The Brittany Spaniel is a medium sized dog generally used for hunting or companionship. This dog weighs between 30 and 40 pounds, and will range up to 20 inches at the shoulder. There is only a slight difference between the sexes. The dog has long legs and is agile and strong. The coat of the Brittany Spaniel is either liver and white or orange and white. If the tail is docked, it is left at 4 inches. The Brittany Spaniel will live for 10 to 12 years. This dog is also referred to as the Brittany, American Brittany, and Epagneul Breton.
History: The Brittany Spaniel originated in the French province of Brittany perhaps 1800 years ago. The Brittany Spaniel has been depicted in European art for over 300 years. It is believed that the Brittany arose from breeding between a local orange and white dog and an unknown hunting dog. It is also possible that this dog was crossed with English hunting dogs at the beginning of the 20th century, and that this augmented the hunting skills of the Brittany. It is also believed that the Brittany is closely related to the Welsh Springer Spaniel.
Temperament: As is usual with hunting dogs, which have evolved interacting with humans, the Brittany Spaniel is an even tempered dog known for having a sweet disposition. It is very sensitive to corrections and requires calm, thoughtful training to bring out the best in this dog. It is intelligent and not hard to teach as this dog wants to please its owner. The Brittany is very good around children and can be socialized to respond well to other household pets. This breed can be shy if not properly socialized.
Health Issues: The Brittany Spaniel is generally a healthy dog, but can be subject to a few problems. The largest problem is hip dysplasia. Another health issue is epilepsy. The Brittany Springer Spaniel can also suffer from progressive retinal atrophy and glaucoma.
Grooming: The Brittany Spaniel should be brushed on a regular basis to keep its coat in good condition. This dog can be bathed when necessary, or a dry shampoo can be used. As the ears are always a sensitive spot, be sure to clean them often to prevent ear infections. Since the Brittany is generally used as a hunting dog it is important to check the dog for ticks, fleas, burrs, and other plant material that may have become embedded in the coat.
Living Conditions: The Brittany Spaniel is a very active dog that requires a high level of exercise to keep it fit mentally and physically. This dog loves to participate in outdoor sports with the humans it loves. They do best if allowed to be in the home with the family. As they are active dogs inside, they do not make the best apartment dwellers, even if provided with daily exercise. Although this is a hardy dog, it is not suited to living outside in winter and must be provided with indoor.
For more information about the Brittany Spaniel including Training, Care, Puppies for sale and much more about all the different dog breeds please visit my sites below.
Mark Burnett Productions (one of the most influential television producers) and INXS (one of the most influential rock bands in the world) have joined together for the first ever, ROCKSTAR competition. The very first competition ever, where an already successful band looks for a new lead singer a la reality show!
They auditioned worldwide and searched for the best male or female artists to come up with a group of 15 potentials. These 15 potentials (4 are Canadian) will sing their hearts with the hopes of landing the lead of INXS! The hopefuls will sing it out during the 13- week series, hosted by Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction) and Brooke Burke (actress and host of E! Entertainment Television's "Wild On"). Not an easy task for anyone, but most of the contenders are seasoned performers in one form or another. I had a chance to speak with the 4 Canadian contenders (Tara Slone, J.D. Fortune, Deanna Johnston and Suzie McNeil) on the phone, before they embarked on an adventure that will in evidently change their lives forever!!
Tara (Tar- a, not Tear-a) Slone is no stranger to the auditioning process, her most recent band Joydrop (all male band with Tara as lead singer"), had placed an ad in the paper that she answered and after a few successful hits (" If I was Beautiful like you and I sometimes Wanna die"), a couple strong tours well...the rest is history.
Perhaps she has the goods to be the lead singer of INXS! She is definitely familiar with the boys club, that's for sure! Tara shares with us what the auditioning process was like?
Tara
Actually I heard about the audition from a girl who was a fan of my band Joydrop and INXS is her favourite band of all time. It would be her dream come true for her - for me. (Tara laughs and you hear some chuckles from the rest of the gang on the phone). I think it was just the amalgam of her two favourite bands.
How did you feel about that?
I sort of heard about the auditions happening in Toronto. Auditioning for the band was just not something that I contemplated and it just turned out that I was going to be away during the time of the auditions. So, she sent away a few pictures of me and one of the Joydrop videos to INXS' management and they contacted me.
That must have been a surprise to you?
Well, she asked my permission and I said, "Do your thing" and from there I didn't really think about it. Next thing I knew they called me and asked if I would be interested in stepping in and auditioning.
So, you did have to sing for them.
Oh my God, the final audition process was ....a lot.
Tara, how will landing the lead as INXS' affect your own album? Will that be put on hold?
It is ready to go and I would like to think that the music that I write is timeless, so I would like to think I could release it at anytime. I put a lot of work into my songs and it is work that I am really proud of. It isn't going anywhere.
J.D. Fortune had the worst audition of his life for INXS and share with us why this almost did not happen. No stranger to the limelight( J.D. is well known for his Elvis Impersonator show), he managed to overcome!
J.D.
