英語名人堂：邁克爾·杰克遜

邁克爾·杰克遜(Michael Jackson)，1958年08月29日在美國(guó)印第安納州加里市出生，美國(guó)歌手、詞曲創(chuàng)作人、舞蹈家、表演家、慈善家、音樂家、人道主義者、和平主義者、慈善機(jī)構(gòu)創(chuàng)辦人。

杰克遜是家族的第七個(gè)孩子，他在1964年作為杰克遜五人組的成員和他的兄弟一起在職業(yè)音樂舞臺(tái)上初次登臺(tái)，1968年樂隊(duì)與當(dāng)?shù)氐囊患页竞献鞒霭媪说谝粡埑禕ig Boy》。1971年12月，發(fā)行了個(gè)人首支單曲《Got to be there》，標(biāo)志著其個(gè)人獨(dú)唱生涯的開始。

1982年12月，杰克遜音樂生涯最暢銷的專輯《Thriller》發(fā)行。1987年9月，杰克遜展開個(gè)人首次全球巡演。通過舞臺(tái)和視頻的表演，杰克遜普及了一些像機(jī)械舞和太空步等舞蹈技術(shù)。杰克遜一生中兩次入選的搖滾名人堂，獲得了13個(gè)格萊美獎(jiǎng)和26個(gè)全美音樂獎(jiǎng)。在他單飛生涯中，他擁有13支美國(guó)冠軍單曲。2000年吉尼斯世界紀(jì)錄大全里認(rèn)證他資助過39個(gè)慈善機(jī)構(gòu)。

2009年5月，杰克遜宣布將在倫敦舉行系列音樂會(huì);6月25日，他因?yàn)榧毙员捶雍捅蕉筋愃幬镏卸緦?dǎo)致心臟驟停逝世。洛杉磯法醫(yī)裁定這是一宗兇殺案，他的私人醫(yī)生康拉德·莫里被判定過失殺人罪。2010年，邁克爾·杰克遜被授予格萊美終生成就獎(jiǎng)。

2009年6月25日，杰克遜辭世，享年50歲。2011年11月7日下午，杰克遜的私人醫(yī)師莫里 “過失殺人罪”罪名成立，服刑四年監(jiān)禁。

Michael Joseph Jackson (born 1958) is truly a music legend. He became a superstar at the age of eleven as a member of his family band The Jackson 5. His solo career earned him the title "King of Pop". His studio albums have all become classics. Jackson is equally famous for his high energy and complicated dance techniques such as the Moonwalk. He died in 2009 at the age of 50.

Jackson dominated the music charts throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s. His distinctive vocal style, rhythm and fashion were perfect for the new music video age. MTV enthusiastically played his videos to the world. His ‘Thriller’ video had all the excitement of a major movie release. Jackson became a true icon of pop culture and influenced dozens of today’s top stars.

Jackson’s personal life created significant controversy and earned him a nickname he hated, ‘Wacko Jacko’. He angered many by having plastic surgery and lightening his skin to look white. His reputation was badly damaged in several high-profile child sexual abuse cases in 2003 and 2005. The courts cleared him on both occasions.

His awards and records are proof of the phenomenal success he achieved. He won World Music Award's Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, and was the American Music Award's Artist of the Century. ‘Thriller’ remains the best selling album of all time. ‘Vanity Fair’ magazine named him the "Most popular artist in the history of show business".