14.Jump up ^Bruce Simon, Michael Jackson Divorce Details Revealed, YahooMusic news, October 8, 1999.
15.^ Jump up to: abMichael Jackson sued by ex-wife, BBC News, July 13, 2006
16.Jump up ^Jackson kids' Jewish mother could regain custody, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, June 28, 2009.
17.Jump up ^Rowe seeks parental rights over Nation of Islam, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, July 3, 2009.
18.Jump up ^Jacko's Ex Rowe: Interview Wasn't Scripted, FoxNews, April 27, 2005
19.Jump up ^Daly: Debbie Rowe continues to waffle on custody decision for Michael Jackson's kids, New York Daily News, July 2, 2009
20.Jump up ^Jackson child custody fight ends, BBC News, September 30, 2006
21.Jump up ^Lawyer: Debbie Rowe Is Biological Mom, US Weekly, 2009-06-30
22.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe, Dermatologist Respond To Reports Over Michael Jackson's Children, NBC New York, 2009-06-30
23.Jump up ^Debbie Rowe Sics Her Lawyers on the New York Post over Report She Sold Her Kids. Gawker.com(2009-07-14). Retrieved on 2012-04-09.
24.Jump up ^Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe 'are not biological parents of any of his children', Daily Mail, July 1, 2009
25.Jump up ^Goldman, Russell; Murphy, Eileen; Pearle, Lauren (2009-07-17). "Debbie Rowe Files Suit Over Custody Rumors". ABC News. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
26.Jump up ^"Debbie Rowe wins judgment in defamation case". USA Today. Associated Press. 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
27.Jump up ^Showbiz :: Jackson's lawyer praises Rowe in custody case. Daily Express, (2009-08-04). Retrieved on 2012-04-09.
28.Jump up ^Fuchs, Cynthia (7 February 2005). "Man in Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story". popmatters.com. Retrieved 4 January2010.
External links[edit]
Debbie Roweat the Internet Movie Database


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Death of Michael Jackson

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Death of Michael Jackson
Jackson's star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, showing flowers for fans to express grief.
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, surrounded by barriers and covered with flowers, became a focal point for fans to express grief.

Date
June 25, 2009
Location
Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States
Outcome
Personal physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter
Deaths
Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication after suffering cardiac arrest at his home on North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said he had found Jackson in his room, not breathing and with a barely detectable pulse, and that he administered CPR on Jackson's bed to no avail. After a call was placed to 9-1-1 at 12:21 p.m., Jackson was treated by paramedics at the scene and was later pronounced dead at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.[1] On the eve of Jackson's 51st birthday, the Los Angeles County Coroner concluded that his death was a homicide.[2] Shortly before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered propofol and two anti-anxiety benzodiazepines—lorazepam and midazolam—in his home.[3] His personal physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 and served a two-year prison sentence.[4][5]
Jackson's death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world, creating unprecedented surges of Internet traffic and causing sales of his music and that of the Jackson 5 to increase dramatically.[6] Jackson had also intended to perform a series of comeback concerts to over one million people at London's O2 Arena from July 2009 to March 2010.[7] A public memorial service for Jackson was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where he had rehearsed for the London concerts the night before his death. The service was broadcast live around the world, attracting a global audience of up to one billion people.[8] In 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings up until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death. Jackson's death is ranked No. 1 on VH1/VH1 Classic's list of 100 Most Shocking Moments in Music.[9]


Contents  [hide]
1 Circumstances
2 Investigation 2.1 Autopsies
2.2 Law enforcement agencies
2.3 Drug-use allegations 2.3.1 Propofol
2.4 Medical professionals 2.4.1 Personal physician

3 Health
4 Family and legal affairs 4.1 Family reaction
4.2 Estate
4.3 Taxation of estate
5 Public reaction 5.1 Media and Internet coverage
5.2 Grief
5.3 Tributes
5.4 Record sales
6 Services 6.1 Memorial
6.2 Burial
7 References
8 Further reading

Circumstances[edit]

Two white multi floored squared buildings with blue colored windows. There is a street and clear sky surrounding the buildings.

 Jackson's body arrived at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on June 25, 2009, at 1:14 p.m. local time.
Jackson arrived for rehearsal at Staples Center around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, according to Ed Alonzo, a magician who was there. The singer jokingly complained of laryngitis and did not rehearse until 9 p.m. "He looked great and had great energy,"[10] Alonzo added. The rehearsal went past midnight.[10] The next morning Jackson did not come out of his bedroom.[11] According to the attorney of Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal physician, Murray entered the room in the afternoon and found Jackson in bed and not breathing. Jackson had a weak pulse, and his body was still warm.[12] Murray tried to revive Jackson for five to ten minutes, at which point he realized he needed to call for help. Murray stated that he was hindered because there was no landline in the house. Murray also stated that he could not use his cell phone to call 911 because he did not know the exact address. Murray stated that he also phoned security, but did not get an answer. Finally, Murray ran downstairs, yelled for help, and told a chef to bring security up to the room.[13] By the time security called 911, Murray's lawyer stated that at least 30 minutes had passed.[13]
Statements described Murray as using a non-standard CPR technique on Jackson. During the tape of the emergency call, released on June 26 one day after Jackson's death, the doctor was described as administering CPR on a bed, not on a hard surface such as a floor, which would be standard practice.[14][15] The doctor's attorney said that Murray placed one hand underneath Jackson and used the other hand for chest compression, where the standard practice is to use both hands for compression.[11][16] A Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson said the 911 call came in at 12:21:04 p.m. PST (19:21:04 UTC). Paramedics reached Jackson at 12:26 p.m. and found that he was not breathing.[17][18]
Paramedics performed CPR for 42 minutes at the house.[19] Murray's attorney stated that Jackson had a pulse when he was taken out of the house and put in the ambulance.[11] An LAFD official gave a different account, stating that paramedics found Jackson in "full cardiac arrest", and that they did not observe a change in Jackson's status on the route to the hospital.[20] LAFD transported Jackson to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.[17] The ambulance arrived at the hospital at approximately 1:14 p.m. A team of medical personnel attempted to resuscitate Jackson for more than one hour. They were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. at the age of 50.[21][22][23]
Investigation[edit]
Autopsies[edit]
Jackson's body was flown by helicopter to the Los Angeles Coroner's offices in Lincoln Heights, where on June 26 a three-hour autopsy was performed on behalf of the Los Angeles County Coroner by the chief medical examiner, Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran.[24] Jackson's family arranged for a second autopsy, a practice that could yield expedited—albeit limited—results.[25] After the preliminary autopsy was completed, Craig Harvey, chief investigator for the coroner's office, said there was no evidence of trauma or foul play.[26] On August 28, the LA County Coroner made an official statement classifying Jackson's death as a homicide. The county coroner stated that Jackson died from the combination of drugs in his body, with the most significant drugs being the anesthetic propofol and the anxiolytic lorazepam. Less significant drugs found in Jackson's body were midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine. The coroner is keeping the complete toxicology report private, as requested by the police and district attorney.[2] On October 1, the BBC reported that the autopsy report revealed that Jackson was "very healthy"[27] for his age and that his heart was strong. The document stated that Jackson's most significant health problem was his chronically inflamed lungs, but this did not contribute to his death. His other major organs were normal and he had no atherosclerosis except for some slight plaque accumulation in his leg arteries.[28][29] The autopsy stated that he weighed 136 pounds (62 kg) with a height of 5'9" (175 cm), which equates to a BMI of 20.1.[30] Fox News said that this confirmed rumors that Jackson was emaciated,[31] while the Associated Press stated that his weight was in the acceptable range.[29]
Law enforcement agencies[edit]
Although they did not immediately announce that they suspected foul play, by the day after Jackson's death the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) began to investigate the unusual and high-profile case.[32] By August 28, the LAPD had announced that the case would be referred to prosecutors who might file criminal charges.[2] Because the LAPD did not secure Jackson's home, and allowed the Jackson family access to it too, before returning to remove certain items, the department raised concerns by some observers that the chain of custody had been broken.[33][34] The police maintained that they had followed protocol.[34] On July 1, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) joined the LAPD in the investigation. Having the authority to investigate issues otherwise protected by doctor-patient confidentiality, the DEA could legally follow the entirety of what appeared to be the complex trail of prescription drugs supplied to Jackson.[33] California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced that his office was helping the LAPD and DEA to create a statewide database of all medical doctors and prescriptions filled.[35]
The LAPD subpoenaed medical records from doctors who had treated Jackson. On July 9, William Bratton, then the Los Angeles Chief of Police, indicated that investigators were focusing on the possibility of homicide or accidental overdose, but had to wait for the full toxicology reports from the coroner.[36] The Los Angeles Times quoted a senior law enforcement source as saying authorities may not pursue charges even if the coroner declares the case a homicide, because Jackson's well-documented drug abuse would make any prosecution difficult. Nonetheless, the source said prosecutors had not ruled out more serious charges "all the way up to involuntary manslaughter" if it were determined that Jackson's death was indeed caused by the drug propofol.[37]
Drug-use allegations[edit]
Jackson was said to have used propofol, as well as alprazolam (an antianxiety agent), and sertraline (an antidepressant).[38] Other drugs named in connection with him included omeprazole, hydrocodone, paroxetine, carisoprodol, and hydromorphone.[39] After his death, police found several drugs in his home, including propofol. Some of these drugs had labels made out to Jackson under pseudonyms, while others were unlabeled.[40][41] A 2004 police document prepared for the 2005 People v. Jackson child abuse trial alleged that Jackson was taking up to 40 alprazolam pills a night.[36] Alprazolam was not found in his bloodstream at his time of death.[3] Dr. A.J. Farshchian, Michael Jackson's friend and confidante, has claimed that Jackson was scared of drugs.[42]
Deepak Chopra, an internist, endocrinologist, and speaker about mind–body intervention who was a friend of Jackson's for 20 years, expressed concern that, despite presumably having access to a large arsenal of drugs, Jackson appears to have been given no naloxone, a drug used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose.[43] Chopra also criticized what he saw as "enabling" by some Hollywood doctors: "This cult of drug-pushing doctors, with their co-dependent relationships with addicted celebrities, must be stopped. Let's hope that Michael's unnecessary death is the call for action."[43]
Eugene Aksenoff, a Tokyo-based physician who had treated Michael Jackson and his children on a few occasions, expressed concern about Jackson's use of and interest in various drugs. Aksenoff told The Japan Times that Jackson asked for stimulants so that he could get through some demanding performances. Aksenoff said he refused to prescribe them. He recalled that the singer suffered chronic fatigue, fever, insomnia and other symptoms and took a large amount of drugs. He suspected one of the major factors causing Jackson these symptoms was excessive use of steroids or other skin-whitening medications.[44] According to the toxicological tests effectuated on Jackson's body, no addiction had been reported, and none of the experts called to testify at Murray's trial have identified the singer as a drug addict.[3] Janet Jackson confirmed that the Jackson family tried to stage an intervention in early 2007, when Michael was living in Las Vegas.[45] Janet Jackson and some of her brothers allegedly traveled to his home, but were turned away by security guards who were ordered not to let them in. He was also rumored to have refused calls from his mother. "If you tried to deal with him," one source told CNN, "he would shut you out. You just wouldn't hear from him for long periods." The family denied that they had tried to intervene.[46]
Propofol[edit]

An ampoule of propofol.

 An ampoule of propofol
Of all the drugs found in Jackson's home, the one that most concerned investigators was propofol (Diprivan), a powerful anesthetic administered intravenously in hospitals to induce and maintain anesthesia during surgery.[47] Nicknamed "milk of amnesia" because of its opaque, milk-like appearance (and a play on the words "milk of magnesia"), the drug has been associated with cardiac arrest,[47] but it still may be increasingly used off-label for anxiolytic and other medically unsubstantiated purposes.[41] Several propofol bottles—some empty, some full—were found in Jackson's home.[41]
On June 30, Cherilyn Lee, a nurse who had worked as Jackson's nutritionist, said that he had asked her in May to provide propofol to help him sleep, but she refused. He told her he had been given the drug before for persistent insomnia, and that a doctor had said it was safe. Lee said she received a telephone call from an aide to Jackson on June 21 to say that Jackson was ill, although she no longer worked for him. She reported overhearing Jackson complain that one side of his body was hot, the other side cold. She advised the aide to send Jackson to a hospital.[48]
Arnold Klein told CNN that Jackson used an anesthesiologist to administer propofol to help him sleep while he was on tour in Germany. CNN said the anesthesiologist would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" in the morning during the HIStory tour of 1996 to 1997.[46]
Medical professionals[edit]
The Los Angeles Times wrote that the DEA was focusing on at least five doctors who prescribed drugs to Jackson, trying to determine whether they had had a "face to face" relationship with him, and whether they had made legally required diagnoses.[41] Fox News Channel published a list of nine doctors who they said were under investigation.[49] The Sunday Times wrote that the police wanted to question 30 doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, including Arnold Klein.[50] Klein said that he occasionally had given Jackson pethidine to sedate him, but had administered nothing stronger, and that he had turned his records over to the medical examiner.[51]
Personal physician[edit]
Main article: Trial of Conrad Murray

A one-story tan colored building. Bushes, trees, a sidewalk and a sky with multiple clouds surround the building.

 Murray practiced out of the Armstrong Clinic in Houston. The clinic was raided during an investigation of Murray in July 2009.
Cardiologist Conrad Murray joined Jackson's camp in May 2009 as part of Jackson's agreement with AEG Live, the promoter of his London concerts. Murray first met Jackson in Las Vegas when the doctor treated one of the singer's children. AEG Live said the singer insisted the company hire Murray to accompany him to England.[52] During Murray's trial it emerged that AEG employed the doctor and that Jackson did not sign the contract for the above-cited employment either.[53]
Murray said through his attorney that he did not prescribe or administer pethidine or oxycodone to Jackson, but did not say what, if anything, he did prescribe or administer.[47] Los Angeles police said the doctor spoke to officers immediately after Jackson's death, and during an extensive interview two days later. They stressed that they found "no red flag" and did not suspect foul play.[14] On June 26, police towed away a car used by Murray, stating that it might contain medication or other evidence. The police released the car five days later.[33]
Politician and minister Jesse Jackson, a friend of Michael Jackson's family, said that the family was concerned about Murray's role. "They have good reason to be [...] he left the scene."[54] Over the next few weeks, law enforcement grew increasingly concerned about the doctor, and on July 22 detectives searched Murray's medical office and storage unit in Houston, removing items such as a computer and two hard drives, contact lists and a hospital suspension notice.[55] On the 27th, an anonymous source reported that Murray had administered propofol within 24 hours of Jackson's death.[56] Murray's lawyers refused to comment on what they called "rumors, innuendo or unnamed sources."[57] The following day, the ABC News program Nightline reported that investigators had searched Murray's home and office in Las Vegas, and that Murray had become the primary focus of the investigation.[58] On August 11, a Las Vegas pharmacy was searched by investigators looking for evidence regarding Murray, according to an anonymous police source cited by The New York Times.[59] Murray's lawyer advised patience until the toxicology results arrived, noting that "things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known".[58] On February 8, 2010, Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles. Murray pleaded not guilty and was released after posting $75,000 (USD) bail.[60] Shortly after, the California Medical Board issued an order preventing Murray from administering heavy sedatives.[61]
On January 11, 2011, the judge from Murray's preliminary hearing determined that Murray should stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in the Jackson case. The judge also suspended Murray's license to practice medicine in California.[62] The trial was originally to begin on March 24, but a delayed opening rescheduled it for May 9. Finally, the trial was rescheduled to September 8, with no further delays, as reported by CNN.[63] The jury selection of Murray's trial began on September 8, 2011, in Los Angeles. The trial began on September 27, 2011.[64] On November 7, 2011, Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[65] and he was held without bail to await sentencing.[66] On November 29, 2011, Murray received the maximum sentence of 4 years in prison.[67] Murray was released on October 28, 2013,[5] due to California prison overcrowding and good behavior.[68]
Health[edit]

A white piece of paper with personal information about the death of a person. The paper's writing is all in black and has multiple sections blacked-out.

 Michael Jackson's initial death certificate, issued pending toxicology reports
Another white piece of paper, with black writing and multiple sections blacked out, amending the prior form shown

 The amendment form issued by the coroner for his death certificate, after toxicology reports became available. Note the change of cause from "deferred" to "acute propofol intoxication" and the ruling of "Homicide" added.
Further information: Michael Jackson's health and appearance
Stacy Brown, a biographer, said Jackson had become "very frail, totally, totally underweight," and that his family had been worried about him. Another biographer, J. Randy Taraborrelli, who became friends with Jackson in the 1970s, said Jackson had suffered from an addiction to painkillers which went on and off for decades.[26] Arnold Klein, Jackson's dermatologist, confirmed that Jackson misused prescription drugs, and that Klein had diagnosed Jackson with vitiligo and lupus. Yet, Klein said, when he saw Jackson at his office three days before his death, the singer "was in very good physical condition. He was dancing for my patients. He was very mentally aware when we saw him and he was in a very good mood."[51]
Family and legal affairs[edit]
Further information: Jackson family and The Jackson 5
Jackson is survived by his three children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson (b. 1997); Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson (b. 1998), born during his marriage to his second wife, Debbie Rowe; and Prince Michael Jackson II, known as "Blanket", born in 2002 to a surrogate mother. He is also survived by his brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy; sisters Rebbie, La Toya and Janet; and parents Joseph and Katherine. Katherine was granted temporary guardianship of Michael's three children on June 29, 2009.[69]
Family reaction[edit]
The Jackson family released a collective statement following the death:

Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon. It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times.[70]
La Toya indicated that the family would file a lawsuit against anyone they believed responsible for her brother's death, as well as push for criminal charges.[71] In 2009, she stated that Jackson might have been administered an ultimately lethal dose of drugs by "a shadowy entourage" of handlers[71] and, in 2010, said that she believed her brother "was murdered for his music catalogue."[72] Shortly after Jackson's death, the family raised questions about the role of AEG Live, the This Is It concert promoter, in the last few weeks of his life.[54] Joseph has since filed a complaint with the California Medical Board alleging that AEG Live was illegally practicing medicine by demanding that Murray get Jackson off various medications. The complaint also alleges that AEG Live failed to provide the resuscitation equipment and nurse which Murray had requested. AEG spokesman Michael Roth declined to comment on the complaint.[73]
After Murray pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge, several members of the Jackson family said they felt he deserved a more severe charge.[74] On June 25, 2010, Joseph filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Murray. The lawsuit alleges that Murray repeatedly lied to cover up his use of propofol, did not keep sufficient medical records and was negligent in his use of medications on Jackson. Murray's civil attorney, Charles Peckham, denied that Murray gave Jackson anything life-threatening.[75] On August 15, 2012, Joseph dropped his wrongful death lawsuit against Murray.[76][77]
On September 15, 2010, Panish Shea & Boyle LLP also filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Michael Jackson's three children and his mother against the Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. (AEG) and its subsidiaries and principals (including Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega, Paul Gongaware and Thimothy Leiweke).[78] The suit alleges that AEG put their desire for profits from the This Is It concerts over the health and safety of Michael Jackson, ultimately causing his death". Roth declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying that AEG not seen it.[79]
On November 7, 2011, Michael Jackson's family arrived at the courthouse in Los Angeles shortly after the jury announced they reached their verdict: Guilty. Michael's father Joe Jackson replied to reporters, only saying, "Justice." LaToya Jackson tweeted that she was shaking uncontrollably when she heard the verdict, and continued to tweet her emotions throughout the day.[80]
Estate[edit]
Further information: Value of Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Jackson's last will was filed by attorney John Branca at the Los Angeles County courthouse on July 1, 2009. Signed July 7, 2002, it names Branca and accountant John McClain as executors; they were confirmed as such by a Los Angeles judge on July 6, 2009.[81] All assets are given to the (pre-existing) Michael Jackson Family Trust (amended March 22, 2002),[82] the details of which have not been made public. The Associated Press reports that, in 2007, Jackson had a net worth of $236.6 million: $567.6 million in assets, which included Neverland Ranch and his 50% share of Sony/ATV Music Publishing' catalogue, and debts of $331 million.[83] The guardianship of his three children is given to his mother, Katherine, or if she is unable or unwilling, to singer Diana Ross.[84] The will states that Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe was omitted intentionally.[85] Jackson's will allocates 20% of his fortune as well as 20% of money made after death to unspecified charities.[86]
Media reports suggested that settlement of Jackson's estate could last many years.[87] The value of Sony/ATV Music Publishing is estimated by Ryan Schinman, chief of Platinum Rye, to be US$1.5 billion. Shinman's estimate makes Jackson's share of Sony/ATV worth US$750 million, from which Jackson would have had an annual income of US$80 million. Sony Corporation has not commented on whether it intends to buy Jackson's share of Sony/ATV from the Jackson estate. Jackson's creditors could force a distressed sale, which would act in Sony's favor since it would lower the sale price, but only if the trust set up by Jackson for his stake in Sony/ATV is revocable. A distressed sale would lower the value of Jackson's estate, and thus might not raise enough to cover the debts owed by the estate.[88]
Taxation of estate[edit]
The estate administrators and the IRS have estimated portions of the estate differently.[89][90] The estate estimated that the value of Jackson's likeness is only $2,105; whereas the IRS estimated that the likeness to be worth $434.26 million.[90] The estate estimated "no worth in Jackson's interest in a trust that owns some songs of his and the Beatles, but the IRS valued it at $469 million."[90] Also in dispute is the value of "Jackson's share of the Jackson 5 master recordings rights, stocks and bonds, and various cars Jackson owned."[90][91] The IRS proposed "imposing $505 million in taxes plus an additional $197 million in penalties, including a gross valuation misstatement penalty."[89][90] On July 26, 2013, the estate filed a U.S. Tax Court petition claiming "the IRS overestimated the value of its assets, including Jackson's likeness, real estate, a Bentley, a Lloyds of London insurance policy, Jackson's share of MJJ Ventures Inc., and two trusts.".[91][92] Jackson estate attorney Paul Hoffman of Hoffman, Sabban & Watenmaker told Bloomberg News, "The IRS is wrong."[92] The case title is Estate of Michael J. Jackson v. IRS, 17152-13, U.S. Tax Court in Washington, DC.[91]
Public reaction[edit]
Media and Internet coverage[edit]



 Wikipedia spikes at 15:00 hrs in Los Angeles, June 25.
The first reports that Jackson had suffered a cardiac arrest, then that he had died, came from TMZ.com, a Los Angeles-based celebrity news website. Doctors at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center pronounced Jackson dead at 2:26 p.m., and 18 minutes later at 2:44 p.m., TMZ published: "Michael Jackson passed away today at the age of 50."[18] The Los Angeles Times website confirmed the report at 2:51 p.m. PDT (5:51 p.m. EDT).[93] The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times suffered outages.[93] Google initially believed that the input from millions of people searching for "Michael Jackson" meant that the search engine was under attack. Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 p.m.[94] The Wikimedia Foundation reported nearly a million visitors to Jackson's biography within one hour, probably the most visitors in a one-hour period to any article in Wikipedia's history.[95] AOL Instant Messenger went down for 40 minutes. AOL called it a "seminal moment in Internet history", adding, "We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth."[96]
Around 15% of Twitter posts—or 5,000 tweets per minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke,[97][98] compared to the 5% recalled as having mentioned the Iranian elections or the flu pandemic that had made headlines earlier in the year.[98] Overall, web traffic ranged from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal.[97][99] MTV and Black Entertainment Television (BET) aired marathons of Jackson's music videos.[100] Jackson specials aired on multiple television stations around the world. The British soap opera EastEnders added a last-minute scene, in which one character discussed the news with another, to the June 26 episode.[101] Whilst all British newspapers printed pictures of Jackson in his youth or in his prime, The Sun (for the day after his death) was the only paper to show Jackson from 2009 at his frailest, and keeping to their regular promotion of 'Wacko Jacko.' The next day The Sun fell into course with the rest of the newspapers and Jackson was the topic of every front-page headline in The Sun for about two weeks following his death.[102] Magazines including TIME published commemorative editions.[103] A scene that had featured Jackson's sister La Toya was cut from the film Brüno out of respect toward Jackson's family.[104]
According to an analysis released by the Global Language Monitor, "72 hours after his death, Jackson jumped to the No. 9 spot for the global print and electronic media. For Internet, blogs and social media, Jackson jumped to the No. 2, only trailing the election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States. The results showed the growing disparity between the mainstream global media, and what is playing out for news on the Internet, and beyond".[105] Paul JJ Payack, president and chief word analyst of GLM said, "the death of Michael Jackson has resulted in a global media event of the first order", and added, "the fact that he has broken into the top media of the 21st century is a testament to the global impact of the man and his music." Commentators around the globe made connections between Jackson's death and the problems they perceived with everything from the racial dichotomy that Jackson sang about, to the "profoundly tragic figure of Michael Jackson"[106]—from American capitalism[107] and globalization, to the fall of the music industry in the 1980s. "Commentators around the world have absolutely flipped", wrote Patrik Etschmayer of Switzerland's Nachrichten newspaper.[108] Le Figaro columnist Yann Moix said that although Jackson, like his iconic Moonwalk, lived life in reverse, the world at his death shed "identical and universal tears".[109]
Statistics published by the Pew Research Center suggested that two out of three Americans believed the coverage of Jackson's death was excessive, while 3% felt it was insufficient.[110] In the UK, the BBC received over 700 complaints from viewers who thought the death dominated the news.[111] On June 29, American conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh said the coverage was "a horrible disgrace" and lent his support to activist-ministers Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who were fighting to stem the press's speculation about what caused the death.[112] Other conservatives, including commentator Bill O'Reilly[113] and Congressman Peter T. King,[114] also disapproved of the media attention Jackson's death received. Meanwhile, Hugo Chávez, the President of Venezuela, called the pop star's death "lamentable news",[115] but criticized CNN for giving this news more coverage than they gave a coup d'état taking place in Honduras.[107][115]
In August 2009, there were reports that Michael Jackson's family paid social media marketing company uSocial.net to increase the numbers of followers on Jackson's Twitter profile.[116] According to the New York Daily News, uSocial was contracted to deliver 25,000 followers to the account.[117] It was not specified whether the service was rendered before or after his death.
Grief[edit]

The floor on an area on the ground is covered with flowers, cards and balloons. The area is closed off with metal barricades.

 Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame became a focal point for public grief.
News of Jackson's death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world. The circumstances and timing of his death were compared to those of Elvis Presley and John Lennon. Fans gathered outside the UCLA Medical Center, Neverland Ranch, his Holmby Hills home, the Hayvenhurst Jackson family home in Encino, the Apollo Theater in New York, and at Hitsville U.S.A., the old Motown headquarters in Detroit where Jackson's career began, now the Motown Museum. Streets around the hospital were blocked off, and across America people left offices and factories to watch the breaking news on television.[118] A small crowd, including the city's mayor, gathered outside his childhood home in Gary, where the flag on city hall was flown at half staff in his honor.[119] Fans in Hollywood initially gathered around the Walk of Fame star of another Michael Jackson—unable to access the singer's star, which had been temporarily covered by equipment in place for the Brüno film premiere.[120] Grieving fans and memorial tributes relocated from the talk radio host's star the next day.[121]
From Odessa[122] to Brussels,[123] and beyond, fans held their own memorial gatherings. U.S. President Barack Obama sent a letter of condolence to the Jackson family,[14] and the House of Representatives observed a moment of silence.[124] Obama later stated that Jackson "will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers".[125] Former South African President Nelson Mandela issued a message through his foundation saying Jackson's loss would be felt worldwide.[126]

A group of people standing outside a gated area. There are trees, bushes, and grassed areas. A majority of the area the people and in are shadowed by the trees by the gate.

 Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death.
In Japan, where Jackson had somewhat of an idol status, the top government spokesman and other ministers expressed their condolences. Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Tsutomu Sato told reporters, "I feel sad as I had watched him since he was a member of Jackson Five." "Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada has credited him with building a generation with his music."[127] "'He was a superstar. It is an extremely tragic loss. But it is fantastic he was able to give so many dreams and so much hope to the people of the world,' said Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe."[128]
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issue a brief statement on Jackson's death: "This is very sad news for the millions of Michael Jackson fans in Britain and around the world." The Conservative opposition leader, David Cameron, said, "I know Michael Jackson's fans in Britain and around the world will be sad today. Despite the controversies, he was a legendary entertainer."[129]
Russian fans gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Moscow to mourn. One told Russia's Novosti newspaper, "This is so difficult! I'm hurt, very hurt! … For us, this is a very great loss. To us, he became a symbol of the spiritual world. It's hard to convey how great a loss this is."[130] France's Minister Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, said, "We all have a Michael Jackson within."[131] Elizabeth Taylor, a long-time friend, said she can't imagine life without him.[132] Liza Minnelli told CBS, "When the autopsy comes, all hell's going to break loose, so thank God we're celebrating him now."[133] His sister La Toya claimed that his daughter said he was being overworked. La Toya is quoted as saying: "She said, 'No, you don't understand. They kept working him and Daddy didn't want that, but they worked him constantly'. I felt so bad."[134]
Tributes[edit]

A group of males and a female performing on stage in front of a crowd of people. A male is shown blowing a kiss to the audience while wearing a white glove on his right hand and a white shirt with black pants and a jacket. An African American male wearing a white and dark grey shirt is shown in a crouched down position. The female is waving her hands in the air while wearing black fingerless gloves with a black shirt and pink shorts. There is also two other African American males in the background making hand gestures. Behind the people on the stage, there is a screen that shows a black and white photo.