I waited in line with all the other hopefuls and once I finally got inside....terrible! I started singing a song and we were both in the same key, which is always great in an audition (haha). The accompanist started playing once song and I was singing another and when I corrected him to play the song I was singing. So I assumed he would start playing the song that I was...not singing...and we ended up switching again. He ended up playing the song I was once singing. I stopped right away and said to the producer who was looking after the auditions, "Have you ever had a really bad nightmare that you just could not wake up from?" A few people laughed and someone said "thank-you" and I walked off the stage. Moments later I am out in the parking lot with my hand on the car door to leave and the same producer had come out with a contract and said, "Tomorrow you are singing for the band". I thought he was kidding me, I was literally freaking out and he contested that he was serious and that I needed to learn two INXS songs and come back tomorrow. So I went back with the intentions that I didn't really care what was going to happen, because I was going to be singing in front of INXS ( long time favourite band!) and that was going to be cool. Prior to singing I went into the bathroom and said to myself, is it important for me to be on the show or just redeem myself from yesterday? All I asked of myself is to give the best audition I could ever have and went out on stage. Once I was singing, they kept asking me to sing more and more and more, to top it all off I broke three mike stands and a camera. But, to put the icing on the cake, I walked out and Kirk Pengilly was strumming "Never tear us a part" and we did the full version of that. Now here he is!!
The two Torontonians in the competition are Tara Slone and Suzy McNeil. The girls know of each other in and around the business. So, Suzy were things a lot smoother for your audition?
Suzy McNeil
Mine, actually almost ended up not happening. Karen Bliss had recommended me to another producer who I never got to meet and he called me while I was in performing at the Windsor Casino (Suzy has been performing in an ABBA tribute band for quite some time. The producer told me of the recommended day to audition, which was separate from the "cattle call" day, but I could not do it that day, because I was flying to Arizona with the band. So I graciously thanked him and was going to hang up and he said, "No, we have to get you in." So he said to show up on the cattle call day and they would get me in. On the day of auditions, I go to the MOD CLUB and had a scheduled appointment after the auditions for 1pm, with my audition time set for noon. I went with the idea that, that was my "set" time and when I showed up, there were tons of people lined up the street! I thought-" Shit", because I did not want to walk up in front of everyone and insist to be let in, but it was the only thing I could do. So, the bouncers had no idea that I was coming and were not going to just let me in and just as I was about to leave when I recognized a guy inside. I finally found a contact and they told me I was not going to be able to sing for an hour or more. By this time I was really starting to get pissed off and told them to forget it, that I was going to have to leave due to another appointment. But, I was totally humble about it and the contact said that they would go and see what they could do. She drags me to the front of the line and bless those people's hearts that were waiting, because I felt so bad doing that. But, in the end it was good to know that they wanted to give EVERYONE a chance - just in case, which I think was really cool.
But, the next thing was the call back. They called me and said they would like to see me again and I was flying to Arizona on that day, so I totally missed the callback. Again! I felt that this was not going to happen again and I thought oh well, what can I do? So, they suggested that I fly to Boston from Arizona to audition there and I told them that I did not have the money to do that. Finally I was told to send in a video, which some people were doing anyway (including Tara)
Deanna Johnston who resides in Resada, California , but born in Kingston, Ontario still considers herself a Canadian living amongst the Americans. She has lived in America a little over six years, but she assures me she is still CANADIAN! But, living in the U.S. did not give her any advantage during the audition process, in fact she learned of the audition through a friend who had auditioned for the house band for the show.
I was very much surprised that INXS was accepting women to compete for the lead, which I thought was cool, considering it was an actually ROCK competition. Everything in LA is either R&B, Urban or Hip-Hop music, so I feel like a fish out of water in these parts. I am always either too rock, because "they" don't really know what rock is, they think Rock is Michelle Branch. (Everyone laughs on the phone).
I was thrilled to audition! I went to the Whiskey in Hollywood and I was lucky I had somebody on the inside, who I knew, so I had an appointment set up, by passing the "cattle call" thing. Deanna impressed them so much that she earned her spot on the ROCKSTAR show.
There is a shot of all the contenders together and they have done some press already together, so I asked them if they heard one another sing and the telephone line goes silent. Then everyone laughs.
Mandy Moore has come a long way since she was a Britney-type, blonde teeny bopper. We've watched her grow through various hairstyles and various boyfriends to match, finally settling on being a natural brunette and marrying indie rocker Ryan Adams.
Her latest album, Amanda Leigh also proves she's all grown up, and she casts aside her poppy ways in favour of some twangin' country. Marital influence? Perhaps; but it sounds good on her. Her stunning voice is the first thing that catches our attention, and reminds us that her singing chops are what have helped her outlast her contemporaries.
The album features quirky duets with sweeping melodies like 'Merrimack River,' a broadway-type, lovely song (with a reprise!) that floats somewhere between a waltz and carnival music. And 'I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week' is a fun 80s-inspired rock/pop single with an amusing music video.
'Song About Home' includes some 70s fluting, 'Everblue' is surprisingly subdued and heavy, while the catchy 'Love to Love Me Back' lightens the mood and is heavily countrified by slide guitars. 'Nothing Everything' sounds like a 60s soul ballad, while 'Bug' is a cross between a folksy version of the Beatles and Joni Mitchell.
Moore's 6th album could be seen as uneven and amateurish, even a little schizophrenic; but it's the variety of genre that Moore plays with (some more successfully than others) that makes it an intriguing album to listen to when in the mood for something light and pleasant.
Keeping up with different Mandy Moore hairstyles can be hard, since she loves to change her hair almost every time the season changes. She has gone from golden blonde to dark brown, from long hair down her back to a razor cut short style, and then back again. She is well known for her long, beautiful locks, but she loves to change her style frequently in order to bring out certain characteristics with each different style.
