Feb. 7 in history

21 Years Ago --- Jackie O. Visits Michael J. in Encino Los Angeles Times February 07, 1985 "They already know about this in London," photographer Kip Rano said Wednesday afternoon as he waited for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' limousine to pull into Michael Jackson's driveway. Rano, a free-lancer who sells most of his pictures to foreign publications, was one of about 25 media members and a handful of fans who gathered outside Jackson's Encino estate awaiting the rumored 3 o'clock arrival of the former first lady, now the Doubleday editor handling Jackson's forthcoming autobiography. Only in America, perhaps, could such a scene take place-the media poised to observe the widow of an assassinated President paying a call on a superstar whose trademark is a childish whisper and a sequined glove. But as Rano, who asked not to be tarred with the label paparazzo, explained: "I don't usually do this hanging-around-in-the-street crap, but they are quite big, and I've already had requests from three European publications for pictures." None of the watchers thought anything truly newsworthy was going to happen here on Hayvenhurst Avenue, but nobody wanted to miss it. "If they turn up in a limo with dark windows, this is going to be a waste of time and money," complained Marc Biggins, another European free-lance photographer. A realist, Biggins nonetheless knew the kind of photo he would like to get: "That would be a great picture-if she showed up in a VW convertible, with Marlon Brando, holding a bottle of whiskey," he fantasized. "Why don't you drive around the back?" Jo Krasner of Woodland Hills advised the waiting lensmen. "You can get some good shots from the fence." Krasner happened to be in Jackson's driveway Wednesday because her daughter Eva was visiting from New Jersey, and the women check out Jackson's residence whenever Eva's in town. Eva Krasner once attempted to locate a cache of Jackson's favorite ice cream for the celebrity while she was working for the New York limousine service that Jackson patronizes. (Jackson eventually arranged to have the gelato in question airlifted from Los Angeles, she said.) And Jo Krasner has her own Jackson connection, however tenuous. One time she, daughter Amy and a carful of young fans boldly followed Jackson's father, Joe, through the estate's automatic gate, right up to the celebrity's front door. "We just cruised up behind him," she recalled. "I was scared to death. Mr. Jackson's reaction was very friendly-he was very receptive. But his bodyguard said that if we didn't clear it-he didn't say 'beat it'-in five seconds, we would be in severe trouble no matter what Mr. Jackson said. I told Amy to gun that car out of here." That adventure left Krasner with a mental map of the Jackson estate, including the location of the guardhouse, that she generously shared with the media. "They're so concerned about what's happening in front, they're very lax about the back," she opined. "In England, it would be nothing to climb over the fence and sit in a tree all night waiting for them," Biggins said as he waited. At 3:46 p.m. a black limo with dark windows pulled into Jackson's driveway. Two women emerged from the back seat, the taller of them later identified by Jackson's press liaison as Onassis, in town to help Michael finish his book. Neither of the men in the front seat was Marlon Brando. --- 18 Years Ago --- Hits, Misses For 21st Century Rock Hall San Francisco Chronicle February 07, 1988 Everybody knows the 40 or so remaining names from the '60s who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as soon as they become eligible: the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin and . . . Well, just fill in the blanks. It is easy to look back and see who were our most inspired and inspiring artists. But what about the future? ... ...It is clear that some artists, through originality of stance or simply expanse of talent, have had such a profound influence on pop music that they are virtually guaranteed a place in the Hall of Fame regardless of what happens later in their careers. Current examples: Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna... The candidates: - Michael Jackson: He will be inducted twice, first as a member of the Jackson 5, then as the solo artist who may have achieved more international popularity in rock than anyone since Presley. 