 During the second leg of Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour in June 2009, she and a Jackson impersonator performed a medley of Jackson's songs while photos of Jackson's were shown on a screen behind them.
On June 30, 2009, U2 while performing their first show of the U2 360 tour in Barcelona dedicated the song "Angel of Harlem" to Jackson. Bono sang verses from "Man In The Mirror" and "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" at the end of the song. On July 10, 2009, six thousand fans attended a musical tribute in Jackson's hometown of Gary, Indiana. Local performers staged a medley of his songs, and mayor Rudy Clay unveiled a seven-foot memorial to him. Jesse Jackson addressed the crowd, stating, "This is where Michael learned to dance, where he learned to sing, where he learned to sacrifice."[135] The Game, was among the first performers to release a tribute song: his single "Better on the Other Side" came out the day after Jackson's death. Produced by DJ Khalil, this song featured vocals by Diddy, Chris Brown, Polow da Don, Mario Winans, Usher, and Boyz II Men.[136] A wide variety of other artists recorded musical tributes, such as 50 Cent,[137] LL Cool J, Robbie Williams, Akon and guitarist Buckethead (whose song entitled "The Homing Beacon" was inspired by Jackson's 3-D film, Captain EO.)[138]
On June 26, multiple artists, such as Pharrell Williams and Lily Allen, paid tribute to Jackson at the Glastonbury Festival.[139] Performances included Allen wearing a single white glove (which was a signature look for Jackson) for her set on the Pyramid Stage, while The Streets performed a cover of "Billie Jean".[139] Tributes to Jackson at the musical festival continued over the weekend from June 26 to June 28.[140] On July 5, 2009. Madonna performed a tribute to Jackson during the second leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour.[141] While performing a medley of Jackson's songs, as a Jackson impersonator performed Jackson's signature moves, photos of Jackson were shown on screen behind them.[141][142] After the performance, Madonna told the crowd, "Let's give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known", leading to applause from the crowd.[142] Beyonce Knowles dedicated her song "Halo" to Jackson during multiple concerts during her I Am... World Tour. Knowles, who cites Jackson as her biggest influence, has been referred to as Jackson's heir apparent, along with drawing continuous comparisons to him.
Artists from the metal and hard rock community also paid homage to Jackson. Metallica paid tribute to Jackson during its encore at the Sonisphere Festival. Honoring Michael Jackson during its July 4 headlining appearance at the event, the band played a portion of 'Beat It' before easing into a riotous cover of Queen's 'Stone Cold Crazy'.[143] Boston hard rockers Extreme performed a cover version of Jacksons's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" at the Midnight Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas.[144] Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill, spoke about Jackson in an interview for an internet blog: "He was an immense star, wasn't he? Let's face it. He's a worldwide superstar really and the grief that everybody's is showing, it doesn't surprise me at all. He was a very, very talented man." [145] Members of the legendary metal band Black Sabbath released official statements regarding the passing of Michael Jackson. Drummer Bill Ward: "For those in heartache today, I wish you all wellness in healing. A great entertainer has died. I think those who experienced and heard his heart are more enlightened people for it than before. I believe you're all most fortunate to have connected to Michael Jackson." [146] Bassist Geezer Butler: "Saddened and shocked to hear of the passing of Michael Jackson. He truly was, and always will be, a true icon. 'Thriller' was one of the greatest pop masterpieces of all time. A sad day for our world. R.I.P." [147] Legendary shock rocker, Alice Cooper released the following statement: "Michael Jackson was easily as influential as James Brown, and that's saying a lot. We had Vincent Price in common. I used him first on 'Welcome To My Nightmare' in 1975, and he later used him on 'Thriller'. Nobody moved like Michael, he was truly the King of Pop." [148] Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who worked with Jackson during the recording of Thriller, stated: "I am really shocked; as I'm sure the world is, to hear the news. I had the pleasure of working with Michael on 'Beat It' back in '83 — one of my fondest memories in my career. Michael will be missed and may he rest in peace." [149] Queen guitarist Brian May stated in his official website: "Hard to know what to say — what to feel. I find myself wondering what might have happened on his tour... The number of dates in the U.K. that he had committed to was insane. I did have a feeling it was impossible, but I was so shocked to hear that he went so suddenly. Very sad. Of course, I still think of him as a boy — he used to come and see us (Queen) play when we were on tour in the States, and he and Freddie Mercury became close friends, close enough to record a couple of tracks together at Michael's house. Tracks which have never seen the light of day. Michael was the boy star of the Jackson Five, and always the most screamed at. I remember in their show, they tried very hard to make all the brothers equal in the presentation, but it was abundantly obvious that all most of the girl fans really wanted to see was little Michael. It was Michael who heard our track 'Another One Bites the Dust' when he came to see us on 'The Game' tour ... and told us we were mad if we didn't release it as a single." [149] Former Guns n' Roses guitarist Slash, who played guitar on Jackson's single "Give In to Me" stated: "Really sad news about Michael. He was a talent from on high." [149] Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave performed a cover version of "Billie Jean" on June 27, 2009, at the Peace & Love festival in Borlänge, Sweden.[150] Steve Vai and Andy Timmons of Danger Danger performed an instrumental version of "Beat It" at the Meinl Guitar Festival 2009 on June 27 in Gutenstetten, Germany.[151] Former Skid Row frontman, Sebastian Bach commented: "Another angel down... I am very sorry for my friend Jermaine's loss. I lived with Jermaine for three weeks last year (during the filming of the second season of CMT's hit series, 'Gone Country'), and we talked about his brother frequently. He said to me, 'When you cut up my brother, you're cutting up me'. I feel for the Jackson family, because I know all too well how they feel. Unfortunately." [152] Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche stated: "I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, watching him and his brothers perform on television. He made performing seem easy and inspired my generation with his music and his grace. He was one of a kind and will be missed but his music will live forever." [152] Legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen recorded "Beat It" with ex-Judas Priest/Iced Earth frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals.[153] Guitarist Buckethead wrote a song entitled "The Homing Beacon", inspired by Jackson's 3-D film, Captain EO.)[138] Alternative metal band CKY performed "Beat It" for the duration of their "Carver City" Tour. In some instances, guitarist Chad I Ginsburg wore T-shirts depicting Jackson during the performances.[154] Poison drummer Rikki Rockett commented: "Michael Jackson — huge loss!!! The words genius and musical are used in the same sentence too often. Not in the case of Michael Jackson. His musical expression will never be topped and his inspiration will live forever. R.I.P." In October 2013, an all-star tribute album was released featuring current and former members of Iron Maiden, Kiss, Motörhead, Testament, Guns N' Roses, Fozzy, Quiet Riot, Dio, Whitesnake, Mr. Big, among others.[155]
Jackson's sister La Toya released her song, "Home", on July 28 as a charity single in her brother's honor. All proceeds are being donated to one of Michael's favorite charities.[156] BET's annual 2009 Awards Ceremony aired three days after Jackson's death, on June 28, 2009. It featured a tribute to the singer. Host Jamie Foxx said, "We want to celebrate this black man. He belongs to us and we shared him with everybody else." The ceremony featured performances of several of Jackson's songs, including pieces from his time with The Jackson Five and those from his solo career.[157] Joe Jackson and Al Sharpton were in the audience, and Janet Jackson spoke briefly on behalf of the family. The show was the most watched BET annual awards show in the awards shows history.[158] A few days after Jackson's death, there were news reports to the effect that AEG Live, the promoter for Jackson's This Is It concerts, was preparing a tribute concert for September 2009. The show would reportedly follow the style arranged for the This Is It concerts.[159][160] However, no details of any such concert have been announced.
The day after Jackson's death, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced that the city would erect a statue of the singer in the favela of Dona Marta. Jackson visited the community in 1996 and filmed a music video for "They Don't Care About Us" there. The mayor said that Jackson had helped make the community into "a model for social development."[161] Memorials were held all over the world, in places as diverse as Tokyo,[161] Bucharest[162] and Baku, Azerbaijan.[163] In Midyat, Turkey, even a Salat al-Janazah (Islamic funeral prayer) was performed, and traditional funeral helva was cooked and distributed.[164] The music video for "Do the Bartman", a Simpsons song co-written by Jackson, was broadcast ahead of an episode rerun of The Simpsons on June 28. It featured a title card paying tribute to Jackson.[165] The 1991 Simpsons episode that Jackson guest starred in under the name of John Jay Smith, "Stark Raving Dad", was broadcast on Fox on July 5.[166] The episode had been broadcast on the Dutch Comedy Central the day after his death, and was dedicated to Jackson's memory.[167] His 1978 film The Wiz (in which he co-starred alongside Diana Ross and Richard Pryor) was briefly re-released in a rare 35mm format and was shown at the Hollywood Theater in his honor. It was also re-released a week prior to the release of Michael Jackson's This Is It in select cities. Madonna opened the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with a speech about Michael Jackson. Janet Jackson made an appearance at the VMAs to pay musical tribute to her late brother and honor his career.[168] He was honored with a posthumous lifetime achievement award during the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010.[169] Jackson, who had an acting role in the 1978 film The Wiz, was featured in the 82nd annual Academy Awards ceremony's "In Memoriam" tribute.[170]
Record sales[edit]
Jackson's record sales increased dramatically, eightyfold by June 29, according to HMV.[171] Bill Carr of Amazon said the website sold out of all Jackson and Jackson 5 CDs within minutes of the news breaking, and that demand surpassed that for Elvis Presley and John Lennon after their sudden deaths.[172] In Japan, six of his albums made SoundScan Japan's Top 200 Albums chart,[161] and in Poland, Thriller 25 topped the national album chart and was replaced by King of Pop the following week.[173]
In Australia, 15 of his albums occupied the ARIA top 100 as of July 5, four of them in the top ten, with three occupying the top three spots. He had 34 singles in the top 100 singles chart, including four in the top ten. Album sales were 62,015 for the previous week; singles tallied 107,821 units.[174] In the second week, album sales rose from the previous week and tallied 88,650 copies. On July 12, four albums were in the top 10 with three occupying the top three spots. In New Zealand, Thriller 25 topped the chart.[175] In Germany, King of Pop topped the album chart,[176] and from June 28 to July 4, nine of his albums occupied the Top 20 of CAPIF in Argentina.[177] In Billboard's European Top 100 Albums, he made history with eight of his albums in the top ten positions.[178] As of August 3, King of Pop has spent four weeks atop Billboard's European Top 100 Albums chart.[179] The Collection also spent two weeks atop the same chart.[180]
In the UK, on the Sunday following his death, his albums occupied 14 of the top 20 places on the Amazon.co.uk sales chart, with Off the Wall at the top. Number Ones reached the top of the UK Album Chart, and his studio albums occupied number two to number eight on the iTunes Music Store top albums. Six of his songs charted in the top 40: "Man in the Mirror" (11), "Thriller" (23), "Billie Jean" (25), "Smooth Criminal" (28)", "Beat It" (30), and "Earth Song" (38).[181] The following Sunday, 13 of Jackson's songs charted in the top 40, including "Man in the Mirror", which landed the number two spot.[182] He broke Ruby Murray's 1955 record of five songs in the top 30.[183] The Essential Michael Jackson topped the album chart, giving Jackson a second number one album in as many weeks. He had five of the top ten albums in the album chart.[184] In third week sales, The Essential Michael Jackson retained the number one position and Jackson held three other positions within the top five.[185] By August 3, Jackson had sold 2 million records and spent six consecutive weeks atop the album chart.[179][186] He retained the top spot on the album chart for a seventh consecutive week.[187]
In the U.S., Jackson broke three chart records on the first Billboard issue date that followed his death. The entire top nine positions on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums featured titles related to him. By the third week it would be the entire top 12 positions.[188] Number Ones was the best-selling album of the week and topped the catalog chart with sales of 108,000, an increase of 2,340 percent. The Essential Michael Jackson (2) and Thriller (3) also sold over 100,000 units. The other titles on the chart are Off the Wall (4), Jackson Five's Ultimate Collection (5), Bad (6), Dangerous (7), HIStory: Past, Present and Future – Volume 1 (8) and Jackson's Ultimate Collection (9). Collectively, his solo albums sold 422,000 copies in the week following his death, 800,000 copies in the first full week, and 1.1 million copies in the following week of his memorial service.[188] He also broke a record on the Top Digital Albums chart, with six of the top 10 slots, including the entire top four. On the Hot Digital Songs chart he placed a record of 25 songs on the 75-position list. In the U.S., Jackson became the first artist to sell over one million downloads in a week, with 2.6 million sales.[189][190]
By August 5, Jackson had sold nearly 3.8 million albums and 7.6 million tracks in the U.S.. Number Ones was the best-selling album for six out of seven weeks that followed his death.[191][192] By year's end in 2009, Jackson had become the best selling artist of the year selling 8.2 million albums in the U.S.[193] He also became the first artist in history to have four of the top 20 best-selling albums in a single year in the U.S., nearly doubling the sales of his nearest competitor.[194][195] Jackson was also the third best selling digital artist of 2009 in the U.S., selling approximately 12.35 million units.[196] In the 12 months that followed his death Jackson sold nine million albums in the U.S., and 35 million albums worldwide.[197] His estate also generated revenues of one billion dollars.[198]
Services[edit]
Memorial[edit]

A white round building that has one glass front wall showing with a sign in red text that reads "Staples Center" in capital letters. In the background, there are multiple people waling in front of the building and a white parked car and a cloudy blue sky.

 An estimated one billion viewers saw coverage of the memorial held in the Staples Center, pictured here during the memorial service.
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
A private family service was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, after a public memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on July 7, where Jackson had rehearsed on June 24, the day before he died. The memorial service was organized by Jackson's concert promoter, AEG Live,[199] who gave away 17,500 free tickets (even if AEG was initially out to sell them, but due to complaints had to desist)[200] to fans worldwide through an online lottery that attracted over 1.2 million applicants in 24 hours,[201] and over a half-billion hits to the webpage.[202] The service was broadcast live around the world, and was believed to have been watched by up to 2.5 billion people.[8][203]
Jackson's solid-bronze casket (which reportedly cost USD $25,000)[50] was placed in front of the stage. Numerous celebrity guests attended the services.[204] His brothers each wore a single, white, sparkling glove, while Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Jermaine Jackson and others sang his songs. Jackson's then 11-year-old daughter, Paris, broke down as she told the crowd, "I just want to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... and I just want to say I love him... so much."[205] Marlon Jackson said, "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone."[206]
Burial[edit]
According to reports, Jackson's burial was originally scheduled for August 29, 2009 (which would have been his 51st birthday).[207] His service and burial was held at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park on September 3, 2009.[208] The burial was attended by his family members, first wife Lisa Marie Presley as well as his old friends Macaulay Culkin, Chris Tucker, Quincy Jones, Eddie Murphy and Elizabeth Taylor, amongst others.[209] The service began with Jackson's three children placing a golden crown on his casket.[209]
Jackson's funeral cost one million dollars.[210][211] Cost for the funeral included; $590,000 for Jackson's crypt in Forest Lawn's Great Mausoleum, a vast granite and marble filled palazzo, guest invitations for $11,716.[210][211] The bill for security, including the fleet of luxury cars that delivered Jackson's children, parents and siblings to the ceremony, came to $30,000; the florist's bill was $16,000; and the funeral planner was paid $15,000.[210] Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for the estate executors noted that Jackson's family decided on the details of the ceremony, but said a lavish funeral fit the life Jackson lived, commenting, "It was Michael Jackson. He was bigger than life when he was alive."[210][211]
Jackson's remains are interred in the Holly Terrace section in the Great Mausoleum. The mausoleum is a secure facility that is not accessible to the general public or to the media, except on an extremely limited basis. The unmarked crypt, which is partially visible at the tinted entrance of the Holly Terrace mausoleum, is covered in flowers fans leave, which are placed by security guards outside the crypt.[208] The family had considered burying Jackson at Neverland Ranch. However, some family members objected to the site, saying that the ranch had been tainted by the sexual abuse allegations.[208] Also, the owners of the ranch would have had to go through a permitting process with county and state government before establishing a cemetery at the site. In July 2010, security was increased at the mausoleum due to vandalism by fans leaving messages such as "Keep the dream alive" and "Miss you sweet angel" in permanent ink.[212]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest". CNN. June 25, 2009. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
2.^ Jump up to: a b c "Jackson death a homicide, criminal charge possible". Reuters. August 28, 2009.
3.^ Jump up to: a b c "Jackson investigator's errors". Stuff.co.nz. August 10, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
4.Jump up ^ "Most Popular E-mail Newsletter". USA Today. November 7, 2011.
5.^ Jump up to: a b "Jackson's Doctor Released From Jail". The New York Times. The Associated Press. October 28, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
6.Jump up ^ Sales of Michael Jackson's Music Skyrocket, KTLA News, June 26, 2009.
7.Jump up ^ Kreps, Daniel. Michael Jackson's "This Is It!" Tour Balloons to 50-Show Run Stretching Into 2010, Rolling Stone, March 12, 2009.
8.^ Jump up to: a b Bucci, Paul and Wood, Graeme. Michael Jackson RIP: One billion people estimated watching for gold-plated casket at memorial service. The Vancouver Sun, July 7, 2009.
9.Jump up ^ Michael Jackson - The Gloved One, EF News International, August 29, 2011.
10.^ Jump up to: a b Lee, Chris, and Ryan, Harriet. Michael Jackson's last rehearsal: just beaming with gladness, The Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2009.
11.^ Jump up to: a b c Lang, Anne, and Jones, Oliver. Attorney Defends Michael Jackson's Doctor, People, June 29, 2009.
12.Jump up ^ McCartney, Anthony (June 28, 2009). "Lawyer for Doctor: Jackson Had Pulse When Found". Connecticut Post. Associated Press.
13.^ Jump up to: a b Chernoff, Ed., The Situation Room, CNN, June 29, 2009. Transcript
14.^ Jump up to: a b c Gumbel, Andrew. Michael Jackson doctor hires lawyer as family hires pathologist, The Guardian, June 28, 2009.
15.Jump up ^ Michael Jackson: transcript of 911 call, The Telegraph, June 26, 2009.
16.Jump up ^ Childs, Dan; Schlief, Michelle. Could Better CPR Have Saved Michael Jackson?, ABC News, June 30, 2009.
17.^ Jump up to: a b Blankstein, Andrew, and Willon, Phil. Michael Jackson dead at 50, The Los Angeles Times, June 25, 2009.
18.^ Jump up to: a b Rayner, Gordon and Singh, Anita. Michael Jackson: the final days and how TMZ.com scooped the world, The Telegraph, June 26, 2009.
19.Jump up ^ Ruda, Steve. Paramedic on Jackson 911 call, BBC News, June 25, 2009.
20.Jump up ^ Eckstein, Marc. Michael Jackson EMS Response Details Emerge, JEMS (Journal of Emergency Medical Services), June 26, 2009.
21.Jump up ^ McGevna, Allison. Tape of 911 Call Released as Michael Jackson Autopsy Under Way, Fox News, June 26, 2009.
22.Jump up ^ Harvey, Michael. Fans mourn artist for whom it didn't matter if you were black or white, The Times, June 26, 2009.
23.Jump up ^ Tourtellotte, Bob. King of Pop Michael Jackson is dead: official, Reuters, June 25, 2009.
24.Jump up ^ Adams, James. A tortured star's last days, The Globe and Mail, June 27, 2009. (subscription required)
25.Jump up ^ Jackson: 2nd autopsy 'underway', Sydney Morning Herald, June 28, 2009; Blankstein, Andrew et al. Michael Jackson's doctor interviewed by LAPD, Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2009.
26.^ Jump up to: a b Steinhauer, Jennifer (June 27, 2009). "Medication a Focus of Jackson Inquiry". The New York Times.
27.Jump up ^ Miriam Hernandez and Melissa MacBride (October 11, 2011). "Michael Jackson very healthy according to medical examiner". ABC.
28.Jump up ^ http://www.nj.com/entertainment/celebrities/index.ssf/2009/10/ap_autopsy_shocker_michael_jac.html
29.^ Jump up to: a b Staff Writer (October 1, 2009). "Jackson autopsy details revealed". BBC. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
30.Jump up ^ "Adult BMI calculator". CDC. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
31.Jump up ^ McKay, Hollie (February 9, 2010). "Michael Jackson Balding, Incredibly Thin and Had Tattooed Facial Features". Fox News. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
32.Jump up ^ Esposito, Richard. "Police say Michael Jackson 'heavily addicted' to Oxycontin". ABC News: June 26, 2009.
33.^ Jump up to: a b c Griffin, Drew. Anderson Cooper 360°, CNN, July 1, 2009. Transcript
34.^ Jump up to: a b Deutsch, Linda and Thomas Watkins. "LAPD under scrutiny in Jackson death". AOL News: July 3, 2009.
35.Jump up ^ Finn, Natalie. "Jackson Doc On the Move Again as Investigation Continues With State Attorney, DEA's Help", E!Online, July 2, 2009.
36.^ Jump up to: a b Bone, James. Jackson death may have been 'homicide', says police chief, The Times, July 10, 2009.
37.Jump up ^ Leonard, Jack, and Ryan, Harriet. Murder charges in Michael Jackson case are unlikely, source says, Los Angeles Times, July 19, 2009.
38.Jump up ^ James, Susan Donaldson. Friend Says Michael Jackson Battled Demerol Addiction, ABC News, June 26, 2009.
39.Jump up ^ Crawford, Carly "Michael Jackson injected just before death" Herald Sun, June 28, 2009. Retrieved March 32, 2010.
40.Jump up ^ Richard Esposito, Vic Walter and Dan Childs (July 3, 2009). "Officials Find Diprivan in Michael Jackson's Home". ABC News. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
41.^ Jump up to: a b c d Glover, Scott et al. Michael Jackson investigation focuses on doctors, Los Angeles Times, July 4, 2009.
42.Jump up ^ "Jackson's health 'over-exaggerated?'". HLNtv.com. April 23, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
43.^ Jump up to: a b Posner, Gerald (July 2, 2009). "Deepak Chopra: How Michael Jackson Could Have Been Saved". The Daily Beast. p. 4.
44.Jump up ^ Matsutani, Minoru. Tokyo doctor refused Jackson stimulants: Late 'King of Pop' asked for drugs in 2007, The Japan Times, July 16, 2009.
45.Jump up ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKf6vQvkGyY&feature=related
46.^ Jump up to: a b Duke, Alan and Ahmed, Saeed. More associates link Jackson to prescription drugs, CNN, July 8, 2009.
47.^ Jump up to: a b c "Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home". MSNBC. Associated Press. July 3, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
48.Jump up ^ Elber, Lynn (June 30, 2009). "AP Exclusive: Michael Jackson, bedeviled by insomnia, begged for drug, says nurse-nutritionist". Associated Press.
49.Jump up ^ At Least Nine Doctors Who Treated Michael Jackson Under Investigation, Fox News Channel, July 15, 2009.
50.^ Jump up to: a b Police target 30 in hunt for Michael Jackson's drug suppliers, The Sunday Times, July 5, 2009.
51.^ Jump up to: a b Klein, Arnold. Larry King Live, CNN, July 8, 2009. Transcript
52.Jump up ^ "Dream job turns to tragedy for Jackson doctor". MSNBC. Associated Press. July 10, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
53.Jump up ^ "Conrad Murray on trial in Michael Jackson death". dalje.com. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
54.^ Jump up to: a b Harris, Paul. Michael Jackson's family 'ask for second autopsy', The Observer, June 28, 2009.
55.Jump up ^ Items taken from Michael Jackson's doctor's buildings listed, CNN, July 23, 2009.
56.Jump up ^ Ted Rowlands (July 27, 2009). "Source: Jackson's doctor gave drug authorities believe killed him". CNN.com 167 (1): 56–8.
57.Jump up ^ CNN. Police search Jackson doctor's home, office. CNN.: July 28, 2009.
58.^ Jump up to: a b Feds Raid Michael Jackson's Doctor Conrad Murray's Home and Office, Nightline, July 28, 2009
59.Jump up ^ Friess, Steve New Raid in Inquiry on Jackson, The New York Times, August 11, 2009
60.Jump up ^ Lorena Blas (February 8, 2010). "Michael Jackson doctor pleads not guilty to manslaughter". USA Today (Gannett Co. Inc). Retrieved March 8, 2010.
61.Jump up ^ Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Shelby Grad (February 18, 2010). "Michael Jackson's doctor banned from administering heavy sedatives". The Los Angeles Times (Tribune Company). Retrieved March 8, 2010.
62.Jump up ^ Dobuzinskis, Alex (January 12, 2011). "Judge orders Michael Jackson doctor to stand trial". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
63.Jump up ^ Serjeant, Jill (May 2, 2011). "Michael Jackson doctor trial delayed to September". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-05-06.
64.Jump up ^ "Attorneys Screen Jurors for Bias in Conrad Murray Trial". KTLA. September 21, 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
65.Jump up ^ "BBC News - Conrad Murray guilty of Michael Jackson manslaughter". bbc.co.uk. 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
66.Jump up ^ Conrad Murray could face significant prison time, Los Angeles Times, November 8, 2011
67.Jump up ^ Conrad Murray sentenced to four years in Jackson death, USA TODAY, November 29, 2011
68.Jump up ^ "Conrad Murray Released From Jail". NBC. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
69.Jump up ^ Steinhauer, Jennifer (June 30, 2009). "Jackson's Children Go to His Mother". The New York Times.
70.Jump up ^ "Jackson Family Issues Personal Statement to Fans". People. June 27, 2009.
71.^ Jump up to: a b Graham, Caroline (July 12, 2009). "La Toya Jackson: Michael was murdered... I felt it from the start". Mail on Sunday.
72.Jump up ^ Hodge, Katie (June 24, 2010). "Michael Jackson murdered for hit catalogue, claims LaToya". The Independent (London).
73.Jump up ^ Wilson, Stan (June 18, 2010). "Father of Michael Jackson accuses AEG of singer's death". CNN.
74.Jump up ^ Lee, Ken (February 8, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Family Reacts with Outrage to Charge". People. Time Warner Inc. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
75.Jump up ^ McCartney, Anthony; Ritter, Ken (June 25, 2010). "Joe Jackson sues Murray for wrongful death". Associated Press/MSNBC.
76.Jump up ^ Kenneally, Tim (August 15, 2012). "Michael Jackson's father drops lawsuit against Conrad Murray". Reuters. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
77.Jump up ^ "JOE JACKSON DROPS Wrongful Death Suit Against Dr. Murray". TMZ. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
78.Jump up ^ "Panish Shea & Boyle LLP files lawsuit against AEG for wrongful death of Michael Jackson". September 15, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
79.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson's Mother Sues Promoter AEG Live". CBS News. Associated Press. September 15, 2010. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
80.Jump up ^ "Is Dr. Conrad Murray Guilty Or Not Guilty?". B96 Chicago. November 7, 2011.
81.Jump up ^ Bone, James. Jackson's mother removed as administrator of his estate, The Times, July 6, 2009.
82.Jump up ^ Garber, Julie. "Michael Jackson's Will vs. the Michael Jackson Family Trust", about.com, July 6, 2009.
83.Jump up ^ MacAskill, Ewen. Jackson's body to be put on public display at Neverland, The Guardian, July 1, 2009.
84.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson's Will Cuts Out Ex-Wife Deborah Rowe", Associated Press, July 1, 2009; Nasaw, Daniel. "Jackson's ex-wife cut out of will", The Guardian, July 1, 2009.
85.Jump up ^ Gardner, David. "Will Diana Ross care for Michael Jackson's three children?", Daily Mail, July 2, 2009; Anderson Cooper 360, CNN, July 1, 2009.
86.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson's nephew to share custody of kids". CBC News World. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
87.Jump up ^ Brown, David and Lewis, Leo. Michael Jackson: finances will take years to unwind, The Times, June 27, 2009.
88.Jump up ^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. Michael Jackson's Estate Sale, Forbes, June 26, 2009.
89.^ Jump up to: a b "IRS: Michael Jackson's estate owes $702M in taxes, penalties". United Press International (UPI). 8 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
90.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Sheets, Andy (February 2014). "OFF THE BEATEN TAX: IRS SAYS JACKSON'S ESTATE UNDERVALUED BY $ 1 BILLION". Tax Notes Today. 2014 TNT 28-4.
91.^ Jump up to: a b c Zajac, Andrew (20 August 2013). "Michael Jackson's Estate Challenges IRS in Tax Dispute". Bloomberg Luxury. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
92.^ Jump up to: a b Sheets, Andy (2013). "OFF THE BEATEN TAX: SEX, DEATH, AND 'BILLIE JEAN'". Tax Notes Today. 2013 TNT 169-6.
93.^ Jump up to: a b Rawlinson, Linnie and Nick Hunt. Jackson Dies, almost takes Internet With Him, CNN, June 27, 2009.
94.Jump up ^ Shiels, Maggie. Web slows after Jackson's death, BBC News, June 26, 2009.
95.Jump up ^ Phoebe. The King of Pop vs. Wikipedia, The Wikipedia Signpost, June 29, 2009; see October 2009 stats
96.Jump up ^ Wood, Daniel B. Outpouring over Michael Jackson unlike anything since Princess Di, Christian Science Monitor, June 27, 2009.
97.^ Jump up to: a b Skok, David, Internet stretched to limit as fans flock for Michael Jackson news, The Vancouver Sun, June 26, 2009.
98.^ Jump up to: a b Wortham, Jenna. Michael Jackson Tops the Charts on Twitter, The New York Times, June 25, 2009.
99.Jump up ^ Krazit, Tim and McCullagh, Declan. Debate: Can the Internet handle big breaking news?, cnet.com, June 26, 2009.
100.Jump up ^ Stelter, Brian. MTV's Jackson Marathon The New York Times, June 26, 2009.
101.Jump up ^ "Jacko news spreads to Eastenders". MSN Entertainment. June 28, 2009.
102.Jump up ^ The Sun, July 8, 2009, pp. 10–11.
103.Jump up ^ Time Magazine to Publish Special Jackson Issue, People, June 27, 2009.
104.Jump up ^ Hill, Catey. Scene with Michael Jackson, LaToya Jackson cut from Sacha Baron Cohen's "Bruno", New York Daily News, June 26, 2009.
105.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson Now One of Top Stories of 21st century". The Global Language Monitor. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
106.Jump up ^ João Pereira Coutinho (June 30, 2009). "Neverland Was Never Forever". Retrieved March 9, 2010.
107.^ Jump up to: a b El Universal, Mexico "Hugo Chavez Scolds CNN for Coverage of Michael Jackson's Death"
108.Jump up ^ Patrik Etschmayer (July 2, 2009). "Michael Jackson: Symbol of a Near-Dead Music Industry". WorldMeetsUs.com. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
109.Jump up ^ Yann Moix (June 30, 2009). "Michael Jackson: A Man Who Lived His Life in Reverse". WorldMeetsUs.com. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
110.Jump up ^ "Most Americans believe Jackson coverage excessive" Pew Research Center July 2, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
111.Jump up ^ Khan, Urmee. BBC gets over 700 complaints about 'wall-to-wall' coverage, The Daily Telegraph, July 1, 2009.
112.Jump up ^ El Rushbo Supports Justice Brothers in Case of Media v. Michael Jackson, Rushlimbaugh.com, June 29, 2009.
113.Jump up ^ "O'Reilly provokes outrage with Jackson rant". Yahoo News. July 2009.
114.Jump up ^ Congressman Peter King: Michael Jackson is a "Pedophile" "Child Molester" Video, NYPolitics, accessed August 19, 2009
115.^ Jump up to: a b Associated Press (June 26, 2009). "Fans around the world mourn Michael Jackson". MSNBC. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
116.Jump up ^ "Jacko Twitter Followers 'Bought For Cash'". Sky News. August 10, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
117.Jump up ^ Marketing firm uSocial claims it helped Michael Jackson's family buy over 25,000 Twitter followers
118.Jump up ^ Coleman, Mark. Michael Jackson is dead: fans mourn outside hospital, The Daily Telegraph, June 26, 2009.
119.Jump up ^ Keagle, Lauri Harvey. Fans paying respects to King of Pop at boyhood home, The Times of Northwest Indiana, June 26, 2009.
120.Jump up ^ Michael Jackson's death: Fans gather at wrong Hollywood star, The Los Angeles Times, June 26, 2009.
121.Jump up ^ Behrens, Zach. Crowds Gather Around Michael Jackson's Star After Bruno Premiere, Hollywood LAist, June 26, 2009.
122.Jump up ^ In Odessa honoured memory of Michael Jackson, UNIAN (June 29, 2009)
123.Jump up ^ (Dutch) Hulde aan Michael Jackson in Brussel, Gazet van Antwerpen (July 7, 2009)
124.Jump up ^ Gavin, Patrick. Congress pauses for Michael Jackson, The Politico, June 26, 2009.
125.Jump up ^ Mark Murray (July 2, 2009). "Obama On Michael Jackson's Death". MSNBC. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
126.Jump up ^ http://www.gigwise.com/news/51594/Nelson-Mandela-%27Michael-Jackson-Was-Part-Of-Our-Family%27
127.Jump up ^ Big In Japan: Tokyo Mourns Jackson's Death, TIME, June 26, 2009
128.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson Had Loyal, Generous Fans in Japan". The Walt Disney Company. Associated Press. June 26, 2009. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
129.Jump up ^ "Brown 'saddened' by Jackson de". BBC News. June 26, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
130.Jump up ^ Yekaterina Blinova (June 28, 2009). "Russian Fans of Michael Jackson Still Devastated". WorldMeetsUs.com. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
131.Jump up ^ Alexis Griffiths (June 27, 2009). "Jackson: The Tragic 'Genetically Modified' Icon of Globalization". WorldMeetsUs.com. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
132.Jump up ^ Elizabeth Taylor: "I Loved Michael With All My Soul", US Magazine, June 26, 2009.
133.Jump up ^ Gumbel, Andrew. Police focus on doctor who was with Michael Jackson as he died, The Guardian, June 27, 2009.
134.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson's daughter reveals death fears". The Daily Telegraph. UK: News Limited. October 2, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
135.Jump up ^ Michael Jackson: thousands pay tribute at birthplace memorial, The Telegraph, retrieved on July 11, 2009
136.Jump up ^ Gamble, Ronnie. The Game Gets Assist From Chris Brown, Diddy For Michael Jackson Tribute, BallerStatus, June 26, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
137.Jump up ^ Reid, Shaheem. 50 Cent Pays Tribute To Michael Jackson, MTV, June 26, 2009
138.^ Jump up to: a b The Landing Beacon, Buckethead. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
139.^ Jump up to: a b "Glastonbury tributes for Jackson". BBC News. June 26, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
140.Jump up ^ "Glastonbury's Emily Eavis announces Michael Jackson tribute plans". NNE. June 26, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
141.^ Jump up to: a b Jason Rodriquez (July 5, 2009). "Madonna Salutes Michael Jackson At London's O2 Arena". Viacom. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
142.^ Jump up to: a b Saad, Mardeen (July 5, 2009). "Madonna pays tribute to Michael Jackson in concert". Google News. Associated Press.
143.Jump up ^ "Metallica's Michael Jackson Tribute at Germany's Sonisphere".
144.Jump up ^ "Extreme pays tribute to Michael Jackson".
145.Jump up ^ "Judas Priest bassist talks about Michael Jackson's death".
146.Jump up ^ "Black Sabbath drummer comments on Michael Jackson's passing".
147.Jump up ^ "Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell bassist comments on Michael Jackson's passing".
148.Jump up ^ "Alice Cooper, Chris Cornell, Fred Durst pay tribute to Michael Jackson".
149.^ Jump up to: a b c "Van Halen, Queen, Poison, Velvet Revolver members comment on Michael Jackson's passing".
150.Jump up ^ "Chris Cornell pays tribute to Michael Jackson at Sweden's Peace & Love Festival".
151.Jump up ^ "Steve Vay, Andy Timmons pay tribute to Michael Jackson".
152.^ Jump up to: a b "Sebastian Bach, Geoff Tate comment on Michael Jackson's passing".
153.Jump up ^ "Yngwie Malmsteen covers Michael Jackson classic 'Beat It' on 'High Impact'".
154.Jump up ^ "carveycitytour2009" (July 3, 2009). "CKY performs 'Beat It' during 'Carver City' Tour". CKY. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
155.Jump up ^ "GUNS N' ROSES, MOTÖRHEAD, TESTAMENT, Ex-IRON MAIDEN Members Pay Tribute To MICHAEL JACKSON".
156.Jump up ^ "LaToya Song Re-Released as Michael Jackson Tribute". The Walt Disney Company. Associated Press. July 17, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
157.Jump up ^ BET Awards to pay tribute to Jackson, CNN. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
158.Jump up ^ "Ratings: Jackson Tribute Leads BET Awards to All-Time High, Disney Queens Rule, and More", seattlepi.com. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
159.Jump up ^ Singh, Amar. Justin Timberlake 'cautious' about Michael Jackson tribute show, This Is London, June 30, 2009.
160.Jump up ^ "Jackson's tour to become tribute concert". MSNBC. June 27, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
161.^ Jump up to: a b c Cobo, Leila. Michael Jackson Remains A Global Phenomenon, Billboard, July 2, 2009.
162.Jump up ^ Nu te vom uita niciodata!, MTV Romania. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
163.Jump up ^ Michael Jackson commemorated in Baku APA, Jun 29, 2009
164.Jump up ^ "Midyat'a Michael Jackson anıtı yapılıyor (Michael Jackson memorial to be erected in Midyat)". January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
165.Jump up ^ Snierson, Dan (June 27, 2009). "Michael Jackson: 'The Simpsons' to re-air 'Do the Bartman' video in tribute on Sunday". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 28, 2009.
166.Jump up ^ Snierson, Dan. Michael Jackson: 'The Simpsons' to re-air the pop star's 1991 episode, Entertainment Weekly, July 2, 2009.
167.Jump up ^ Screenshot of a cached version of Comedy Central's TV Guide for June 26, 2009 (In Dutch)
168.Jump up ^ Janet Jackson To Pay Tribute To Michael At The VMAs. Retrieved on Sep 8, 2009.
169.Jump up ^ Singh, Anita (February 1, 2010). "Michael Jackson's children pay tribute to their father at Grammys". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved Feb 2, 2010.
170.Jump up ^ "Farrah Fawcett, Bea Arthur Absent From Oscar 'In Memoriam' Montage". Access Hollywood. NBC Universal. March 8, 2010. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
171.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson tops album chart". BBC News. June 29, 2009. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
172.Jump up ^ Metz, Rachel. June 28, 2009; Wood, Daniel B. Outpouring over Michael Jackson unlike anything since Princess Di, Christian Science Monitor, June 27, 2009; Catherine Boyle (July 1, 2009). "Michael Jackson's post-death music sales outstrip Elvis and John Lennon". The Times (London). Retrieved March 9, 2010.
173.Jump up ^ "Sprzedaż w okresie 29.06.2009–05.07.2009". OLiS. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
174.Jump up ^ Cashmere, Paul. Michael Jackson Dominates Australian Chart, Undercover, July 5, 2009.
175.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson – Thriller 25 (album)". Charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
176.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson – King of Pop". media control. Retrieved Jul 7, 2009.
177.Jump up ^ CAPIF – Representando a la Industria Argentina de la Música
178.Jump up ^ Sexton, Paul. Michael Jackson Scores Eight Of Top 10 Euro Albums, Billboard, July 16, 2009.
179.^ Jump up to: a b Paul Sexton (August 3, 2009). "Michael Jackson, Black Eyed Peas Control U.K. Charts". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
180.Jump up ^ Paul Sexton (August 17, 2009). "Michael Jackson Continues U.K. Chart Run". Billborad. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
181.Jump up ^ Singles chart for 04/07/2009, Chart Stats, June 29, 2009.
182.Jump up ^ "Chart Stats – Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror". chartstats.com. Retrieved August 2, 2009.
183.Jump up ^ Singles chart for 06/07/2009, Yahoo UK music charts, July 6, 2009.
184.Jump up ^ "Jackson maintains chart dominance". British Broadcasting Corporation. July 5, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
185.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson increases chart dominance". NME. UK. July 12, 2009. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
186.Jump up ^ "Jackson still top of British album charts". Thomson Reuters. August 3, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
187.Jump up ^ "Second chart-topper for Stryder". BBC Online. August 9, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
188.^ Jump up to: a b Keith Caulfield (July 14, 2009). "Fans Snap Up 1.1 Million Michael Jackson Albums In One Week". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
189.Jump up ^ Caulfield, Keith. "Michael Jackson Breaks Billboard Charts Records", Billboard, June 30, 2009.
190.Jump up ^ Sisario, Ben. In Death as in Life, Michael Jackson Sets Music Sales Records, The New York Times, July 2, 2009.
191.Jump up ^ Simon Vozick-Levinson (August 12, 2009). "Sugarland, outsold by Michael Jackson, tops the albums chart". Entertainment Weekly. Time Warner Inc. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
192.Jump up ^ Bill Werde (August 5, 2009). "Michael Jackson, Dave Grohl's Supergroup, Kristina Debarge". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
193.Jump up ^ Swift Beats Boyle, Plus Michael Jackson, Beatles Rule 2009 Charts. Rolling Stone Magazine, January 7, 2010.
194.Jump up ^ SMITH, Than (March 16, 2010). "Sony Places Big Bet on a Fallen 'King'". The Wall Street Journal (Dow Jones & Company, Inc). Retrieved March 16, 2010.
195.Jump up ^ Caulfield, Keith. Taylor Swift Edges Susan Boyle For 2009's Top-Selling Album. Billboard, January 6, 2010.
196.Jump up ^ "2009 U.S. Music Purchases up 2.1% over 2008; Music Sales Exceed 1.5 Billion for Second Consecutive Year". Business Wire. Berkshire Hathaway Company. Jan 6, 2010. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
197.Jump up ^ "Jackson sells 35 million albums since death". Today.msnbc.msn.com. June 27, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
198.Jump up ^ Caulfield, Keith (June 21, 2010). "How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion Since His Death". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
199.Jump up ^ Parks, Tim (July 3, 2009). "AEG to release Jackson memorial tickets". Digital Spy.
200.Jump up ^ "AEG Live Backtracks Over Michael Jackson Funeral Tickets, Offers Giveawayerrors". cdn.singersroom.com. July 3, 2009. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
201.Jump up ^ Allen, Nick (July 6, 2009). "Thirteen applications per second for Michaeldate=July 6, 2009". The Daily Telegraph (London).
202.Jump up ^ "Website for Jackson tickets gets 500 million hits in first hour". Los Angeles Times. July 3, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
203.Jump up ^ MSN India
204.Jump up ^ Sarah Netter, Emily Friedman (July 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson to be Buried in Famed Hollywood Cemetery". The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
205.Jump up ^ Liveblogging Michael Jackson's funeral and memorial service, The Guardian, July 7, 2009.
206.Jump up ^ Fans and family remember Jackson, BBC News, July 7, 2009.
207.Jump up ^ Daniel Kreps (August 18, 2009). "Michael Jackson Burial Scheduled For August at Forest Lawn". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
208.^ Jump up to: a b c Alexander, Bryan. Picking Jackson's Burial Place: Security Was Key, Time, September 3, 2009
209.^ Jump up to: a b Gil Kaufman (September 4, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Kids Lay Golden Crown On His Casket At Funeral". Viacom. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
210.^ Jump up to: a b c d Harriet Ryan. Victoria Kim (November 11, 2009). "Michael Jackson's funeral cost more than $1 million, court documents show". The Los Angeles Times (Tribune Company). Retrieved February 26, 2010.
211.^ Jump up to: a b c Daniel Kreps (November 11, 2009). "Michael Jackson Funeral Cost $1 Million; Objections Against Estate Executors Dropped". RollingStone.com. Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
212.Jump up ^ "Jackson Fans Graffiti Tomb". National Ledger. July 14, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2010.
Further reading[edit]

Portal icon 2000s portal
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 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Michael Jackson
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Death of Michael Jackson.
Jackson Tour Video—The Final Rehearsals, TMZ, July 2, 2009.
Barnes, Brooks. A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson Dies at 50, The New York Times, June 25, 2009.
BBC News. Obituary: Michael Jackson, June 26, 2009.
Boucher, Geoff, and Woo, Elaine. Michael Jackson's life was infused with fantasy and tragedy, Los Angeles Times, June 26, 2009.
Rayner, Ben. Michael Jackson, 50: Child star, thriller, sad sideshow, The Toronto Star, June 26, 2009.
Saperstein, Pat. Michael Jackson dies at 50, Variety, June 25, 2009.
Sullivan, Caroline. Michael Jackson, The Guardian, June 26, 2009.
The Smoking Gun. "Lethal Levels" Of Drug Killed Jackson, August 24, 2009, includes State of California search warrant and affidavit.
The Sydney Morning Herald. Michael Jackson obituary: a gifted, troubled king of pop, June 26, 2009.
The Times. Michael Jackson, June 26, 2009.
Walters, Dell. "Michael Slept Here", Washingtonian, August 1, 2009.
Wikipedia article traffic statistics – Michael Jackson – June 2009.


