Jan. 15 in history

18 Years Ago --- 'Bad' News Providence Journal January 15, 1988 We hate to go bursting bubbles, but if you plan on catching Michael Jackson's world tour this time around, it looks like you'd better book yourself a seat on the Eastern shuttle. Dates for the U.S. leg of the "Bad" extravaganza are in and it appears that the closest the Gloved One will get to Little Rhody is The Big Apple. The tour, which is Jackson's first solo effort, sold out 19 shows in Japan and Australia and is set to kick off a 13-city American run on Feb. 23 in Kansas City. A benefit for the United Negro College Fund is set for March 3 at New York's Madison Square Garden, followed by two more performances (March 5 and 6) at that arena. Additional dates have yet to be announced but the only other northeastern city even on the list is Pittsburgh, Penn. The good news is: A second series of U.S. concerts is planned to follow the next leg of the tour (in Europe). --- --- Bad News Is Good For Michael Jackson The Ottawa Citizen January 15, 1988 The Irish rock band U2 was nominated Thursday for four Grammy awards for its blockbuster LP The Joshua Tree, while superstar Michael Jackson had four nominations for Bad. Jackson was nominated for album of the year, best pop vocal performance, best RB vocal performance and producer of the year. Bad was also nominated as best engineered recording. --- 17 Years Ago --- Today's Stars Tomorrow's Legends? Los Angeles Times January 15, 1989 "What about me someday?" That's a question hundreds of musicians will ask themselves as Dion DiMucci, Otis Redding, the Rolling Stones, the Temptations and Stevie Wonder are inducted during the fourth annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies Wednesday night in New York. The contributions of those artists have been well documented over the last three decades (see Don Waller's article, next page). But how do contemporary musicians begin to measure their own chances of someday being inducted? For many, it's going to be a long time before they get a formal answer. Under Hall of Fame rules, artists don't become eligible for induction until 25 years after their recording debut. That means Tracy Chapman-or any other 1988 arrival-won't be eligible until 2014. Yet there is a way to weigh the chances of today's artists. To a remarkably encouraging degree, Hall of Fame judges (mostly recording executives, musicians and critics) have considered artistic rather than simply commercial credentials... Michael Jackson - Once you reach the 99% level, the performer's chances of induction are so great that there's little he or she can do to increase or decrease the odds. So, the modest upgrade is simply an acknowledgment of Jackson's phenomenal "Bad" tour success. 99%. Up 1/4%. --- 13 Years Ago --- Super Bowl Still Super For Advertisers, Too Herald January 15, 1993 Gillette, Pepsi and Subaru will use the Super Bowl to launch ad campaigns for major new product lines, while Reebok will use it to launch ads aimed at creating a "new identity." Nike will try to duplicate the popularity of its "Hare Jordan" spot last year with a new 90-second ad again featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny. Lee Jeans will do follow-up spots to its highly praised ads for baggy jeans that ran during the Olympics last year. And Frito-Lay will sponsor a 10-minute Super Bowl halftime show starring Michael Jackson that will attempt to keep viewers from darting to other stations or other rooms when the football action stops... The prospect of a Michael Jackson extravaganza at halftime has proved so daunting that the Fox network is not even going to try to compete as it did last year by running an "In Living Color" special during that time. --- 12 Years Ago --- Silent 'Witness' Defends Jackson The Vancouver Sun January 15, 1994 Lying on the floor of his posh, newly remodeled Fifth Avenue apartment overlooking Central Park while getting a shiatsu massage, Hollywood mega-manager Sandy Gallin tells a reporter on the phone that he is finally ready to step out of the background and talk about the crisis plaguing his superstar client Michael Jackson. "Let me read you something," says Gallin, 53, who also represents such other pop icons as Dolly Parton and Neil Diamond. Reading an emotionally charged statement he has prepared for the Los Angeles Times in defence of Jackson -- who five months ago was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy and now faces a civil lawsuit set to go to trial March 21 -- Gallin finally breaks his carefully cultivated low profile, saying, "I can no longer remain a silent witness. "Over several weeks now I have watched in silent horror the press crucify and assassinate Michael's character without any solid evidence and with no response from his side," he reads. "Based on my very thorough and intimate knowledge of Michael's activities" and "insights into his character, I am convinced that Michael has done nothing that is illegal or immoral. "Michael's innocent, open and childlike relationships with children may appear bizarre and strange to adults in our society who cannot conceive