99 percent... --- 17 Years Ago --- 2 Musical Romantics At Radio City New York Times February 07, 1989 Johnny Mathis and Dionne Warwick, who have performed together frequently in recent years, may be the reigning exponents of a full-blown pop romanticism that seems more valuable the more it loses its commercial footing... Performing her older hits, Miss Warwick brought a new and deeper perspective to "Alfie," emphasizing pained resignation rather than accusatory anger. Among more recent songs, she brought a stirring determination to Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror." Even the too familiar "That's What Friends Are For" was revivified with a strong gospel ending. --- 15 Years Ago --- Jacksonian Comportment Seattle Times February 07, 1991 Ever wonder just what makes Michael Jackson tick? J. Randy Tarborrelli, whose "Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness" is due out in May, said the Gloved One's "reclusiveness came about because of a complete lack of trust in people... Children and animals can't exploit him... His parents and brothers and everybody else he's ever trusted, in his mind, have... exploited him. He really comes from a very troubled family..." --- 13 Years Ago --- Campaign Lets Kids Tackle World Issues Orange County Register February 07, 1993 One unique thing about the Heal the World Foundation is Michael Jackson's belief that children have questions about and solutions to many of the issues facing our world. Heal the World has a children's advisory board made up of 8- to 16-year-olds. They work alongside the adult board helping to identify problems and solutions. Hammer said the pressures today are stronger and parents should concentrate more on kids and and their education. Through his music, Hammer tries give positive messages of encouragement. He says his Christianity has been "the most positive aspect of my life and the driving force behind everything I do." --- --- The Week Ahead The Salt Lake Tribune February 07, 1993 Wednesday - President Clinton attends a televised town hall meeting in Detroit . . . Oprah Winfrey holds a rare interview with Michael Jackson, live at his Santa Barbara, Calif., ranch . . . Pope John Paul II flies to Sudan and back to Rome, ending his African journey. --- 12 Years Ago --- This Time, Jackson Sued Over A Song Newsday February 07, 1994 Denver - Michael Jackson isn't expected to be on hand when a trial begins today to hear a local songwriter's claim that the pop superstar pirated the hit song "Dangerous." His lawyer will be there, along with Crystal Cartier, who says she wrote "Dangerous" nine years ago. "He [Jackson] augmented the lyrics, he took the chorus, the hook, from my song - and that's loot," Cartier said. "I don't mind sharing credit, but I got bumped completely out of the picture." Jackson and his lawyer have refused to comment on the case. The U.S. District Court trial will decide Cartier's copyright infringement claim. If she prevails, there will be a second trial to determine damages. Cartier plans to seek at least $40 million. Last month, a Los Angeles jury ruled that Jackson didn't steal the songs "Thriller," "The Girl is Mine" and "We Are The World" from two former childhood neighbors in Indiana. --- --- Officials Desperate To Nail Michael Jackson Newsday February 07, 1994 The child sex abuse case against Michael Jackson has taken a new - and ugly - turn. Prosecutors in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties are scrambling to salvage what's left of their criminal investigations into sex abuse allegations against the pop music star. Los Angeles District Attorney Gil Garcetti urged state legislators last week to amend a law that now prohibits forcing people who say they have been sexually assaulted to testify in criminal proceedings. If passed, the change would take effect immediately and allow Garcetti to compel the 14-year-old boy with whom Jackson reached an out-of-court settlement last month to testify in any criminal trials growing out of his widely reported charge that the superstar sexually abused him. That would be a real act of legal brinksmanship. If the lawmakers give Garcetti the power he seeks and the boy - whose doctors say he needs to put this matter behind him - refuses to testify, what would he do? Send the boy to jail? Law enforcement officials in Santa Barbara County have taken a different - if no less desperate - approach in their pursuit of criminal charges against Jackson. Investigators from the county sheriff's office recently arranged for the 13-year-old son of Jackson's former maid to see a therapist. The boy was first interviewed by police after his mother told them he had spent time alone with Jackson. According to his mother, the child has