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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Michael_Jackson









Death of Michael Jackson

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Death of Michael Jackson
Jackson's star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, showing flowers for fans to express grief.
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, surrounded by barriers and covered with flowers, became a focal point for fans to express grief.

Date
June 25, 2009
Location
Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States
Outcome
Personal physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter
Deaths
Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication after suffering cardiac arrest at his home on North Carolwood Drive in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said he had found Jackson in his room, not breathing and with a barely detectable pulse, and that he administered CPR on Jackson's bed to no avail. After a call was placed to 9-1-1 at 12:21 p.m., Jackson was treated by paramedics at the scene and was later pronounced dead at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.[1] On the eve of Jackson's 51st birthday, the Los Angeles County Coroner concluded that his death was a homicide.[2] Shortly before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered propofol and two anti-anxiety benzodiazepines—lorazepam and midazolam—in his home.[3] His personal physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 and served a two-year prison sentence.[4][5]
Jackson's death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world, creating unprecedented surges of Internet traffic and causing sales of his music and that of the Jackson 5 to increase dramatically.[6] Jackson had also intended to perform a series of comeback concerts to over one million people at London's O2 Arena from July 2009 to March 2010.[7] A public memorial service for Jackson was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where he had rehearsed for the London concerts the night before his death. The service was broadcast live around the world, attracting a global audience of up to one billion people.[8] In 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings up until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death. Jackson's death is ranked No. 1 on VH1/VH1 Classic's list of 100 Most Shocking Moments in Music.[9]


Contents  [hide]
1 Circumstances
2 Investigation 2.1 Autopsies
2.2 Law enforcement agencies
2.3 Drug-use allegations 2.3.1 Propofol
2.4 Medical professionals 2.4.1 Personal physician

3 Health
4 Family and legal affairs 4.1 Family reaction
4.2 Estate
4.3 Taxation of estate
5 Public reaction 5.1 Media and Internet coverage
5.2 Grief
5.3 Tributes
5.4 Record sales
6 Services 6.1 Memorial
6.2 Burial
7 References
8 Further reading

Circumstances[edit]

Two white multi floored squared buildings with blue colored windows. There is a street and clear sky surrounding the buildings.

 Jackson's body arrived at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on June 25, 2009, at 1:14 p.m. local time.
Jackson arrived for rehearsal at Staples Center around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, according to Ed Alonzo, a magician who was there. The singer jokingly complained of laryngitis and did not rehearse until 9 p.m. "He looked great and had great energy,"[10] Alonzo added. The rehearsal went past midnight.[10] The next morning Jackson did not come out of his bedroom.[11] According to the attorney of Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal physician, Murray entered the room in the afternoon and found Jackson in bed and not breathing. Jackson had a weak pulse, and his body was still warm.[12] Murray tried to revive Jackson for five to ten minutes, at which point he realized he needed to call for help. Murray stated that he was hindered because there was no landline in the house. Murray also stated that he could not use his cell phone to call 911 because he did not know the exact address. Murray stated that he also phoned security, but did not get an answer. Finally, Murray ran downstairs, yelled for help, and told a chef to bring security up to the room.[13] By the time security called 911, Murray's lawyer stated that at least 30 minutes had passed.[13]
Statements described Murray as using a non-standard CPR technique on Jackson. During the tape of the emergency call, released on June 26 one day after Jackson's death, the doctor was described as administering CPR on a bed, not on a hard surface such as a floor, which would be standard practice.[14][15] The doctor's attorney said that Murray placed one hand underneath Jackson and used the other hand for chest compression, where the standard practice is to use both hands for compression.[11][16] A Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson said the 911 call came in at 12:21:04 p.m. PST (19:21:04 UTC). Paramedics reached Jackson at 12:26 p.m. and found that he was not breathing.[17][18]
Paramedics performed CPR for 42 minutes at the house.[19] Murray's attorney stated that Jackson had a pulse when he was taken out of the house and put in the ambulance.[11] An LAFD official gave a different account, stating that paramedics found Jackson in "full cardiac arrest", and that they did not observe a change in Jackson's status on the route to the hospital.[20] LAFD transported Jackson to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.[17] The ambulance arrived at the hospital at approximately 1:14 p.m. A team of medical personnel attempted to resuscitate Jackson for more than one hour. They were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. at the age of 50.[21][22][23]
Investigation[edit]
Autopsies[edit]
Jackson's body was flown by helicopter to the Los Angeles Coroner's offices in Lincoln Heights, where on June 26 a three-hour autopsy was performed on behalf of the Los Angeles County Coroner by the chief medical examiner, Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran.[24] Jackson's family arranged for a second autopsy, a practice that could yield expedited—albeit limited—results.[25] After the preliminary autopsy was completed, Craig Harvey, chief investigator for the coroner's office, said there was no evidence of trauma or foul play.[26] On August 28, the LA County Coroner made an official statement classifying Jackson's death as a homicide. The county coroner stated that Jackson died from the combination of drugs in his body, with the most significant drugs being the anesthetic propofol and the anxiolytic lorazepam. Less significant drugs found in Jackson's body were midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine. The coroner is keeping the complete toxicology report private, as requested by the police and district attorney.[2] On October 1, the BBC reported that the autopsy report revealed that Jackson was "very healthy"[27] for his age and that his heart was strong. The document stated that Jackson's most significant health problem was his chronically inflamed lungs, but this did not contribute to his death. His other major organs were normal and he had no atherosclerosis except for some slight plaque accumulation in his leg arteries.[28][29] The autopsy stated that he weighed 136 pounds (62 kg) with a height of 5'9" (175 cm), which equates to a BMI of 20.1.[30] Fox News said that this confirmed rumors that Jackson was emaciated,[31] while the Associated Press stated that his weight was in the acceptable range.[29]
Law enforcement agencies[edit]
Although they did not immediately announce that they suspected foul play, by the day after Jackson's death the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) began to investigate the unusual and high-profile case.[32] By August 28, the LAPD had announced that the case would be referred to prosecutors who might file criminal charges.[2] Because the LAPD did not secure Jackson's home, and allowed the Jackson family access to it too, before returning to remove certain items, the department raised concerns by some observers that the chain of custody had been broken.[33][34] The police maintained that they had followed protocol.[34] On July 1, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) joined the LAPD in the investigation. Having the authority to investigate issues otherwise protected by doctor-patient confidentiality, the DEA could legally follow the entirety of what appeared to be the complex trail of prescription drugs supplied to Jackson.[33] California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced that his office was helping the LAPD and DEA to create a statewide database of all medical doctors and prescriptions filled.[35]
The LAPD subpoenaed medical records from doctors who had treated Jackson. On July 9, William Bratton, then the Los Angeles Chief of Police, indicated that investigators were focusing on the possibility of homicide or accidental overdose, but had to wait for the full toxicology reports from the coroner.[36] The Los Angeles Times quoted a senior law enforcement source as saying authorities may not pursue charges even if the coroner declares the case a homicide, because Jackson's well-documented drug abuse would make any prosecution difficult. Nonetheless, the source said prosecutors had not ruled out more serious charges "all the way up to involuntary manslaughter" if it were determined that Jackson's death was indeed caused by the drug propofol.[37]
Drug-use allegations[edit]
Jackson was said to have used propofol, as well as alprazolam (an antianxiety agent), and sertraline (an antidepressant).[38] Other drugs named in connection with him included omeprazole, hydrocodone, paroxetine, carisoprodol, and hydromorphone.[39] After his death, police found several drugs in his home, including propofol. Some of these drugs had labels made out to Jackson under pseudonyms, while others were unlabeled.[40][41] A 2004 police document prepared for the 2005 People v. Jackson child abuse trial alleged that Jackson was taking up to 40 alprazolam pills a night.[36] Alprazolam was not found in his bloodstream at his time of death.[3] Dr. A.J. Farshchian, Michael Jackson's friend and confidante, has claimed that Jackson was scared of drugs.[42]
Deepak Chopra, an internist, endocrinologist, and speaker about mind–body intervention who was a friend of Jackson's for 20 years, expressed concern that, despite presumably having access to a large arsenal of drugs, Jackson appears to have been given no naloxone, a drug used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose.[43] Chopra also criticized what he saw as "enabling" by some Hollywood doctors: "This cult of drug-pushing doctors, with their co-dependent relationships with addicted celebrities, must be stopped. Let's hope that Michael's unnecessary death is the call for action."[43]
Eugene Aksenoff, a Tokyo-based physician who had treated Michael Jackson and his children on a few occasions, expressed concern about Jackson's use of and interest in various drugs. Aksenoff told The Japan Times that Jackson asked for stimulants so that he could get through some demanding performances. Aksenoff said he refused to prescribe them. He recalled that the singer suffered chronic fatigue, fever, insomnia and other symptoms and took a large amount of drugs. He suspected one of the major factors causing Jackson these symptoms was excessive use of steroids or other skin-whitening medications.[44] According to the toxicological tests effectuated on Jackson's body, no addiction had been reported, and none of the experts called to testify at Murray's trial have identified the singer as a drug addict.[3] Janet Jackson confirmed that the Jackson family tried to stage an intervention in early 2007, when Michael was living in Las Vegas.[45] Janet Jackson and some of her brothers allegedly traveled to his home, but were turned away by security guards who were ordered not to let them in. He was also rumored to have refused calls from his mother. "If you tried to deal with him," one source told CNN, "he would shut you out. You just wouldn't hear from him for long periods." The family denied that they had tried to intervene.[46]
Propofol[edit]

An ampoule of propofol.

 An ampoule of propofol
Of all the drugs found in Jackson's home, the one that most concerned investigators was propofol (Diprivan), a powerful anesthetic administered intravenously in hospitals to induce and maintain anesthesia during surgery.[47] Nicknamed "milk of amnesia" because of its opaque, milk-like appearance (and a play on the words "milk of magnesia"), the drug has been associated with cardiac arrest,[47] but it still may be increasingly used off-label for anxiolytic and other medically unsubstantiated purposes.[41] Several propofol bottles—some empty, some full—were found in Jackson's home.[41]
On June 30, Cherilyn Lee, a nurse who had worked as Jackson's nutritionist, said that he had asked her in May to provide propofol to help him sleep, but she refused. He told her he had been given the drug before for persistent insomnia, and that a doctor had said it was safe. Lee said she received a telephone call from an aide to Jackson on June 21 to say that Jackson was ill, although she no longer worked for him. She reported overhearing Jackson complain that one side of his body was hot, the other side cold. She advised the aide to send Jackson to a hospital.[48]
Arnold Klein told CNN that Jackson used an anesthesiologist to administer propofol to help him sleep while he was on tour in Germany. CNN said the anesthesiologist would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" in the morning during the HIStory tour of 1996 to 1997.[46]
Medical professionals[edit]
The Los Angeles Times wrote that the DEA was focusing on at least five doctors who prescribed drugs to Jackson, trying to determine whether they had had a "face to face" relationship with him, and whether they had made legally required diagnoses.[41] Fox News Channel published a list of nine doctors who they said were under investigation.[49] The Sunday Times wrote that the police wanted to question 30 doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, including Arnold Klein.[50] Klein said that he occasionally had given Jackson pethidine to sedate him, but had administered nothing stronger, and that he had turned his records over to the medical examiner.[51]
Personal physician[edit]
Main article: Trial of Conrad Murray

A one-story tan colored building. Bushes, trees, a sidewalk and a sky with multiple clouds surround the building.

 Murray practiced out of the Armstrong Clinic in Houston. The clinic was raided during an investigation of Murray in July 2009.
Cardiologist Conrad Murray joined Jackson's camp in May 2009 as part of Jackson's agreement with AEG Live, the promoter of his London concerts. Murray first met Jackson in Las Vegas when the doctor treated one of the singer's children. AEG Live said the singer insisted the company hire Murray to accompany him to England.[52] During Murray's trial it emerged that AEG employed the doctor and that Jackson did not sign the contract for the above-cited employment either.[53]
Murray said through his attorney that he did not prescribe or administer pethidine or oxycodone to Jackson, but did not say what, if anything, he did prescribe or administer.[47] Los Angeles police said the doctor spoke to officers immediately after Jackson's death, and during an extensive interview two days later. They stressed that they found "no red flag" and did not suspect foul play.[14] On June 26, police towed away a car used by Murray, stating that it might contain medication or other evidence. The police released the car five days later.[33]
Politician and minister Jesse Jackson, a friend of Michael Jackson's family, said that the family was concerned about Murray's role. "They have good reason to be [...] he left the scene."[54] Over the next few weeks, law enforcement grew increasingly concerned about the doctor, and on July 22 detectives searched Murray's medical office and storage unit in Houston, removing items such as a computer and two hard drives, contact lists and a hospital suspension notice.[55] On the 27th, an anonymous source reported that Murray had administered propofol within 24 hours of Jackson's death.[56] Murray's lawyers refused to comment on what they called "rumors, innuendo or unnamed sources."[57] The following day, the ABC News program Nightline reported that investigators had searched Murray's home and office in Las Vegas, and that Murray had become the primary focus of the investigation.[58] On August 11, a Las Vegas pharmacy was searched by investigators looking for evidence regarding Murray, according to an anonymous police source cited by The New York Times.[59] Murray's lawyer advised patience until the toxicology results arrived, noting that "things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known".[58] On February 8, 2010, Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in Los Angeles. Murray pleaded not guilty and was released after posting $75,000 (USD) bail.[60] Shortly after, the California Medical Board issued an order preventing Murray from administering heavy sedatives.[61]
On January 11, 2011, the judge from Murray's preliminary hearing determined that Murray should stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in the Jackson case. The judge also suspended Murray's license to practice medicine in California.[62] The trial was originally to begin on March 24, but a delayed opening rescheduled it for May 9. Finally, the trial was rescheduled to September 8, with no further delays, as reported by CNN.[63] The jury selection of Murray's trial began on September 8, 2011, in Los Angeles. The trial began on September 27, 2011.[64] On November 7, 2011, Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[65] and he was held without bail to await sentencing.[66] On November 29, 2011, Murray received the maximum sentence of 4 years in prison.[67] Murray was released on October 28, 2013,[5] due to California prison overcrowding and good behavior.[68]
Health[edit]

A white piece of paper with personal information about the death of a person. The paper's writing is all in black and has multiple sections blacked-out.

 Michael Jackson's initial death certificate, issued pending toxicology reports
Another white piece of paper, with black writing and multiple sections blacked out, amending the prior form shown

 The amendment form issued by the coroner for his death certificate, after toxicology reports became available. Note the change of cause from "deferred" to "acute propofol intoxication" and the ruling of "Homicide" added.
Further information: Michael Jackson's health and appearance
Stacy Brown, a biographer, said Jackson had become "very frail, totally, totally underweight," and that his family had been worried about him. Another biographer, J. Randy Taraborrelli, who became friends with Jackson in the 1970s, said Jackson had suffered from an addiction to painkillers which went on and off for decades.[26] Arnold Klein, Jackson's dermatologist, confirmed that Jackson misused prescription drugs, and that Klein had diagnosed Jackson with vitiligo and lupus. Yet, Klein said, when he saw Jackson at his office three days before his death, the singer "was in very good physical condition. He was dancing for my patients. He was very mentally aware when we saw him and he was in a very good mood."[51]
Family and legal affairs[edit]
Further information: Jackson family and The Jackson 5
Jackson is survived by his three children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson (b. 1997); Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson (b. 1998), born during his marriage to his second wife, Debbie Rowe; and Prince Michael Jackson II, known as "Blanket", born in 2002 to a surrogate mother. He is also survived by his brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy; sisters Rebbie, La Toya and Janet; and parents Joseph and Katherine. Katherine was granted temporary guardianship of Michael's three children on June 29, 2009.[69]
Family reaction[edit]
The Jackson family released a collective statement following the death:

Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon. It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times.[70]
La Toya indicated that the family would file a lawsuit against anyone they believed responsible for her brother's death, as well as push for criminal charges.[71] In 2009, she stated that Jackson might have been administered an ultimately lethal dose of drugs by "a shadowy entourage" of handlers[71] and, in 2010, said that she believed her brother "was murdered for his music catalogue."[72] Shortly after Jackson's death, the family raised questions about the role of AEG Live, the This Is It concert promoter, in the last few weeks of his life.[54] Joseph has since filed a complaint with the California Medical Board alleging that AEG Live was illegally practicing medicine by demanding that Murray get Jackson off various medications. The complaint also alleges that AEG Live failed to provide the resuscitation equipment and nurse which Murray had requested. AEG spokesman Michael Roth declined to comment on the complaint.[73]
After Murray pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge, several members of the Jackson family said they felt he deserved a more severe charge.[74] On June 25, 2010, Joseph filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Murray. The lawsuit alleges that Murray repeatedly lied to cover up his use of propofol, did not keep sufficient medical records and was negligent in his use of medications on Jackson. Murray's civil attorney, Charles Peckham, denied that Murray gave Jackson anything life-threatening.[75] On August 15, 2012, Joseph dropped his wrongful death lawsuit against Murray.[76][77]
On September 15, 2010, Panish Shea & Boyle LLP also filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Michael Jackson's three children and his mother against the Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. (AEG) and its subsidiaries and principals (including Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega, Paul Gongaware and Thimothy Leiweke).[78] The suit alleges that AEG put their desire for profits from the This Is It concerts over the health and safety of Michael Jackson, ultimately causing his death". Roth declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying that AEG not seen it.[79]
On November 7, 2011, Michael Jackson's family arrived at the courthouse in Los Angeles shortly after the jury announced they reached their verdict: Guilty. Michael's father Joe Jackson replied to reporters, only saying, "Justice." LaToya Jackson tweeted that she was shaking uncontrollably when she heard the verdict, and continued to tweet her emotions throughout the day.[80]
Estate[edit]
Further information: Value of Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Jackson's last will was filed by attorney John Branca at the Los Angeles County courthouse on July 1, 2009. Signed July 7, 2002, it names Branca and accountant John McClain as executors; they were confirmed as such by a Los Angeles judge on July 6, 2009.[81] All assets are given to the (pre-existing) Michael Jackson Family Trust (amended March 22, 2002),[82] the details of which have not been made public. The Associated Press reports that, in 2007, Jackson had a net worth of $236.6 million: $567.6 million in assets, which included Neverland Ranch and his 50% share of Sony/ATV Music Publishing' catalogue, and debts of $331 million.[83] The guardianship of his three children is given to his mother, Katherine, or if she is unable or unwilling, to singer Diana Ross.[84] The will states that Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe was omitted intentionally.[85] Jackson's will allocates 20% of his fortune as well as 20% of money made after death to unspecified charities.[86]
Media reports suggested that settlement of Jackson's estate could last many years.[87] The value of Sony/ATV Music Publishing is estimated by Ryan Schinman, chief of Platinum Rye, to be US$1.5 billion. Shinman's estimate makes Jackson's share of Sony/ATV worth US$750 million, from which Jackson would have had an annual income of US$80 million. Sony Corporation has not commented on whether it intends to buy Jackson's share of Sony/ATV from the Jackson estate. Jackson's creditors could force a distressed sale, which would act in Sony's favor since it would lower the sale price, but only if the trust set up by Jackson for his stake in Sony/ATV is revocable. A distressed sale would lower the value of Jackson's estate, and thus might not raise enough to cover the debts owed by the estate.[88]
Taxation of estate[edit]
The estate administrators and the IRS have estimated portions of the estate differently.[89][90] The estate estimated that the value of Jackson's likeness is only $2,105; whereas the IRS estimated that the likeness to be worth $434.26 million.[90] The estate estimated "no worth in Jackson's interest in a trust that owns some songs of his and the Beatles, but the IRS valued it at $469 million."[90] Also in dispute is the value of "Jackson's share of the Jackson 5 master recordings rights, stocks and bonds, and various cars Jackson owned."[90][91] The IRS proposed "imposing $505 million in taxes plus an additional $197 million in penalties, including a gross valuation misstatement penalty."[89][90] On July 26, 2013, the estate filed a U.S. Tax Court petition claiming "the IRS overestimated the value of its assets, including Jackson's likeness, real estate, a Bentley, a Lloyds of London insurance policy, Jackson's share of MJJ Ventures Inc., and two trusts.".[91][92] Jackson estate attorney Paul Hoffman of Hoffman, Sabban & Watenmaker told Bloomberg News, "The IRS is wrong."[92] The case title is Estate of Michael J. Jackson v. IRS, 17152-13, U.S. Tax Court in Washington, DC.[91]
Public reaction[edit]
Media and Internet coverage[edit]



 Wikipedia spikes at 15:00 hrs in Los Angeles, June 25.
The first reports that Jackson had suffered a cardiac arrest, then that he had died, came from TMZ.com, a Los Angeles-based celebrity news website. Doctors at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center pronounced Jackson dead at 2:26 p.m., and 18 minutes later at 2:44 p.m., TMZ published: "Michael Jackson passed away today at the age of 50."[18] The Los Angeles Times website confirmed the report at 2:51 p.m. PDT (5:51 p.m. EDT).[93] The news spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down and crash from user overload. Both TMZ and the Los Angeles Times suffered outages.[93] Google initially believed that the input from millions of people searching for "Michael Jackson" meant that the search engine was under attack. Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 p.m.[94] The Wikimedia Foundation reported nearly a million visitors to Jackson's biography within one hour, probably the most visitors in a one-hour period to any article in Wikipedia's history.[95] AOL Instant Messenger went down for 40 minutes. AOL called it a "seminal moment in Internet history", adding, "We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth."[96]
Around 15% of Twitter posts—or 5,000 tweets per minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke,[97][98] compared to the 5% recalled as having mentioned the Iranian elections or the flu pandemic that had made headlines earlier in the year.[98] Overall, web traffic ranged from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal.[97][99] MTV and Black Entertainment Television (BET) aired marathons of Jackson's music videos.[100] Jackson specials aired on multiple television stations around the world. The British soap opera EastEnders added a last-minute scene, in which one character discussed the news with another, to the June 26 episode.[101] Whilst all British newspapers printed pictures of Jackson in his youth or in his prime, The Sun (for the day after his death) was the only paper to show Jackson from 2009 at his frailest, and keeping to their regular promotion of 'Wacko Jacko.' The next day The Sun fell into course with the rest of the newspapers and Jackson was the topic of every front-page headline in The Sun for about two weeks following his death.[102] Magazines including TIME published commemorative editions.[103] A scene that had featured Jackson's sister La Toya was cut from the film Brüno out of respect toward Jackson's family.[104]
According to an analysis released by the Global Language Monitor, "72 hours after his death, Jackson jumped to the No. 9 spot for the global print and electronic media. For Internet, blogs and social media, Jackson jumped to the No. 2, only trailing the election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States. The results showed the growing disparity between the mainstream global media, and what is playing out for news on the Internet, and beyond".[105] Paul JJ Payack, president and chief word analyst of GLM said, "the death of Michael Jackson has resulted in a global media event of the first order", and added, "the fact that he has broken into the top media of the 21st century is a testament to the global impact of the man and his music." Commentators around the globe made connections between Jackson's death and the problems they perceived with everything from the racial dichotomy that Jackson sang about, to the "profoundly tragic figure of Michael Jackson"[106]—from American capitalism[107] and globalization, to the fall of the music industry in the 1980s. "Commentators around the world have absolutely flipped", wrote Patrik Etschmayer of Switzerland's Nachrichten newspaper.[108] Le Figaro columnist Yann Moix said that although Jackson, like his iconic Moonwalk, lived life in reverse, the world at his death shed "identical and universal tears".[109]
Statistics published by the Pew Research Center suggested that two out of three Americans believed the coverage of Jackson's death was excessive, while 3% felt it was insufficient.[110] In the UK, the BBC received over 700 complaints from viewers who thought the death dominated the news.[111] On June 29, American conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh said the coverage was "a horrible disgrace" and lent his support to activist-ministers Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who were fighting to stem the press's speculation about what caused the death.[112] Other conservatives, including commentator Bill O'Reilly[113] and Congressman Peter T. King,[114] also disapproved of the media attention Jackson's death received. Meanwhile, Hugo Chávez, the President of Venezuela, called the pop star's death "lamentable news",[115] but criticized CNN for giving this news more coverage than they gave a coup d'état taking place in Honduras.[107][115]
In August 2009, there were reports that Michael Jackson's family paid social media marketing company uSocial.net to increase the numbers of followers on Jackson's Twitter profile.[116] According to the New York Daily News, uSocial was contracted to deliver 25,000 followers to the account.[117] It was not specified whether the service was rendered before or after his death.
Grief[edit]

The floor on an area on the ground is covered with flowers, cards and balloons. The area is closed off with metal barricades.

 Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame became a focal point for public grief.
News of Jackson's death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world. The circumstances and timing of his death were compared to those of Elvis Presley and John Lennon. Fans gathered outside the UCLA Medical Center, Neverland Ranch, his Holmby Hills home, the Hayvenhurst Jackson family home in Encino, the Apollo Theater in New York, and at Hitsville U.S.A., the old Motown headquarters in Detroit where Jackson's career began, now the Motown Museum. Streets around the hospital were blocked off, and across America people left offices and factories to watch the breaking news on television.[118] A small crowd, including the city's mayor, gathered outside his childhood home in Gary, where the flag on city hall was flown at half staff in his honor.[119] Fans in Hollywood initially gathered around the Walk of Fame star of another Michael Jackson—unable to access the singer's star, which had been temporarily covered by equipment in place for the Brüno film premiere.[120] Grieving fans and memorial tributes relocated from the talk radio host's star the next day.[121]
From Odessa[122] to Brussels,[123] and beyond, fans held their own memorial gatherings. U.S. President Barack Obama sent a letter of condolence to the Jackson family,[14] and the House of Representatives observed a moment of silence.[124] Obama later stated that Jackson "will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers".[125] Former South African President Nelson Mandela issued a message through his foundation saying Jackson's loss would be felt worldwide.[126]

A group of people standing outside a gated area. There are trees, bushes, and grassed areas. A majority of the area the people and in are shadowed by the trees by the gate.

 Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death.
In Japan, where Jackson had somewhat of an idol status, the top government spokesman and other ministers expressed their condolences. Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Tsutomu Sato told reporters, "I feel sad as I had watched him since he was a member of Jackson Five." "Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada has credited him with building a generation with his music."[127] "'He was a superstar. It is an extremely tragic loss. But it is fantastic he was able to give so many dreams and so much hope to the people of the world,' said Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe."[128]
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issue a brief statement on Jackson's death: "This is very sad news for the millions of Michael Jackson fans in Britain and around the world." The Conservative opposition leader, David Cameron, said, "I know Michael Jackson's fans in Britain and around the world will be sad today. Despite the controversies, he was a legendary entertainer."[129]
Russian fans gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Moscow to mourn. One told Russia's Novosti newspaper, "This is so difficult! I'm hurt, very hurt! … For us, this is a very great loss. To us, he became a symbol of the spiritual world. It's hard to convey how great a loss this is."[130] France's Minister Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, said, "We all have a Michael Jackson within."[131] Elizabeth Taylor, a long-time friend, said she can't imagine life without him.[132] Liza Minnelli told CBS, "When the autopsy comes, all hell's going to break loose, so thank God we're celebrating him now."[133] His sister La Toya claimed that his daughter said he was being overworked. La Toya is quoted as saying: "She said, 'No, you don't understand. They kept working him and Daddy didn't want that, but they worked him constantly'. I felt so bad."[134]
Tributes[edit]

A group of males and a female performing on stage in front of a crowd of people. A male is shown blowing a kiss to the audience while wearing a white glove on his right hand and a white shirt with black pants and a jacket. An African American male wearing a white and dark grey shirt is shown in a crouched down position. The female is waving her hands in the air while wearing black fingerless gloves with a black shirt and pink shorts. There is also two other African American males in the background making hand gestures. Behind the people on the stage, there is a screen that shows a black and white photo.

