Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 as the eighth of ten children in Gary, Indiana, to an African American working-class family. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph "Joe" Walter Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with a R&B band called the Falcons. Jackson has three sisters: Rebbie, LaToya, and Janet, and six brothers:Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Brandon(died at birth, Marlon's twin brother), and Randy.
Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father. Michael stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehersals, whipping, and name-calling, though he credited his father's discipline for his success. In one altercation rercalled by Marlon, Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him in this back and buttocks. Joseph would also trip or push his sons into walls. One night while Jackson was asleep Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window, wearing a fright mask and screaming. Joseph said he wanted to teach his sons a lesson not to leave the window open at night. For years afterward he suffered many nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.
He showed talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates during a Christmas recital in kindergarten. In 1964, he and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers�a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine�as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5. The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.[15]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, and signed with Motown Records in 1968. Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer." The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Between 1972 and 1975, Jackson released four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.
In 1984, (When Michael was 25-years old) his hair caught on fire while filming a commercial for Pepsi. After the commercial Michael began to take pain killers.
In 1994, Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of The King, Elvis Presley. They divorced in 1996.
In that same year, Michael married Debbie Rowe. They had two children together. The 1st one's name was Prone Michael Joseph Jackson I (the first) and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. Debbie and Michael divorced in 1999.
Jackson had another son named Prine Michael Joseph Jackson II(the second) to an unknown woman.
In 2009, Michael Jackson died on June 25 at the age of 50.
