Remembering Michael Jackson On His Birthday [Video]

Michael Jackson is one of the most widely beloved entertainers of all-time.

A profoundly influential artist, he made an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.

Referred to as "The King of Pop," Jackson died June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. He was 50 years old.

While he is gone, his ability to express an astounding range of feelings with conviction and grace guarantees his place with The Touch Radio and 1410 AM The Touch celebrating him with music all day.

Born in Gary Ind., on Aug. 29, 1958, he was the seventh out of nine children born to Joe and Katherine Jackson.

At the age of eight, Michael started as the lead singer of The Jackson 5, a band started by his father and featuring his brothers.

In 1968, The Jackson Five signed with Motown Records and had several top 10 hits, including "ABC" and "I'll Be There."

Breaking out as a solo performer in the 1980s, Jackson released what became one of the best-selling albums of all time, "Thriller."

Often referred to as eccentric, Jackson was a top-selling recording and touring act for almost four decades. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as a member of the Jackson 5 and in 2001 as a solo artist.

At the time of his death, he was preparing for a sold-out run of 50 shows at London's O2 Arena. The tour footage was compiled into a feature film, "Michael Jackson's This Is It."

Michael Jackson Timeline

• 1958: Michael Jackson was born Aug. 29, the eighth of ten children to an African American working-class family, in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago.
• In 1964: Michael 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.
• In 1966: Jackson Brothers won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.
• 1971: Michael Jackson began his solo career.
• 1975: In June, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine left to pursue a solo career.
• 1979: Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.
• 1980: Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"..
• 1982: Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children in 1984.
• 1983: In March, Jackson reunited with his brothers for a legendary live performance which was taped for a Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. The show aired on May 16, 1983, to an audience of 47 million viewers, and featured the Jacksons and a number of other Motown stars.
• 1984: On Jan. 27, Michael and other members of the Jacksons filmed a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. In front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson's hair on fire. He suffered second-degree burns to his scalp.
• 1984: On May 14, 1984, Jackson was invited to The White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse. Jackson won eight awards during the Grammys that year.
• 1993: In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought.
• 2005: In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts.
• 2009: While preparing for his concert series "This Is It," Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam.

Source: The Touch Radio