 During the second leg of Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour in June 2009, she and a Jackson impersonator performed a medley of Jackson's songs while photos of Jackson's were shown on a screen behind them.
On June 30, 2009, U2 while performing their first show of the U2 360 tour in Barcelona dedicated the song "Angel of Harlem" to Jackson. Bono sang verses from "Man In The Mirror" and "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" at the end of the song. On July 10, 2009, six thousand fans attended a musical tribute in Jackson's hometown of Gary, Indiana. Local performers staged a medley of his songs, and mayor Rudy Clay unveiled a seven-foot memorial to him. Jesse Jackson addressed the crowd, stating, "This is where Michael learned to dance, where he learned to sing, where he learned to sacrifice."[135] The Game, was among the first performers to release a tribute song: his single "Better on the Other Side" came out the day after Jackson's death. Produced by DJ Khalil, this song featured vocals by Diddy, Chris Brown, Polow da Don, Mario Winans, Usher, and Boyz II Men.[136] A wide variety of other artists recorded musical tributes, such as 50 Cent,[137] LL Cool J, Robbie Williams, Akon and guitarist Buckethead (whose song entitled "The Homing Beacon" was inspired by Jackson's 3-D film, Captain EO.)[138]
On June 26, multiple artists, such as Pharrell Williams and Lily Allen, paid tribute to Jackson at the Glastonbury Festival.[139] Performances included Allen wearing a single white glove (which was a signature look for Jackson) for her set on the Pyramid Stage, while The Streets performed a cover of "Billie Jean".[139] Tributes to Jackson at the musical festival continued over the weekend from June 26 to June 28.[140] On July 5, 2009. Madonna performed a tribute to Jackson during the second leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour.[141] While performing a medley of Jackson's songs, as a Jackson impersonator performed Jackson's signature moves, photos of Jackson were shown on screen behind them.[141][142] After the performance, Madonna told the crowd, "Let's give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known", leading to applause from the crowd.[142] Beyonce Knowles dedicated her song "Halo" to Jackson during multiple concerts during her I Am... World Tour. Knowles, who cites Jackson as her biggest influence, has been referred to as Jackson's heir apparent, along with drawing continuous comparisons to him.
Artists from the metal and hard rock community also paid homage to Jackson. Metallica paid tribute to Jackson during its encore at the Sonisphere Festival. Honoring Michael Jackson during its July 4 headlining appearance at the event, the band played a portion of 'Beat It' before easing into a riotous cover of Queen's 'Stone Cold Crazy'.[143] Boston hard rockers Extreme performed a cover version of Jacksons's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin" at the Midnight Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas.[144] Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill, spoke about Jackson in an interview for an internet blog: "He was an immense star, wasn't he? Let's face it. He's a worldwide superstar really and the grief that everybody's is showing, it doesn't surprise me at all. He was a very, very talented man." [145] Members of the legendary metal band Black Sabbath released official statements regarding the passing of Michael Jackson. Drummer Bill Ward: "For those in heartache today, I wish you all wellness in healing. A great entertainer has died. I think those who experienced and heard his heart are more enlightened people for it than before. I believe you're all most fortunate to have connected to Michael Jackson." [146] Bassist Geezer Butler: "Saddened and shocked to hear of the passing of Michael Jackson. He truly was, and always will be, a true icon. 'Thriller' was one of the greatest pop masterpieces of all time. A sad day for our world. R.I.P." [147] Legendary shock rocker, Alice Cooper released the following statement: "Michael Jackson was easily as influential as James Brown, and that's saying a lot. We had Vincent Price in common. I used him first on 'Welcome To My Nightmare' in 1975, and he later used him on 'Thriller'. Nobody moved like Michael, he was truly the King of Pop." [148] Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who worked with Jackson during the recording of Thriller, stated: "I am really shocked; as I'm sure the world is, to hear the news. I had the pleasure of working with Michael on 'Beat It' back in '83 — one of my fondest memories in my career. Michael will be missed and may he rest in peace." [149] Queen guitarist Brian May stated in his official website: "Hard to know what to say — what to feel. I find myself wondering what might have happened on his tour... The number of dates in the U.K. that he had committed to was insane. I did have a feeling it was impossible, but I was so shocked to hear that he went so suddenly. Very sad. Of course, I still think of him as a boy — he used to come and see us (Queen) play when we were on tour in the States, and he and Freddie Mercury became close friends, close enough to record a couple of tracks together at Michael's house. Tracks which have never seen the light of day. Michael was the boy star of the Jackson Five, and always the most screamed at. I remember in their show, they tried very hard to make all the brothers equal in the presentation, but it was abundantly obvious that all most of the girl fans really wanted to see was little Michael. It was Michael who heard our track 'Another One Bites the Dust' when he came to see us on 'The Game' tour ... and told us we were mad if we didn't release it as a single." [149] Former Guns n' Roses guitarist Slash, who played guitar on Jackson's single "Give In to Me" stated: "Really sad news about Michael. He was a talent from on high." [149] Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave performed a cover version of "Billie Jean" on June 27, 2009, at the Peace & Love festival in Borlänge, Sweden.[150] Steve Vai and Andy Timmons of Danger Danger performed an instrumental version of "Beat It" at the Meinl Guitar Festival 2009 on June 27 in Gutenstetten, Germany.[151] Former Skid Row frontman, Sebastian Bach commented: "Another angel down... I am very sorry for my friend Jermaine's loss. I lived with Jermaine for three weeks last year (during the filming of the second season of CMT's hit series, 'Gone Country'), and we talked about his brother frequently. He said to me, 'When you cut up my brother, you're cutting up me'. I feel for the Jackson family, because I know all too well how they feel. Unfortunately." [152] Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche stated: "I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, watching him and his brothers perform on television. He made performing seem easy and inspired my generation with his music and his grace. He was one of a kind and will be missed but his music will live forever." [152] Legendary Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen recorded "Beat It" with ex-Judas Priest/Iced Earth frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals.[153] Guitarist Buckethead wrote a song entitled "The Homing Beacon", inspired by Jackson's 3-D film, Captain EO.)[138] Alternative metal band CKY performed "Beat It" for the duration of their "Carver City" Tour. In some instances, guitarist Chad I Ginsburg wore T-shirts depicting Jackson during the performances.[154] Poison drummer Rikki Rockett commented: "Michael Jackson — huge loss!!! The words genius and musical are used in the same sentence too often. Not in the case of Michael Jackson. His musical expression will never be topped and his inspiration will live forever. R.I.P." In October 2013, an all-star tribute album was released featuring current and former members of Iron Maiden, Kiss, Motörhead, Testament, Guns N' Roses, Fozzy, Quiet Riot, Dio, Whitesnake, Mr. Big, among others.[155]
Jackson's sister La Toya released her song, "Home", on July 28 as a charity single in her brother's honor. All proceeds are being donated to one of Michael's favorite charities.[156] BET's annual 2009 Awards Ceremony aired three days after Jackson's death, on June 28, 2009. It featured a tribute to the singer. Host Jamie Foxx said, "We want to celebrate this black man. He belongs to us and we shared him with everybody else." The ceremony featured performances of several of Jackson's songs, including pieces from his time with The Jackson Five and those from his solo career.[157] Joe Jackson and Al Sharpton were in the audience, and Janet Jackson spoke briefly on behalf of the family. The show was the most watched BET annual awards show in the awards shows history.[158] A few days after Jackson's death, there were news reports to the effect that AEG Live, the promoter for Jackson's This Is It concerts, was preparing a tribute concert for September 2009. The show would reportedly follow the style arranged for the This Is It concerts.[159][160] However, no details of any such concert have been announced.
The day after Jackson's death, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced that the city would erect a statue of the singer in the favela of Dona Marta. Jackson visited the community in 1996 and filmed a music video for "They Don't Care About Us" there. The mayor said that Jackson had helped make the community into "a model for social development."[161] Memorials were held all over the world, in places as diverse as Tokyo,[161] Bucharest[162] and Baku, Azerbaijan.[163] In Midyat, Turkey, even a Salat al-Janazah (Islamic funeral prayer) was performed, and traditional funeral helva was cooked and distributed.[164] The music video for "Do the Bartman", a Simpsons song co-written by Jackson, was broadcast ahead of an episode rerun of The Simpsons on June 28. It featured a title card paying tribute to Jackson.[165] The 1991 Simpsons episode that Jackson guest starred in under the name of John Jay Smith, "Stark Raving Dad", was broadcast on Fox on July 5.[166] The episode had been broadcast on the Dutch Comedy Central the day after his death, and was dedicated to Jackson's memory.[167] His 1978 film The Wiz (in which he co-starred alongside Diana Ross and Richard Pryor) was briefly re-released in a rare 35mm format and was shown at the Hollywood Theater in his honor. It was also re-released a week prior to the release of Michael Jackson's This Is It in select cities. Madonna opened the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with a speech about Michael Jackson. Janet Jackson made an appearance at the VMAs to pay musical tribute to her late brother and honor his career.[168] He was honored with a posthumous lifetime achievement award during the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010.[169] Jackson, who had an acting role in the 1978 film The Wiz, was featured in the 82nd annual Academy Awards ceremony's "In Memoriam" tribute.[170]
Record sales[edit]
Jackson's record sales increased dramatically, eightyfold by June 29, according to HMV.[171] Bill Carr of Amazon said the website sold out of all Jackson and Jackson 5 CDs within minutes of the news breaking, and that demand surpassed that for Elvis Presley and John Lennon after their sudden deaths.[172] In Japan, six of his albums made SoundScan Japan's Top 200 Albums chart,[161] and in Poland, Thriller 25 topped the national album chart and was replaced by King of Pop the following week.[173]
In Australia, 15 of his albums occupied the ARIA top 100 as of July 5, four of them in the top ten, with three occupying the top three spots. He had 34 singles in the top 100 singles chart, including four in the top ten. Album sales were 62,015 for the previous week; singles tallied 107,821 units.[174] In the second week, album sales rose from the previous week and tallied 88,650 copies. On July 12, four albums were in the top 10 with three occupying the top three spots. In New Zealand, Thriller 25 topped the chart.[175] In Germany, King of Pop topped the album chart,[176] and from June 28 to July 4, nine of his albums occupied the Top 20 of CAPIF in Argentina.[177] In Billboard's European Top 100 Albums, he made history with eight of his albums in the top ten positions.[178] As of August 3, King of Pop has spent four weeks atop Billboard's European Top 100 Albums chart.[179] The Collection also spent two weeks atop the same chart.[180]
In the UK, on the Sunday following his death, his albums occupied 14 of the top 20 places on the Amazon.co.uk sales chart, with Off the Wall at the top. Number Ones reached the top of the UK Album Chart, and his studio albums occupied number two to number eight on the iTunes Music Store top albums. Six of his songs charted in the top 40: "Man in the Mirror" (11), "Thriller" (23), "Billie Jean" (25), "Smooth Criminal" (28)", "Beat It" (30), and "Earth Song" (38).[181] The following Sunday, 13 of Jackson's songs charted in the top 40, including "Man in the Mirror", which landed the number two spot.[182] He broke Ruby Murray's 1955 record of five songs in the top 30.[183] The Essential Michael Jackson topped the album chart, giving Jackson a second number one album in as many weeks. He had five of the top ten albums in the album chart.[184] In third week sales, The Essential Michael Jackson retained the number one position and Jackson held three other positions within the top five.[185] By August 3, Jackson had sold 2 million records and spent six consecutive weeks atop the album chart.[179][186] He retained the top spot on the album chart for a seventh consecutive week.[187]
In the U.S., Jackson broke three chart records on the first Billboard issue date that followed his death. The entire top nine positions on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums featured titles related to him. By the third week it would be the entire top 12 positions.[188] Number Ones was the best-selling album of the week and topped the catalog chart with sales of 108,000, an increase of 2,340 percent. The Essential Michael Jackson (2) and Thriller (3) also sold over 100,000 units. The other titles on the chart are Off the Wall (4), Jackson Five's Ultimate Collection (5), Bad (6), Dangerous (7), HIStory: Past, Present and Future – Volume 1 (8) and Jackson's Ultimate Collection (9). Collectively, his solo albums sold 422,000 copies in the week following his death, 800,000 copies in the first full week, and 1.1 million copies in the following week of his memorial service.[188] He also broke a record on the Top Digital Albums chart, with six of the top 10 slots, including the entire top four. On the Hot Digital Songs chart he placed a record of 25 songs on the 75-position list. In the U.S., Jackson became the first artist to sell over one million downloads in a week, with 2.6 million sales.[189][190]
By August 5, Jackson had sold nearly 3.8 million albums and 7.6 million tracks in the U.S.. Number Ones was the best-selling album for six out of seven weeks that followed his death.[191][192] By year's end in 2009, Jackson had become the best selling artist of the year selling 8.2 million albums in the U.S.[193] He also became the first artist in history to have four of the top 20 best-selling albums in a single year in the U.S., nearly doubling the sales of his nearest competitor.[194][195] Jackson was also the third best selling digital artist of 2009 in the U.S., selling approximately 12.35 million units.[196] In the 12 months that followed his death Jackson sold nine million albums in the U.S., and 35 million albums worldwide.[197] His estate also generated revenues of one billion dollars.[198]
Services[edit]
Memorial[edit]

A white round building that has one glass front wall showing with a sign in red text that reads "Staples Center" in capital letters. In the background, there are multiple people waling in front of the building and a white parked car and a cloudy blue sky.

 An estimated one billion viewers saw coverage of the memorial held in the Staples Center, pictured here during the memorial service.
Main article: Michael Jackson memorial service
A private family service was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, after a public memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on July 7, where Jackson had rehearsed on June 24, the day before he died. The memorial service was organized by Jackson's concert promoter, AEG Live,[199] who gave away 17,500 free tickets (even if AEG was initially out to sell them, but due to complaints had to desist)[200] to fans worldwide through an online lottery that attracted over 1.2 million applicants in 24 hours,[201] and over a half-billion hits to the webpage.[202] The service was broadcast live around the world, and was believed to have been watched by up to 2.5 billion people.[8][203]
Jackson's solid-bronze casket (which reportedly cost USD $25,000)[50] was placed in front of the stage. Numerous celebrity guests attended the services.[204] His brothers each wore a single, white, sparkling glove, while Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Jermaine Jackson and others sang his songs. Jackson's then 11-year-old daughter, Paris, broke down as she told the crowd, "I just want to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... and I just want to say I love him... so much."[205] Marlon Jackson said, "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone."[206]
Burial[edit]
According to reports, Jackson's burial was originally scheduled for August 29, 2009 (which would have been his 51st birthday).[207] His service and burial was held at Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park on September 3, 2009.[208] The burial was attended by his family members, first wife Lisa Marie Presley as well as his old friends Macaulay Culkin, Chris Tucker, Quincy Jones, Eddie Murphy and Elizabeth Taylor, amongst others.[209] The service began with Jackson's three children placing a golden crown on his casket.[209]
Jackson's funeral cost one million dollars.[210][211] Cost for the funeral included; $590,000 for Jackson's crypt in Forest Lawn's Great Mausoleum, a vast granite and marble filled palazzo, guest invitations for $11,716.[210][211] The bill for security, including the fleet of luxury cars that delivered Jackson's children, parents and siblings to the ceremony, came to $30,000; the florist's bill was $16,000; and the funeral planner was paid $15,000.[210] Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for the estate executors noted that Jackson's family decided on the details of the ceremony, but said a lavish funeral fit the life Jackson lived, commenting, "It was Michael Jackson. He was bigger than life when he was alive."[210][211]
Jackson's remains are interred in the Holly Terrace section in the Great Mausoleum. The mausoleum is a secure facility that is not accessible to the general public or to the media, except on an extremely limited basis. The unmarked crypt, which is partially visible at the tinted entrance of the Holly Terrace mausoleum, is covered in flowers fans leave, which are placed by security guards outside the crypt.[208] The family had considered burying Jackson at Neverland Ranch. However, some family members objected to the site, saying that the ranch had been tainted by the sexual abuse allegations.[208] Also, the owners of the ranch would have had to go through a permitting process with county and state government before establishing a cemetery at the site. In July 2010, security was increased at the mausoleum due to vandalism by fans leaving messages such as "Keep the dream alive" and "Miss you sweet angel" in permanent ink.[212]
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Further reading[edit]

Portal icon 2000s portal
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Portal icon Greater Los Angeles portal
Portal icon Michael Jackson portal
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Michael Jackson
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Death of Michael Jackson.
Jackson Tour Video—The Final Rehearsals, TMZ, July 2, 2009.
Barnes, Brooks. A Star Idolized and Haunted, Michael Jackson Dies at 50, The New York Times, June 25, 2009.
BBC News. Obituary: Michael Jackson, June 26, 2009.
Boucher, Geoff, and Woo, Elaine. Michael Jackson's life was infused with fantasy and tragedy, Los Angeles Times, June 26, 2009.
Rayner, Ben. Michael Jackson, 50: Child star, thriller, sad sideshow, The Toronto Star, June 26, 2009.
Saperstein, Pat. Michael Jackson dies at 50, Variety, June 25, 2009.
Sullivan, Caroline. Michael Jackson, The Guardian, June 26, 2009.
The Smoking Gun. "Lethal Levels" Of Drug Killed Jackson, August 24, 2009, includes State of California search warrant and affidavit.
The Sydney Morning Herald. Michael Jackson obituary: a gifted, troubled king of pop, June 26, 2009.
The Times. Michael Jackson, June 26, 2009.
Walters, Dell. "Michael Slept Here", Washingtonian, August 1, 2009.
Wikipedia article traffic statistics – Michael Jackson – June 2009.


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Michael Jackson memorial service

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Michael Jackson memorial service
MichaelJacksonMemorial 02.jpg
Held at the Staples Center, where Michael Jackson rehearsed on June 23 2009 (two days before his death).

Date
July 7, 2009
Location
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, United States
Participants
Rev. Lucious Smith, Smokey Robinson, Mariah Carey, Chris Moyles, Trey Lorenz, Queen Latifah, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Jennifer Hudson, Berry Gordy, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, John Mayer, Brooke Shields, Jermaine Jackson, Martin Luther King III, Bernice King, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Usher, Shaheen Jafargholi, Kenny Ortega, Judith Hill, Marlon Jackson, Janet Jackson, Paris Jackson, Orianthi Panagaris
A public memorial service for Michael Jackson was held on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California twelve days after his death. The event was preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty in Hollywood Hills, and followed by a gathering in Beverly Hills for Jackson's family and close friends.
Jackson's closed, solid-bronze casket, plated with 14-karat gold and lined with blue velvet, which was not originally expected to be at the memorial service, arrived just before 10:00 a.m. local time, when it was placed in front of the stage. The memorial began a few minutes after 10:30 a.m. with music and a eulogy from Pastor Lucious Smith. The stage was filled with floral arrangements, with photographs and film of Jackson and the Jackson 5 projected onto screens at the back. Music and video montages traced his life from the beginning of his career to the end.[1]
Jackson's brothers, sitting in the front row, each wore a single white sequined glove in tribute of their late brother. Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi sang Jackson's songs, and John Mayer played guitar. Berry Gordy, Brooke Shields, and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read "We Had Him", a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou. The Reverend Al Sharpton received a standing ovation when he told Jackson's children, "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with."[2]
Toward the end, the family gathered on stage to offer the final eulogies. Jackson's then-11-year-old daughter, Paris, while unable to give her speech without crying, told the crowd, "I just want to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine, and I just want to say I love him... so much."[3] Additionally, an emotional Marlon Jackson said, "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone."[4]


Contents  [hide]
1 Background
2 Service 2.1 Guest list
2.2 Casket
2.3 Live broadcast
2.4 Media coverage
2.5 Cost
3 References
4 External links

Background[edit]
The memorial service was organized by Jackson's concert promoter, AEG Live, and AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC (Kenneth Ehrlich - Executive Producer),[5] who gave away 17,500 free tickets to fans worldwide through an online lottery that attracted over 1.2 million applicants in 24 hours,[6] and over a half-billion hits to the webpage.[7] An estimated 750,000[8] up to a million fans were expected to congregate outside Staples Center[9][10] but due to Los Angeles's $530 million budget crisis, city and police officials urged fans to stay home.[11] Street and highway exit around the Staples Center were sealed off,[11] and 3,000 officers, the largest security effort planned since the 1984 Olympics,[11] were on duty at a cost of $1.4 million to the city.[12] The motorcade for Jackson's casket was headed by two police motorcycle outriders, and the LA freeways were closed for the journey of approximately 11 miles (18 km) from Forest Lawn to the Staples Center.[13] The service was broadcast live around the world. The United States viewership was extremely high taking into consideration that the service was unusually held on a workday (Tuesday) and a host of people reported watching the service during work.
Service[edit]
The service began with Smokey Robinson reading messages of condolences from Diana Ross and former South African President Nelson Mandela. A gospel choir sang Andrae Crouch's "Soon and Very Soon" as Jackson's casket entered (culminating around the line "you will see the King"), followed by statements from Pastor Lucious Smith. Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz then sang "I'll Be There", a number one single for both The Jackson 5 and Carey and Lorenz. This was followed by a statement from Queen Latifah, who also read "We Had Him", a poem written by Maya Angelou for the occasion. Lionel Richie, Jackson's friend and his co-writer on "We Are the World", performed the song "Jesus Is Love" by The Commodores. In the eulogy of Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, he stated, "In fact, the more I think and talk about Michael Jackson, I feel the King of Pop is not big enough for him. I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived." The statement was met with the longest standing ovation of the night.[14][15][16]



 A crowd of spectators gathering outside the Staples Center during the memorial service.
A video montage of Michael Jackson's life followed. Stevie Wonder spoke, played a small portion of "I Can't Help It", a song from Off the Wall that Wonder co-wrote, then performed a version of his songs "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" and "They Won't Go When I Go". Next Kobe Bryant spoke about Jackson's humanitarian work, and Magic Johnson (who had appeared in the music video for "Remember the Time") recalled his memories of Jackson. Accompanied by a dancing chorus, Jennifer Hudson performed "Will You Be There" a song Jackson wrote and performed for the 1993 film Free Willy which is also from his Dangerous album, along with the dancers who would have been on stage with Jackson for his O2 concerts. John Mayer played guitar on a mainly instrumental version of "Human Nature" from Jackson's Thriller. Brooke Shields then spoke about the personal time she spent with Jackson, read excerpts from The Little Prince, and said that his favorite song was Charlie Chaplin's "Smile", which was then performed by Jermaine Jackson.
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s children, Martin III and Bernice, then stated that Michael Jackson was the best that he could be. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas, Houston), representing the United States House of Representatives, emphasized that in the US, people are "innocent until proven guilty" (as the crowd cheered) then spoke about his "American story" plus his meetings with foreign diplomats, and that "Michael never stopped giving". She then went on to claim him as an American legend and world humanitarian (House Resolution 600[17]), closing her speech with a military salute as she said, "Michael Jackson, I salute you." Usher walked to the casket and then sang Larry Grossman and Buzz Kohan's "Gone Too Soon", which Jackson recorded as a tribute for Ryan White after his death; Usher cried near the end of the song as he placed his hand on the casket, but managed to finish. Following Usher, a clip from The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969 featuring the Jackson 5's rendition of The Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You" was shown. Following this, the song's composer and Miracles lead singer, Smokey Robinson, spoke about and made joking remarks about the Jackson 5 covering his song, and continued with a speech. Shaheen Jafargholi from Britain's Got Talent then performed the song.
Jackson choreographer Kenny Ortega presented Jafargholi, honored Jackson, and introduced the final performance of the memorial, which Jackson had been slated to perform during the This Is It dates. The concerts' chorus singers, Darrell Phinnessee, Ken Stacey, Dorian Holley, Judith Hill and guitarist Orianthi performed "We Are the World" and were joined on the stage by several of the guest speakers and performers as well as the Jackson family for the final chorus. With the entire group still on stage, Hill then led a performance of "Heal the World", with the remainder of the group joining in the chorus. Jackson's family then addressed the crowd. Jermaine—who had earlier performed a tearful rendition of "Smile"—gave a brief speech, followed by a eulogy by Marlon, where he tributed his stillborn twin brother Brandon, who died at birth, telling his younger brother to "give him a hug" for himself as a favor. Marlon then handed the microphone over to Janet, but in a move that came as a surprise to the show's organizers, she said that her niece, Paris, had something to say. Surrounded by her paternal aunts and uncles, Paris emotionally addressed the crowd before collapsing in tears and being escorted off the stage by her family:
“ I just want to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine... and I just want to say (starts crying) I love him... so much ”



 Outside the Staples Center during the memorial service.
Marlon Jackson then thanked the crowd in attendance, and the family escorted the casket out of the arena while an instrumental version of "Man in the Mirror" was performed. A microphone placed center stage was lit by spotlight while the instrumental version of "Man in the Mirror" played out, symbolizing the 'absence' of Michael Jackson. Many in the crowd applauded and cheered as Michael Jackson's coffin was carried out of the building. Pastor Lucious Smith closed the service with a prayer and quote saying "I'm alive and I'm here forever" from the Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson duet song The Man. The memorial was finished at 12:48 p.m.[18][19][20] Before broadcast of the service ended, a final slideshow of photos starting with Jackson's childhood and concluding with his final years played with Mariah Carey's version of "I'll Be There" playing.
Guest list[edit]
The participants were Ron Boyd (family friend), Los Angeles Lakers greats Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, fellow Motown Records alumni Berry Gordy, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Andrae Crouch (choir), Queen Latifah, Judith Hill (recruited 'This Is It' performer), Jennifer Hudson, Shaheen Jafargholi (a child finalist on Britain's Got Talent, who sang a Jackson song), Martin Luther King III, Bernice A. King, John Mayer, Omer Bhatti (a Norwegian rapper), Rev. Al Sharpton, Brooke Shields, Pastor Lucious Smith (family friend), and Usher. In, addition to the above persons, ABC News reported, Lionel Richie's daughter Nicole, who was Michael's goddaughter, and singers Akon and Sean Combs would attend the services.[21]
Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and mother of two of his three children, hoping not to be a distraction,[22] did not attend the funeral.[23] Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross, two of Jackson's closest friends, as well as Eliza Jackson Duphrey, Ivonne Ester Duphrey (Michael Jackson's cousins) also did not attend.[21]
Casket[edit]
Jackson was presented in a gold-plated solid bronze Promethean casket furnished by the Batesville Casket Company, which cost roughly $25,000. It is similar to the one in which James Brown was buried.[24][25] The closed casket at the Staples Center was decorated with red roses and Bells of Ireland flower arrangement. The casket was escorted by Jackson's brothers, each wearing a single sequined white glove on the hand in which they held the casket. Jackson was originally to be buried on what would have been his 51st birthday, however the services were postponed and he was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale on September 3, 2009.
Live broadcast[edit]
The service was broadcast live around the world, from the U.S. to Slovakia to parts of Asia. Public screenings were held in 37 cinemas across the U.S., as well as in Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Bucharest, Gothenburg, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Malmö, Oslo, Paris, Milan, Seville, Stockholm, and Tallinn.[26] There was also a live broadcast at 3am in Melbourne, Australia at Federation Square.[27] Before the event, the organizers expected an estimated one billion viewers.[28][29][30] According to Nielsen, 31.1 million Americans watched the service live on television;[31] an amount comparable to the 35.1 million that watched the state funeral of former president Ronald Reagan in 2004.[32] According to some news sources the event exceeded 2.5 billion viewers, which would make it the most watched live television broadcast in history worldwide.[33] Although this number is not widely agreed upon.



Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department motorcycle detail patrolling the parameter of the Staples Center during the memorial service.
Also in comparison to other big non-funeral related events, the inauguration of President Barack Obama garnered about 38 million viewers, and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics garnered about 34.2 million viewers in the U.S. alone.[34] The memorial service was the most watched event in online streaming history.[35] CNN's webcast drew at least 9.7 million streams; their feed on Ustream, 4.6 million streams; and MSNBC's feed via Justin.tv drew three million.[36]
Media coverage[edit]
According to Global Language Monitor, the coverage from the death and aftermath to the funeral of Michael Jackson tops Pope John Paul II as No.1 media (noting the longer timeframe and contentious circumstances re. the former).[37]
Cost[edit]
The city of Los Angeles said the memorial had cost the city $1.4 million for 1,400 police officers, trash pick-up, sanitation, and traffic control. The city set up a webpage asking fans for donations to help with the expenses, though it kept crashing. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said it would be wrong to expect taxpayers to finance a private event. "The city attorney does not want something like this happening again, the city paying for a private event," spokesman John Franklin told CNN. "That's especially in a cash-strapped city, where people have been furloughed or even lost jobs."[38]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ TVGuideNews (July 7, 2009). "Top Moments: Michael Jackson Memorial". TVGuide.com. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
2.Jump up ^ "Video of Sharpton's eulogy". Macleans (macleans.ca). July 7, 2009.
3.Jump up ^ Burkeman, Oliver (July 7, 2009). "Liveblogging Michael Jackson's funeral and memorial service". The Guardian (London). Retrieved May 12, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Emotional farewell to King of Pop". BBC News (bbcnews.com). July 7, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
5.Jump up ^ Parks, Tim (July 3, 2009). "AEG to release Jackson memorial tickets". Digital Spy.
6.Jump up ^ Allen, Nick (July 6, 2009). "Thirteen applications per second for Michael". The Daily Telegraph (London: telegraph.co.uk).
7.Jump up ^ "Website for Jackson tickets gets 500 million hits in first hour | L.A. Now | Los Angeles Times". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. July 3, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
8.Jump up ^ Suter, Leanne (July 2, 2009). "Jackson memorial set for Staples Center". ABClocal.com. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
9.Jump up ^ "One million fans expected at Michael Jackson memorial". azcentral.com. July 3, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
10.Jump up ^ ."1 Million Expected at Jackson's Star-Studded Memorial". Star Magazine. July 3, 2009.
11.^ Jump up to: a b c "Cost only security problem at Jackson memorial". CNN (CNN.com). July 7, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
12.Jump up ^ Vercammen, Paul (July 8, 2009). "Mayor's office: Michael Jackson memorial cost L.A. $1.4 million". CNN (CNN.com). Retrieved September 3, 2009.
13.Jump up ^ Singh, Anita (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson funeral to take place in Los Angeles". The Daily Telegraph (London: telegraph.co.uk).
14.Jump up ^ "Farewell to a King". People. July 20, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.[dead link]
15.Jump up ^ "BERRY GORDY - GORDY BRINGS MOURNERS TO THEIR FEET WITH JACKSON TRIBUTE". Contact Music. July 7, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
16.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson hailed as greatest entertainer, best dad". Reuters UK. July 8, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
17.Jump up ^ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.RES.600:
18.Jump up ^ "Entertainment | Reporters' log: Jackson memorial". BBC News. July 7, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
19.Jump up ^ Itzkoff, Dave (July 7, 2009). "Live Blogging the Jackson Memorial - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com". Artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
20.Jump up ^ Boucher, Geoff; DiMassa, Cara Mia (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson hailed during emotional memorial service". Los Angeles Times (latimes.com). Retrieved September 3, 2009.
21.^ Jump up to: a b Fisher, Luchina; Marikar, Sheila (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Memorial Lures A-List Attendees, Participants". ABC News (ABCNEWS.com).
22.Jump up ^ Larry King Live (television). CNN. July 6, 2009.
23.Jump up ^ Netter, Sarah; Friedman, Emily (July 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson to be Buried in Famed Hollywood Cemetery". ABC News (ABCNEWS.com). Retrieved September 3, 2009.
24.Jump up ^ Harlow, John (July 5, 2009). "Police target 30 in hunt for Michael Jackson’s drug suppliers". The Sunday Times.
25.Jump up ^ "Promethean Bronze". Caskets by Batesville.
26.Jump up ^ "Broadcast of Jackson Memorial Service to Mann Chinese Six Theatre in Los Angeles, CA to Be Cancelled at Request of Los Angeles Police Department". Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. cinedigm.com. July 7, 2009.
27.Jump up ^ Lawless, Jill (July 7, 2009). "Jackson's world fans mourn idol before memorial". Associated Press.
28.Jump up ^ de Moraes, Lisa (July 9, 2009). "Lisa De Moraes Column on Michael Jackson's Memorial Service". The Washington Post.
29.Jump up ^ [1]
30.Jump up ^ [2]
31.Jump up ^ de Moraes, Lisa (July 9, 2009). "Jackson's Memorial a Hit With Viewers but Not Quite Off the Charts". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
32.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson Memorial Earns 31 Million Viewers & More TV News - Inside TV Blog". Television.aol.com. July 9, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
33.Jump up ^ "Hazarikas funeral creates world record". MSN. July 8, 2009.
34.Jump up ^ "31.1 million watched Jackson memorial". MSNBC.com. Associated Press. July 13, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
35.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson memorial draws crowds online - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
36.Jump up ^ Ostrow, Adam (July 7, 2009). "CNN Live Stream of Michael Jackson Memorial: 9.7 Million Views". Mashable. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
37.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson funeral tops Pope John Paul II as No. 1 media". Global Language Monitor.
38.Jump up ^ Duke, Alan; Saeed, Ahmed (July 8, 2009). "More associates link Jackson to prescription drugs". CNN (CNN.com).
External links[edit]
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Jackson memorial service.

Portal icon Los Angeles portal
Michael Jackson Memorial Service at the Internet Movie Database


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Michael Jackson memorial service

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (Redirected from Funeral of Michael Jackson)
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Michael Jackson memorial service
MichaelJacksonMemorial 02.jpg
Held at the Staples Center, where Michael Jackson rehearsed on June 23 2009 (two days before his death).