repeatedly denied being abused in any way by the pop music star. The offer of a therapist was made after the woman, an immigrant from Central America, complained about meetings and phone conversations sheriff's deputies had with the boy while she was not present. It made her "feel uncomfortable," she said in a deposition, that she didn't know what the deputies were talking about with the young boy. When she asked them "who should I talk to" about her concerns, they arranged for the woman and her son to see separate therapists at the county's expense, she said in the sworn statement. Not surprisingly, a senior official of the Santa Barbara sheriff's department told People magazine last week that the boy who brought the original sex abuse charge against Jackson "is not the only victim out there." This week, a grand jury will be convened in Santa Barbara County to hear testimony concerning the Jackson case, and the bill Garcetti is pushing will be introduced in the state assembly. And the line between justice and injustice is getting harder and harder to find. --- 11 Years Ago --- Kup's Column Chicago Sun Times February 07, 1995 Lawyer Johnnie Cochran, a central figure in the O.J. Simpson case, also was front and center at a weekend reception in L.A. over the weekend to announce his law firm is extending its practice into government relations and the entertainment industry. Hosting the reception were such biggies as Chicago's Linda Johnson-Rice of Ebony, Bill Cosby, Ed Lewis of Essence, Black Enterprise's Earl Graves and Motown-Polygram's Clarence Avant. Biggest cheer of the event came with the surprise appearance of Michael Jackson and his bride, Lisa Marie Presley. --- --- Michael Jackson Fans Are Loyal Journal Star February 07, 1995 Allegations that the singer molested a 13-year-old boy prompted supporters from around the world to deluge the courts in Santa Barbara, Calif., with letters and petitions of support. "You know he is innocent," wrote Wendy Martin from England. "Yet you continue to persecute the poor man when there are criminals to be caught." The fan mail and petitions were part of sealed court papers that were made public last week, the Santa Barbara News-Press reported Sunday... --- 10 Years Ago --- Judge Lets Jackson Shoot In Rio Slum Orlando Sentinel February 07, 1996 A judge has paved the way for Michael Jackson to film a video in a Rio shantytown, a day after effectively banning the controversial shooting, a lawyer for the production team said Tuesday. But there was a possibility Jackson and film director Spike Lee might abandon plans to film in the hillside slum. A battle over Jackson's proposed video for the song "They Don't Care About Us" erupted last week when a Rio official said the use of a shantytown as a backdrop could "devastate" attempts to rebuild the city's image and host the 2004 Olympics. --- --- Michael Jackson Flies To Rio Despite Video Fuss Tulsa World February 07, 1996 The producer of Michael Jackson's next video is due to fly to Rio de Janeiro Tuesday despite complaints from image-conscious officials that Jackson plans to focus on Brazil's impoverished areas. "Things are moving, and we're confident everything will work out," says producer Butch Robinson. Director Spike Lee and Jackson are due in Brazil later this week. Monday, the governor of Rio de Janeiro state said he wouldn't block the video, but he urged slum dwellers to charge Jackson for appearing in it. "The community could use that money to invest in projects" in the shantytowns, he said. The pop star also plans to film scenes for his video of "They Don't Care About Us" in the Brazilian city of Salvador. --- 9 Years Ago --- Michael Jackson Memorabilia Auctioned News India Times February 07, 1997 MUMBAI: A diamond merchant paid Rs 365,000 at an auction of Michael Jackson memorabilia last week for a pillow cover the American pop star used during his tour of India. "If anybody deserved to get the pillow cover it was Bharat Shah because he is the man who brought Michael Jackson to India," said Patricia West, an American who was outbid by the diamond merchant at the Oberoi Hotel here. Shah was one of the sponsors when Jackson came here in November to give his first performance in India. While staying at the Oberoi hotel, he scribbled on the pillow cover: "I love you India. I have seen the face of God in your children..." The money raised at the auction of items left over from Jackson's Indian visit will go to a charity that helps to educate children living in slums. A middle-aged Japanese woman took a tea-tray cloth for Rs 110,000 