The moonwalk. The music videos. The single glove. The mega-hits. That amazing voice. And that bizarre lifestyle.
Michael Jackson’s 50 years on Earth were like no other. He was a musical icon of unsurpassed popularity, a true innovator and culture-changer.
But his puzzling personal life left salt-of-the-earth Hoosiers shaking their heads and mumbling “he ain’t right.” From his high-water-meets-Elvis fashion tastes to his high-pitched speech, spindly build and penchant for plastic surgery, Jackson was clearly a different kind of Indiana man.
Persistent allegations in the early 1990s of inappropriate relationships with young boys never resulted in a criminal conviction. But the accusations and Jackson’s reclusive lifestyle did indelible harm to his previous reputation as an innocent, idiosyncratic soul.
Jackson’s death Thursday took the world by surprise, much as his life had.
From his early boyhood in Gary, he was a nationally recognized star with a captivating voice and a riveting stage presence. His songs touched millions of hearts and still roll easily off the lips of at least three generations.
And those dance moves! Part Elvis, part Fred Astaire, part something from “West Side Story.” For those who grew up in the 1980s, the choreography of the “Thriller” and “Beat It” videos is unforgettable.
Perhaps that’s the word — “unforgettable” — that best describes Jackson. He bridged the gaps separating love ballads, pop music, hip-hop and rock ’n’ roll with preternatural ease and signature flair. He made us sing. He made us dance.
Michael Jackson: Like the rest of the globe, this little corner of the world will never forget you.