One of the most common Mandy Moore hairstyles is the short pixie cut, which she normally wears in a dark golden brown. It is easy to maintain since it can be worn in a number of different ways, depending on each individual occasion. Her hair falls just around her ears, making it easy to tuck it behind when wearing it down for a more casual look. Cute pins or clips can be use to pull back top sections for a more fun look, or it can be curled for some added sophistication. Spray gel or wax can be used to add some definition to the ends when wearing it down, for a more punk look that is both fun and flirty.
Mandy Moore is also well known for her long and beautiful hair, which she loves to wear in a number of different styles. She normally wears her hair in a more natural, un-maintained style, which makes it look both soft and gorgeous. She can use a curling iron to add some volume when her hair is down, and sometimes she likes to pull back the front of her hair to draw attention to her face and collarbone. Bangs can also be worn with the many long Mandy Moore hairstyles, and they look great straight down or swept to the side.
Mandy Moore has gone from a blonde, to brunette, back to blonde, and then brunette again. The different colors work to strengthen certain characteristics, and certain colors look better with certain styles. Mandy Moore's dark hair helps to make it look thicker than it actually is, but her wispy hairs in the front still leave it looking soft and healthy. The blonde actually helps to bring out her flawless complexion, and helps to make her glow during the summer months. There are many different Mandy Moore hairstyles that can be easily maintained, all they all work great to cover up flaws and bring out other characteristics.
Since today is Wednesday and it is time for another celebrity tattoo post I thought I would go with former Spice Girl Victoria "Posh" Beckham. One of the reason I decided to do her today is because of the post I wrote yesterday about tattoos being trashy or sexy. Now it should be no surprise to people that Victoria has several tattoos and they are in noticeable places. But in my opinion the way she carries herself and they attitude she has her tattoos do not look trashy to me at all.
Victoria has five tattoos as of now and living up to her Posh nickname she has kept them classy if that makes any sense. Her first tattoo is on her lower back and it is five stars. The five starts represent her, David and their three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz.
Her second tattoo is going down the back of her neck. Victoria and David got these matching tattoos on their 6th wedding anniversary. It is in Hebrew and is from the Song of Songs 2:16: I am my beloved and my beloved is mine. Which is you remember Christina Aguilera has this same tattoo.
The third tattoo that Victoria has is MAY 08 1997 in roman numerals tattooed on her wrist. Strangely enough this is the first time the two had sex and Victoria thought it was a great event in her life to be remembered.
The forth tattoo she has is very self explanatory it is the DB on her wrist which stands for her husband David Beckham.
The last and newest of Victoria's tattoos is located on her wrist under the Roman numerals. However, no one is quit sure what is says. To me looks like it could say De Integra, De Enegra or De Intopa.
After her husband's much-publicized affair, Victoria Beckham is shaken, but not stirred. If anything, she's more fabulous than ever!
Victoria, The Survivor
Victoria Beckham is one of those celebrities that everybody both loves and hates. She started out as Posh Spice in the now-defunct girl group, the Spice Girls, wherein she established the persona of a cool, calm, and reserved fashionista with excellent taste in clothes. It was this penchant for fashion (as well as her marriage to football legend, David Beckham) that kept Posh in the limelight, even after the band's inevitable demise.
Like a shooting star, Celine Dion has risen to international super stardom. The woman who started in humble beginnings in a rural French Canadian town is recognized by her first name. Céline has earned Grammy Wards, Juno and Felix Awards, and World Music Awards. Of course the best-selling artist of all time has a few Karaoke songs wanna be songstress can't wait to belt out. If only the notes sounded as sweet as they do from Celine herself. Here are some of the best Céline Dion Karaoke songs Karaoke singers dedicate after a few drinks make the notes sound sweeter.
Céline Dion's version of Diane Warren's song "Because You Loved Me" is one of the most requested Karaoke songs. Written for the movie Up Close and Personal, Michelle Pfeiffer's character thanks the Robert Redford character for believing in her. The song has since been covered by Johnny Mathis, Jane McDonald and Clay Aiken. But, it is Celine's heartfelt rendition that Karaoke lovers imitate on the stage. Hardly a night goes by without this song added to a Karaoke play list.
Who can resist singing Céline's runaway hit, "My Heart Will go On?" Made for one of the greatest love stories to grace the big screen in recent years, the Titanic hit strikes an emotional cord. Céline's pipes make this song unforgettable, still many try to reproduce the songs magic on the Karaoke stage. Its popularity is evident. The song was the largest selling single worldwide in 1998 making Celine the only woman with 2 million selling singles in the UK. This song will continue to go on in Karaoke bars everywhere.
"Natural Woman" was originally made famous by legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin in 1967. For the same passion with a smoother sound, Karaoke singers can turn to Céline Dion's 1995 version recorded on the Tapestry Revisited album. "Natural Woman" is such a popular hit, it appears on the game Karaoke Revolution.
As long as Karaoke singers want to experience a diva moment they will turn to Céline songs to win over the crowd. A compilation CD of some of her most popular songs are available on a Karaoke CD. Singers can belt out Celine classics like "The Color of My Love," "Dreaming of You," and "If You Ask Me To" in the privacy of their homes. Considering the complexity of Celine's gifted vocals this may be the best bet for us all.
One of the most celebrated artists in the music industry Celine Dion. She was born in Canada on March 30 1968. Even though she had a big and not that rich family she made it big as due to her managers financial backing she became a French teen idol. In the 1990s she released her first album titled Unison and gained popularity in many different countries around the world.