Date
July 7, 2009
Location
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, United States
Participants
Rev. Lucious Smith, Smokey Robinson, Mariah Carey, Chris Moyles, Trey Lorenz, Queen Latifah, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Jennifer Hudson, Berry Gordy, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, John Mayer, Brooke Shields, Jermaine Jackson, Martin Luther King III, Bernice King, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Usher, Shaheen Jafargholi, Kenny Ortega, Judith Hill, Marlon Jackson, Janet Jackson, Paris Jackson, Orianthi Panagaris
A public memorial service for Michael Jackson was held on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California twelve days after his death. The event was preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty in Hollywood Hills, and followed by a gathering in Beverly Hills for Jackson's family and close friends.
Jackson's closed, solid-bronze casket, plated with 14-karat gold and lined with blue velvet, which was not originally expected to be at the memorial service, arrived just before 10:00 a.m. local time, when it was placed in front of the stage. The memorial began a few minutes after 10:30 a.m. with music and a eulogy from Pastor Lucious Smith. The stage was filled with floral arrangements, with photographs and film of Jackson and the Jackson 5 projected onto screens at the back. Music and video montages traced his life from the beginning of his career to the end.[1]
Jackson's brothers, sitting in the front row, each wore a single white sequined glove in tribute of their late brother. Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Jermaine Jackson, and Shaheen Jafargholi sang Jackson's songs, and John Mayer played guitar. Berry Gordy, Brooke Shields, and Smokey Robinson gave eulogies, while Queen Latifah read "We Had Him", a poem written for the occasion by Maya Angelou. The Reverend Al Sharpton received a standing ovation when he told Jackson's children, "Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with."[2]
Toward the end, the family gathered on stage to offer the final eulogies. Jackson's then-11-year-old daughter, Paris, while unable to give her speech without crying, told the crowd, "I just want to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine, and I just want to say I love him... so much."[3] Additionally, an emotional Marlon Jackson said, "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone."[4]


Contents  [hide]
1 Background
2 Service 2.1 Guest list
2.2 Casket
2.3 Live broadcast
2.4 Media coverage
2.5 Cost
3 References
4 External links

Background[edit]
The memorial service was organized by Jackson's concert promoter, AEG Live, and AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC (Kenneth Ehrlich - Executive Producer),[5] who gave away 17,500 free tickets to fans worldwide through an online lottery that attracted over 1.2 million applicants in 24 hours,[6] and over a half-billion hits to the webpage.[7] An estimated 750,000[8] up to a million fans were expected to congregate outside Staples Center[9][10] but due to Los Angeles's $530 million budget crisis, city and police officials urged fans to stay home.[11] Street and highway exit around the Staples Center were sealed off,[11] and 3,000 officers, the largest security effort planned since the 1984 Olympics,[11] were on duty at a cost of $1.4 million to the city.[12] The motorcade for Jackson's casket was headed by two police motorcycle outriders, and the LA freeways were closed for the journey of approximately 11 miles (18 km) from Forest Lawn to the Staples Center.[13] The service was broadcast live around the world. The United States viewership was extremely high taking into consideration that the service was unusually held on a workday (Tuesday) and a host of people reported watching the service during work.
Service[edit]
The service began with Smokey Robinson reading messages of condolences from Diana Ross and former South African President Nelson Mandela. A gospel choir sang Andrae Crouch's "Soon and Very Soon" as Jackson's casket entered (culminating around the line "you will see the King"), followed by statements from Pastor Lucious Smith. Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz then sang "I'll Be There", a number one single for both The Jackson 5 and Carey and Lorenz. This was followed by a statement from Queen Latifah, who also read "We Had Him", a poem written by Maya Angelou for the occasion. Lionel Richie, Jackson's friend and his co-writer on "We Are the World", performed the song "Jesus Is Love" by The Commodores. In the eulogy of Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, he stated, "In fact, the more I think and talk about Michael Jackson, I feel the King of Pop is not big enough for him. I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived." The statement was met with the longest standing ovation of the night.[14][15][16]



 A crowd of spectators gathering outside the Staples Center during the memorial service.
A video montage of Michael Jackson's life followed. Stevie Wonder spoke, played a small portion of "I Can't Help It", a song from Off the Wall that Wonder co-wrote, then performed a version of his songs "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" and "They Won't Go When I Go". Next Kobe Bryant spoke about Jackson's humanitarian work, and Magic Johnson (who had appeared in the music video for "Remember the Time") recalled his memories of Jackson. Accompanied by a dancing chorus, Jennifer Hudson performed "Will You Be There" a song Jackson wrote and performed for the 1993 film Free Willy which is also from his Dangerous album, along with the dancers who would have been on stage with Jackson for his O2 concerts. John Mayer played guitar on a mainly instrumental version of "Human Nature" from Jackson's Thriller. Brooke Shields then spoke about the personal time she spent with Jackson, read excerpts from The Little Prince, and said that his favorite song was Charlie Chaplin's "Smile", which was then performed by Jermaine Jackson.
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s children, Martin III and Bernice, then stated that Michael Jackson was the best that he could be. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas, Houston), representing the United States House of Representatives, emphasized that in the US, people are "innocent until proven guilty" (as the crowd cheered) then spoke about his "American story" plus his meetings with foreign diplomats, and that "Michael never stopped giving". She then went on to claim him as an American legend and world humanitarian (House Resolution 600[17]), closing her speech with a military salute as she said, "Michael Jackson, I salute you." Usher walked to the casket and then sang Larry Grossman and Buzz Kohan's "Gone Too Soon", which Jackson recorded as a tribute for Ryan White after his death; Usher cried near the end of the song as he placed his hand on the casket, but managed to finish. Following Usher, a clip from The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969 featuring the Jackson 5's rendition of The Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You" was shown. Following this, the song's composer and Miracles lead singer, Smokey Robinson, spoke about and made joking remarks about the Jackson 5 covering his song, and continued with a speech. Shaheen Jafargholi from Britain's Got Talent then performed the song.
Jackson choreographer Kenny Ortega presented Jafargholi, honored Jackson, and introduced the final performance of the memorial, which Jackson had been slated to perform during the This Is It dates. The concerts' chorus singers, Darrell Phinnessee, Ken Stacey, Dorian Holley, Judith Hill and guitarist Orianthi performed "We Are the World" and were joined on the stage by several of the guest speakers and performers as well as the Jackson family for the final chorus. With the entire group still on stage, Hill then led a performance of "Heal the World", with the remainder of the group joining in the chorus. Jackson's family then addressed the crowd. Jermaine—who had earlier performed a tearful rendition of "Smile"—gave a brief speech, followed by a eulogy by Marlon, where he tributed his stillborn twin brother Brandon, who died at birth, telling his younger brother to "give him a hug" for himself as a favor. Marlon then handed the microphone over to Janet, but in a move that came as a surprise to the show's organizers, she said that her niece, Paris, had something to say. Surrounded by her paternal aunts and uncles, Paris emotionally addressed the crowd before collapsing in tears and being escorted off the stage by her family:
“ I just want to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine... and I just want to say (starts crying) I love him... so much ”



 Outside the Staples Center during the memorial service.
Marlon Jackson then thanked the crowd in attendance, and the family escorted the casket out of the arena while an instrumental version of "Man in the Mirror" was performed. A microphone placed center stage was lit by spotlight while the instrumental version of "Man in the Mirror" played out, symbolizing the 'absence' of Michael Jackson. Many in the crowd applauded and cheered as Michael Jackson's coffin was carried out of the building. Pastor Lucious Smith closed the service with a prayer and quote saying "I'm alive and I'm here forever" from the Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson duet song The Man. The memorial was finished at 12:48 p.m.[18][19][20] Before broadcast of the service ended, a final slideshow of photos starting with Jackson's childhood and concluding with his final years played with Mariah Carey's version of "I'll Be There" playing.
Guest list[edit]
The participants were Ron Boyd (family friend), Los Angeles Lakers greats Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, fellow Motown Records alumni Berry Gordy, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Andrae Crouch (choir), Queen Latifah, Judith Hill (recruited 'This Is It' performer), Jennifer Hudson, Shaheen Jafargholi (a child finalist on Britain's Got Talent, who sang a Jackson song), Martin Luther King III, Bernice A. King, John Mayer, Omer Bhatti (a Norwegian rapper), Rev. Al Sharpton, Brooke Shields, Pastor Lucious Smith (family friend), and Usher. In, addition to the above persons, ABC News reported, Lionel Richie's daughter Nicole, who was Michael's goddaughter, and singers Akon and Sean Combs would attend the services.[21]
Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and mother of two of his three children, hoping not to be a distraction,[22] did not attend the funeral.[23] Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross, two of Jackson's closest friends, as well as Eliza Jackson Duphrey, Ivonne Ester Duphrey (Michael Jackson's cousins) also did not attend.[21]
Casket[edit]
Jackson was presented in a gold-plated solid bronze Promethean casket furnished by the Batesville Casket Company, which cost roughly $25,000. It is similar to the one in which James Brown was buried.[24][25] The closed casket at the Staples Center was decorated with red roses and Bells of Ireland flower arrangement. The casket was escorted by Jackson's brothers, each wearing a single sequined white glove on the hand in which they held the casket. Jackson was originally to be buried on what would have been his 51st birthday, however the services were postponed and he was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale on September 3, 2009.
Live broadcast[edit]
The service was broadcast live around the world, from the U.S. to Slovakia to parts of Asia. Public screenings were held in 37 cinemas across the U.S., as well as in Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Bucharest, Gothenburg, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Malmö, Oslo, Paris, Milan, Seville, Stockholm, and Tallinn.[26] There was also a live broadcast at 3am in Melbourne, Australia at Federation Square.[27] Before the event, the organizers expected an estimated one billion viewers.[28][29][30] According to Nielsen, 31.1 million Americans watched the service live on television;[31] an amount comparable to the 35.1 million that watched the state funeral of former president Ronald Reagan in 2004.[32] According to some news sources the event exceeded 2.5 billion viewers, which would make it the most watched live television broadcast in history worldwide.[33] Although this number is not widely agreed upon.



Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department motorcycle detail patrolling the parameter of the Staples Center during the memorial service.
Also in comparison to other big non-funeral related events, the inauguration of President Barack Obama garnered about 38 million viewers, and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics garnered about 34.2 million viewers in the U.S. alone.[34] The memorial service was the most watched event in online streaming history.[35] CNN's webcast drew at least 9.7 million streams; their feed on Ustream, 4.6 million streams; and MSNBC's feed via Justin.tv drew three million.[36]
Media coverage[edit]
According to Global Language Monitor, the coverage from the death and aftermath to the funeral of Michael Jackson tops Pope John Paul II as No.1 media (noting the longer timeframe and contentious circumstances re. the former).[37]
Cost[edit]
The city of Los Angeles said the memorial had cost the city $1.4 million for 1,400 police officers, trash pick-up, sanitation, and traffic control. The city set up a webpage asking fans for donations to help with the expenses, though it kept crashing. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said it would be wrong to expect taxpayers to finance a private event. "The city attorney does not want something like this happening again, the city paying for a private event," spokesman John Franklin told CNN. "That's especially in a cash-strapped city, where people have been furloughed or even lost jobs."[38]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ TVGuideNews (July 7, 2009). "Top Moments: Michael Jackson Memorial". TVGuide.com. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
2.Jump up ^ "Video of Sharpton's eulogy". Macleans (macleans.ca). July 7, 2009.
3.Jump up ^ Burkeman, Oliver (July 7, 2009). "Liveblogging Michael Jackson's funeral and memorial service". The Guardian (London). Retrieved May 12, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Emotional farewell to King of Pop". BBC News (bbcnews.com). July 7, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
5.Jump up ^ Parks, Tim (July 3, 2009). "AEG to release Jackson memorial tickets". Digital Spy.
6.Jump up ^ Allen, Nick (July 6, 2009). "Thirteen applications per second for Michael". The Daily Telegraph (London: telegraph.co.uk).
7.Jump up ^ "Website for Jackson tickets gets 500 million hits in first hour | L.A. Now | Los Angeles Times". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. July 3, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
8.Jump up ^ Suter, Leanne (July 2, 2009). "Jackson memorial set for Staples Center". ABClocal.com. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
9.Jump up ^ "One million fans expected at Michael Jackson memorial". azcentral.com. July 3, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
10.Jump up ^ ."1 Million Expected at Jackson's Star-Studded Memorial". Star Magazine. July 3, 2009.
11.^ Jump up to: a b c "Cost only security problem at Jackson memorial". CNN (CNN.com). July 7, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
12.Jump up ^ Vercammen, Paul (July 8, 2009). "Mayor's office: Michael Jackson memorial cost L.A. $1.4 million". CNN (CNN.com). Retrieved September 3, 2009.
13.Jump up ^ Singh, Anita (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson funeral to take place in Los Angeles". The Daily Telegraph (London: telegraph.co.uk).
14.Jump up ^ "Farewell to a King". People. July 20, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.[dead link]
15.Jump up ^ "BERRY GORDY - GORDY BRINGS MOURNERS TO THEIR FEET WITH JACKSON TRIBUTE". Contact Music. July 7, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
16.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson hailed as greatest entertainer, best dad". Reuters UK. July 8, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
17.Jump up ^ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.RES.600:
18.Jump up ^ "Entertainment | Reporters' log: Jackson memorial". BBC News. July 7, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
19.Jump up ^ Itzkoff, Dave (July 7, 2009). "Live Blogging the Jackson Memorial - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com". Artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
20.Jump up ^ Boucher, Geoff; DiMassa, Cara Mia (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson hailed during emotional memorial service". Los Angeles Times (latimes.com). Retrieved September 3, 2009.
21.^ Jump up to: a b Fisher, Luchina; Marikar, Sheila (July 7, 2009). "Michael Jackson's Memorial Lures A-List Attendees, Participants". ABC News (ABCNEWS.com).
22.Jump up ^ Larry King Live (television). CNN. July 6, 2009.
23.Jump up ^ Netter, Sarah; Friedman, Emily (July 6, 2009). "Michael Jackson to be Buried in Famed Hollywood Cemetery". ABC News (ABCNEWS.com). Retrieved September 3, 2009.
24.Jump up ^ Harlow, John (July 5, 2009). "Police target 30 in hunt for Michael Jackson’s drug suppliers". The Sunday Times.
25.Jump up ^ "Promethean Bronze". Caskets by Batesville.
26.Jump up ^ "Broadcast of Jackson Memorial Service to Mann Chinese Six Theatre in Los Angeles, CA to Be Cancelled at Request of Los Angeles Police Department". Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. cinedigm.com. July 7, 2009.
27.Jump up ^ Lawless, Jill (July 7, 2009). "Jackson's world fans mourn idol before memorial". Associated Press.
28.Jump up ^ de Moraes, Lisa (July 9, 2009). "Lisa De Moraes Column on Michael Jackson's Memorial Service". The Washington Post.
29.Jump up ^ [1]
30.Jump up ^ [2]
31.Jump up ^ de Moraes, Lisa (July 9, 2009). "Jackson's Memorial a Hit With Viewers but Not Quite Off the Charts". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
32.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson Memorial Earns 31 Million Viewers & More TV News - Inside TV Blog". Television.aol.com. July 9, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
33.Jump up ^ "Hazarikas funeral creates world record". MSN. July 8, 2009.
34.Jump up ^ "31.1 million watched Jackson memorial". MSNBC.com. Associated Press. July 13, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
35.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson memorial draws crowds online - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
36.Jump up ^ Ostrow, Adam (July 7, 2009). "CNN Live Stream of Michael Jackson Memorial: 9.7 Million Views". Mashable. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
37.Jump up ^ "Michael Jackson funeral tops Pope John Paul II as No. 1 media". Global Language Monitor.
38.Jump up ^ Duke, Alan; Saeed, Ahmed (July 8, 2009). "More associates link Jackson to prescription drugs". CNN (CNN.com).
External links[edit]
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Jackson memorial service.

Portal icon Los Angeles portal
Michael Jackson Memorial Service at the Internet Movie Database


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 t ·
 e
 
Michael Jackson































































































































































































































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Funerals by person
2009 in California
21st century in Los Angeles, California









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Cliff Richard

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Sir Cliff Richard
OBE
Cliff Richard (8454760629) cropped.jpg
Cliff Richard performing at the State Theatre, Sydney, Australia, in 2013

Background information

Birth name
Harry Rodger Webb
Born
14 October 1940 (age 74)
Lucknow, United Provinces, British India
Origin
London, England
Genres
Skiffle, rock and roll, pop, pop rock, CCM
Occupation(s)
Musician, actor, philanthropist
Instruments
Vocals, guitar, percussion
Years active
1958–present
Labels
EMI, EMI's Columbia, Epic, Decca, Rocket, Papillon
Associated acts
The Drifters/The Shadows, The Settlers,[1] Olivia Newton-John
Website
www.cliffrichard.org
Sir Cliff Richard OBE (born Harry Rodger Webb, 14 October 1940) is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor and philanthropist. He has been a resident for most of his life in the United Kingdom, but in 2010 confirmed that he is now a citizen of Barbados.[2] He divides his time between living in Barbados and at a vineyard property in Portugal.[3] Richard has sold more than 250 million records worldwide.[4] He has total sales of over 21 million singles in the United Kingdom[5] and is the third-top-selling singles artist in the UK's history, behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley.[3]
With his backing group the Shadows, Richard, originally positioned as a rebellious rock and roll singer in the style of Little Richard[6] and Elvis Presley, dominated the British popular music scene in the pre-Beatles period of the late 1950s and early 1960s. His 1958 hit single "Move It" is often described as Britain's first authentic rock and roll song, and John Lennon once claimed that "before Cliff and the Shadows, there had been nothing worth listening to in British music."[7][8] Increased focus on his Christian faith and subsequent softening of his music later led to a more middle of the road pop image, sometimes venturing into contemporary Christian music.
Over a career spanning more than 50 years, Richard has become a fixture of the British entertainment world, amassing many gold and platinum discs and awards, including three Brit Awards and two Ivor Novello Awards. He has had more than 130 singles, albums and EPs make the UK Top 20, more than any other artist[9] and holds the record (with Elvis Presley) as the only act to make the UK singles charts in all of its first six decades (1950s–2000s). He has achieved 14 UK No. 1 singles (or 18, depending on the counting methodology) and is the only singer to have had a No. 1 single in the UK in 5 consecutive decades: the 1950s through to the 1990s. In 2008, he celebrated his 50th anniversary in music by releasing a greatest hits album, featuring the new track "Thank You for a Lifetime", which reached number 3 in the UK singles chart. In November 2013, Richard released his latest album, The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook, which became the 100th album of his career.[10]
Richard has never achieved the same impact in the United States despite eight US Top 40 singles, including the million-selling "Devil Woman" and "We Don't Talk Anymore", the latter becoming the first to reach the Billboard Hot 100's top 40 in the 1980s by a singer who had been in the top 40 in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. In Canada, Richard achieved moderate success in the 1980s with several albums reaching platinum status. He has remained a popular music, film, and television personality in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Northern Europe and Asia, and he retains a following in other countries.
In August 2014, Richard was involved in a controversy about an allegation of a historical sexual offence against a boy which he strongly denied. At a House of Commons enquiry in September 2014, David Crompton, the chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, publicly apologised to Richard for doing a deal with the BBC about coverage of the police raid on his home.[11] In February 2015, the police said that the enquiry had "increased significantly in size" and "involves more than one allegation".[12][13] Again, Richard vehemently denied the allegations.[14] The BBC's tip-off regarding the search reportedly came from within Operation Yewtree, although Crompton said he could not be certain that the leak originated from there.[15]


Contents  [hide]
1 Biography 1.1 1940–58: Childhood and adolescence
1.2 1958–63: Success and stardom
1.3 1964–75: Changing circumstances
1.4 1976–94: Comeback
1.5 1995–2007: Knighthood
1.6 2008–present: 50th anniversary and The Shadows reunion
2 Lack of commercial support and music industry criticism
3 Personal life 3.1 Nationwide Festival of Light
3.2 Philanthropy
3.3 Scottish independence referendum
4 Controversies 4.1 Copyright
4.2 2014 property search and sexual assault allegations
5 Discography
6 Tours and concerts
7 Filmography
8 Theatre work
9 Awards
10 See also
11 References
12 Bibliography
13 External links

Biography
1940–58: Childhood and adolescence
Harry Rodger Webb was born in India at King George's Hospital, Victoria Street, in Lucknow, which was then part of British India (or the British Raj). His parents were Rodger Oscar Webb, a manager for a catering contractor that serviced the Indian Railways, and the former Dorothy Marie Dazely. Richard is primarily of English heritage, but he has one great-grandmother who was half Welsh and half Spanish, born of a Spanish great-great-grandmother named Emiline Joseph Rebeiro. Biographer Steve Turner attributed the Spanish ancestry for Richard and his mother's slightly dark complexions.[16]
The Webb family lived in a modest home in Maqbara, near the main shopping centre of Hazratganj.[17] Dorothy's mother served as the dormitory matron at the La Martiniere Girls' School. Richard has three sisters.[18]
In 1948, following Indian independence, the family embarked on a three-week sea voyage to Tilbury, Essex, England aboard the SS Ranchi. The Webbs moved from comparative wealth in India, where they had servants and lived in a company-supplied flat at Howrah near Calcutta, to a semi-detached house in Carshalton. Harry Webb attended a local primary school, Stanley Park Juniors, in Carshalton. In 1949 his father obtained employment in the credit control office of Thorn Electrical Industries and the family moved in with other relatives in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, where he attended Kings Road Junior Mixed Infants School until a three-bedroom council house in Cheshunt was allocated to them in 1950.
He then attended Cheshunt Secondary Modern School from 1952 to 1957. (The school was later renamed Riversmead School before being rebuilt and renamed Bishopslea School). As a member of the top stream, he stayed on beyond the minimum leaving age to take GCE Ordinary Level examinations and gained a pass in English literature. He then started work as a filing clerk for a company called Atlas Lamps.[19] A development of retirement flats, Cliff Richard Court, has been named after him in Cheshunt.[20]
Harry Webb became interested in skiffle. His father bought him a guitar at 16 and he formed the Quintones vocal group in 1957, before singing in the Dick Teague Skiffle Group.[21]
1958–63: Success and stardom



 Cliff Richard at a press conference in the Netherlands in 1962
Harry Webb became lead singer of a rock and roll group, the Drifters (not to be confused with the US group of the same name). 1950s entrepreneur Harry Greatorex wanted the up-and-coming Rock 'n' Roll singer to change from his real name of Harry Webb. The name Cliff was adopted as it sounded like cliff face, which suggested "Rock." It was "Move It" writer Ian Samwell who suggested that the former Harry Webb be surnamed Richard as a tribute to Webb's musical hero Little Richard.[6][22]
Before their first large-scale appearance, at the Regal Ballroom in Ripley, Derbyshire in 1958, they adopted the name "Cliff Richard and the Drifters". The four members were Harry Webb (now going under the stage name "Cliff Richard"), Ian "Sammy" Samwell on guitar, Terry Smart on drums and Norman Mitham on guitar. None of the other three played with the later and better known Shadows, although Samwell wrote songs for Richard's later career.
For his debut session, Norrie Paramor provided Richard with "Schoolboy Crush", a cover of an American record by Bobby Helms. Richard was permitted to record one of his own songs for the B-side; this was "Move It", written by the Drifters' Samwell on a number 715 Green Line bus on the way to Richard's house for a rehearsal. For the "Move It" session, Paramor used the session guitarist Ernie Shears on lead guitar and Frank Clark on bass.
There are various stories about why the A-side was replaced by the intended B-side. One is that Norrie Paramor's young daughter raved about the B-side; another was that influential TV producer Jack Good, who used the act for his TV show Oh Boy!, wanted the only song on his show to be "Move It".[23] Richard was quoted as saying –

It's wonderful to be going on TV for the first time, but I feel so nervous that I don't know what to do. I shaved my sideburns off last night... Jack Good said it would make me look more original.
—NME, September 1958[24]



 Cliff Richard with the Shadows in 1962
The single went to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. John Lennon credited "Move It" as being the first British rock record.[25]
In the early days, Richard was marketed as the British equivalent of Elvis Presley. Like previous British rockers such as Tommy Steele and Marty Wilde, Richard adopted Presley-like dress and hairstyle. In performance he struck a pose of rock attitude, rarely smiling or looking at the audience or camera. His late 1958 and early 1959 follow-up singles, "High Class Baby" and "Livin' Lovin' Doll", were followed by "Mean Streak", which carried a rocker's sense of speed and passion, and Lionel Bart's "Living Doll".
It was on "Living Doll" that the Drifters began to back Richard on record. It was his fifth record, and became his first No. 1 single. By that time the group's line-up had changed with the arrival of Jet Harris, Tony Meehan, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch. The group was obliged to change its name to "The Shadows" after legal complications with the American group the Drifters as "Living Doll" entered the American top 40, licensed by ABC-Paramount. "Living Doll" was used in Richard's début film Serious Charge, but as a country standard, rather than a rock and roll standard.
The Shadows were not a typical backing group. They became contractually separate from Richard, and the group received no royalties for records backing Richard. In 1959, the Shadows (then still the Drifters) landed an EMI recording contract of their own, for independent recordings. That year, they released three singles, two of which featured double-sided vocals and one of which had instrumental A and B sides. They thereafter had several major hits, including five UK No. 1s. The band also continued to appear and record with Richard and wrote many of his hits. On more than one occasion, a Shadows' instrumental replaced a Richard song at the top of the British charts.
Richard's fifth single "Living Doll" triggered a softer, more relaxed, sound. Subsequent hits, the No. 1s "Travellin' Light" and "I Love You" and also "A Voice in the Wilderness" lifted from his film Expresso Bongo and "Theme for a Dream" cemented Richard's status as a mainstream pop entertainer along with contemporaries such as Adam Faith and Billy Fury. Throughout the early 1960s, his hits were consistently in the top five.
In 1961, EMI records organised Richard's 21st birthday party at its London headquarters in Manchester Square led by his producer Norrie Paramor. Photographs of the celebrations were incorporated into Richard's next album "21 Today" in which Tony Meehan joined in despite, then, having very recently left the Shadows to be replaced by Brian Bennett.
Typically, the Shadows closed the first half of the show with a 30-minute set of their own, then backed Richard on his show-closing 45-minute stint as exemplified by the retrospective CD album release of "Live at the ABC Kingston 1962". Tony Meehan and Jet Harris left the group in 1961 and 1962 respectively and later had their own chart successes for Decca. The Shadows added bass players Brian Locking (1962–63) and then John Rostill (1963–68) and took on Brian Bennett permanently on drums.
In the early days, particularly on EP and album releases, Richard sometimes recorded without the Shadows to cater to other styles with the Norrie Paramor Orchestra with Tony Meehan and then Brian Bennett as a session drummer. Even after the Beatles' rise he continued to achieve hits, although more often with an orchestra rather than the Shadows: a revival of "It's All in the Game" and "Constantly", a revived single of a well-known Italian hit. A session under the direction of Billy Sherrill in Nashville, Tennessee yielded two more top two hits: "The Minute You're Gone" and "Wind Me Up" in 1965.
Richard, and in particular the Shadows, never achieved star status in the United States. In 1960 they toured the United States and were well-received, but lacklustre support and distribution from a revolving door of American record labels proved an obstacle to long-term success there despite several chart records by Richard including the aforementioned "It's All in the Game" on Epic, via a renewed linking of the worldwide Columbia labels after Philips ended its distribution deal with CBS. To the Shadows' chagrin, Apache reached No. 1 in the US via a cover version by Danish guitarist Jorgen Ingmann which was almost unchanged from their worldwide hit. Richard and the band appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was crucial for the Beatles, but these performances did not help them gain sustained success in North America.
Richard and the Shadows appeared in six feature films including a debut in the 1959 film Serious Charge but most notably in The Young Ones, Summer Holiday, Wonderful Life and Finders Keepers. These films created their own genre known as the "Cliff Richard musical" and led to Richard being named the No. 1 cinema box office attraction in Britain for both 1962 and 1963 beating that of even James Bond.[26] The title song of The Young Ones became his biggest-selling single in the United Kingdom, selling over one million copies in the UK.[27] The irreverent 1980s TV sitcom The Young Ones took its name from Richard's 1962 film. In mid-1963, Cliff and the Shadows appeared for a season in Blackpool, where Richard had his portrait modelled by Victor Heyfron.
1964–75: Changing circumstances
As with the other existing rock acts in Britain, Richard's career was affected by the advent of the Beatles and the Mersey sound in 1963 and 1964. He continued to have hits in the charts throughout the 1960s, albeit not at the level that he had enjoyed before. Nor did doors open to him in the US market; he was not considered part of the British Invasion, and despite four Hot 100 hits (including the top 25 "It's All in the Game") between August 1963 and August 1964, the American public had little awareness of him.
Richard's 1965 UK No. 12 hit "On My Word" ended a run of 23 consecutive top ten UK hits between "A Voice in the Wilderness" in 1960 to "The Minute You're Gone" in 1965, which, to date, is still a record number of consecutive top ten UK hits for a male artist.[28] Richard continued having international hits, including 1967's "The Day I Met Marie", which reached No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 in the Australian charts.
Although baptised as an Anglican, Richard did not practise the faith in his early years. In 1964, he became an active Christian and his faith has become an important aspect of his life. Standing up publicly as a Christian affected his career in several ways. Initially, he believed that he should quit rock 'n roll, feeling he could no longer be the rocker who had been called a "crude exhibitionist" and "too sexy for TV". Richard intended at first to "reform his ways" and become a teacher, but Christian friends advised him not to abandon his career just because he had become an active Christian. Soon after, Richard re-emerged, performing with Christian groups and recording some Christian material. He still recorded secular songs with the Shadows, but devoted a lot of his time to Christian work, including appearances with the Billy Graham crusades. As time progressed, Richard balanced his faith and work, enabling him to remain one of the most popular singers in Britain as well as one of its best-known Christians.
Richard acted in the 1967 film Two a Penny, released by Billy Graham's World Wide Pictures,[29] in which he played Jamie Hopkins, a young man who gets involved in drug dealing while questioning his life after his girlfriend changes her attitude. He released the live album Cliff in Japan in 1967.
In 1968, he sang the UK's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest: "Congratulations" by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter; it lost by one point to Spain's "La La La". According to John Kennedy O'Connor's The Eurovision Song Contest—The Official History, this was the closest result yet in the contest and Richard locked himself in the toilet to avoid the nerves of the voting.[30] In May 2008 a Reuters news report claimed that voting in the competition had been fixed by the Spanish dictator leader, Francisco Franco, to ensure that the Spanish entry won, allowing them to host the contest the following year (1969). It is claimed that Spanish TVE television executives offered to buy programmes in exchange for votes.[31][32] The story was widely covered and featured on UK Channel 4 News as a main story, with Jon Snow interviewing author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor about the matter.[33] Eurovision later ended voting by national juries in a bid to eradicate such alleged scams. Nevertheless, "Congratulations" was a huge hit throughout Europe and Australia and yet another No. 1 in April 1968.
After the Shadows split in 1968, Richard continued to record.



 Portrait by Allan Warren (1973)
During the 1970s, Richard took part in several television shows and fronted his own show It's Cliff Richard from 1970–1976. It starred Olivia Newton-John, Hank Marvin and Una Stubbs, and included A Song for Europe. He began 1970 by appearing live on the BBC's review of the sixties music scene, Pop Go The Sixties, which was broadcast across Britain and Europe on 31 December 1969. He performed "Bachelor Boy" with the Shadows and "Congratulations" solo. In 1972, he made a short BBC television comedy film called The Case with appearances from comedians and his first ever duets with a woman, Olivia Newton-John. He went on to release a double live album "Cliff Live in Japan 1972" featuring Newton-John.
His final acting role on the silver screen was in 1973 when he starred in the film Take Me High.
In 1973, he sang the British Eurovision entry "Power to All Our Friends"; the song finished third, close behind Luxembourg's "Tu Te Reconnaîtras" and Spain's "Eres Tú". This time, Richard took Valium to overcome his nerves and his manager was almost unable to wake him for the performance.[34] Richard also hosted the BBC's qualifying heat for the Eurovision Song Contest, A Song for Europe, in 1970, 1971 and 1972 as part of his BBCTV variety series. He presented the Eurovision Song Contest Previews for the BBC in 1971 and 1972.
In 1975, he released the single "Honky Tonk Angel" produced by Hank Marvin and John Farrar, oblivious to its connotations or hidden meanings. As soon as Richard was notified that a "honky-tonk angel" was southern US slang for a prostitute, Richard ordered EMI to withdraw it. He refused to promote it despite making a video for it. EMI agreed to his demand despite positive sales. About 1,000 copies are known to exist on vinyl.
1976–94: Comeback
In 1976, the decision was made to repackage Richard as a "rock" artist. That year Bruce Welch relaunched Cliff's career and produced the landmark album I'm Nearly Famous, which included the successful but controversial guitar-driven track "Devil Woman" (Richard's first true hit in the US) and the ballad "Miss You Nights". Richard's fans were excited about this revival of a performer who had been a part of British rock from its early days. Many music names such as Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Elton John were seen sporting I'm Nearly Famous badges, pleased that their boyhood idol was getting back into the heavier rock in which he had begun his career.
Notwithstanding this, Richard continued to release albums with contemporary Christian music content in parallel with his rock and pop albums, for example: Small Corners from 1978 contained the single "Yes He Lives". On 31 December 1976, he performed his latest single "Hey, Mr. Dream Maker" on BBC1's A Jubilee of Music, celebrating British pop music for Queen Elizabeth II's impending Silver Jubilee.
In 1979, Richard teamed up once again with producer Bruce Welch for the pop hit single "We Don't Talk Anymore", written by Alan Tarney, which hit No. 1 in the UK and No. 7 in the US. Bryan Ferry added hummed backing vocals to the song. The record made Richard the first act to reach the Hot 100's top 40 in the 1980s who had also been there in each of the three previous decades. The song was quickly added onto the end of his latest album Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. It was his first time at the top of the UK singles chart in over ten years and the song would become his biggest-selling single worldwide, selling almost five million copies throughout the world.[35] Later in 1979, Richard performed with Kate Bush at the London Symphony Orchestra's 75th anniversary celebration at the Royal Albert Hall.[36]
At long last Richard had some extended success in the United States following "Devil Woman". The follow-up "Dreamin'" peaked at No. 10. His 1980 duet "Suddenly" with Olivia Newton-John, from the film Xanadu, peaked at No. 20. In the UK, "Dreamin'" peaked at No. 8 and "Carrie" reached No. 4. In a retrospective review of the single, AllMusic journalist Dave Thompson praised "Carrie" as being "an enthrallingly atmospheric number. One of the most electrifying of all Cliff Richard's recordings."[37]
In 1980, Richard changed his name by deed poll from Harry Webb to Cliff Richard[38] and received the O.B.E. from the Queen for services to music and charity.[39]
The singles chart saw his most consistent period of top twenty hits since the mid-1960s, with "A Little in Love", "Dreamin'", and "Suddenly" on the Hot 100 at the same time at the end of 1980. Richard continued with a string of top ten albums, including I'm No Hero, Wired for Sound, Now You See Me, Now You Don't, and, marking his 25th year in show business, Silver.
In 1986, Richard reached No. 1 by teaming up with The Young Ones to re-record his smash hit "Living Doll" for the charity Comic Relief. Along with the song, the recording contained comedy dialogue between Richard and the Young Ones. That same year Richard opened in the West End as a rock musician called upon to defend Earth in a trial set in the Andromeda Galaxy in the multi-media Dave Clark musical Time. Two Richard singles, "She's So Beautiful", which reached No. 17 in the UK and "Born To Rock 'n Roll", were released respectively in 1985 and 1986 from the concept album recorded for Time.
In August 1986, Richard was involved in a five-car crash in torrential rain on the M4 motorway in West London. Richard's car was a write-off as another car swerved and braked hard. Richard hurt his back in the accident, but was not seriously injured in the crash. Police called for a cab from the accident scene so that he was able to perform that night in the "Time" musical. Richard said: "I'm lucky to be here" after the show. He said that his seatbelt prevented him from flying through the windscreen.[40]
In October 1986, "All I Ask of You", a duet that Richard recorded with Sarah Brightman from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical version of The Phantom of the Opera reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart.[41] 1987 saw Richard record his Always Guaranteed album, which became his best selling album of all new material. It contained the two top-10 hit singles "My Pretty One" and "Some People".
Richard concluded his thirtieth year in music by achieving a UK Christmas No. 1 single in 1988 with "Mistletoe and Wine", while simultaneously holding the No. 1 positions on the album and video charts with the compilation Private Collection summing up his biggest hits from 1979–1988. "Mistletoe and Wine" was Richard's 99th UK single and spent four weeks at the top of the chart. It was the best-selling UK single of 1988, shifting 750,000 copies.[42]
In 1989, Richard received the Brits highest award: "The Outstanding Contribution award".[43] In June 1989, he filled London's Wembley Stadium for two nights with a spectacular titled "The Event" in front of a combined audience of 144,000 people.[44]
Richard's 1989 UK No. 2 hit single "The Best of Me" received positive reviews from critics and established him as the first British artist to release 100 singles.[45] "The Best of Me" was included in the top ten album Stronger, together with the UK No. 3 "Just Don't Have The Heart" and the 1990 UK No. 11 hit "From a Distance".
On 30 June 1990, Richard performed to an estimated 120,000 people at England's Knebworth Park as part of an all-star concert line-up that also included Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Elton John and Tears for Fears. The concert in aid of charity was televised around the world and helped to raise $10.5 million for disabled children and young musicians.[46][47]
Later in 1990, Richard scored his second UK Christmas No. 1 single with "Saviour's Day", a song written by Chris Eaton, which became Richard's 13th UK No. 1 single and his 100th top 40 hit.[48] The video for "Saviour's Day" featured Richard singing on top of the limestone arch landmark of Durdle Door in Dorset.[49]
Richard unsuccessfully bid for the Christmas No. 1 spot again with "We Should Be Together" and "Healing Love" in 1991 and 1993 respectively – the latter being taken from his No. 1 studio album Cliff Richard – The Album. The next few years saw Richard concentrate on bringing the musical Heathcliff to the stage.
Back in the UK during the next years and throughout the 1980s, Richard remained one of the best-known music artists in the country. In the space of several years he worked with Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Julian Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Phil Everly, Janet Jackson, Sheila Walsh and Van Morrison. Richard also reunited with Olivia Newton-John. Meanwhile, the Shadows later re-formed (and again split). They recorded on their own, but also reunited with Richard in 1978, 1984, 1989–90, 2004, and 2009 for some concerts.
1995–2007: Knighthood
On 17 June 1995, Richard was appointed a Knight Bachelor (and invested on 25 October 1995)[50] and became the first rock star to be so honoured (Bob Geldof had received his honorary knighthood nine years earlier).