while Nawab Sandhu, an Indian, paid Rs 170,000 for a mirror. Both pieces carry Jackson's autograph. "Watching Michael Jackson perform was a lifetime dream. And bidding on something that he has actually written on will help to keep that dream alive," said a young lady bidder. --- 8 Years Ago --- Top 100 Cult Moments The Times February 07, 1998 75: The highlight of Motown's 25th anniversary celebrations in 1983 was Michael Jackson premiering his Moonwalk. Thriller had been released five months previously, but it took a while to become the best-selling album of all time (50,000,000 to date). Jackson was still perceived as the fresh faced baby of the Jackson Five. That night, as he glided across the stage during his first live performance of Billie Jean, jaws sagged. --- --- Empire of the Sun The Times February 07, 1998 Prince Michael Jackson Jr will be one on Friday... --- 7 Years Ago --- Quincy Jones Spread His Talent Around; Daily News February 07, 1999 An impresario in the broadest sense, Quincy Jones' career has encompassed the roles of composer, record producer, artist, film producer, arranger, conductor, TV producer, executive, magazine founder and multimedia entrepreneur... For his part, Jackson referred to Q's warm demeanor in the recording studio. "He was so fatherlike and so helpful, we built a camaraderie that was like a father-son type of friendship," Jackson once said. "He was always to the rescue and very loving. He has a very fatherlike charm. That's the main thing that's unique to him." As producer and conductor of the historic "We Are the World" recording (the largest-selling single of the modern era) and Jackson's multiplatinum mega-albums "Off the Wall," "Thriller" (the top-selling album of all time at 45 million copies) and "Bad," Q stands as one of the most successful and admired artist/executives in the entertainment world... --- 4 Years Ago --- Love Songs Charleston Daily Mail February 07, 2002 Motown/MCA ...Start with the baker's dozen "bedroom ballads" that made up Gaye's "Vulnerable" LP (recorded in the mid'60s and unreleased until '97). Gaye pays tribute to classics like "The Shadow Of Your Smile" and gorgeous originals like the bittersweet, post-divorce track "Here, My Dear." [B}Michael Jackson checks in with 14 solo/Jackson Five cuts from Ray Charles'"A Fool For You" to an alternate mix of "Dancing Machine's" "If I Don't Love You This Way."[/B] Finally, Diamond's 1981 "Love Songs" CD has been re-released (with a few substitutions). From "vintage" Diamond ("Sweet Caroline," "Red, Red Wine" and "If I Never Knew Your Name") to tearjerkers like "If You Go Away" and Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne," this is Diamond redux. --- --- Soul Train Music Awards Nominees CD PR Newswire February 07, 2002 Don Cornelius Productions has teamed up with MCA Records to release their first Soul Train Music Awards Nominees CD. The CD will honor many 16th Annual (2002) Soul Train Music Awards-nominated artists and songs. Later in 2002, MCA Records and Cornelius Productions will release Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards and Soul Train Christmas Starfest CD compilations, as well. The Soul Train Music Awards compilation is due in stores nationwide on March 26. This debut CD encompasses some of the past year's biggest hits and features nominated songs and artists from many of the most important Soul Train Music Awards categories including, Best R&B/Soul Single, Female; Best R&B/Soul Single, Male; Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo; Best R&B/ Soul or Rap New Artist; and The Michael Jackson Award for Best R&B/ Soul or Rap Music Video... --- 3 Years Ago --- British Mum Hopes To Send 10-year-old Son To Neverland Daily Post February 07, 2003 A British mother said yesterday the public had been too quick to condemn Michael Jackson over his TV admission that he still shared his bedroom with young boys. Gaynor Morgan said that all the good work the American singer had done for children's charities over many years had been "forgotten" because of one "manipulated" interview. And to show her faith in the controversial star, she said she planned to send her own 10-year old son Alex to stay with him at his Neverland Valley mansion. Ms Morgan, the daughter of former Scotland and Manchester United footballer Willie Morgan, said she had felt "inspired" after watching the ITV1 documentary, Living with Michael Jackson... --- --- Jackson: Not Bad Or Dangerous The Belfast News Letter February 07, 2003 Did anybody see the documentary on Monday night about the