But even before that Dion was very much known around the world by winning very prestigious singing contests in the 1980s.That lead to a deal with a very top company Sony Records. Her manager Rene Angelil had a big hand in contributing to her fame, popularity and success in the 1990s.During these years her English and French albums were renowned around the world, leading to her becoming a worldwide famous celebrity. But unfortunately she stopped singing songs later that year due to personal and family problems. Her husband was diagnosed with a very dangerous and monstrous disease known as cancer. However she made a comeback in 2002 and performed in Las Vegas due to her five year contract signing.
Celines music has been influenced by a lot of other genres mainly hip hop, rock and many more. Although some critics term has voice as too over the top but many love and adore her strong voice. In the coming years, she was honored with many top awards and statistics showed that she had sold 175 million albums worldwide, this figure extended to 200 million in the year 2007. She gained the label of being the best singing female celebrity mainly due to her success.
Many people despise Dion because of her transition from slow thoughtful songs to fast beat numbers. But this is a fact in the coming years Celine experimented more and more with her voice but in the end the result was announced in Celines favor as she gave numerous hit songs one after the other. She was much compared to different artists and their vocals mainly Mariah Carrey and Whitney Houston. But its not right to say that she did not face criticism, she did. But in spite of all this she has maintained her popularity throughout. Many still remember her for her beautiful song in the film Titanic that really launched her career and instilled love for her in the heart of her millions of fans. That song also contributed to the popularity of the record breaking movie.
Many still believe that up to the current years she hasn't been giving out different and varied songs and she has been repeating the kind of songs she has done before. But if one checks her fan base she is still known around the world and people still listen to her amazing songs that move ones soul and force one to sing along. She has done fairly well in the international charts and has given hit songs. But her popularity has been decreasing gradually as new and more young artists have taken the limelight away from her. But still keeping in mind her past record she is still remembered and is will always be remembered as a great and varied singer who made it big and never looked back.
Celine Dion, without a doubt one of the best Pop-music singer and composer of our time was born in 1968 Quebec, Canada. Her career as a singer began in this country and was financed at first by her home equity, but it wasn't until the early 90's when her terrific work started to get noticed and gain fame worldwide. An interesting fact you may not know is that the very first song she ever sang was composed by her parents.
In 1993 her remake-single "The Power of Love" landed her great work in the Top 5 records in USA, Canada, UK and France, in fact it reached number one in Canada and the US. "The Power of Love" was a song first interpreted by Jennifer Rush in 1885 and each time it was launched people loved to hear the beautiful lyrics and classic rhythm which best describes the 80's. Some people remember this song as "I'm your lady and you are my man" because of its lyrics but however this great single is remembered those of use who have purchased the record can tell that the song is just fantastic and never gets old.
In 1995 she does it again but this time in French with the beautiful single "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" which means "So That You'll Love Me Again" in English. The events organized in France to promote this song landed her work as the number one best selling single in France during that year and number seven in the UK.
1996 was a terrific year for Celine Dion because during that year she released two beautiful songs for which she is best known today, one of them was "It's all coming back to me know" which starts with a beautiful piano solo and uses some of the fabulous elements of the 80's in terms of its musicality. The second hit is perhaps more beautiful than the first, it is called "Because you loved me" and this one is said to touch people's hearts because of the flawless combinations of lyrics and musicality. This single was so famous that it got nominated for an Academy award for best original song in 1996, it goes without saying that this single was number one in several countries (including the US of course).
Skipping a few years we get to 2003 when she signs a contract which extended until 2007 to perform at the Caesars Palace Coliseum in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is perhaps one of the most successful shows in the history of Las Vegas, every show announced was sold like hot bread. The Coliseum featured the biggest LED screen ever used for this type of events, the Coliseum's cost was 95 million dollars and the screen 6 million dollars, the Coliseum also used a special humidity bubble ($2 million) which kept Celine's voice as natural as possible during every song interpretation such as the 1998 super hit "My heart will go on" - Theme song of the movie "Titanic" released during the same year.
Celine Dion will always be remembered by her fans because of her touching lyrics and music as well as by the music industry in general as the best selling female vocalist in the world who has a world tour scheduled during 2008 and 2009.
Most people in this world have known Shakira, whose full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, as a Columbian Latin pop singer and songwriter. She is also known as the sensation of Latin music because of her fabulous songs and her sensational belly dancing.
Shakira is a very talented girl. At the age of eight, she was writing and composing music. And by the age of thirteen, Shakira was become a local celebrity who had a lucky chance encounter with Sony Columbia executive, Ciro Vargas, on a flight from Barranquilla to Bogota.
After that, Shakira got her first record deal with the company and was released her debut album called Magia (Magic) in 1991. The album, which lacked recording and production cohesion, failed to sell over one thousand copies. After that time, Shakira decided to take a break from recording and graduate from high school.
In 1995, Shakira returned to the music scene with the album called Pies Descalzos (Bare Feet), which solidified her commercial success by selling over 5 million copies worldwide. And in the years after, her career is flying away like a meteor to the top of the world. Later, she quickly becomes the sensation of Latin music and she introduces belly dancing to the whole world.
In 2001, Shakira started work on a crossover album to the English language. Laundry Service is considered to be her first album in English. Laundry Service would eventually go on to sell more than 13 million CDs worldwide, and produces such hits as Whenever Wherever, Underneath Your Clothes, Te Dejo Madrid (I Leave You Madrid), Objection (Tango), and The One. Later on, the commercial success of her English album had continued by the years to come. Shakira is now currently engaged to the son of former president of Argentina, Fernando de la Rua.
Actually, Lucien Lester has many other interesting articles to be read.