 Cliff Richard performing in London during the 50th Anniversary tour in 2008
In 1996, he led the Wimbledon Centre Court crowd in singing during a rain delay when asked by Wimbledon officials to entertain the crowd.[51][52]
In 1998, Richard demonstrated that radio stations were refusing to play his music by releasing his latest single "Can't Keep This Feeling In" on a white label under the pseudonym of Blacknight. The single was featured on playlists until the true artist was revealed.[53]
In 1999, controversy again arose regarding radio stations refusing to play his releases when EMI, Richard's label since 1958, refused to release his song, "The Millennium Prayer", having judged that the song did not have commercial potential.[54] Richard took it to an independent label, Papillon, which released the charity recording (in aid of Children's Promise). The single went on to top the UK chart for three weeks, becoming his fourteenth No.1 and the third-highest-selling single of his career.
Richard's next album, in 2001, was a covers project, Wanted, followed by another top ten album, Cliff at Christmas. The holiday album contained both new and older recordings, including the single "Santa's List", which reached No. 5 in 2003.
For his seven-day-long 60th birthday party Richard in conjunction with OK magazine hired a cruise boat to Monte Carlo and sailed with his top 80 (out of a possible 500) specially invited guests, mostly from British showbiz, to France. Among the guests were Olivia Newton-John, Shirley Bassey, Sue Barker, Gloria Hunniford, Tim Rice, Mike Read, Richard's three sisters, etc.
Richard went to Nashville, Tennessee for his next album project in 2004, employing a writers' conclave to give him the pick of all new songs for the album Something's Goin' On. It was another top-10 album, and produced three UK top-20 singles: "Something's Goin' On", "I Cannot Give You My Love", with Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, and "What Car".
On 14 June 2004, Richard joined the Shadows on-stage at the London Palladium. The Shadows had decided to re-form for another tour of the UK. It was not to be their last tour together though, as they would re-form once again for a final tour five years later in 2009.
Two's Company, an album of duets released in 2006, was another top-10 success for Richard and included newly recorded material with Brian May, Dionne Warwick, Anne Murray, Barry Gibb and Daniel O'Donnell, plus some previously recorded duets with artists such as Phil Everly, Elton John and Olivia Newton-John. Two's Company was released to coincide with the UK leg of his latest world tour, "Here and Now", which included lesser known songs such as "My Kinda Life", "How Did She Get Here", "Hey Mr. Dream Maker", "For Life", "A Matter of Moments", "When The Girl in Your Arms" and the Christmas single "21st Century Christmas", which debuted at No. 2 on the UK singles chart.
Another compilation album, Love... The Album was released on 12 November 2007. Like Two's Company before it, this album includes both previously released material and newly recorded songs, namely "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "When You Say Nothing at All", "All Out of Love", "If You're Not the One" and "When I Need You" (the last was released as a single, reaching No. 38; the album peaked at No. 13).[55]
2008–present: 50th anniversary and The Shadows reunion



 50th Anniversary Tour, Wembley


 2009 Brussels
2008, Richard's 51st year in the music business saw the release of the eight-CD box set And They Said It Wouldn't Last (My 50 Years in Music).[56] In September, a single celebrating his 50 years in pop music, titled "Thank You for a Lifetime" was released. On 14 September 2008 it reached No. 3 on the UK music charts.
On 11 November 2008, Richard's official website announced that Cliff and the Shadows would reunite to celebrate their 50th anniversary in the music business. A month later they performed at the Royal Variety Performance. In 2009, Cliff and the Shadows brought their partnership to an end with the "Golden Anniversary concert tour of the UK".
A new album by Richard and the Shadows was released in September 2009. Titled Reunited, It was their first studio project in forty years. The 28 tracks recorded comprise 25 re-recordings of their earlier work, with three "new" tracks, originally from that era (and earlier), the single "Singing the Blues", along with Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody" and the Frankie Ford hit "Sea Cruise". The album charted at No. 6 in the UK charts in its opening week and peaked at No. 4. The reunion tour continued into Europe in 2010. In June 2009, it was reported by Sound Kitchen Studios in Nashville that Richard was to return there shortly to record a new album of original recordings of jazz songs.[57] He was to record fourteen tracks in a week.
Richard performed "Congratulations" at the 70th birthday celebrations of Queen Margrethe II in Denmark on 13 April 2010.
On 14 October 2010, Richard celebrated his 70th birthday and to mark the occasion, he performed a series of six concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, London. To accompany the concerts, a new album of cover versions of swing standards, Bold as Brass, was released on 11 October.



 2009 Brussels
After a week of promotion, Richard flew out to rehearse for the German Night of the Proms concerts in Belgium at the end of October. He made a surprise appearance at the Antwerp concert of the Night of the Proms on Thursday, 28 October 2010 and sang "We Don't Talk Anymore" to a great reaction from the surprised 20,000 fans at Sportpaleis Antwerp. In all, he toured 12 German cities in November and December 2010, during the Night of the Proms concerts, as the headline act. The total of 18 concerts were attended by over 300,000 fans. Richard performed a selection of hits and tracks from the Bold As Brass album.
In November 2010, he achieved his third consecutive UK No. 1 music DVD in three years with the DVD release of Bold as Brass.
In October 2011, Richard released his Soulicious album, containing duets with American soul singers including Percy Sledge, Ashford and Simpson, Roberta Flack, Freda Payne and Candi Staton.[58] The album was produced by Lamont Dozier and was supported by a short UK arena tour. Soulicious became Richard's 41st top-10 UK hit album.
He was among the performers at the Diamond Jubilee concert held outside Buckingham Palace on 4 June 2012.[59]
On 30 June 2012, Richard helped to carry the Olympic torch from Derby to Birmingham as part of the torch relay for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Richard said that his run with the Olympic torch would be one of his top-10 memories.[60]
In November 2013, Richard released the 100th album of his career, The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook. To that point Richard had released 47 studio albums, 35 compilations, 11 live albums and 7 film soundtracks.[61]
Richard was scheduled to open for Morrissey at a live concert at New York's 19,000-capacity Barclays Center on 21 June 2014.[62][63] Morrissey said that he was "honoured and thrilled" to have Richard on the bill.[64] It was reported on 16 June 2014 that Morrissey had cancelled the concert after collapsing with an "acute fever". Richard announced that he would stage a free show for fans in New York on the same night the cancelled concert was due to take place.[65]
In October 2014, Richard announced that he will perform on tour in 2015 to mark his 75th birthday. Richard will play eleven concerts across seven cities in the UK, including four at London's Royal Albert Hall.[66]
Lack of commercial support and music industry criticism
Richard has openly complained about the lack of commercial support he receives from radio stations and record labels. He spoke about this on The Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV in December 2007, pointing out that while new bands needed airplay for promotion and sales, long-established artists such as himself also relied upon airplay for the same reasons. He also noted that 1980s radio stations did play his records and that this went some way to help sales and maintain his media presence. In the BBC Radio 2 documentary Cliff – Take Another Look, he pointed out that many documentaries charting the history of British music (e.g. I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band!) fail to mention him (or the Shadows).[67]
In 1998, Chris Evans, the then breakfast show host on Virgin Radio, vowed he would never again play a record by Richard, stating that he was "too old".[68][69] In June 2004, British disc jockey Tony Blackburn was suspended from his radio job at Classic Gold Digital for playing records by Richard against station policy. The head of programmes, Paul Baker, sent an e-mail to Blackburn stating that Richard "doesn't match our brand values. He's not on the playlist, and you must stop playing him." On Blackburn's next morning breakfast show, he read a print-out of the e-mail live on air to the show's 400,000 listeners and went on to play two songs by Richard. Classic Gold managing director John Baish later confirmed Blackburn's suspension from the show.[70]
In 2011, digital station Absolute Radio '60s, dedicated to playing popular music from the 1960s, announced they would not be playing any of Richard's records because they claimed they did not fit "the cool sound... we're trying to create". DJ Pete Mitchell claimed "Timeless acts of the decade that remain relevant today are the Beatles, the Stones, the Doors and the Who, not Sir Cliff." Richard responded to this by saying: "They're lying to themselves, and more importantly they're lying to the public."[71]
Richard has spoken of his irritation about other stars who are praised after taking drugs.[72] In 2009, Richard said he was the "most radical rock-and-roll singer Britain has ever seen" as he did not indulge in drugs or sexual promiscuity.[73] Richard said he is proud that he never adopted the hedonistic lifestyle of a typical rock star. He said: "I've never wanted to trash a hotel room."[74]
Richard has criticised the music industry for encouraging artists to court controversy. In November 2013, he said: "The music industry has changed drastically and that damages young artists. This industry can be very destructive."[75] Richard expressed concern about the sexually explicit public image of singer Miley Cyrus, following controversy surrounding a semi-naked video for her song "Wrecking Ball".[75] In the 1970s, Richard said that he was disturbed by the visual imagery and mock horror of singer Alice Cooper.[76] In 1997, Richard said of the rock band Oasis: "It's just a shame that part of what gives them their kick is their self-destructive impulse."[77]
In 2011, Sam Leith, a journalist from The Guardian, wrote of Richard's lack of commercial support among radio stations: "His uncompromising Christianity, his clean-living ways, and his connoisseurship of the fruits of his Portuguese winery have made him an object of incomprehension, even ridicule, for the uncultured, alcopop-drinking younger generation."[78]
In December 2013, Richard said that he felt two of his singles, "Mistletoe and Wine" and "The Millennium Prayer", had created a negative reaction against him. He said: "Airplay is vital for single hits. The only way I can have a fair competition is if your records are on the radio. There is an ageism in the radio industry. If you ask me to record a new song, I'm not sure it would get the support it needs."[79]
Author and rock music critic Tony Parsons has said: "If you don't like at least some Cliff Richard, then you don't like pop music".[80] Musician Sting has also defended Richard, stating: "Cliff Richard is in my opinion one of Britain's finest singers technically and emotionally."[81]
Personal life
Richard's father, Rodger Webb, died in 1961, aged 56. The death of his father at a young age greatly impacted Richard. He later said: "My father died very young. He missed the best parts of my career. When my father was sick, we became very close."[82] Richard's mother, Dorothy, died in October 2007, aged 87, after a decade with Alzheimer's disease. In a 2006 interview, he spoke about the difficulties he and his sisters had in dealing with their mother's condition.[83]
Richard is a lifelong bachelor.[84] In a three-page letter written in October 1961 to "his first serious girlfriend",[85] Australian dancer Delia Wicks, made public in April 2010 after her death from cancer, Richard writes, "Being a pop singer I have to give up one priceless thing – the right to any lasting relationship with any special girl. I've just had to make, probably, one of the biggest decisions I'm ever going to make and I'm hoping that it won't hurt you too much."[84] The couple had been dating for 18 months. In the letter he goes on to say, "I couldn't give up my career, besides the fact that my mother and sisters, since my father's death, rely on me completely. I have showbiz in my blood now and I would be lost without it." Richard urged her to "find someone who is free to love you as you deserve to be loved" and who "is able to marry you".[85]
After Delia Wicks died in 2010, aged 71, her brother Graham Wicks said that she had been "devastated" by Richard's decision to end their relationship, describing Richard as "a very pleasant man".[84]
At the age of 22, a year after his relationship with Delia Wicks ended, Richard had a brief romance with the actress Una Stubbs.[80] Later in the 1960s, Richard considered marriage to the dancer Jackie Irving. Richard described Irving as "utterly beautiful" and says for a time they were "inseparable".[86]
In his autobiography, Richard stressed that "sex is not one of the things that drives me", but he also wrote of his seduction by Carol Costa, who at the time was the estranged wife of Jet Harris.[86]
In the 1980s, Richard considered asking Sue Barker,[86] a former French Open tennis champion and Wimbledon semi-finalist,[87] if she would agree to marry him. In 2008, Richard said of his relationship with Barker: "I seriously contemplated asking her to marry me, but in the end I realised that I didn't love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her."[86]
Richard first met Barker in 1982, when she was aged 25. Their romance attracted considerable media attention after Richard flew to Denmark to watch her play in a tennis match and they were later photographed cuddling and holding hands at Wimbledon.[88][89] In an interview in February 1983, Richard spoke of the possibility of marriage with her. He said: "I'm seeing Sue, the only girl I want to see at the moment and if marriage comes on the horizon, I shall relish it."[90] In September 1983, Richard said that he had no immediate plans to marry Barker. He said: "It's not vital to get married and it's not vital to be a father. But I would like to settle down and have a family one day."[91] In July 1984, Barker said of her romance with Richard: "I love him, he's great and I'm sure we love each other."[92]
In 1986, after Richard's romance with Barker had ended and she began dating tennis player Stephen Shaw, Richard said that he was still a friend of Barker. He said: "We have a mutual respect for each other and that means a lot to me."[93]
When later asked why he has never married, Richard said: "I've had a few false alarms. I've been in love, but marriage is a big commitment and being an artist consumes a great deal of time."[94] He said that in the early 1970s he was in love with the singer and actress Olivia Newton-John. Richard said: "At the time when I and many of us were in love with Olivia she was engaged to someone else. I'm afraid I lost the chance."[94]
In 1988, Richard's nephew Philip Harrison spent the first four months of his life in a children's hospital suffering from serious breathing problems. Richard later helped to raise money for the hospital in east London and said that his nephew "had a terrible time but the hospital saved his life."[95][96]
Although he has never married, Richard has rarely lived alone. For many years he shared his main home with his charity and promotion schedules manager, Bill Latham, and Latham's mother.[97][98] In 1982, Richard described them as his "second family".[99] Latham's girlfriend, Jill, also lived at the house in Weybridge, Surrey, with them for a time.[80] In 1993, Bill Latham said of Richard's bachelor status: "His freedom has meant that he has been able to do much more than if he had a family. He always goes the extra mile. If he was to have a relationship, he would give it everything. So because his commitments have been his career, his faith, and more latterly, tennis, he has given himself wholeheartedly to those three activities."[100]
Richard often declines discussion about close relationships and when asked about suggestions that he may be homosexual has stated categorically that he is not. When the suggestions were first put to him in the late 1970s, Richard responded by saying: "It's untrue. People are very unfair with their criticism and their judgements. I've had girlfriends. But people seem to think that if a bloke doesn't sleep around he must be gay. Marriage is a very special thing to me. I'm certainly not going to do it just to make other people feel satisfied."[99] In 1986, Richard said that rumours about him being homosexual had previously been "very painful" to him.[93]
When asked in 1992 if he had ever considered the possibility that he might be gay, he responded: "No."[101] Richard said: "Even if I got married tomorrow there would be a group of people who would believe what they wanted to believe. All that counts is what your family and friends know and they all trust and respect me. What the people outside think, I have no control over."[101] Later in 1996, Richard said: "I'm aware of the rumours, but I am not gay."[72] In 1997, he said: "People who are single shouldn't have to be second-class citizens – we needn't be embarrassed or feel guilty about it, we all have a role to play."[77]
Richard said that his faith in God was tested in 1999 after the murder of his close friend, the British television presenter Jill Dando. He said: "I was really angry with God. It shook me rigid that someone as beautiful, talented and harmless could have been killed."[102] Richard said that Dando had many likeable qualities and described her as "a very genuine person". He said of Dando's murder: "It is very difficult to understand and I find it all very confusing."[103] He attended her funeral in May 1999 in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.[104]
Richard has spoken of his friendship with John McElynn, an American former missionary whom Richard met in 2001 on a visit to New York.[105] In 2008, Richard said: "John now spends most of his time looking after my properties, which means I don't have to. John and I have over time struck up a close friendship. He has also become a companion, which is great because I don't like living alone, even now."[86]
In an interview with David Frost in 2002, Richard said that his many good friends have prevented him from feeling lonely and he has always got someone he can talk to.[106] Richard has been a family friend of the Northern Irish broadcaster Gloria Hunniford for over 40 years. When Hunniford's daughter Caron Keating was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to keep her illness private from the public, Richard was among a small close circle of friends who knew of Keating's cancer. When Keating died in April 2004, Richard attended her funeral in Kent and performed his song "Miss You Nights" in tribute to her.[107][108]
In 2006, Richard received a Portuguese Order in which he was appointed Commander of the Order of Prince Henry (ComIH),[109] this in recognition of his 40 years of personal and business involvement in that country. Richard finished No. 56 in the 2002 100 Greatest Britons list, sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public.
In his 2008 autobiography, Richard wrote that his views on certain issues are less judgemental than when he was younger.[110] He called on the Church of England to affirm people's commitment in same-sex marriage.[111] He writes: "In the end, I believe, people are going to be judged for what they are. It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me and says: 'This is my partner – we are committed to each other,' then I don't care what their sexuality is. I'm not going to judge – I'll leave that to God."[86]
In 2009, the British media reported on a growing friendship between Richard and Cilla Black. The Daily Telegraph said that Richard and Black looked at properties together in Miami and were regularly seen together in Barbados, where they both own villas. Richard and Black reportedly enjoyed each other's company dining together in Marbella and watching tennis in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.[112]
The official party celebrating Richard's 70th birthday was held on 23 October 2010, with guests including Cilla Black, Elaine Paige and Daniel O'Donnell.
In 2010, Richard confirmed that he is no longer a resident of the United Kingdom and had been granted citizenship by Barbados. He said: "I'm officially a non-resident [of the UK], although I will always be British and proud of it."[2] He currently divides his time between living in Barbados and at a vineyard property in Portugal.[3] He has retained a British property in Sunningdale, Berkshire.[113]
When asked in February 2013 if he has regrets about not starting a family, Richard said that if he had been married with children he could not have devoted so much time to his career. He said: "My three sisters have children, and it's been wonderful to watch them grow up, get married and start families of their own. I've made sure I've always played a part in their lives. So while I think I would have been a good father, I've given myself to my family and I wouldn't have it any other way. My 'freedom' allows me to continue my career. Had I been married, with children, I wouldn't be able to do what I do now."[114]
Nationwide Festival of Light
In 1971, Richard was a leading supporter of the Nationwide Festival of Light, a movement formed by British Christians who were concerned about the development of the permissive society. Richard joined public figures such as Malcolm Muggeridge, Mary Whitehouse and Bishop Trevor Huddleston to demonstrate in London for "love and family life" and against what the organisers called "pornography and moral pollution". Muggeridge claimed that the media was "largely in the hands of those who favour a slide into decadence and Godlessness."[115]
One of the targets for the Festival of Light's campaign was the growth of sexually explicit films.[116] Richard was one of approximately 30,000 people who gathered at London's Trafalgar Square for a demonstration. One focus of their protest was against the Swedish sex education film Language of Love, which was showing at a nearby cinema.[117]
Philanthropy
Since March 1966, Richard has followed the practice of giving away at least a tenth of his income to charity.[118] Richard has stated that two biblical principles have guided him in how to use his money. He said: "Firstly, it was the love of money (not money itself) that was the root of all evil. Secondly, to be good and responsible stewards of what was entrusted to us."[119] In 1990, Richard said: "Those of us who have something to offer have to be prepared to give all the time."[95]
For over 40 years Richard has been a supporter of Tearfund, a Christian charity that aims to tackle poverty in many countries across the world. He has made overseas visits to see their work in Uganda, Bangladesh and Brazil. Richard has said: "Playing a part in relieving poverty is, as I see it, the responsibility of us all."[120]
Richard has donated to a leading dementia research charity, Alzheimer's Research UK. He has helped to raise funds and awareness of the disease by speaking publicly about his mother's condition.[121]
Richard has also supported numerous UK charities over many years through the Cliff Richard Charitable Trust, both through donations and by making personal visits to schools, churches, hospitals and homes for special needs children. Richard's passion for tennis, which was encouraged by his former girlfriend Sue Barker, also led him in 1991 to establish the Cliff Richard Tennis Foundation. The charity has encouraged thousands of primary schools in the UK to introduce the sport, with over 200,000 children taking part in the tennis sessions which tour the country. The Foundation has since become part of the charitable wing of the Lawn Tennis Association.[72][122][123]
The Cliff Richard Charitable Trust gives grants on a quarterly basis, with about 50 different UK registered charities benefiting each time. Richard's Trust mainly donates to charities working in medical research, with children and the elderly, and for those involved in helping people with disabilities.[124]
Scottish independence referendum
Richard was one of 200 public figures, including singers Mick Jagger, Bryan Ferry, and Sting, who asked the people of Scotland to vote against independence in the Scottish independence referendum, 2014.[125]
Controversies
Copyright
Richard was involved in a campaign to extend copyright from 50 to 95 years, and extend the number of years on which a musician can receive royalties. The campaign was unsuccessful and the copyright on many of Richard's early recordings expired in 2008.[126]
2014 property search and sexual assault allegations
In August 2014, in response to a complaint to the Metropolitan Police's Operation Yewtree (set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal),[127] Richard's apartment in Berkshire was searched by South Yorkshire Police in relation to an alleged historical sexual assault[128][129] at an appearance by the American preacher Billy Graham in Sheffield in 1985.[128] Richard was in Portugal at the time of the search; no-one was arrested at the property. Richard said the allegation was "completely false" and complained that the press appeared to have been given advance notice that his home in Berkshire was to be searched – whereas he had not been.[128] He later said that he had been aware of allegations against him online for many months, but "chose not to dignify the false allegations with a response".[128] The BBC were criticised for their coverage of the search;[130] former Attorney General Dominic Grieve accused the police of having a "collusive relationship" with the BBC.[131]
Police initially denied leaking details of the property search, but South Yorkshire Police later confirmed that they had been "working with a media outlet" about the investigation.[132] Writing in The Independent, the barrister and broadcaster Geoffrey Robertson called for an independent inquiry into the police operation.[132]
In August 2014, The Sunday Times reported that senior law figures said the police search of Richard's home may have been illegal because officers failed to tell a court about a deal with the BBC to televise it. South Yorkshire police confirmed that the magistrate who approved a search warrant for Richard's apartment was not told about the force's agreement with the broadcaster.[133] The former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, QC, criticised the police force for its "completely disreputable conduct" and said its action could make the warrant unlawful.[133] Richard pulled out of a visit to the US Open tennis championships, turned down the freedom of his adopted Portuguese home city of Albufeira and cancelled a scheduled appearance at Coventry Cathedral because he did not want the event to be "overshadowed by the false allegation".[134] He subsequently returned to the UK and voluntarily met with and was interviewed by members of South Yorkshire Police.[135] He was not arrested or charged.[136]
On 2 September 2014, David Crompton, the chief constable of South Yorkshire police, was questioned by MPs from the House of Commons home affairs select committee for doing a controversial deal with the BBC. Crompton publicly apologised to Richard.[11] Keith Vaz, who chairs the select committee, told Crompton: "We have been amazed at the sheer incompetence of the way this has been dealt with."[11] On 4 September 2014, Richard reiterated his innocence over the allegation. He said: "I fully intend to clear my name. Just to be absolutely clear, the allegation is completely false and I will continue to cooperate with the police should they wish to speak to me again."[137] A home affairs select committee report was published in October 2014 strongly criticising South Yorkshire Police. Keith Vaz said: "No British citizen should have to watch their home being raided by the police live on television." He described the police handling of the situation as "utterly inept".[138]
On 25 February 2015, South Yorkshire police announced that the inquiry into an alleged historical sex offence by Richard had "increased significantly in size" and involved "more than one allegation". They added that there was no imminent conclusion to the investigation. Richard subsequently released a statement maintaining that the allegations were "absurd and untrue".[139] The development came a day after an independent report had concluded that South Yorkshire Police had "interfered with the star's privacy" by telling the BBC about the August 2014 raid. The report found that: "The force can argue that the search was carried out successfully and there was no interference to the investigation that the threat of prior publication was avoided. That is true but at considerable cost to the reputation of the force which could have been avoided by the individuals concerned".[140] The Guardian reported that the Crown Prosecution Service was providing investigative advice to the police. A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service said that the allegations remain under investigation.[141]
Discography
Main article: Cliff Richard discography
Tours and concerts
Main article: List of Cliff Richard tours and concerts
Filmography
Film1959: Serious Charge
1960: Expresso Bongo
1961: The Young Ones (aka It's Wonderful to be Young)
1963: Summer Holiday
1964: Wonderful Life (aka Swingers' Paradise)[142]
1966: Finders Keepers
1966: Thunderbirds Are GO (voice as a marionette)
1969: Two a Penny
1970: His Land
1972: The Case (features Olivia Newton-John)
1973: Take Me High
2012: Run for Your Wife (cameo role as a busker)
Television series1960–63: The Cliff Richard Show (ATV Television)
1964–67: Cliff (ATV Television)
1965: Cliff and the Shadows (ATV Television)
1970–74: It's Cliff Richard featuring Hank Marvin, Una Stubbs and Olivia Newton-John (BBC Television)
1975–76: It's Cliff and Friends (BBC Television)
Selected television specials
Year
Title
Total viewers[143]
Channel
1971 Getaway with Cliff 5.2 million BBC
1972 The Case 5 million BBC
1999 An Audience with Sir Cliff Richard 11 million ITV
2001 The Hits I Missed 6.5 million ITV
2008 When Piers Met Sir Cliff 5.5 million ITV
Theatre work
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp – music by the Shadows and Norrie Paramor
Cinderella – music by the Shadows and Norrie Paramor
Time – music by Dave Clark
Heathcliff – music by John Farrar and lyrics by Sir Tim Rice
Awards
Brit Awards1977 – Best British male solo artist[43]
1982 – Best British male solo artist[43]
1989 – Lifetime achievement: Outstanding contribution to music (excluded the Shadows)[43]
TV Times1980 – Most Exciting Male Singer on TV
1987 – Best Male Singer
1989 – Favourite Singer
The Sun Reader Polls1970 – Male Pop Personality
1971 – Top Male Pop Personality
1972 – Top Male Pop Personality
NME Reader Polls[144]1958 – Best New Disc or TV Singer
1959 – UK Male Singer[clarification needed]
1959 – Best Single: "Living Doll"
1960 – Best UK Single: "Living Doll"
1961 – UK Male Singer
1962 – UK Male Singer
1963 – UK Male Singer
1963 – Best World Male Singer
1964 – UK Male Singer
1964 – UK Vocal Personality
1965 – UK Male Singer
1966 – UK Male Singer
1966 – UK Vocal Personality
1967 – UK Vocal Personality
1968 – UK Vocal Personality
1969 – British Vocal Personality
1970 – UK Male Singer
1970 – UK Vocal Personality
1970 – World's Best Recording Artist of the '60s
1971 – UK Male Singer
1971 – British Vocal Personality
1972 – UK Male Singer
1972 – British Vocal Personality
Ivor Novello1968 – Most Performed Work: "Congratulations" by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter
1970 – Outstanding Services to Music
Melody Maker1959 – Best Male Singer
1960 – Top British Male Singer
1962 – The Emen Award – Top male singer
1962 – Top British Male Singer
1962 – Top single of the year: "The Young Ones"
1963 – Best Male Singer
1964 – Best Male Singer
1965 – Best UK Male Singer
1967 – Top Male Singer
Disc & Music Echo1967 – Best-Dressed Male
1968 – Best-Dressed Male
1969 – Best-Dressed Male
1970 – Top British Male Singer
1970 – Best-Dressed Male
1970 – Mr. Valentine
1971 – Mr. Valentine
Bravo Magazine (Germany)1964 – Best Male Singer – Gold
1964 – Year End Singles Charts – 1. "Sag 'no' Zu Ihm" ("Don't talk to him")
1965 – Best Male Singer – Gold
1980 – Top International Male Singer
Record Mirror1961 – Record Mirror Survey – Most successful chart records 1958–1961 – No 1: Cliff Richard, "Living Doll" (Richard had three of the top five records and a further two in the Top 50)
1964 – Record Mirror Poll – Best-Dressed Singer in the World
1960s1961 – Royal Variety Club – Show Business Personality
1961 – Weekend Magazine – Star of Stars
1962 – Motion Picture Herald Box-Office Survey of 1962 – Most Popular Male Film Actor
1963 – Motion Picture Herald Box-Office Survey of 1963 – Most Popular Male Film Actor
1963 – 16 (US Magazine) – Most Promising Singer
1964 – Billboard (US Magazine) – Best Recording Artist UK
1969 – Valentine Magazine – Mr Valentine
1970s1970 – National Viewers' and Listeners' Association – Outstanding Contribution to Religious Broadcasting and Light Entertainment
1971 – Record Mirror – UK Male Singer
1974 – Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Committee – Silver Clef – Outstanding Services to the Music Industry
1977 – The Songwriters' Guild of Great Britain – Golden Badge Award
1979 – Music Week – Special Award for 21 years as successful recording artistes – Cliff Richard and the Shadows
1979 – EMI Records – Gold Clock and Gold Key award – EMI celebrates 21-year partnership with Richard
1980s1980 – Richard receives O.B.E. from the Queen
1980 – BBC TV Multi-Coloured Swap Shop – Best UK Male Vocalist
1980 – National Pop And Rock Awards – Best Family Entertainer
1980 – Nationwide, in conjunction with Radio 1 and the Daily Mirror – Best Family Entertainer
1981 – Sunday Telegraph Readers Poll – Top Pop Star
1981 – Daily Mirror Readers Award – Outstanding Music Personality of the Year
1989 – The Lifetime Achievement Diamond Award (Antwerp)
1990s1995 – American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers – Pied Piper Award (Richard became the first British recipient of Ascap's coveted Pied Piper Award, which recognises outstanding contributions to the songwriter and music community)
1995 – The formal investiture of Richard as Knight Bachelor took place at 10.30 am in Buckingham Palace on Wednesday 25 October
1998 – Dutch Edison – Lifetime Achievement Award
2000s2000 – South Bank Awards – Outstanding Achievement Award
2003 – British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors – Gold Badge of Merit
2003 – Lawn Tennis Association – 20 Years of Service to Tennis Award
2004 – Induction into UK Music Hall of Fame (representing the 1950s – Cliff and the Shadows)
2004 – Ultimate Pop Star (No. 1 singles recording artist in UK)[clarification needed]
2005 – Avenue of Stars (star on the pavement, London)
2005 – Rose D'or Music Festival (Paris) – Golden Rose
2006 – Commander of the Portuguese Order of Prince Henry (awarded for services to Portugal)[109]
See also
Book icon Book: Cliff Richard

