He was due to make his triumphant return to the stage in just 17 days, and the world patiently awaited with open arms and anxious hearts. But instead, Michael Jackson’s sudden death brings to a sad end the spectacular life of this special, once-in-a-lifetime performer, who was as adored around the world by millions of fans almost as much as he was mocked for his extravagant and peculiar lifestyle.
Push aside his way of life, however, and Jackson leaves behind a legacy as a musician and entertainer that anyone will certainly be hard-pressed to match again. Beginning with his days as the 11-year-old wonder-child singer of the Jackson 5 and culminating with his glory days of the 1980s and 1990s as the self-proclaimed “King of Pop,” Jackson became both a musical and creative genius in the world of entertainment. He defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking hits as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and the epic video of all-time “Thriller,” all while becoming a tremendous and enduring inspiration for the legions of artists from all genres – including rock, pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop – that followed him and modeled their own careers after.
Here’s what some of today’s biggest artists had to say regarding Jackson’s untimely passing:
“It's so sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy-man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.” – Paul McCartney
“[Working with him] was the most amazing experience I've had in the studio. He was funny. Very funny and we laughed the whole time. I also saw what a beautiful father he was. He was a beautiful human being. If not for him, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. He gave me joy as a child and showed me the way to go.” – Lenny Kravitz
“Really sad news about Michael, he was a talent from on high.” – Slash
“Dazed in the studio. A major strand of our cultural DNA has left us. RIP MJ. I think we'll mourn his loss as well as the loss of ourselves as children listening to Thriller on the record player. I truly hope he is memorialized as the '83 moonwalking, MTV owning, mesmerizing, unstoppable, invincible Michael Jackson.” – John Mayer
“I am really shocked; as I'm sure the world is, to hear the news. I had the pleasure of working with Michael on ‘Beat It’ back in '83 - one of my fondest memories in my career. Michael will be missed and may he rest in peace.” – Eddie Van Halen
“Hard to know what to say - what to feel. I find myself wondering what might have happened on his tour ... The number of dates in the UK that he had committed to was insane. I did have a feeling it was impossible, but I was so shocked to hear that he went so suddenly. Very sad. Of course, I still think of him as a boy - he used to come and see us [Queen] play when we were on tour in the States, and he and Freddie [Mercury] became close friends, close enough to record a couple of tracks together at Michael's house. Tracks which have never seen the light of day ... It was Michael who heard our track ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ when he came to see us on The Game tour ... and told us we were mad if we didn't release it as a single.” – Brian May
“The world has lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music, but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together.” – Justin Timberlake
"First album I ever bought was Thriller … with birthday money … on cassette … for my brand new Sony Walkman … truth. Rest in peace.” – Mark Hoppus, Blink-182
“Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life!! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!” – Sean "Diddy" Combs
“We are all is shock to hear that Michael Jackson just died. It is heart breaking to think that we have lost such a musical inspiration.” – Hanson
“I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I'm devastated he's gone!” – Britney Spears
“I will be mourning my friend, brother, mentor and inspiration. He gave me and my family hope. I would never have been me without him.” – MC Hammer
“I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words. Divinity brought our souls together on The Wiz and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the 80’s. To this day, the music we created together on Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all…talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I’ve lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him.” – Quincy Jones
“Thank you Michael for your hard work, dedication, philanthropy & the sacrifice of your young spirit. Your vision and imagination live thru us. I don’t know what to say.” – Erykah Badu
“The incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music. He was magic. He was what we all strive to be. He will always be the King of Pop! Life is not about how many breaths you take, but about how many moments in life that take your breath away. For anyone who has ever seen, felt, or heard his art, we are all honored to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson. I love you Michael.” – Beyonce
“I can't stop crying over the sad news. I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever! My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless.” – Madonna
“May God cover you Michael. We all lift your name up in prayer. I pray for the entire JACKSON family particularly Michael’s mother, children and all his fans that loved him so much. I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for Him and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer, who in so many ways, transcended the culture. He broke barriers, he changed radio formats! With music, he made it possible for people like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to impact the mainstream world. His legacy is unparalleled. Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.” – Usher
Over the next few days – and most likely over the next several weeks – Jackson fans around the world will be mourning the loss of their idol with countless memorials and services to be conducted in his memory.
We at Gibson also feel a tremendous sense of loss over Jackson’s sudden death, and all of us wish to send a heartfelt prayer of sympathy to the entire Jackson family:
We will always remember with you, the life of someone as special as Michael. May you all find hope and peace, and the reality that today’s sorrow eventually gives way to the peace and comfort of something much bigger than any one of us.
May you rest in peace, Michael.
If you'd like to leave your own remembrance of Michael Jackson, please do so in our comment section below.