|
 |
|
| Born the seventh in a family of nine
children in Gary, Indiana, Jackson was launched into
show business when his father, a steel-mill worker
by trade, assembled a singing group called the
Jackson Five with 5-year-old Michael and his four
older brothers. Initially, Joseph included Michael
in the lineup as a novelty, but it became
immediately obvious that his wee son had prodigious
musical abilities: his voice possessed a maturity
belied by his young years, and his crowd-charming
charisma superseded that of most seasoned
entertainers. Buoyed by the young prodigy's talents,
the Jackson Five moved quickly from local talent
contests to a recording contract with Motown. The
group generated six top-five singles between 1969
and 1971 — including "I Want You Back"
and "ABC" — and would remain a
hit-making machine throughout the '70s. As if the
pressure of fronting a chart-topping band weren't
enough for the adolescent, Jackson was soon tapped
by Motown to do solo recordings.
Continue |
|
|
|
|