Best selling music artists
List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
Cliff – The Musical
References
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44.Jump up ^ "Cliff Richard: From A Distance – The Event". Nigel Goodall. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
45.Jump up ^ Thompson, Dave. "Stronger – Cliff Richard : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
46.Jump up ^ "Star-studded Knebworth concert". New Straits Times. 15 August 1990. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
47.Jump up ^ "English rock benefit rolls". The Pittsburgh Press. 1 July 1990. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
48.Jump up ^ Cousins, Andrew. "The Music Scene in 1990". Inside Time. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
49.Jump up ^ "Durdle Door, Cliff Richard and me". BBC. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
50.Jump up ^ The London Gazette: no. 54287. p. 571. 12 January 1996. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
51.Jump up ^ "Cliff Richard, Centre Court, Wimbledon". Gigs in strange places. Virginmedia. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
52.Jump up ^ Hodgkinson, Mark (18 June 2011). "Wimbledon 2011: entertainment values". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 2 July 2011.
53.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff foils radio ban". BBC News. 11 October 1998. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
54.Jump up ^ Thompson, Dave. "The Millennium Prayer – Cliff Richard : Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
55.Jump up ^ "Cliff Richard - Love...The Album. Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
56.Jump up ^ "And They Said It Wouldn't Last (My 50 Years in Music)". cliffrichard.org. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
57.Jump up ^ Sound Kitchen Studios[dead link]
58.Jump up ^ "Cliff Richard - Soulicious: Review by Jon O'Brien". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
59.Jump up ^ Eames, Tom (4 June 2012). "Cliff Richard 'thrilled' with Diamond Jubilee gig". DigitalSpy. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
60.Jump up ^ "Congratulations to Sir Cliff after Olympic torch relay". BBC News. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
61.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard to release 100th album". BBC News. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
62.Jump up ^ "Sir Tom Jones and Sir Cliff Richard to support Morrissey at major US shows". NME. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
63.Jump up ^ "Morrissey reveals Cliff Richard and Tom Jones as live gig special guests". The Guardian (London). 13 February 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
64.Jump up ^ "Sir Tom Jones and Sir Cliff Richard to support Morrissey at major US shows". NME. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
65.Jump up ^ "Cliff Richard Treating New Yorkers To Free Show After Morrissey Cancellation". contactmusic.com. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
66.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard - Cliff Richard To Tour For 75th Birthday". contactmusic.com. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
67.Jump up ^ BBC[dead link]
68.Jump up ^ Brooks, Xan (21 September 2005). "Cliff Richard blames radio ban for ending his recording career". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 16 December 2013.
69.Jump up ^ Harrington, Suzanne (6 November 2013). "Cliff Richard’s 100th album: a testament to naff appeal". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
70.Jump up ^ "Tony Blackburn in Sir Cliff row". BBC News. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
71.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard hits back over radio airplay snub". BBC News. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
72.^ Jump up to: a b c "Sir Cliff Richard: Sweet 60". BBC News. 13 October 2000. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
73.Jump up ^ Jamieson, Alastair (29 July 2009). "Sir Cliff Richard: 'I'm the real rock rebel'". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 2 January 2014.
74.Jump up ^ "Cliff Richard: What difference would it make if I was gay?". The New Zealand Herald. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
75.^ Jump up to: a b Jonze, Tim (13 November 2013). "Cliff Richard hopes Miley Cyrus 'grows out of' controversial behaviour". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
76.Jump up ^ Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 254. ISBN 9780745952796.
77.^ Jump up to: a b Thompson, Ben (20 April 1997). "Dark knight of the soul". The Independent (London). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
78.Jump up ^ Leith, Sam (20 November 2011). "I'll tell you something about Cliff Richard – I would love to get stoned with him". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 15 May 2013.
79.Jump up ^ "Mistletoe and Wine's political beginnings". BBC News. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
80.^ Jump up to: a b c Vallely, Paul (7 March 1996). "The Bachelor Boy". The Independent (London). Retrieved 16 December 2013.
81.Jump up ^ "William's Cliff Chart Site". Cliffchartsite.co.uk. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
82.Jump up ^ Persaud, Christopher H. K (2003). God In Our Midst. USA: Xlibris Corporation. p. 67. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
83.Jump up ^ Dadds, Kimberley (18 October 2007). "Sir Cliff's mother dies of Alzheimer's". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
84.^ Jump up to: a b c Adams, Stephen (9 April 2010). "Sir Cliff Richard chose music over love, letter shows". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 4 January 2014.
85.^ Jump up to: a b "Sir Cliff Richard picked music over love". BBC News Online. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
86.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Farmer, Ben (4 September 2008). "Sir Cliff Richard talks of ex-priest companion". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 13 September 2012.
87.Jump up ^ "Wimbledon 2013 on BBC TV: Biographies". BBC - Media Centre. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
88.Jump up ^ Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 288. ISBN 9780745952796.
89.Jump up ^ Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 289. ISBN 9780745952796.
90.Jump up ^ Stewart, Alison (6 February 1983). "Mr Nice Guy Strikes Back!". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
91.Jump up ^ "Richard has no plans to marry". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 30 September 1983.
92.Jump up ^ Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 296. ISBN 9780745952796.
93.^ Jump up to: a b Pearce, Sally (12 January 1986). "Cliff Richard, the pop world's greatest survivor, says....". New Straits Times. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
94.^ Jump up to: a b "Sir Cliff Richard: Evergreen entertainer". BBC News. 12 March 2003. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
95.^ Jump up to: a b "Cliff on song for charity". The Glasgow Herald. 15 January 1990. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
96.Jump up ^ "Cliff says thanks by record". The Glasgow Herald. 13 February 1989. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
97.Jump up ^ Rayl, Salley (18 February 1980). "The Sun Hasn't Set on Cliff Richard in 20 Years, and Now He's Conquered the U.S. with 'We Don't Talk Anymore'". People. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
98.Jump up ^ Barber, Lynn (4 April 1993). "Book Review: Well, is he or isn't he?: Cliff Richard: The Biography by Steve Turner". The Independent (London). Retrieved 9 June 2013.
99.^ Jump up to: a b Jobson, Sandra (2 January 1982). "Mum and pine trees keep Cliff Richard young". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
100.Jump up ^ Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 369. ISBN 9780745952796.
101.^ Jump up to: a b Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 373. ISBN 9780745952796.
102.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff's faith tested over Dando's murder". The Birmingham Post. 2 August 1999. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
103.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff mourns his 'gorgeous' friend". BBC News. 27 April 1999. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
104.Jump up ^ "Emotional farewell to Dando". BBC News. 21 May 1999. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
105.Jump up ^ Duffin, Claire (27 April 2013). "Sir Cliff Richard reveals the secrets of his eternal youth". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 3 January 2014.
106.Jump up ^ "BBC Breakfast with Frost interview". BBC Breakfast with Frost. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
107.Jump up ^ Sewards, Lisa. "I still think of Caron hundreds of times a day". The Lady (magazine). Retrieved 10 November 2013.
108.Jump up ^ "Friends bid farewell to Keating". BBC News. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
109.^ Jump up to: a b "Sir Cliff Richard honoured with Portuguese award of merit". The Portugal News. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
110.Jump up ^ Cliff Richard with Penny Junor My Life, My Way, London: Vox Rock, 2008
111.Jump up ^ Green, Chris (6 September 2008). "Sir Cliff speaks frankly about his 'companion' the ex-priest". The Independent (London). Retrieved 30 April 2010.
112.Jump up ^ Walker, Tim (20 August 2009). "Cliff Richard and Cilla Black, the 'Saga holiday couple,' spotted in Marbella". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 2 November 2013.
113.Jump up ^ Plunkett, John (18 August 2014). "BBC's Cliff Richard raid coverage driven by pressure for exclusives". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 20 August 2014.
114.Jump up ^ Clarke, Melonie (19 February 2013). "…I'd have been a good father…". The Lady (magazine). Retrieved 3 January 2014.
115.Jump up ^ "Rallying for love and family life". The Herald (Glasgow). 12 July 1971.
116.Jump up ^ Smith, Justin T. (2013). British Film Culture in the 1970s: The Boundaries of Pleasure. Edinburgh University Press.
117.Jump up ^ Daniel Ekeroth, Swedish Sensationsfilms: A Clandestine History of Sex, Thrillers, and Kicker Cinema, (Bazillion Points, 2011), p. 126, ISBN 978-0-9796163-6-5.
118.Jump up ^ Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. UK: Lion Publishing. p. 364. ISBN 9780745939827. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
119.Jump up ^ "Modern day philanthropists: Cliff Richard". besignificant.co.uk. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
120.Jump up ^ "Friends of Tearfund". Retrieved 14 February 2013.
121.Jump up ^ "Alzheimer's Research UK: Patrons". Alzheimer's Research UK. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
122.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard - Why I'll always love Surrey". Surrey Life. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
123.Jump up ^ "Latest tennis opportunities for you". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
124.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard Charitable Trust". Together: Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
125.Jump up ^ Dominiczak, Peter (7 August 2014). "Sir Mick Jagger joins 200 public figures calling for Scotland to stay in the UK". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
126.Jump up ^ "Musical copyright terms 'to stay'". BBC News. 27 November 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
127.Jump up ^ Evans, Martin (14 August 2014). "Sir Cliff Richard insists I am not a paedophile". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 17 August 2014.
128.^ Jump up to: a b c d "Sir Cliff Richard's Berkshire property searched by police". BBC News. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
129.Jump up ^ Dodd, Vikram; Siddique, Haroon (14 August 2014). "Cliff Richard denies allegations of sexual assault as police raid UK home". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
130.Jump up ^ "MPs to quiz BBC and police bosses over Cliff Richard raid". BBC News. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
131.Jump up ^ "Police complain over Sir Cliff Richard search 'leak'". BBC News. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
132.^ Jump up to: a b Robertson, Geoffrey (16 August 2014). "The way the police have treated Cliff Richard is completely unacceptable". The Independent (London). Retrieved 16 August 2014.
133.^ Jump up to: a b Hamilton, Fiona (20 August 2014). "Police deal with BBC may mean Sir Cliff search was illegal". The Sunday Times (London). Retrieved 1 October 2014.
134.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard quizzed by detectives over sex crime claim". Channel 4 News. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
135.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard interviewed by police over alleged sexual assault". The Independent (London). 23 August 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
136.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard interviewed by police over assault claim". BBC News. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
137.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard: I fully intend to clear my name". ITV News. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
138.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard police raid inept say MPs". BBC News. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
139.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard police inquiry 'significantly expanded'". BBC News. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
140.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard's privacy 'breached by raid details release'". BBC News. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
141.Jump up ^ Laville, Sandra (25 February 2015). "Sir Cliff Richard investigation increasing in size, says police chief". The Guardian (London).
142.Jump up ^ "Overview for Swingers' Paradise (1965)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
143.Jump up ^ "William's Cliff Chart Site – Cliff Richard Television Hits". Cliffchartsite.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
144.Jump up ^ "Rocklist.net...NME Lists readers Pop Poll Results...". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
Bibliography
Tremlett, George (12 September 1975). The Cliff Richard Story. London, England, UK: Futura Publications Limited. ISBN 0-86007-232-0.
Lewry, Peter; Goodall, Nigel (12 September 1991). Cliff Richard: The Complete Recording Sessions, 1958–90. London: Blandford Press. ISBN 978-0-7137-2242-0.
Richard, Cliff (4 October 1990). Which One's Cliff?. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-27159-0.
Richard, Cliff; Latham, Bill (1 September 1983). You, Me and Jesus. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-0340346280.
Turner, Steve (1 January 2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford, England, UK: Lion Books. ISBN 978-0-7459-5279-6.
Turner, Steve (3 August 2009). Cliff Richard: The Bachelor Boy. London: Carlton Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84442-037-7.
Read, Mike (8 September 1983). The Story of the Shadows. London: Elm Tree books. ISBN 0-241-10861-6.
Frame, Pete (1 December 1993). The Complete Rock Family Rock Trees. London: Omnibus. ISBN 0-7119-6879-9.
Roberts, David (17 Jun 2006). Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
Warwick, Neil; Kutner, Jon; Brown, Tony (10 April 2004). The Complete Book of the British Charts (3rd ed.). London: Music Sales Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84449-058-5.
Nicolson, Dave (30 April 2011). Jet Harris: In Spite of Everything. York, England, UK: Music Mentor Books. ISBN 978-0-9562679-0-0.
External links
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cliff Richard.
Cliff Richard's official website
Cliff Richard at the Internet Movie Database
Cliff Richard Songs site
bfi.org.uk – Cliff Richard on film (bfi database)
A collection of Cliff Richard scrapbooks are held by the Victoria and Albert Museum Theatre and Performance Department.
Portraits of Sir Cliff Richard at the National Portrait Gallery, London
Preceded by
Sandie Shaw
 with "Puppet on a String" UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
 1968 Succeeded by
Lulu
 with "Boom Bang-a-Bang"
Preceded by
The New Seekers
 with "Beg, Steal or Borrow" UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
 1973 Succeeded by
Olivia Newton-John
 with "Long Live Love"


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Cliff Richard

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Sir Cliff Richard
OBE
Cliff Richard (8454760629) cropped.jpg
Cliff Richard performing at the State Theatre, Sydney, Australia, in 2013

Background information

Birth name
Harry Rodger Webb
Born
14 October 1940 (age 74)
Lucknow, United Provinces, British India
Origin
London, England
Genres
Skiffle, rock and roll, pop, pop rock, CCM
Occupation(s)
Musician, actor, philanthropist
Instruments
Vocals, guitar, percussion
Years active
1958–present
Labels
EMI, EMI's Columbia, Epic, Decca, Rocket, Papillon
Associated acts
The Drifters/The Shadows, The Settlers,[1] Olivia Newton-John
Website
www.cliffrichard.org
Sir Cliff Richard OBE (born Harry Rodger Webb, 14 October 1940) is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor and philanthropist. He has been a resident for most of his life in the United Kingdom, but in 2010 confirmed that he is now a citizen of Barbados.[2] He divides his time between living in Barbados and at a vineyard property in Portugal.[3] Richard has sold more than 250 million records worldwide.[4] He has total sales of over 21 million singles in the United Kingdom[5] and is the third-top-selling singles artist in the UK's history, behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley.[3]
With his backing group the Shadows, Richard, originally positioned as a rebellious rock and roll singer in the style of Little Richard[6] and Elvis Presley, dominated the British popular music scene in the pre-Beatles period of the late 1950s and early 1960s. His 1958 hit single "Move It" is often described as Britain's first authentic rock and roll song, and John Lennon once claimed that "before Cliff and the Shadows, there had been nothing worth listening to in British music."[7][8] Increased focus on his Christian faith and subsequent softening of his music later led to a more middle of the road pop image, sometimes venturing into contemporary Christian music.
Over a career spanning more than 50 years, Richard has become a fixture of the British entertainment world, amassing many gold and platinum discs and awards, including three Brit Awards and two Ivor Novello Awards. He has had more than 130 singles, albums and EPs make the UK Top 20, more than any other artist[9] and holds the record (with Elvis Presley) as the only act to make the UK singles charts in all of its first six decades (1950s–2000s). He has achieved 14 UK No. 1 singles (or 18, depending on the counting methodology) and is the only singer to have had a No. 1 single in the UK in 5 consecutive decades: the 1950s through to the 1990s. In 2008, he celebrated his 50th anniversary in music by releasing a greatest hits album, featuring the new track "Thank You for a Lifetime", which reached number 3 in the UK singles chart. In November 2013, Richard released his latest album, The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook, which became the 100th album of his career.[10]
Richard has never achieved the same impact in the United States despite eight US Top 40 singles, including the million-selling "Devil Woman" and "We Don't Talk Anymore", the latter becoming the first to reach the Billboard Hot 100's top 40 in the 1980s by a singer who had been in the top 40 in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. In Canada, Richard achieved moderate success in the 1980s with several albums reaching platinum status. He has remained a popular music, film, and television personality in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Northern Europe and Asia, and he retains a following in other countries.
In August 2014, Richard was involved in a controversy about an allegation of a historical sexual offence against a boy which he strongly denied. At a House of Commons enquiry in September 2014, David Crompton, the chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, publicly apologised to Richard for doing a deal with the BBC about coverage of the police raid on his home.[11] In February 2015, the police said that the enquiry had "increased significantly in size" and "involves more than one allegation".[12][13] Again, Richard vehemently denied the allegations.[14] The BBC's tip-off regarding the search reportedly came from within Operation Yewtree, although Crompton said he could not be certain that the leak originated from there.[15]


Contents  [hide]
1 Biography 1.1 1940–58: Childhood and adolescence
1.2 1958–63: Success and stardom
1.3 1964–75: Changing circumstances
1.4 1976–94: Comeback
1.5 1995–2007: Knighthood
1.6 2008–present: 50th anniversary and The Shadows reunion
2 Lack of commercial support and music industry criticism
3 Personal life 3.1 Nationwide Festival of Light
3.2 Philanthropy
3.3 Scottish independence referendum
4 Controversies 4.1 Copyright
4.2 2014 property search and sexual assault allegations
5 Discography
6 Tours and concerts
7 Filmography
8 Theatre work
9 Awards
10 See also
11 References
12 Bibliography
13 External links

Biography
1940–58: Childhood and adolescence
Harry Rodger Webb was born in India at King George's Hospital, Victoria Street, in Lucknow, which was then part of British India (or the British Raj). His parents were Rodger Oscar Webb, a manager for a catering contractor that serviced the Indian Railways, and the former Dorothy Marie Dazely. Richard is primarily of English heritage, but he has one great-grandmother who was half Welsh and half Spanish, born of a Spanish great-great-grandmother named Emiline Joseph Rebeiro. Biographer Steve Turner attributed the Spanish ancestry for Richard and his mother's slightly dark complexions.[16]
The Webb family lived in a modest home in Maqbara, near the main shopping centre of Hazratganj.[17] Dorothy's mother served as the dormitory matron at the La Martiniere Girls' School. Richard has three sisters.[18]
In 1948, following Indian independence, the family embarked on a three-week sea voyage to Tilbury, Essex, England aboard the SS Ranchi. The Webbs moved from comparative wealth in India, where they had servants and lived in a company-supplied flat at Howrah near Calcutta, to a semi-detached house in Carshalton. Harry Webb attended a local primary school, Stanley Park Juniors, in Carshalton. In 1949 his father obtained employment in the credit control office of Thorn Electrical Industries and the family moved in with other relatives in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, where he attended Kings Road Junior Mixed Infants School until a three-bedroom council house in Cheshunt was allocated to them in 1950.
He then attended Cheshunt Secondary Modern School from 1952 to 1957. (The school was later renamed Riversmead School before being rebuilt and renamed Bishopslea School). As a member of the top stream, he stayed on beyond the minimum leaving age to take GCE Ordinary Level examinations and gained a pass in English literature. He then started work as a filing clerk for a company called Atlas Lamps.[19] A development of retirement flats, Cliff Richard Court, has been named after him in Cheshunt.[20]
Harry Webb became interested in skiffle. His father bought him a guitar at 16 and he formed the Quintones vocal group in 1957, before singing in the Dick Teague Skiffle Group.[21]
1958–63: Success and stardom



 Cliff Richard at a press conference in the Netherlands in 1962
Harry Webb became lead singer of a rock and roll group, the Drifters (not to be confused with the US group of the same name). 1950s entrepreneur Harry Greatorex wanted the up-and-coming Rock 'n' Roll singer to change from his real name of Harry Webb. The name Cliff was adopted as it sounded like cliff face, which suggested "Rock." It was "Move It" writer Ian Samwell who suggested that the former Harry Webb be surnamed Richard as a tribute to Webb's musical hero Little Richard.[6][22]
Before their first large-scale appearance, at the Regal Ballroom in Ripley, Derbyshire in 1958, they adopted the name "Cliff Richard and the Drifters". The four members were Harry Webb (now going under the stage name "Cliff Richard"), Ian "Sammy" Samwell on guitar, Terry Smart on drums and Norman Mitham on guitar. None of the other three played with the later and better known Shadows, although Samwell wrote songs for Richard's later career.
For his debut session, Norrie Paramor provided Richard with "Schoolboy Crush", a cover of an American record by Bobby Helms. Richard was permitted to record one of his own songs for the B-side; this was "Move It", written by the Drifters' Samwell on a number 715 Green Line bus on the way to Richard's house for a rehearsal. For the "Move It" session, Paramor used the session guitarist Ernie Shears on lead guitar and Frank Clark on bass.
There are various stories about why the A-side was replaced by the intended B-side. One is that Norrie Paramor's young daughter raved about the B-side; another was that influential TV producer Jack Good, who used the act for his TV show Oh Boy!, wanted the only song on his show to be "Move It".[23] Richard was quoted as saying –

It's wonderful to be going on TV for the first time, but I feel so nervous that I don't know what to do. I shaved my sideburns off last night... Jack Good said it would make me look more original.
—NME, September 1958[24]



 Cliff Richard with the Shadows in 1962
The single went to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. John Lennon credited "Move It" as being the first British rock record.[25]
In the early days, Richard was marketed as the British equivalent of Elvis Presley. Like previous British rockers such as Tommy Steele and Marty Wilde, Richard adopted Presley-like dress and hairstyle. In performance he struck a pose of rock attitude, rarely smiling or looking at the audience or camera. His late 1958 and early 1959 follow-up singles, "High Class Baby" and "Livin' Lovin' Doll", were followed by "Mean Streak", which carried a rocker's sense of speed and passion, and Lionel Bart's "Living Doll".
It was on "Living Doll" that the Drifters began to back Richard on record. It was his fifth record, and became his first No. 1 single. By that time the group's line-up had changed with the arrival of Jet Harris, Tony Meehan, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch. The group was obliged to change its name to "The Shadows" after legal complications with the American group the Drifters as "Living Doll" entered the American top 40, licensed by ABC-Paramount. "Living Doll" was used in Richard's début film Serious Charge, but as a country standard, rather than a rock and roll standard.
The Shadows were not a typical backing group. They became contractually separate from Richard, and the group received no royalties for records backing Richard. In 1959, the Shadows (then still the Drifters) landed an EMI recording contract of their own, for independent recordings. That year, they released three singles, two of which featured double-sided vocals and one of which had instrumental A and B sides. They thereafter had several major hits, including five UK No. 1s. The band also continued to appear and record with Richard and wrote many of his hits. On more than one occasion, a Shadows' instrumental replaced a Richard song at the top of the British charts.
Richard's fifth single "Living Doll" triggered a softer, more relaxed, sound. Subsequent hits, the No. 1s "Travellin' Light" and "I Love You" and also "A Voice in the Wilderness" lifted from his film Expresso Bongo and "Theme for a Dream" cemented Richard's status as a mainstream pop entertainer along with contemporaries such as Adam Faith and Billy Fury. Throughout the early 1960s, his hits were consistently in the top five.
In 1961, EMI records organised Richard's 21st birthday party at its London headquarters in Manchester Square led by his producer Norrie Paramor. Photographs of the celebrations were incorporated into Richard's next album "21 Today" in which Tony Meehan joined in despite, then, having very recently left the Shadows to be replaced by Brian Bennett.
Typically, the Shadows closed the first half of the show with a 30-minute set of their own, then backed Richard on his show-closing 45-minute stint as exemplified by the retrospective CD album release of "Live at the ABC Kingston 1962". Tony Meehan and Jet Harris left the group in 1961 and 1962 respectively and later had their own chart successes for Decca. The Shadows added bass players Brian Locking (1962–63) and then John Rostill (1963–68) and took on Brian Bennett permanently on drums.
In the early days, particularly on EP and album releases, Richard sometimes recorded without the Shadows to cater to other styles with the Norrie Paramor Orchestra with Tony Meehan and then Brian Bennett as a session drummer. Even after the Beatles' rise he continued to achieve hits, although more often with an orchestra rather than the Shadows: a revival of "It's All in the Game" and "Constantly", a revived single of a well-known Italian hit. A session under the direction of Billy Sherrill in Nashville, Tennessee yielded two more top two hits: "The Minute You're Gone" and "Wind Me Up" in 1965.
Richard, and in particular the Shadows, never achieved star status in the United States. In 1960 they toured the United States and were well-received, but lacklustre support and distribution from a revolving door of American record labels proved an obstacle to long-term success there despite several chart records by Richard including the aforementioned "It's All in the Game" on Epic, via a renewed linking of the worldwide Columbia labels after Philips ended its distribution deal with CBS. To the Shadows' chagrin, Apache reached No. 1 in the US via a cover version by Danish guitarist Jorgen Ingmann which was almost unchanged from their worldwide hit. Richard and the band appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was crucial for the Beatles, but these performances did not help them gain sustained success in North America.
Richard and the Shadows appeared in six feature films including a debut in the 1959 film Serious Charge but most notably in The Young Ones, Summer Holiday, Wonderful Life and Finders Keepers. These films created their own genre known as the "Cliff Richard musical" and led to Richard being named the No. 1 cinema box office attraction in Britain for both 1962 and 1963 beating that of even James Bond.[26] The title song of The Young Ones became his biggest-selling single in the United Kingdom, selling over one million copies in the UK.[27] The irreverent 1980s TV sitcom The Young Ones took its name from Richard's 1962 film. In mid-1963, Cliff and the Shadows appeared for a season in Blackpool, where Richard had his portrait modelled by Victor Heyfron.
1964–75: Changing circumstances
As with the other existing rock acts in Britain, Richard's career was affected by the advent of the Beatles and the Mersey sound in 1963 and 1964. He continued to have hits in the charts throughout the 1960s, albeit not at the level that he had enjoyed before. Nor did doors open to him in the US market; he was not considered part of the British Invasion, and despite four Hot 100 hits (including the top 25 "It's All in the Game") between August 1963 and August 1964, the American public had little awareness of him.
Richard's 1965 UK No. 12 hit "On My Word" ended a run of 23 consecutive top ten UK hits between "A Voice in the Wilderness" in 1960 to "The Minute You're Gone" in 1965, which, to date, is still a record number of consecutive top ten UK hits for a male artist.[28] Richard continued having international hits, including 1967's "The Day I Met Marie", which reached No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 in the Australian charts.
Although baptised as an Anglican, Richard did not practise the faith in his early years. In 1964, he became an active Christian and his faith has become an important aspect of his life. Standing up publicly as a Christian affected his career in several ways. Initially, he believed that he should quit rock 'n roll, feeling he could no longer be the rocker who had been called a "crude exhibitionist" and "too sexy for TV". Richard intended at first to "reform his ways" and become a teacher, but Christian friends advised him not to abandon his career just because he had become an active Christian. Soon after, Richard re-emerged, performing with Christian groups and recording some Christian material. He still recorded secular songs with the Shadows, but devoted a lot of his time to Christian work, including appearances with the Billy Graham crusades. As time progressed, Richard balanced his faith and work, enabling him to remain one of the most popular singers in Britain as well as one of its best-known Christians.
Richard acted in the 1967 film Two a Penny, released by Billy Graham's World Wide Pictures,[29] in which he played Jamie Hopkins, a young man who gets involved in drug dealing while questioning his life after his girlfriend changes her attitude. He released the live album Cliff in Japan in 1967.
In 1968, he sang the UK's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest: "Congratulations" by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter; it lost by one point to Spain's "La La La". According to John Kennedy O'Connor's The Eurovision Song Contest—The Official History, this was the closest result yet in the contest and Richard locked himself in the toilet to avoid the nerves of the voting.[30] In May 2008 a Reuters news report claimed that voting in the competition had been fixed by the Spanish dictator leader, Francisco Franco, to ensure that the Spanish entry won, allowing them to host the contest the following year (1969). It is claimed that Spanish TVE television executives offered to buy programmes in exchange for votes.[31][32] The story was widely covered and featured on UK Channel 4 News as a main story, with Jon Snow interviewing author and historian John Kennedy O'Connor about the matter.[33] Eurovision later ended voting by national juries in a bid to eradicate such alleged scams. Nevertheless, "Congratulations" was a huge hit throughout Europe and Australia and yet another No. 1 in April 1968.
After the Shadows split in 1968, Richard continued to record.



 Portrait by Allan Warren (1973)
During the 1970s, Richard took part in several television shows and fronted his own show It's Cliff Richard from 1970–1976. It starred Olivia Newton-John, Hank Marvin and Una Stubbs, and included A Song for Europe. He began 1970 by appearing live on the BBC's review of the sixties music scene, Pop Go The Sixties, which was broadcast across Britain and Europe on 31 December 1969. He performed "Bachelor Boy" with the Shadows and "Congratulations" solo. In 1972, he made a short BBC television comedy film called The Case with appearances from comedians and his first ever duets with a woman, Olivia Newton-John. He went on to release a double live album "Cliff Live in Japan 1972" featuring Newton-John.
His final acting role on the silver screen was in 1973 when he starred in the film Take Me High.
In 1973, he sang the British Eurovision entry "Power to All Our Friends"; the song finished third, close behind Luxembourg's "Tu Te Reconnaîtras" and Spain's "Eres Tú". This time, Richard took Valium to overcome his nerves and his manager was almost unable to wake him for the performance.[34] Richard also hosted the BBC's qualifying heat for the Eurovision Song Contest, A Song for Europe, in 1970, 1971 and 1972 as part of his BBCTV variety series. He presented the Eurovision Song Contest Previews for the BBC in 1971 and 1972.
In 1975, he released the single "Honky Tonk Angel" produced by Hank Marvin and John Farrar, oblivious to its connotations or hidden meanings. As soon as Richard was notified that a "honky-tonk angel" was southern US slang for a prostitute, Richard ordered EMI to withdraw it. He refused to promote it despite making a video for it. EMI agreed to his demand despite positive sales. About 1,000 copies are known to exist on vinyl.
1976–94: Comeback
In 1976, the decision was made to repackage Richard as a "rock" artist. That year Bruce Welch relaunched Cliff's career and produced the landmark album I'm Nearly Famous, which included the successful but controversial guitar-driven track "Devil Woman" (Richard's first true hit in the US) and the ballad "Miss You Nights". Richard's fans were excited about this revival of a performer who had been a part of British rock from its early days. Many music names such as Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Elton John were seen sporting I'm Nearly Famous badges, pleased that their boyhood idol was getting back into the heavier rock in which he had begun his career.
Notwithstanding this, Richard continued to release albums with contemporary Christian music content in parallel with his rock and pop albums, for example: Small Corners from 1978 contained the single "Yes He Lives". On 31 December 1976, he performed his latest single "Hey, Mr. Dream Maker" on BBC1's A Jubilee of Music, celebrating British pop music for Queen Elizabeth II's impending Silver Jubilee.
In 1979, Richard teamed up once again with producer Bruce Welch for the pop hit single "We Don't Talk Anymore", written by Alan Tarney, which hit No. 1 in the UK and No. 7 in the US. Bryan Ferry added hummed backing vocals to the song. The record made Richard the first act to reach the Hot 100's top 40 in the 1980s who had also been there in each of the three previous decades. The song was quickly added onto the end of his latest album Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. It was his first time at the top of the UK singles chart in over ten years and the song would become his biggest-selling single worldwide, selling almost five million copies throughout the world.[35] Later in 1979, Richard performed with Kate Bush at the London Symphony Orchestra's 75th anniversary celebration at the Royal Albert Hall.[36]
At long last Richard had some extended success in the United States following "Devil Woman". The follow-up "Dreamin'" peaked at No. 10. His 1980 duet "Suddenly" with Olivia Newton-John, from the film Xanadu, peaked at No. 20. In the UK, "Dreamin'" peaked at No. 8 and "Carrie" reached No. 4. In a retrospective review of the single, AllMusic journalist Dave Thompson praised "Carrie" as being "an enthrallingly atmospheric number. One of the most electrifying of all Cliff Richard's recordings."[37]
In 1980, Richard changed his name by deed poll from Harry Webb to Cliff Richard[38] and received the O.B.E. from the Queen for services to music and charity.[39]
The singles chart saw his most consistent period of top twenty hits since the mid-1960s, with "A Little in Love", "Dreamin'", and "Suddenly" on the Hot 100 at the same time at the end of 1980. Richard continued with a string of top ten albums, including I'm No Hero, Wired for Sound, Now You See Me, Now You Don't, and, marking his 25th year in show business, Silver.
In 1986, Richard reached No. 1 by teaming up with The Young Ones to re-record his smash hit "Living Doll" for the charity Comic Relief. Along with the song, the recording contained comedy dialogue between Richard and the Young Ones. That same year Richard opened in the West End as a rock musician called upon to defend Earth in a trial set in the Andromeda Galaxy in the multi-media Dave Clark musical Time. Two Richard singles, "She's So Beautiful", which reached No. 17 in the UK and "Born To Rock 'n Roll", were released respectively in 1985 and 1986 from the concept album recorded for Time.
In August 1986, Richard was involved in a five-car crash in torrential rain on the M4 motorway in West London. Richard's car was a write-off as another car swerved and braked hard. Richard hurt his back in the accident, but was not seriously injured in the crash. Police called for a cab from the accident scene so that he was able to perform that night in the "Time" musical. Richard said: "I'm lucky to be here" after the show. He said that his seatbelt prevented him from flying through the windscreen.[40]
In October 1986, "All I Ask of You", a duet that Richard recorded with Sarah Brightman from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical version of The Phantom of the Opera reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart.[41] 1987 saw Richard record his Always Guaranteed album, which became his best selling album of all new material. It contained the two top-10 hit singles "My Pretty One" and "Some People".
Richard concluded his thirtieth year in music by achieving a UK Christmas No. 1 single in 1988 with "Mistletoe and Wine", while simultaneously holding the No. 1 positions on the album and video charts with the compilation Private Collection summing up his biggest hits from 1979–1988. "Mistletoe and Wine" was Richard's 99th UK single and spent four weeks at the top of the chart. It was the best-selling UK single of 1988, shifting 750,000 copies.[42]
In 1989, Richard received the Brits highest award: "The Outstanding Contribution award".[43] In June 1989, he filled London's Wembley Stadium for two nights with a spectacular titled "The Event" in front of a combined audience of 144,000 people.[44]
Richard's 1989 UK No. 2 hit single "The Best of Me" received positive reviews from critics and established him as the first British artist to release 100 singles.[45] "The Best of Me" was included in the top ten album Stronger, together with the UK No. 3 "Just Don't Have The Heart" and the 1990 UK No. 11 hit "From a Distance".
On 30 June 1990, Richard performed to an estimated 120,000 people at England's Knebworth Park as part of an all-star concert line-up that also included Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Elton John and Tears for Fears. The concert in aid of charity was televised around the world and helped to raise $10.5 million for disabled children and young musicians.[46][47]
Later in 1990, Richard scored his second UK Christmas No. 1 single with "Saviour's Day", a song written by Chris Eaton, which became Richard's 13th UK No. 1 single and his 100th top 40 hit.[48] The video for "Saviour's Day" featured Richard singing on top of the limestone arch landmark of Durdle Door in Dorset.[49]
Richard unsuccessfully bid for the Christmas No. 1 spot again with "We Should Be Together" and "Healing Love" in 1991 and 1993 respectively – the latter being taken from his No. 1 studio album Cliff Richard – The Album. The next few years saw Richard concentrate on bringing the musical Heathcliff to the stage.
Back in the UK during the next years and throughout the 1980s, Richard remained one of the best-known music artists in the country. In the space of several years he worked with Elton John, Mark Knopfler, Julian Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Phil Everly, Janet Jackson, Sheila Walsh and Van Morrison. Richard also reunited with Olivia Newton-John. Meanwhile, the Shadows later re-formed (and again split). They recorded on their own, but also reunited with Richard in 1978, 1984, 1989–90, 2004, and 2009 for some concerts.
1995–2007: Knighthood
On 17 June 1995, Richard was appointed a Knight Bachelor (and invested on 25 October 1995)[50] and became the first rock star to be so honoured (Bob Geldof had received his honorary knighthood nine years earlier).



 Cliff Richard performing in London during the 50th Anniversary tour in 2008
In 1996, he led the Wimbledon Centre Court crowd in singing during a rain delay when asked by Wimbledon officials to entertain the crowd.[51][52]
In 1998, Richard demonstrated that radio stations were refusing to play his music by releasing his latest single "Can't Keep This Feeling In" on a white label under the pseudonym of Blacknight. The single was featured on playlists until the true artist was revealed.[53]
In 1999, controversy again arose regarding radio stations refusing to play his releases when EMI, Richard's label since 1958, refused to release his song, "The Millennium Prayer", having judged that the song did not have commercial potential.[54] Richard took it to an independent label, Papillon, which released the charity recording (in aid of Children's Promise). The single went on to top the UK chart for three weeks, becoming his fourteenth No.1 and the third-highest-selling single of his career.
Richard's next album, in 2001, was a covers project, Wanted, followed by another top ten album, Cliff at Christmas. The holiday album contained both new and older recordings, including the single "Santa's List", which reached No. 5 in 2003.
For his seven-day-long 60th birthday party Richard in conjunction with OK magazine hired a cruise boat to Monte Carlo and sailed with his top 80 (out of a possible 500) specially invited guests, mostly from British showbiz, to France. Among the guests were Olivia Newton-John, Shirley Bassey, Sue Barker, Gloria Hunniford, Tim Rice, Mike Read, Richard's three sisters, etc.
Richard went to Nashville, Tennessee for his next album project in 2004, employing a writers' conclave to give him the pick of all new songs for the album Something's Goin' On. It was another top-10 album, and produced three UK top-20 singles: "Something's Goin' On", "I Cannot Give You My Love", with Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, and "What Car".
On 14 June 2004, Richard joined the Shadows on-stage at the London Palladium. The Shadows had decided to re-form for another tour of the UK. It was not to be their last tour together though, as they would re-form once again for a final tour five years later in 2009.
Two's Company, an album of duets released in 2006, was another top-10 success for Richard and included newly recorded material with Brian May, Dionne Warwick, Anne Murray, Barry Gibb and Daniel O'Donnell, plus some previously recorded duets with artists such as Phil Everly, Elton John and Olivia Newton-John. Two's Company was released to coincide with the UK leg of his latest world tour, "Here and Now", which included lesser known songs such as "My Kinda Life", "How Did She Get Here", "Hey Mr. Dream Maker", "For Life", "A Matter of Moments", "When The Girl in Your Arms" and the Christmas single "21st Century Christmas", which debuted at No. 2 on the UK singles chart.
Another compilation album, Love... The Album was released on 12 November 2007. Like Two's Company before it, this album includes both previously released material and newly recorded songs, namely "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "When You Say Nothing at All", "All Out of Love", "If You're Not the One" and "When I Need You" (the last was released as a single, reaching No. 38; the album peaked at No. 13).[55]
2008–present: 50th anniversary and The Shadows reunion



 50th Anniversary Tour, Wembley


 2009 Brussels
2008, Richard's 51st year in the music business saw the release of the eight-CD box set And They Said It Wouldn't Last (My 50 Years in Music).[56] In September, a single celebrating his 50 years in pop music, titled "Thank You for a Lifetime" was released. On 14 September 2008 it reached No. 3 on the UK music charts.
On 11 November 2008, Richard's official website announced that Cliff and the Shadows would reunite to celebrate their 50th anniversary in the music business. A month later they performed at the Royal Variety Performance. In 2009, Cliff and the Shadows brought their partnership to an end with the "Golden Anniversary concert tour of the UK".
A new album by Richard and the Shadows was released in September 2009. Titled Reunited, It was their first studio project in forty years. The 28 tracks recorded comprise 25 re-recordings of their earlier work, with three "new" tracks, originally from that era (and earlier), the single "Singing the Blues", along with Eddie Cochran's "C'mon Everybody" and the Frankie Ford hit "Sea Cruise". The album charted at No. 6 in the UK charts in its opening week and peaked at No. 4. The reunion tour continued into Europe in 2010. In June 2009, it was reported by Sound Kitchen Studios in Nashville that Richard was to return there shortly to record a new album of original recordings of jazz songs.[57] He was to record fourteen tracks in a week.
Richard performed "Congratulations" at the 70th birthday celebrations of Queen Margrethe II in Denmark on 13 April 2010.
On 14 October 2010, Richard celebrated his 70th birthday and to mark the occasion, he performed a series of six concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, London. To accompany the concerts, a new album of cover versions of swing standards, Bold as Brass, was released on 11 October.