In 1985 a group of soldiers (artist) under the name Golden Sounds, realized a song that today has been the second anthem of Cameroon after the national anthem. Zangalewa was the name of the song that hit across all corners of Africa. Jean Paul Ze Bella the lead singer alongside Kojic Emile and Victor Dooh Belley explained the source of their inspiration as a way to pay tribute to Cameroon soldiers who fort during the Second World War. During the Second World War the Cameroon soldiers created a slang for better communication between themselves from which Golden sounds mimicked the pace to come out with the arrangement Zangalewa.
Shakira amongst other musicians like Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas, Juanes, Amadou and Mariam have been called upon to animate during the opening ceremony of the world cup 2010. It is in this light that Shakira Zangalewa was created by Shakira. Shakira a Colombian born American icon has modified Zangalewa to Shakira's Zangalewa in preparation for the opening ceremony of world cup 2010. With no aorta of doubts Shakira Zangalewa is an inspirational song that will suit the events of the world cup. It is a song filled with power and command.
The rhythm of Zangalewa and now Shakira's Zangalewa is a military rhythm that will prepare players of all nationalities against the football battle. It is the right song for a tournament because it encourages competition and a fighting spirit. The Cameroonian football team is lucky and proud of this heritage as it will symbolize and project the countries name during this tournament.This will also act as a moral booster to the team as they have never prepared for a competition as much as this.
Each world cup tournament has its own leading song, but Shakira's Zangalewa is a song with a difference for world 2010. It is a song written and chanted by a native African, and a song from Cameroon the leading football nation in Africa. A song being remade by one of the world's greatest singers will create an impact yet to be seen during this tournament.
To listen to Shakira's Zangalewa, follow the link below. You will also have the opportunity to learn how to paly some musical instruments
At the 77th Geneva Motor Show, curves come aplenty. But no auto curves could beat the voluptuous woman behind the infectious "Hips Don't Lie" hit. Shakira took a time out to make a brief appearance in said auto show to personally sign off on SEAT's Leon Cupra.
Shakira was there in part because SEAT, the Spanish carmaker owned by Volkswagen AG, is sponsoring her current European tour. The gorgeous singer autographed a Leon Pies Descalzo, a model based on the SEAT's Leon Cupra, that was painted in metallic lilac. Shakira then was writing her name across the hood. The one-shot version of the Spanish carmaker uses the Volkswagen A platform and shares other components with the VW Golf, Audi A3 and the Skoda Octavia.
The autographed SEAT Leon Cupra will be given away at the Motor Show in June to a random winner picked from people who have donated $1.31 to Pies Descalzos Foundation. The said foundation is a Columbian non-governmental organization founded by Shakira. It is aimed at finding and providing opportunities for children who are victims of the violence experienced in Latin America. The said foundation originated in Barranquilla, a city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Nowadays, it is expanding to reach out different parts of the country. The goal of the foundation is to improve the education, nutrition, and the lives of the thousands of displaced children who are living in perilous conditions. So far, over $131,000 has been raised for the foundation.
Other stunners of this year's Geneva Motor Show include the Rinspeed eXasis, Dodge Demon and the Volvo XC70.
"Everyone who sees the eXasis for the first time raves about the glass car, but they actually mean our transparent high-tech plastic," said Ian Paterson of Bayer MaterialScience, the unit of Bayer AG that developed the material. "Many people only talk about innovation. We do it, in conjunction with our partners." Frank M. Rinderknecht, the designer of the car added, "In this ethereal transparency, the true spirit of the eXasis becomes visible. An abstract idea becomes material, visions become a tangible car. Yet the eXasis still doesn't seem to have quite arrived in our material world."
Dodge summoned the demon to boost its prestige and sales. The Dodge Demon looks stunningly charismatic and performs nothing less than pure power. The concept car attracted over 5,000 journalists who took part in the two-day press preview. The six-speed, 172-horsepower compact roadster with a 2.4-liter engine with 19-inch aluminum wheels and rear-wheel drive shows off superb potentials to make it big in the auto market.
The Volvo XC70, on the other hand, is an epitome of improved crossover appeal. It seems like the automaker laid Volvo cargo liner so as not to spill a clean and enhanced crossover formula. "Our successful XC range will soon be expanded with the new XC60. With three exciting XC models, we will cover even more of the growing number of car buyers who want the very best of two worlds - capable muscles and luxurious, comfortable passenger-car comfort. And it all began with the XC70, which has now become even more attractive than before," said Volvo Cars President and CEO Fredrik Arp.
HISTORY
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009), often dubbed the "King of Pop," was an American recording artist, widely regarded as one of the greatest entertainers of modern times. With his trademark black fedora and single, sequined glove, his unique contributions to music and dance, along with a highly publicized personal life, made him a central part of popular culture around the world for four decades.
One of the few artists have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his achievements included multiple Guinness World Records-including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"-13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles, sale of over 750 million records. He was also a notable philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to the 39 charities he supported, and raising more through his own Heal the World Foundation.
The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut in 1968 as a member of The Jackson 5, beginning a solo career in 1971. His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with four others-Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and History (1995)-among the best selling. He popularized several physically complicated dance moves, such as the robot and the moonwalk, now iconic. He is widely credited with having transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, with videos such as Thriller, "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" making him the first African American to amass a strong crossover following on MTV, and others, such as "Black or White" and "Scream", ensuring his popularity well into the 1990s.