of any relationship without sexual connotations... This is not a reflection of Michael's character; rather it is a symptom of the sexual phobias of our society." Gallin says the only reason for speaking up now is to help Jackson, not out of concern for his own image. "I don't think I would have been perceived badly, because I have a low profile," he says. "I stay in the background and my association with Michael is not that public." --- 9 Years Ago --- 3rd Child Killed In Fire Laid To Rest Times Union January 15, 1997 On Friday, he comforted a Halfmoon family the morning they learned a fire in their house had killed three of their children. On Tuesday, the Rev. Russell Smith gave the eulogy as the last of the victims was buried. Nine-year-old Elizabeth "Lizzie" Miller Reynolds died in the 2 a.m. fire Friday at her home at 277 Lower New Town Road, Halfmoon. Michael Jackson's song "You Are Not Alone" played during her funeral service at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home. Burial followed in Schenectady Memorial Park. "There was a sense of closure and finality today," said Smith, of the Shenendehowa United Methodist Church, after the service. "Hopefully, this family, even though they face another tragedy, can put their lives back together and go on." What Forrest and Roberta Reynolds must now contend with is the arrest of their son, Michael D. Reynolds, 20, who was charged with three counts of second-degree murder for allegedly starting the fire that leveled the family home. Michael Reynolds, who is in Saratoga County Jail without bail, did not attend the funeral, police said. The fire also killed Christine M. Bonesteel, 6, and her brother, Matthew J. Bonesteel, 4. Services for them were held Monday. Elizabeth was fondly remembered Tuesday. "She was a very happy child and loved to help other children at her school," Smith said. --- 8 Years Ago --- Michael Jackson And Multi-billionaire Saudi prince Are Partners The Vancouver Sun January 15, 1998 is Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the highest roller the rickety old Pacific National Exhibition has ever seen, has a rule of thumb: "Anything that's worth $4 billion and costs $1 billion -- buy it!" In that way, Saudi Arabia's richest investor has built a $12- billion US fortune, a partnership with singer Michael Jackson and, apparently, an abiding interest in recasting the venerable PNE into the biggest theme park in the Pacific Northwest. What this means for the Lower Mainland -- even if this still vague "leisure entertainment centre" never gets built -- is the kind of roller-coaster ride the PNE has never produced... Last year, the prince, in partnership with Michael Jackson, bought a controlling 55-per-cent partnership in Landmark, giving the company deep pockets and a hunger to expand into movie, television and live entertainment, and to build its theme attraction division "into an even greater force around the world." King made it clear Wednesday he wasn't comfortable talking about the prince, who is a "very nice guy," or Jackson, who may or may not get personally involved in developing this Lower Mainland theme experience. --- 7 Years Ago --- Skaters Glide With Precision In 'Champions On Ice' The Post January 15, 1999 What's a little ice and snow? Judging by the vociferous reaction of the intrepid audience at the War Memorial Thursday night, this crowd was looking for ice - and ice skaters. "Champions on Ice" obliged with a top-drawer exhibition of figure skating performed by a top-notch cast. The evening opened with the stirring sight of many national flags projected on the ice. Then the Olympic rings interlocked in rounds of color, and the skating began in earnest. The crowd, who had struggled through a blustery evening to attend, appreciated the professional precision of the skaters and the attractive staging of the performance. Tops on their list were two true showmen, Viktor Petrenko and Philippe Candeloro. Petrenko, a consummate actor as well as skater, performed to "Harlem Nocturne" as an impeccable waiter and in a clever Michael Jackson medley, which included the trademark moonwalk - on skates! Candeloro reprised his "Three Musketeers" number from the Olympics and had the audience screaming for more with his sexy performance to "Stayin' Alive." --- 3 Years Ago --- Family, Friends Pay Tribute To Bee Gee Maurice Gibb Knight Ridder Tribune News January 15, 2003 Pop star and long-time Miami Beach resident Maurice Gibb was memorialized Tuesday during a private ceremony in South Beach as a hundred fans from around the world held vigil outside the chapel. Later in the afternoon, his body was taken to Fort Lauderdale for cremation, as Gibb requested in his final wishes, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation. Among the mourners: pop idol Michael Jackson, who visited Gibb in the hospital before his death, rock icon Eric Clapton, Scottish singer Lulu, to whom Gibb was married in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and fellow Bee Gees' members and brothers Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb. --- --------------------