Jan. 17 in history

21 Years Ago --- Write A Song; Risk A Lawsuit The Gazette January 17, 1985 Michael Jackson is victorious in a million-dollar lawsuit in Chicago brought by Midwestern songwriter Fred Sanford against Jackson's label, CBS. Sanford claims Jackson's top 10 duet with Paul McCartney, The Girl is Mine, was plagiarized from his song, Please Love Me Now. Jackson tells the court his song came to him in a dream, though he recorded it three weeks after Sanford sent a tape of his song to CBS. The jury says the song is Jackson's and there was no copyright infringement. Sanford says, "I'm disappointed (with the verdict), but we gave it a heck of a fight." --- 19 Years Ago --- Jackson Commercials Orlando Sentinel January 17, 1987 Michael Jackson is making two new Pepsi commercials in an estimated $10 million, multi-year deal. The new spots will be Jackson's first solo appearance for Pepsi and the first since he and his brothers appeared for the soft-drink company in 1984. One of the new commercials will appear on the Feb. 24 Grammy telecast. Jackson also will do a Spanish version, Pepsi-Cola Co. spokesman Ken Ross said. The singer has signed a three-year contract with Pepsi that will pay him more than the $5 million he received three years ago and less than a reported $15 million. "It's about in the middle," Ross said. --- 17 Years Ago --- Michael Jackson `Bad' in LA Orange County Register January 17, 1989 Thousands of fans howled Monday night as superstar Michael Jackson took center stage at the Los Angeles Sports Arena adorned in silver chains, resuming a concert tour curtailed in November when he suffered swollen vocal cords. Jackson's manager, Frank Dileo, had announced that this would be Jackson's final concert tour, the end of a 16-month marathon to promote his top-selling "Bad" album. Only ticket holders who bought seats for the canceled Nov. 14 to Nov. 22 dates were eligible to attend Monday's performance. Jackson will finish out his shows at the Sports Arena Jan. 26 and 27. --- 16 Years Ago --- Here's Your Chance To Zap Moonwalker Toronto Star January 17, 1990 You've loved His Hotness on recordings, video and film. Soon, Michael Jackson will test his persona in a new field of battle, as hero of a Sega home and arcade video game called Michael Jackson: Moonwalker. The game, debuting later this year, is based on Jackson's movie of the same name and his Smooth Criminal music video. "Nintendo tried to get him a couple years ago for a game tie-in, but Michael turned them down," Sega spokeswoman Susan Butenhoff said at the Consumer Electronics Show here, where Jackson's game was previewed last week. "Actually, he approached us. Last summer, touring Japan, Michael spent a day off at the Sega factory. It turned out he's a big fan of the company and has a number of Sega arcade games at home. Later, he suggested Sega put a game together using his moves and his songs. This is it." The computer-animated Jackson glides, spins and moonwalks just like the real, already-larger-than-life superstar. In the video- game plot, arch-enemy Mr. Big and his henchman have kidnapped the good children of the world. It's up to our hero to save them. In addition to his dazzling dancing, Michael uses special powers - his ability to turn into a giant robot, for example - to thwart the opposition and triumph over evil. Players get to control Jackson doing some of his most famous moves, including "the lean" and "moonwalking." Music for the game includes Jackson hits "Beat It", "Bad" and "Dirty Diana". "The Michael Jackson game represents the beginning of a new category of video-game cartridges," said Al Nilsen, director of marketing for Sega. "This is a natural evolution, a merging of music video and game entertainment." Definitely aiming for the fantasy stars, the Sega Genesis system will also offer homages to comic-book heroes Dick Tracy and Spiderman, with games tied to their upcoming summer movies, as well as with a Ghostbusters video game and a Walt Disney title using Mickey Mouse in scenes from Fantasia. --- 14 Years Ago --- 'Black or White' In 7th Week At Top Chicago Tribune January 17, 1992 Michael Jackson's "Black or White," has successfully held off challenges by Color Me Badd's "All 4 Love" (still No. 2) and Mariah Carey's "Can't Let Go" (still No. 3, but up to No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart). Jackson now is in line to score an eighth straight week as champ, which not only would break Adams' record but also would give him the longest-running No. 1 of his long pop career. Back in 1983, he also spent seven weeks in the top spot with "Billie Jean," one of the singles that helped make "Thriller" such a spectacular success. --- 13 Years Ago --- May New Administration Heed Children's Voices Orange County Register January 17, 1993 A new organization called Heal the World, the brainchild of Michael Jackson, will hold its first meeting sometime this spring in Los Angeles. Delegates to the children's congress will be involved in distributing money and supplies to needy countries _ including the US - and groups around the world. Its European counterpart already has met in London. --- 12 Years Ago --- Michael's Treat Kids Get Party At Jackson Ranch Newsday January 17, 1994 Michael Jackson opened his Neverland Ranch in a Martin Luther King Day celebration for 100 inner-city children who excelled in school. Jackson spent Saturday mingling with the children, posing for photographs and signing autographs. The children watched the movie "Beethoven's 2nd" in Jackson's theater and then visited his amusement park and zoo. "This was a reward for them, and especially on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., it is a very special occasion. These kids will never forget. We thank Michael for making this an even more memorable day," said Chilton Alphonse, founder of South Central Los Angeles' Community Youth Sports and Arts Foundation. Fifty of the children came from Alphonse's organization, and the other 50, from Second Baptist Church. "Michael has been a friend for the past five or six years and he's been very generous to us," Alphonse said by telephone from Neverland. "You hear all these negative things and I don't believe them. A man is innocent until proven guilty." --- 4 Years Ago --- America Music Awards: Stars Shine at Annual Awards Precinct Reporter January 17, 2002 I have been attending the American Music Awards (AMAs) for over a decade and they never cease to amaze me. This music award presentation held every January as the voice of the record buying public since 1974 is a forerunner to all the entertainment award show to come. This is the night the fans speak-and as in years gone by at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium they do it loud and clear. ... Michael Jackson, the king of pop received the Artist of the Century Award. It appears that Dick Clark, producer of the AMAs, sued the man in charge of the Grammy Awards for threatening to deny Michael to perform at next month's Grammy Awards if Jackson showed up at the AMAs. Jackson showed up and the audience went wild as Chris Rock presented him his award-it's history now. It sure was fun watching up close and personal, and so was watching Luther Vandross' performances. ---