Jackson's personal life generated significant controversy. His changing appearance was noticed from the early 1980s, his skin appearing paler and his facial features becoming almost androgynous. He was accused in 1993 of child sexual abuse, and though no charges were brought, his health suffered when he started using painkillers to cope with the stress. He married twice, first in 1994 and again in 1996, and brought up three children, one of them with a surrogate mother, actions that triggered more speculation about his life. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of different child molestation allegations, which provoked a further decline in his health. Jackson died at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009, in Los Angeles, after suffering a cardiac arrest. His memorial service was broadcast live around the world, watched by up to one billion people.
Early life and The Jackson 5: 1958-75
Jackson was born the seventh of nine children on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago, to an African American family. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters, Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy
Jackson had a difficult relationship with his father. He said that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, whippings, and name-calling, though he credited his father's discipline for his success In one altercation recalled by Marlon, Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks". Joseph would also trip or push the boys into walls. One night while Michael Jackson was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window, wearing a fright mask and screaming. He said he wanted to teach the children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For years afterward, Jackson said he suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his room Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he had whipped Jackson as a child.
Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey broadcast on February 10, 1993. He said that he had often cried from loneliness and would sometimes throw up when he saw his father. In an interview with Martin Bashir, aired on February 3, 2003, as Living with Michael Jackson, he covered his face with his hands and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you
He showed talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates during a Christmas recital at the age of five. In 1964, he and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers-a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine-as backup musicians playing congas and the tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, and signed with Motown Records in 1968.[3] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts", writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. During The Jackson 5's early years, Motown's public relations team claimed that Jackson was nine years old, two years younger than he actually was, to make him appear "cuter" and more accessible to the general public
Starting in 1972, Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975
1975-81: Move to Epic and Off the Wall
The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, joining the Philadelphia International Records division, later Epic Records, and renaming themselves The Jacksons. They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Jackson was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel," and "Can You Feel It".
In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz, and it was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall. In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operationsJones and Jackson produced Off the Wall together. Songwriters included Jackson, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit
1982-83: Thriller and the moonwalk
In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children. That year Jackson issued his second Epic album, Thriller. The album remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for 80 consecutive weeks and 37 of those weeks at peak position. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." Thriller was certified for 28 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. It is cited as the best-selling album of all time, worldwide sales between 47 million and 109 million copies.
Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of CDs and The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary produced by Jackson and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the documentary sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item-like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie-and started selling like a household staple."
Jackson debuts the moonwalk during his performance on Motown 25
Jackson's influence at that point as "Star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style and color too". "in the world of pop music, there is Michael Jackson and there is everybody else". On March 25, 1983, he performed live on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special, both with The Jackson 5 and on his own singing "Billie Jean". Debuting his signature dance move, the moonwalk, his performances during the event were seen by 47 million viewers, and drew comparisons to Elvis Presley's and the The Beatles' appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. "The moonwalk that he made famous is an apt metaphor for his dance style. How does he do it? As a technician, he is a great illusionist, a genuine mime. His ability to keep one leg straight as he glides while the other bends and seems to walk requires perfect timing
1984-85: Scalp burns and the Beatles catalog
Jackson suffered a setback on January 27, 1984, which was to have repercussions for the rest of his life. While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, he suffered second degree burns to his scalp after pyrotechnics accidentally set his hair on fire. Happening in front of a full house of fans during a simulated concert, the incident elicited an outpouring of sympathy. Jackson had his third rhinoplasty shortly afterwards, and began treatment to hide the scars on his scalp. It was during this period, friends say, that he began using the painkillers to which he later became addicted. Pepsi settled out of court, and Jackson donated his $1.5 million settlement to the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, CA, which now has a "Michael Jackson Burn Center".
Jackson at the White House South Portico with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, 1984
On May 14, 1984, he was invited to the White House to receive an award from President Ronald Reagan for his support of charities that helped people overcome alcohol and drug abuse. Jackson won eight awards during the Grammys that year. Unlike later albums, Thriller did not have an official tour to promote it, but the 1984 Victory Tour, headlined by The Jacksons, showcased much of Jackson's new solo material to more than two million Americans. He donated his $5 million share from the Victory Tour to charity. He also co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" in 1985 with Lionel Richie, which was released worldwide to aid the poor in the U.S. and Africa. It became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief.
While working with Paul McCartney on the two hit singles "The Girl Is Mine" (1982) and "Say Say Say" (1983), the pair became friendly. McCartney told Jackson about the large amount of money he earned from owning music catalogs; he was earning approximately $40 million a year from other people's songs. Jackson subsequently began buying, selling, and distributing publishing rights to music from numerous artists. In 1985, ATV Music, a music publishing company owning thousands of music copyrights, including the Northern Songs catalog that contained the majority of the Lennon-McCartney compositions recorded by the Beatles, was put up for sale. Jackson took an immediate interest in the catalog, but was warned he would face strong competition. Excited, he skipped around saying, "I don't care. I want those songs. Get me those songs Branca [his attorney]". Branca contacted McCartney's attorney, who clarified that his client was not interested in bidding: "It's too pricey". After Jackson had started negotiations, McCartney changed his mind and tried to persuade Yoko Ono to join him in a joint bid, but she declined, so he pulled out. Jackson eventually beat the rest of the competition in negotiations that lasted 10 months, purchasing the catalog for $47.5 million.
