Read CNN’s Fast Facts on Michael Jackson and learn more about the Grammy Award-winning pop music legend.
Birth place: Gary, Indiana
Birth name: Michael Joseph Jackson
Father: Joseph Jackson, crane operator/Jackson 5 manager
Mother: Katherine (Scruse) Jackson
Marriages: Debbie Rowe (November 15,1996-October 8,1999, divorced); Lisa-Marie Presley (May 18,1994-January 18,1996, divorced)
Children: with an anonymous surrogate: Prince Michael II (aka Blanket), 2002; with Debbie Rowe: Paris, April 3,1998; Prince Michael Joseph Jr., February 12,1997
Other Facts:Nicknamed “The King of Pop.”
Seventh of nine children.
Began performing at age 5 with four of his five brothers (Marlon, Jermaine, Tito and Jackie).
Nominated for 38 Grammy awards, with 13 wins.
Timeline:1968 – The Jackson 5 is signed by Motown Records.
November 1969 – The first single by the Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” is released.
1971 – “Got to Be There” is released as Michael Jackson’s first solo single.
1972 – “Ben” is Jackson’s first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100.
1975 – The group leaves Motown for Epic Records and changes its name to The Jacksons.
1978 – Jackson plays the Scarecrow in “The Wiz.” “Ease On Down the Road,” a duet with Diana Ross, is a hit single.
1979 – Debut solo album with Epic Records, “Off The Wall,” sells over 20 million copies and has four Top 10 singles. Released in August, the album is certified platinum in December.
1980 – Wins his first Grammy for the song, “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough,” in the Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male category.
November 30,1982 – “Thriller” is released and is certified platinum the following January. That album and the song, “Billie Jean,” make him the first artist to have a number one pop single, pop album, R&B single and R&B album charts simultaneously.
1984 – Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards for “Thriller,” including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, male. He sets a record for the most Grammy wins on a single night.
1985 – Co-writes and performs on “We Are The World,” to help raise money for African famine relief.
1987 – “Bad” is released in August and is certified 4x platinum in December. Its five number-one singles set a record for a solo artist on one album.
November 1991 – Jackson’s 11-minute video for “Black or White” debuts during primetime on FOX, MTV and BET.
February 1993 – In response to speculation about intentional bleaching, Jackson’s dermatologist, Dr.