weird, crazy, egotistical celebrity who is only interested in enhancing his own career and fame? Enough about Martin 'BASHER' Bashir though.... I thought Michael Jackson came out of the enthralling documentary well - despite the presenter's attempts to befriend and then humiliate him in front of the world. Jackson's album sales have gone up by 1,000 percent, most people now only feel sorry for him, rather than their previous opinions that he is a manipulating weirdo. And comments that Jackson's career lies in ruins couldn't be further from the truth - however, I fear that could be the case for Bashir. After all, he built a career out of supposedly being a serious TV journalist who is trusted by the stars. But in the Jackson documentary, he appeared to resort to tabloid TV tactics, resorting to tacky innuendoes and snide comments about how 'disturbed he was' by what he was seeing. Bashir tried to become Michael's best buddy on screen, but in the safety of a London studio, he recorded voice-overs for the documentary that twisted the reality of what we were seeing - even using a 12-year-old boy who was told two years ago that he was going to die of cancer - to cast disparaging comments on the pop legend and suggest there was something sinister going on. His critics are quick to say Michael has no grip on reality. So then, let,s take a reality check here. Yes, Michael Jackson has made mistakes and opened himself up to bad Press and ridicule because his lifestyle is so extraordinary. As a result, he has been branded a 'weirdo', 'freak' and 'abuser' by the vast majority of his critics. It's well known that Michael spends millions of dollars and vast amounts of time on helping sick children and humanitarian causes every year - for which he refuses all publicity. And it was clear from the documentary that he wouldn't hurt a fly - as his closest friends and family would testify. Yet it's stars like Madonna who are regarded as cool, trendy and hip.That's the same Madonna, who creates a book about sex and bondage where she strips off and imitates crude sex acts. Christina Aguilera, meanwhile, goes on CD:UK and Top Of The Pops in her underwear as millions of kids watch on TV - that's acceptable and cool too - regarded as a tad cheeky at worst. Unfortunately, Michael's naivety and innocence has led him to believe that it's acceptable to have children over to his house for sleepovers - and he is paying a price for that. Jackson didn't even bat an eyelid when he was questioned over his relationship with children, like young Gavin - not exactly the behaviour of a typical sexual deviant who would probably go to great lengths to hide his behaviour. Michael yesterday revealed how he felt betrayed and hurt by Bashir's betrayal of his trust. Somehow, I don't think many other big stars will be lining up to be interviewed by him again. --- --- Jackson Is Perfect Dad The Sun February 07, 2003 The mum of two of Michael Jackson's kids angrily attacked his critics yesterday, insisting he was a perfect dad. Debbie Rowe claimed there was "no other person that could be a better father." And she added: "He's a really wonderful, loving, caring man. He's not portrayed as he really is and it really pisses me off..." --- 1 Years Ago --- State May Be Asked To Cover Jackson Trial Bills Daily Breeze February 07, 2005 Local officials may turn to the statehouse for more financial support to run the Michael Jackson trial, where security and related costs can soar to as much as $40,000 a day. According to calculations by Santa Barbara County, the cost of handling Jackson's Jan. 16, 2004 arraignment was $157,985. That includes everything from $35,331 in staff time to plan logistics to $23,577 for things like fences, toilets, added trash pickup and consulting. A state program funnels money to small- and medium-sized counties overwhelmed by the cost of high-profile trials, but the money is set aside for murder cases. State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, is considering introducing a bill to help the county cover the costs of providing security for Jackson's trial. The pop superstar is accused of molesting a 13-year-old former cancer patient, and jury selection is under way. He has pleaded not guilty. Local officials are struggling to get an accurate estimate on what the county's costs will be for the five-month trial. Estimates range wildly, from a low of about $2.5 million to a high of about $4 million of taxpayer money. Those estimates don't include the costs to the city of Santa Maria, to the Superior Court or for investigation and prosecution...