Reflections of a weird week or so

Michael Jackson week lasted about two weeks.  No matter how much I tried to avoid it, it just kept coming.  Let me just say that I did like his music.  I never bought any Jackson Five stuff, but it was okay.  I was more a Temptations, Sam & Dave, Al Green, etc.   I never bought any Supremes either come to think of it.  When "Thriller" came out I, like the rest of the world, bought it and liked it.  I liked all the albums that Quincy Jones produced for him.  When he listened to Quincy, he was the best.  When he got too big and no longer "Needed" the Q, I quit buying his stuff.  Now it was much later that I realized that Quincy Jones was in charge of the things of MJ that I liked. I guess that meant that I liked Quincy more than MJ! Now QJ did not teach MJ to "moon walk" but that period of dance was during Quincy's time as well.

I guess if Elvis had died during a time of 24 hour news, Iphones, and FACEBOOK,  all this stuff would have probably lasted a month! With John Lennon I think not.  His fans were different, and the other Beatles would not be quick to get on the TODAY show.

I have been thinking about all that happened this week and have been comparing the spectacle with my heroes.  Paul Newman could have used more time discussing his life, but he never wanted to gloat about his work or life.   Johnny Cash was as big in his world as MJ, but again he was too cool to have a circus and his faith clashes with such things.

I know people say it is because MJ spans several decades.  Johnny Cash went from 1950's and Elvis to 2005 and Nine Inch Nails.  It is not the person.  It is the industry.

I challenged myself with the following:  Name 5 current entertainers, who if suddenly taken away, would capture the media for two weeks?  While it was easy for me to think of 5, I could not imagine any getting such media craziness.

My 5 in Music:  Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Bono, Paul McCartney, Elton John

Something to think about.  Beside all the other stuff Paul Newman raised 400 Million for charity, while Michael played at Neverland!