No less then 2 hours later, another legend had perished within the river of death. At 226 P.M.(Pacific Standard Time) death had claimed no ordinary victim.
Many from across the four corners were devastated as if losing one of their own. Clearly nothing like this has ever happened in the music scene since the death of John Lennon(1980) nor Princess Diana(1997). Many who have worked with the pop star have felt a piece of their hearts pass away that fateful night.
Let me just close with these brief quotes...
"I'm sorry and I can't believe he's gone. I somehow thought Michael would be with us for a long time to come. I was looking forward to more musical genius as well as original dancing moves that would once again raise the bar for generations to come."
Tony Merrithew-Speed Demon Animator
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"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".
"I send my deepest sympathy to his mother and the whole family and to his countless fans all around the world."
Paul McCartney
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“For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don’t have the words."
"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
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"Michael was on stage performing the numbers, singing and dancing with the cast. It was a privilege to be able to watch the concert that no one will see now."
"By the time that Michael came in, all we had to do was just show [the plan] to him. He was such a quick learner. He would learn this stuff in seconds. And jump right into it! The choreography, all of it...He looked fantastic."
"He claimed that he felt he had a little bit of laryngitis. But he looked great and these pop-locking moves that he was doing on stage with the crew were just breathtaking...He didn't seem tired. He went from one move to the next. It was an unbelievable experience to be with him and to see it all come together."
"He was joking with the crew on stage, there was a cameraman on stage...that was a foot away from him that was kind of crouched down and Michael said some kind of funny gesture like...‘Oh you're very close, look how close you are.' And he reached down and touched the cameraman on the top of the head in a joking manner. You could see on the screen how big Michael's image was on these projection screens. He was playful and light-hearted."
"I just thought...'Wow, he still has it!' When he did 'Thriller,' I was just in awe. I stayed for a while, probably until about midnight. And then they started to rehearse the 'Thriller' number with a gigantic spider on stage and I thought...'Well, it's getting late...'Had I known, I would have stayed another half hour and watched more."
"Jackson finally retired after 1 A.M. I Was told.
At rehearsals the following day, none of the crew members knew anything was wrong until media reports began circulating the following afternoon."
"I wasn't sure what was happening. People were just looking at their phones and looking at websites and texts that they were getting. I think the news was now coming out. [Show producer Kenny] Ortega was on and off the phone probably five or six different times. And the news was slowly coming in, but it was not definitive. And Kenny finally looked at us and said, 'We need to call a group meeting.'"
"He said, 'Michael Jackson was taken to the hospital. We're not sure at this point what has happened, but Michael Jackson has passed away.’ And then there was just this gasp. It was the words we didn't want to hear."
"Almost in tears, Ortega had no choice but to call it a wrap."
Alonzo(This Is It Magician)
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stay tuned for more quotes of Michael Jackson's associates-Past, Present, and Future. And for my own feelings on this unexpected tragedy.