 2009 Brussels
After a week of promotion, Richard flew out to rehearse for the German Night of the Proms concerts in Belgium at the end of October. He made a surprise appearance at the Antwerp concert of the Night of the Proms on Thursday, 28 October 2010 and sang "We Don't Talk Anymore" to a great reaction from the surprised 20,000 fans at Sportpaleis Antwerp. In all, he toured 12 German cities in November and December 2010, during the Night of the Proms concerts, as the headline act. The total of 18 concerts were attended by over 300,000 fans. Richard performed a selection of hits and tracks from the Bold As Brass album.
In November 2010, he achieved his third consecutive UK No. 1 music DVD in three years with the DVD release of Bold as Brass.
In October 2011, Richard released his Soulicious album, containing duets with American soul singers including Percy Sledge, Ashford and Simpson, Roberta Flack, Freda Payne and Candi Staton.[58] The album was produced by Lamont Dozier and was supported by a short UK arena tour. Soulicious became Richard's 41st top-10 UK hit album.
He was among the performers at the Diamond Jubilee concert held outside Buckingham Palace on 4 June 2012.[59]
On 30 June 2012, Richard helped to carry the Olympic torch from Derby to Birmingham as part of the torch relay for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Richard said that his run with the Olympic torch would be one of his top-10 memories.[60]
In November 2013, Richard released the 100th album of his career, The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook. To that point Richard had released 47 studio albums, 35 compilations, 11 live albums and 7 film soundtracks.[61]
Richard was scheduled to open for Morrissey at a live concert at New York's 19,000-capacity Barclays Center on 21 June 2014.[62][63] Morrissey said that he was "honoured and thrilled" to have Richard on the bill.[64] It was reported on 16 June 2014 that Morrissey had cancelled the concert after collapsing with an "acute fever". Richard announced that he would stage a free show for fans in New York on the same night the cancelled concert was due to take place.[65]
In October 2014, Richard announced that he will perform on tour in 2015 to mark his 75th birthday. Richard will play eleven concerts across seven cities in the UK, including four at London's Royal Albert Hall.[66]
Lack of commercial support and music industry criticism
Richard has openly complained about the lack of commercial support he receives from radio stations and record labels. He spoke about this on The Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV in December 2007, pointing out that while new bands needed airplay for promotion and sales, long-established artists such as himself also relied upon airplay for the same reasons. He also noted that 1980s radio stations did play his records and that this went some way to help sales and maintain his media presence. In the BBC Radio 2 documentary Cliff – Take Another Look, he pointed out that many documentaries charting the history of British music (e.g. I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band!) fail to mention him (or the Shadows).[67]
In 1998, Chris Evans, the then breakfast show host on Virgin Radio, vowed he would never again play a record by Richard, stating that he was "too old".[68][69] In June 2004, British disc jockey Tony Blackburn was suspended from his radio job at Classic Gold Digital for playing records by Richard against station policy. The head of programmes, Paul Baker, sent an e-mail to Blackburn stating that Richard "doesn't match our brand values. He's not on the playlist, and you must stop playing him." On Blackburn's next morning breakfast show, he read a print-out of the e-mail live on air to the show's 400,000 listeners and went on to play two songs by Richard. Classic Gold managing director John Baish later confirmed Blackburn's suspension from the show.[70]
In 2011, digital station Absolute Radio '60s, dedicated to playing popular music from the 1960s, announced they would not be playing any of Richard's records because they claimed they did not fit "the cool sound... we're trying to create". DJ Pete Mitchell claimed "Timeless acts of the decade that remain relevant today are the Beatles, the Stones, the Doors and the Who, not Sir Cliff." Richard responded to this by saying: "They're lying to themselves, and more importantly they're lying to the public."[71]
Richard has spoken of his irritation about other stars who are praised after taking drugs.[72] In 2009, Richard said he was the "most radical rock-and-roll singer Britain has ever seen" as he did not indulge in drugs or sexual promiscuity.[73] Richard said he is proud that he never adopted the hedonistic lifestyle of a typical rock star. He said: "I've never wanted to trash a hotel room."[74]
Richard has criticised the music industry for encouraging artists to court controversy. In November 2013, he said: "The music industry has changed drastically and that damages young artists. This industry can be very destructive."[75] Richard expressed concern about the sexually explicit public image of singer Miley Cyrus, following controversy surrounding a semi-naked video for her song "Wrecking Ball".[75] In the 1970s, Richard said that he was disturbed by the visual imagery and mock horror of singer Alice Cooper.[76] In 1997, Richard said of the rock band Oasis: "It's just a shame that part of what gives them their kick is their self-destructive impulse."[77]
In 2011, Sam Leith, a journalist from The Guardian, wrote of Richard's lack of commercial support among radio stations: "His uncompromising Christianity, his clean-living ways, and his connoisseurship of the fruits of his Portuguese winery have made him an object of incomprehension, even ridicule, for the uncultured, alcopop-drinking younger generation."[78]
In December 2013, Richard said that he felt two of his singles, "Mistletoe and Wine" and "The Millennium Prayer", had created a negative reaction against him. He said: "Airplay is vital for single hits. The only way I can have a fair competition is if your records are on the radio. There is an ageism in the radio industry. If you ask me to record a new song, I'm not sure it would get the support it needs."[79]
Author and rock music critic Tony Parsons has said: "If you don't like at least some Cliff Richard, then you don't like pop music".[80] Musician Sting has also defended Richard, stating: "Cliff Richard is in my opinion one of Britain's finest singers technically and emotionally."[81]
Personal life
Richard's father, Rodger Webb, died in 1961, aged 56. The death of his father at a young age greatly impacted Richard. He later said: "My father died very young. He missed the best parts of my career. When my father was sick, we became very close."[82] Richard's mother, Dorothy, died in October 2007, aged 87, after a decade with Alzheimer's disease. In a 2006 interview, he spoke about the difficulties he and his sisters had in dealing with their mother's condition.[83]
Richard is a lifelong bachelor.[84] In a three-page letter written in October 1961 to "his first serious girlfriend",[85] Australian dancer Delia Wicks, made public in April 2010 after her death from cancer, Richard writes, "Being a pop singer I have to give up one priceless thing – the right to any lasting relationship with any special girl. I've just had to make, probably, one of the biggest decisions I'm ever going to make and I'm hoping that it won't hurt you too much."[84] The couple had been dating for 18 months. In the letter he goes on to say, "I couldn't give up my career, besides the fact that my mother and sisters, since my father's death, rely on me completely. I have showbiz in my blood now and I would be lost without it." Richard urged her to "find someone who is free to love you as you deserve to be loved" and who "is able to marry you".[85]
After Delia Wicks died in 2010, aged 71, her brother Graham Wicks said that she had been "devastated" by Richard's decision to end their relationship, describing Richard as "a very pleasant man".[84]
At the age of 22, a year after his relationship with Delia Wicks ended, Richard had a brief romance with the actress Una Stubbs.[80] Later in the 1960s, Richard considered marriage to the dancer Jackie Irving. Richard described Irving as "utterly beautiful" and says for a time they were "inseparable".[86]
In his autobiography, Richard stressed that "sex is not one of the things that drives me", but he also wrote of his seduction by Carol Costa, who at the time was the estranged wife of Jet Harris.[86]
In the 1980s, Richard considered asking Sue Barker,[86] a former French Open tennis champion and Wimbledon semi-finalist,[87] if she would agree to marry him. In 2008, Richard said of his relationship with Barker: "I seriously contemplated asking her to marry me, but in the end I realised that I didn't love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her."[86]
Richard first met Barker in 1982, when she was aged 25. Their romance attracted considerable media attention after Richard flew to Denmark to watch her play in a tennis match and they were later photographed cuddling and holding hands at Wimbledon.[88][89] In an interview in February 1983, Richard spoke of the possibility of marriage with her. He said: "I'm seeing Sue, the only girl I want to see at the moment and if marriage comes on the horizon, I shall relish it."[90] In September 1983, Richard said that he had no immediate plans to marry Barker. He said: "It's not vital to get married and it's not vital to be a father. But I would like to settle down and have a family one day."[91] In July 1984, Barker said of her romance with Richard: "I love him, he's great and I'm sure we love each other."[92]
In 1986, after Richard's romance with Barker had ended and she began dating tennis player Stephen Shaw, Richard said that he was still a friend of Barker. He said: "We have a mutual respect for each other and that means a lot to me."[93]
When later asked why he has never married, Richard said: "I've had a few false alarms. I've been in love, but marriage is a big commitment and being an artist consumes a great deal of time."[94] He said that in the early 1970s he was in love with the singer and actress Olivia Newton-John. Richard said: "At the time when I and many of us were in love with Olivia she was engaged to someone else. I'm afraid I lost the chance."[94]
In 1988, Richard's nephew Philip Harrison spent the first four months of his life in a children's hospital suffering from serious breathing problems. Richard later helped to raise money for the hospital in east London and said that his nephew "had a terrible time but the hospital saved his life."[95][96]
Although he has never married, Richard has rarely lived alone. For many years he shared his main home with his charity and promotion schedules manager, Bill Latham, and Latham's mother.[97][98] In 1982, Richard described them as his "second family".[99] Latham's girlfriend, Jill, also lived at the house in Weybridge, Surrey, with them for a time.[80] In 1993, Bill Latham said of Richard's bachelor status: "His freedom has meant that he has been able to do much more than if he had a family. He always goes the extra mile. If he was to have a relationship, he would give it everything. So because his commitments have been his career, his faith, and more latterly, tennis, he has given himself wholeheartedly to those three activities."[100]
Richard often declines discussion about close relationships and when asked about suggestions that he may be homosexual has stated categorically that he is not. When the suggestions were first put to him in the late 1970s, Richard responded by saying: "It's untrue. People are very unfair with their criticism and their judgements. I've had girlfriends. But people seem to think that if a bloke doesn't sleep around he must be gay. Marriage is a very special thing to me. I'm certainly not going to do it just to make other people feel satisfied."[99] In 1986, Richard said that rumours about him being homosexual had previously been "very painful" to him.[93]
When asked in 1992 if he had ever considered the possibility that he might be gay, he responded: "No."[101] Richard said: "Even if I got married tomorrow there would be a group of people who would believe what they wanted to believe. All that counts is what your family and friends know and they all trust and respect me. What the people outside think, I have no control over."[101] Later in 1996, Richard said: "I'm aware of the rumours, but I am not gay."[72] In 1997, he said: "People who are single shouldn't have to be second-class citizens – we needn't be embarrassed or feel guilty about it, we all have a role to play."[77]
Richard said that his faith in God was tested in 1999 after the murder of his close friend, the British television presenter Jill Dando. He said: "I was really angry with God. It shook me rigid that someone as beautiful, talented and harmless could have been killed."[102] Richard said that Dando had many likeable qualities and described her as "a very genuine person". He said of Dando's murder: "It is very difficult to understand and I find it all very confusing."[103] He attended her funeral in May 1999 in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.[104]
Richard has spoken of his friendship with John McElynn, an American former missionary whom Richard met in 2001 on a visit to New York.[105] In 2008, Richard said: "John now spends most of his time looking after my properties, which means I don't have to. John and I have over time struck up a close friendship. He has also become a companion, which is great because I don't like living alone, even now."[86]
In an interview with David Frost in 2002, Richard said that his many good friends have prevented him from feeling lonely and he has always got someone he can talk to.[106] Richard has been a family friend of the Northern Irish broadcaster Gloria Hunniford for over 40 years. When Hunniford's daughter Caron Keating was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to keep her illness private from the public, Richard was among a small close circle of friends who knew of Keating's cancer. When Keating died in April 2004, Richard attended her funeral in Kent and performed his song "Miss You Nights" in tribute to her.[107][108]
In 2006, Richard received a Portuguese Order in which he was appointed Commander of the Order of Prince Henry (ComIH),[109] this in recognition of his 40 years of personal and business involvement in that country. Richard finished No. 56 in the 2002 100 Greatest Britons list, sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public.
In his 2008 autobiography, Richard wrote that his views on certain issues are less judgemental than when he was younger.[110] He called on the Church of England to affirm people's commitment in same-sex marriage.[111] He writes: "In the end, I believe, people are going to be judged for what they are. It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me and says: 'This is my partner – we are committed to each other,' then I don't care what their sexuality is. I'm not going to judge – I'll leave that to God."[86]
In 2009, the British media reported on a growing friendship between Richard and Cilla Black. The Daily Telegraph said that Richard and Black looked at properties together in Miami and were regularly seen together in Barbados, where they both own villas. Richard and Black reportedly enjoyed each other's company dining together in Marbella and watching tennis in the Royal Box at Wimbledon.[112]
The official party celebrating Richard's 70th birthday was held on 23 October 2010, with guests including Cilla Black, Elaine Paige and Daniel O'Donnell.
In 2010, Richard confirmed that he is no longer a resident of the United Kingdom and had been granted citizenship by Barbados. He said: "I'm officially a non-resident [of the UK], although I will always be British and proud of it."[2] He currently divides his time between living in Barbados and at a vineyard property in Portugal.[3] He has retained a British property in Sunningdale, Berkshire.[113]
When asked in February 2013 if he has regrets about not starting a family, Richard said that if he had been married with children he could not have devoted so much time to his career. He said: "My three sisters have children, and it's been wonderful to watch them grow up, get married and start families of their own. I've made sure I've always played a part in their lives. So while I think I would have been a good father, I've given myself to my family and I wouldn't have it any other way. My 'freedom' allows me to continue my career. Had I been married, with children, I wouldn't be able to do what I do now."[114]
Nationwide Festival of Light
In 1971, Richard was a leading supporter of the Nationwide Festival of Light, a movement formed by British Christians who were concerned about the development of the permissive society. Richard joined public figures such as Malcolm Muggeridge, Mary Whitehouse and Bishop Trevor Huddleston to demonstrate in London for "love and family life" and against what the organisers called "pornography and moral pollution". Muggeridge claimed that the media was "largely in the hands of those who favour a slide into decadence and Godlessness."[115]
One of the targets for the Festival of Light's campaign was the growth of sexually explicit films.[116] Richard was one of approximately 30,000 people who gathered at London's Trafalgar Square for a demonstration. One focus of their protest was against the Swedish sex education film Language of Love, which was showing at a nearby cinema.[117]
Philanthropy
Since March 1966, Richard has followed the practice of giving away at least a tenth of his income to charity.[118] Richard has stated that two biblical principles have guided him in how to use his money. He said: "Firstly, it was the love of money (not money itself) that was the root of all evil. Secondly, to be good and responsible stewards of what was entrusted to us."[119] In 1990, Richard said: "Those of us who have something to offer have to be prepared to give all the time."[95]
For over 40 years Richard has been a supporter of Tearfund, a Christian charity that aims to tackle poverty in many countries across the world. He has made overseas visits to see their work in Uganda, Bangladesh and Brazil. Richard has said: "Playing a part in relieving poverty is, as I see it, the responsibility of us all."[120]
Richard has donated to a leading dementia research charity, Alzheimer's Research UK. He has helped to raise funds and awareness of the disease by speaking publicly about his mother's condition.[121]
Richard has also supported numerous UK charities over many years through the Cliff Richard Charitable Trust, both through donations and by making personal visits to schools, churches, hospitals and homes for special needs children. Richard's passion for tennis, which was encouraged by his former girlfriend Sue Barker, also led him in 1991 to establish the Cliff Richard Tennis Foundation. The charity has encouraged thousands of primary schools in the UK to introduce the sport, with over 200,000 children taking part in the tennis sessions which tour the country. The Foundation has since become part of the charitable wing of the Lawn Tennis Association.[72][122][123]
The Cliff Richard Charitable Trust gives grants on a quarterly basis, with about 50 different UK registered charities benefiting each time. Richard's Trust mainly donates to charities working in medical research, with children and the elderly, and for those involved in helping people with disabilities.[124]
Scottish independence referendum
Richard was one of 200 public figures, including singers Mick Jagger, Bryan Ferry, and Sting, who asked the people of Scotland to vote against independence in the Scottish independence referendum, 2014.[125]
Controversies
Copyright
Richard was involved in a campaign to extend copyright from 50 to 95 years, and extend the number of years on which a musician can receive royalties. The campaign was unsuccessful and the copyright on many of Richard's early recordings expired in 2008.[126]
2014 property search and sexual assault allegations
In August 2014, in response to a complaint to the Metropolitan Police's Operation Yewtree (set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal),[127] Richard's apartment in Berkshire was searched by South Yorkshire Police in relation to an alleged historical sexual assault[128][129] at an appearance by the American preacher Billy Graham in Sheffield in 1985.[128] Richard was in Portugal at the time of the search; no-one was arrested at the property. Richard said the allegation was "completely false" and complained that the press appeared to have been given advance notice that his home in Berkshire was to be searched – whereas he had not been.[128] He later said that he had been aware of allegations against him online for many months, but "chose not to dignify the false allegations with a response".[128] The BBC were criticised for their coverage of the search;[130] former Attorney General Dominic Grieve accused the police of having a "collusive relationship" with the BBC.[131]
Police initially denied leaking details of the property search, but South Yorkshire Police later confirmed that they had been "working with a media outlet" about the investigation.[132] Writing in The Independent, the barrister and broadcaster Geoffrey Robertson called for an independent inquiry into the police operation.[132]
In August 2014, The Sunday Times reported that senior law figures said the police search of Richard's home may have been illegal because officers failed to tell a court about a deal with the BBC to televise it. South Yorkshire police confirmed that the magistrate who approved a search warrant for Richard's apartment was not told about the force's agreement with the broadcaster.[133] The former director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, QC, criticised the police force for its "completely disreputable conduct" and said its action could make the warrant unlawful.[133] Richard pulled out of a visit to the US Open tennis championships, turned down the freedom of his adopted Portuguese home city of Albufeira and cancelled a scheduled appearance at Coventry Cathedral because he did not want the event to be "overshadowed by the false allegation".[134] He subsequently returned to the UK and voluntarily met with and was interviewed by members of South Yorkshire Police.[135] He was not arrested or charged.[136]
On 2 September 2014, David Crompton, the chief constable of South Yorkshire police, was questioned by MPs from the House of Commons home affairs select committee for doing a controversial deal with the BBC. Crompton publicly apologised to Richard.[11] Keith Vaz, who chairs the select committee, told Crompton: "We have been amazed at the sheer incompetence of the way this has been dealt with."[11] On 4 September 2014, Richard reiterated his innocence over the allegation. He said: "I fully intend to clear my name. Just to be absolutely clear, the allegation is completely false and I will continue to cooperate with the police should they wish to speak to me again."[137] A home affairs select committee report was published in October 2014 strongly criticising South Yorkshire Police. Keith Vaz said: "No British citizen should have to watch their home being raided by the police live on television." He described the police handling of the situation as "utterly inept".[138]
On 25 February 2015, South Yorkshire police announced that the inquiry into an alleged historical sex offence by Richard had "increased significantly in size" and involved "more than one allegation". They added that there was no imminent conclusion to the investigation. Richard subsequently released a statement maintaining that the allegations were "absurd and untrue".[139] The development came a day after an independent report had concluded that South Yorkshire Police had "interfered with the star's privacy" by telling the BBC about the August 2014 raid. The report found that: "The force can argue that the search was carried out successfully and there was no interference to the investigation that the threat of prior publication was avoided. That is true but at considerable cost to the reputation of the force which could have been avoided by the individuals concerned".[140] The Guardian reported that the Crown Prosecution Service was providing investigative advice to the police. A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service said that the allegations remain under investigation.[141]
Discography
Main article: Cliff Richard discography
Tours and concerts
Main article: List of Cliff Richard tours and concerts
Filmography
Film1959: Serious Charge
1960: Expresso Bongo
1961: The Young Ones (aka It's Wonderful to be Young)
1963: Summer Holiday
1964: Wonderful Life (aka Swingers' Paradise)[142]
1966: Finders Keepers
1966: Thunderbirds Are GO (voice as a marionette)
1969: Two a Penny
1970: His Land
1972: The Case (features Olivia Newton-John)
1973: Take Me High
2012: Run for Your Wife (cameo role as a busker)
Television series1960–63: The Cliff Richard Show (ATV Television)
1964–67: Cliff (ATV Television)
1965: Cliff and the Shadows (ATV Television)
1970–74: It's Cliff Richard featuring Hank Marvin, Una Stubbs and Olivia Newton-John (BBC Television)
1975–76: It's Cliff and Friends (BBC Television)
Selected television specials
Year
Title
Total viewers[143]
Channel
1971 Getaway with Cliff 5.2 million BBC
1972 The Case 5 million BBC
1999 An Audience with Sir Cliff Richard 11 million ITV
2001 The Hits I Missed 6.5 million ITV
2008 When Piers Met Sir Cliff 5.5 million ITV
Theatre work
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp – music by the Shadows and Norrie Paramor
Cinderella – music by the Shadows and Norrie Paramor
Time – music by Dave Clark
Heathcliff – music by John Farrar and lyrics by Sir Tim Rice
Awards
Brit Awards1977 – Best British male solo artist[43]
1982 – Best British male solo artist[43]
1989 – Lifetime achievement: Outstanding contribution to music (excluded the Shadows)[43]
TV Times1980 – Most Exciting Male Singer on TV
1987 – Best Male Singer
1989 – Favourite Singer
The Sun Reader Polls1970 – Male Pop Personality
1971 – Top Male Pop Personality
1972 – Top Male Pop Personality
NME Reader Polls[144]1958 – Best New Disc or TV Singer
1959 – UK Male Singer[clarification needed]
1959 – Best Single: "Living Doll"
1960 – Best UK Single: "Living Doll"
1961 – UK Male Singer
1962 – UK Male Singer
1963 – UK Male Singer
1963 – Best World Male Singer
1964 – UK Male Singer
1964 – UK Vocal Personality
1965 – UK Male Singer
1966 – UK Male Singer
1966 – UK Vocal Personality
1967 – UK Vocal Personality
1968 – UK Vocal Personality
1969 – British Vocal Personality
1970 – UK Male Singer
1970 – UK Vocal Personality
1970 – World's Best Recording Artist of the '60s
1971 – UK Male Singer
1971 – British Vocal Personality
1972 – UK Male Singer
1972 – British Vocal Personality
Ivor Novello1968 – Most Performed Work: "Congratulations" by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter
1970 – Outstanding Services to Music
Melody Maker1959 – Best Male Singer
1960 – Top British Male Singer
1962 – The Emen Award – Top male singer
1962 – Top British Male Singer
1962 – Top single of the year: "The Young Ones"
1963 – Best Male Singer
1964 – Best Male Singer
1965 – Best UK Male Singer
1967 – Top Male Singer
Disc & Music Echo1967 – Best-Dressed Male
1968 – Best-Dressed Male
1969 – Best-Dressed Male
1970 – Top British Male Singer
1970 – Best-Dressed Male
1970 – Mr. Valentine
1971 – Mr. Valentine
Bravo Magazine (Germany)1964 – Best Male Singer – Gold
1964 – Year End Singles Charts – 1. "Sag 'no' Zu Ihm" ("Don't talk to him")
1965 – Best Male Singer – Gold
1980 – Top International Male Singer
Record Mirror1961 – Record Mirror Survey – Most successful chart records 1958–1961 – No 1: Cliff Richard, "Living Doll" (Richard had three of the top five records and a further two in the Top 50)
1964 – Record Mirror Poll – Best-Dressed Singer in the World
1960s1961 – Royal Variety Club – Show Business Personality
1961 – Weekend Magazine – Star of Stars
1962 – Motion Picture Herald Box-Office Survey of 1962 – Most Popular Male Film Actor
1963 – Motion Picture Herald Box-Office Survey of 1963 – Most Popular Male Film Actor
1963 – 16 (US Magazine) – Most Promising Singer
1964 – Billboard (US Magazine) – Best Recording Artist UK
1969 – Valentine Magazine – Mr Valentine
1970s1970 – National Viewers' and Listeners' Association – Outstanding Contribution to Religious Broadcasting and Light Entertainment
1971 – Record Mirror – UK Male Singer
1974 – Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Committee – Silver Clef – Outstanding Services to the Music Industry
1977 – The Songwriters' Guild of Great Britain – Golden Badge Award
1979 – Music Week – Special Award for 21 years as successful recording artistes – Cliff Richard and the Shadows
1979 – EMI Records – Gold Clock and Gold Key award – EMI celebrates 21-year partnership with Richard
1980s1980 – Richard receives O.B.E. from the Queen
1980 – BBC TV Multi-Coloured Swap Shop – Best UK Male Vocalist
1980 – National Pop And Rock Awards – Best Family Entertainer
1980 – Nationwide, in conjunction with Radio 1 and the Daily Mirror – Best Family Entertainer
1981 – Sunday Telegraph Readers Poll – Top Pop Star
1981 – Daily Mirror Readers Award – Outstanding Music Personality of the Year
1989 – The Lifetime Achievement Diamond Award (Antwerp)
1990s1995 – American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers – Pied Piper Award (Richard became the first British recipient of Ascap's coveted Pied Piper Award, which recognises outstanding contributions to the songwriter and music community)
1995 – The formal investiture of Richard as Knight Bachelor took place at 10.30 am in Buckingham Palace on Wednesday 25 October
1998 – Dutch Edison – Lifetime Achievement Award
2000s2000 – South Bank Awards – Outstanding Achievement Award
2003 – British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors – Gold Badge of Merit
2003 – Lawn Tennis Association – 20 Years of Service to Tennis Award
2004 – Induction into UK Music Hall of Fame (representing the 1950s – Cliff and the Shadows)
2004 – Ultimate Pop Star (No. 1 singles recording artist in UK)[clarification needed]
2005 – Avenue of Stars (star on the pavement, London)
2005 – Rose D'or Music Festival (Paris) – Golden Rose
2006 – Commander of the Portuguese Order of Prince Henry (awarded for services to Portugal)[109]
See also
Book icon Book: Cliff Richard

Best selling music artists
List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
Cliff – The Musical
References
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101.^ Jump up to: a b Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 373. ISBN 9780745952796.
102.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff's faith tested over Dando's murder". The Birmingham Post. 2 August 1999. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
103.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff mourns his 'gorgeous' friend". BBC News. 27 April 1999. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
104.Jump up ^ "Emotional farewell to Dando". BBC News. 21 May 1999. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
105.Jump up ^ Duffin, Claire (27 April 2013). "Sir Cliff Richard reveals the secrets of his eternal youth". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 3 January 2014.
106.Jump up ^ "BBC Breakfast with Frost interview". BBC Breakfast with Frost. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
107.Jump up ^ Sewards, Lisa. "I still think of Caron hundreds of times a day". The Lady (magazine). Retrieved 10 November 2013.
108.Jump up ^ "Friends bid farewell to Keating". BBC News. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
109.^ Jump up to: a b "Sir Cliff Richard honoured with Portuguese award of merit". The Portugal News. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
110.Jump up ^ Cliff Richard with Penny Junor My Life, My Way, London: Vox Rock, 2008
111.Jump up ^ Green, Chris (6 September 2008). "Sir Cliff speaks frankly about his 'companion' the ex-priest". The Independent (London). Retrieved 30 April 2010.
112.Jump up ^ Walker, Tim (20 August 2009). "Cliff Richard and Cilla Black, the 'Saga holiday couple,' spotted in Marbella". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 2 November 2013.
113.Jump up ^ Plunkett, John (18 August 2014). "BBC's Cliff Richard raid coverage driven by pressure for exclusives". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 20 August 2014.
114.Jump up ^ Clarke, Melonie (19 February 2013). "…I'd have been a good father…". The Lady (magazine). Retrieved 3 January 2014.
115.Jump up ^ "Rallying for love and family life". The Herald (Glasgow). 12 July 1971.
116.Jump up ^ Smith, Justin T. (2013). British Film Culture in the 1970s: The Boundaries of Pleasure. Edinburgh University Press.
117.Jump up ^ Daniel Ekeroth, Swedish Sensationsfilms: A Clandestine History of Sex, Thrillers, and Kicker Cinema, (Bazillion Points, 2011), p. 126, ISBN 978-0-9796163-6-5.
118.Jump up ^ Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. UK: Lion Publishing. p. 364. ISBN 9780745939827. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
119.Jump up ^ "Modern day philanthropists: Cliff Richard". besignificant.co.uk. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
120.Jump up ^ "Friends of Tearfund". Retrieved 14 February 2013.
121.Jump up ^ "Alzheimer's Research UK: Patrons". Alzheimer's Research UK. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
122.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard - Why I'll always love Surrey". Surrey Life. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
123.Jump up ^ "Latest tennis opportunities for you". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
124.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard Charitable Trust". Together: Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
125.Jump up ^ Dominiczak, Peter (7 August 2014). "Sir Mick Jagger joins 200 public figures calling for Scotland to stay in the UK". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
126.Jump up ^ "Musical copyright terms 'to stay'". BBC News. 27 November 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
127.Jump up ^ Evans, Martin (14 August 2014). "Sir Cliff Richard insists I am not a paedophile". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 17 August 2014.
128.^ Jump up to: a b c d "Sir Cliff Richard's Berkshire property searched by police". BBC News. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
129.Jump up ^ Dodd, Vikram; Siddique, Haroon (14 August 2014). "Cliff Richard denies allegations of sexual assault as police raid UK home". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
130.Jump up ^ "MPs to quiz BBC and police bosses over Cliff Richard raid". BBC News. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
131.Jump up ^ "Police complain over Sir Cliff Richard search 'leak'". BBC News. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
132.^ Jump up to: a b Robertson, Geoffrey (16 August 2014). "The way the police have treated Cliff Richard is completely unacceptable". The Independent (London). Retrieved 16 August 2014.
133.^ Jump up to: a b Hamilton, Fiona (20 August 2014). "Police deal with BBC may mean Sir Cliff search was illegal". The Sunday Times (London). Retrieved 1 October 2014.
134.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard quizzed by detectives over sex crime claim". Channel 4 News. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
135.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard interviewed by police over alleged sexual assault". The Independent (London). 23 August 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
136.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard interviewed by police over assault claim". BBC News. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
137.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard: I fully intend to clear my name". ITV News. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
138.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard police raid inept say MPs". BBC News. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
139.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard police inquiry 'significantly expanded'". BBC News. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
140.Jump up ^ "Sir Cliff Richard's privacy 'breached by raid details release'". BBC News. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
141.Jump up ^ Laville, Sandra (25 February 2015). "Sir Cliff Richard investigation increasing in size, says police chief". The Guardian (London).
142.Jump up ^ "Overview for Swingers' Paradise (1965)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
143.Jump up ^ "William's Cliff Chart Site – Cliff Richard Television Hits". Cliffchartsite.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
144.Jump up ^ "Rocklist.net...NME Lists readers Pop Poll Results...". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
Bibliography
Tremlett, George (12 September 1975). The Cliff Richard Story. London, England, UK: Futura Publications Limited. ISBN 0-86007-232-0.
Lewry, Peter; Goodall, Nigel (12 September 1991). Cliff Richard: The Complete Recording Sessions, 1958–90. London: Blandford Press. ISBN 978-0-7137-2242-0.
Richard, Cliff (4 October 1990). Which One's Cliff?. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-27159-0.
Richard, Cliff; Latham, Bill (1 September 1983). You, Me and Jesus. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-0340346280.
Turner, Steve (1 January 2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford, England, UK: Lion Books. ISBN 978-0-7459-5279-6.
Turner, Steve (3 August 2009). Cliff Richard: The Bachelor Boy. London: Carlton Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84442-037-7.
Read, Mike (8 September 1983). The Story of the Shadows. London: Elm Tree books. ISBN 0-241-10861-6.
Frame, Pete (1 December 1993). The Complete Rock Family Rock Trees. London: Omnibus. ISBN 0-7119-6879-9.
Roberts, David (17 Jun 2006). Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
Warwick, Neil; Kutner, Jon; Brown, Tony (10 April 2004). The Complete Book of the British Charts (3rd ed.). London: Music Sales Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84449-058-5.
Nicolson, Dave (30 April 2011). Jet Harris: In Spite of Everything. York, England, UK: Music Mentor Books. ISBN 978-0-9562679-0-0.
External links
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cliff Richard.
Cliff Richard's official website
Cliff Richard at the Internet Movie Database
Cliff Richard Songs site
bfi.org.uk – Cliff Richard on film (bfi database)
A collection of Cliff Richard scrapbooks are held by the Victoria and Albert Museum Theatre and Performance Department.
Portraits of Sir Cliff Richard at the National Portrait Gallery, London
Preceded by
Sandie Shaw
 with "Puppet on a String" UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
 1968 Succeeded by
Lulu
 with "Boom Bang-a-Bang"
Preceded by
The New Seekers
 with "Beg, Steal or Borrow" UK in the Eurovision Song Contest
 1973 Succeeded by
Olivia Newton-John
 with "Long Live Love"


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WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 50018147 ·
 LCCN: n50044893 ·
 GND: 11860029X ·
 SUDOC: 052465152 ·
 BNF: cb12762651x (data) ·
 MusicBrainz: b5c2fdfc-d037-45b8-84f9-09ebb7ff8aa1
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: 1940 births
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