1986-87: Appearance, tabloids, Bad, autobiography, and films
Michael Jackson's health and appearance
Jackson's skin had been a medium-brown color for the entire duration of his youth, but starting in the early 1980s, it gradually grew paler. The change gained widespread media coverage, including rumors that he was bleaching his skin. In 1986, he was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus; the vitiligo partially lightened his skin, and the lupus was in remission; both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale. The structure of his face changed too: several surgeons speculated that he had undergone multiple nasal surgeries, a forehead lift, thinned lips, and cheekbone surgery.
He lost weight in the early 1980s because of a change in diet and a desire for "a dancer's body." Witnesses reported that he was often dizzy and speculated that he was suffering from anorexia nervosa; periods of weight loss would become a recurring problem later in life. Some medical professionals have said he was suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological condition whereby the sufferer dislikes his appearance and has no concept of how he is viewed by others. He had a fourth rhinoplasty in 1986, and had a cleft put in his chin.
Jackson two years after he was diagnosed with vitiligo, here in the early stages of the disease
He became the subject of increasingly sensational reports. In 1986, The National Enquirer published a series of photographs of him lying in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, claiming that he slept in the chamber to slow the aging process. When Jackson bought a chimpanzee called Bubbles from a laboratory, it was reported as an example of increasing detachment from reality. In 2003, the singer claimed that Bubbles had been trained to use the toilet and to clean his own bedroom. Later, it was reported that he had offered $1 million for the bones of Joseph Merrick, the "Elephant Man." The reports became embedded in the public consciousness, inspiring the nickname "Wacko Jacko." Despite Jackson's insistence that the reports were completely invented, a biographer said in 2004 that Jackson's publicists had leaked the rumors to the press for promotional reasons. Jackson remarked to a reporter:
Why not just tell people I'm an alien from Mars. Tell them I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight. They'll believe anything you say, because you're a reporter. But if I, Michael Jackson, were to say, "I'm an alien from Mars and I eat live chickens and do a voodoo dance at midnight," people would say, "Oh, man, that Michael Jackson is nuts. He's cracked up. You can't believe a damn word that comes out of his mouth."
Jackson wore a gold-plated military style jacket with belt in the Bad era.
Jackson starred in the Francis Ford Coppola-directed 3-D film Captain EO. It was the most expensive film produced on a per-minute basis at the time, and was later hosted in Disney theme parks. Disneyland featured the film in its Tomorrowland area for nearly 11 years, while Walt Disney World screened the film in its Epcot theme park from 1986 to 1994. With the industry expecting another major hit, Jackson's first album in five years, Bad (1987), was highly anticipated. It had lower sales than Thriller, but was still a substantial commercial success, spawning seven hit singles in the U.S., five of which ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Dirty Diana") reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, more than any other album. As of 2008, the album had sold 30 million copies worldwide.
In 1987, Jackson disassociated himself from the Jehovah's Witnesses, in response to their disapproval of the Thriller video. The Bad World Tour began on September 12 that year, finishing on January 14, 1989. In Japan alone, the tour had 14 sellouts and drew 570,000 people, nearly tripling the previous record of 200,000 in a single tour. He broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium. He performed a total of 123 concerts to an audience of 4.4 million people, and gained a further Guinness World Record when the tour grossed him $125 million. During the trip he invited underprivileged children to watch for free, and gave donations to hospitals, orphanages, and other charities.
1988-90: Autobiography, changing appearance, and Neverland
In 1988, Jackson released his first autobiography, Moon Walk, which took four years to complete and sold 200,000 copies. Jackson wrote about his childhood, The Jackson 5, and the abuse he had suffered. He also spoke of his plastic surgery, saying he had had two rhinoplastic surgeries and the surgical creation of a cleft in his chin. He attributed much of the change in the structure of his face to puberty, weight loss, a strict vegetarian diet, a change in hair style, and stage lighting. Moon Walk reached the top position on The New York Times best sellers' list. The musician then released a film called Moonwalker, which featured live footage and music videos that starred Jackson and Joe Pesci. Moonwalker debuted atop the Billboard Top Music Video Cassette chart, staying there for 22 weeks. It was eventually knocked off the top spot by Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues.
In March 1988, Jackson purchased land near Santa Ynez, California to build Neverland Ranch at a cost of $17 million. He installed Ferris wheels, a menagerie, and a movie theater on the 2,700-acre (11 km2) property. A security staff of 40 patrolled the grounds. In 2003, it was valued at approximately $100 million. In 1989, his annual earnings from album sales, endorsements, and concerts was estimated at $125 million for that year alone. Shortly afterwards, he became the first Westerner to appear in a television ad in the Soviet Union.
His success resulted in his being dubbed the "King of Pop", a nickname conceived by Elizabeth Taylor when she presented him with an "Artist of the Decade" award in 1989, proclaiming him "the true king of pop, rock and soul." President George H. W. Bush presented him with The White House's special "Artist of the Decade." From 1985 to 1990, he donated $500,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and all of the profits from his single "Man in the Mirror" went to charity. Jackson's live rendition of "You Were There" at Sammy Davis Jr.'s 60th birthday celebration received an Emmy nomination.
Dangerous and Super Bowl XXVII: 1991-93
In March 1991, Jackson renewed his contract with Sony for $65 million, a record-breaking deal at the time, displacing Neil Diamond's renewal contract with Columbia Records. Jackson released his eighth album Dangerous in 1991. As of 2008, Dangerous had shipped seven million copies in the U.S. and had sold 32 million copies worldwide; it is the most successful new jack swing album of all time. In the United States, the album's first single "Black or White" was its biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining there for seven weeks, with similar chart performances worldwide. The album's second single "Remember the Time" spent eight weeks in the top five in the United States, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. In 1993, Jackson performed the song at the Soul Train Awards in a chair, saying he had suffered an injury in rehearsals. In the UK and other parts of Europe, "Heal the World" was the biggest hit from the album; it sold 450,000 copies in the UK and spent five weeks at number two in 1992.
Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation" in 1992. The charity organization brought underprivileged children to Jackson's ranch to enjoy theme park rides that Jackson had built on the property. The foundation also sent millions of dollars around the globe to help children threatened by war and disease. The Dangerous World Tour began on June 27, 1992, and finished on November 11, 1993. Jackson performed to 3.5 million people in 67 concerts. All profits from the concerts went to the "Heal the World Foundation", raising millions of dollars in relief. He sold the broadcast rights to his Dangerous world tour to HBO for $20 million, a record-breaking deal that still stands. Following the illness and death of Ryan White, Jackson helped draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, something that was still controversial at the time. He publicly pleaded with the Clinton Administration at Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.
In a high-profile visit to Africa, Jackson visited several countries, among them Gabon and Egypt. His first stop to Gabon was greeted with a sizable reception of more than 100,000 people in "spiritual bedlam", some of them carrying signs that read, "Welcome Home Michael". In his trip to the Ivory Coast, Jackson was crowned "King Sani" by a tribal chief. He then thanked the dignitaries in French and English, signed official documents formalizing his kingship and sat on a golden throne while presiding over ceremonial dances.
One of Jackson's most acclaimed performances came during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII. As the performances began, Jackson was catapulted up from beneath the stage as fireworks went off behind him. After landing on the canvas, he maintained a statuesque stance dressed in a gold and black military outfit and sunglasses; he remained in the stance for over a minute while the crowd cheered. He then slowly removed his sunglasses, threw them away and began to sing and dance. His routine included four songs: "Jam", "Billie Jean", "Black or White" and "Heal the World". It was the first Super Bowl where the audience figures increased during the half-time show, and was viewed by 135 million Americans alone; Jackson's Dangerous album rose 90 places up the album chart.
Jackson was given the "Living Legend Award" at the 35th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. "Black or White" was Grammy nominated for best vocal performance. "Jam" gained two nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song
First child sexual abuse allegation: 1993
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by an American audience of 90 million, becoming the fourth most-viewed non-sport program in U.S. history. It also increased awareness of vitiligo, a relatively unknown condition. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release 1993 child sexual abuse accusations against Michael Jackson
Jackson gave a 90-minute interview to Oprah Winfrey in February 1993, his second television interview since 1979. He grimaced when speaking of his childhood abuse at the hands of his father; he believed he had missed out on much of his childhood years, admitting that he often cried from loneliness. He denied tabloid rumors that he had bought the bones of the Elephant Man, slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or bleached his skin, stating for the first time that he had vitiligo. The interview was watched by an American audience of 90 million, becoming the fourth most-viewed non-sport program in U.S. history. It also increased awareness of vitiligo, a relatively unknown condition. Dangerous re-entered the album chart in the top 10, more than a year after its original release....
In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Evan Chandler, a dentist A year after Jackson met the boy, under the influence of sodium amytal, a controversial sedative, Jordan told his father that Jackson had touched his penis The father was tape-recorded discussing his intention to pursue charges, where he said, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever ... Michael's career will be over" He and Jackson engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to reach a financial settlement; the negotiations were initiated by Chandler but Jackson did make several counter offers. Jordan told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer's genitals.
An official investigation began, with Jordan's mother adamant that there was no wrongdoing on Jackson's part. Neverland Ranch was searched; and multiple children and family members denied that Jackson was a pedophile though his image took a further hit when his older sister, La Toya, accused him of being a pedophile, a statement she later retracted Jackson agreed to a 25-minute strip search, conducted by police and doctors at his ranch, required to see if a description provided by Jordan of Jackson's genitals was accurate. Doctors concluded there were strong similarities, but it was not a definitive match. His friends said he never recovered from the humiliation. He described the search in an emotional public statement, and proclaimed his innocence.
He began taking painkillers and sedatives, including Valium, Ativan, and Xanax, in part to ease chronic pain resulting from an accident with stage rigging during the Dangerous Tour, and for joint inflammation associated with the lupus, but also to ease the panic attacks stemming from the allegations against him. By the fall of 1993, he was addicted. His health deteriorated to such an extent that he canceled the remainder of the Dangerous World Tour and went into rehab in London for a few months, dramatically disappearing from public view with the help of Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John. The stress of the allegations also caused him to stop eating, and he lost a significant amount of weight. With his health in decline, his friends and legal advisers took over his defense and finances. They called on him to settle the child-abuse allegations out of court, believing he could not endure a lengthy trial.
The tabloids painted him in an extremely unfavorable light. Complaints about them included bias against Jackson, paying for stories about alleged criminal activity, and buying leaked confidential material from the police investigation. On January 1, 1994, Jackson settled with the Chandlers out of court for $22 million, after which Jordan stopped co-operating regarding criminal proceedings. Jackson was never charged, and the state closed its criminal investigation, citing lack of evidence.
First marriage :1994
May 26th 1994: Jackson married singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. They had first met in 1975 during one of Jackson's family engagements at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, and were reconnected through a mutual friend in early 1993. They stayed in contact every day over the telephone. As child molestation accusations became public, Jackson became dependent on Lisa Marie for emotional support; she was concerned about his faltering health and addiction to drugs. Lisa Marie explained, "I believed he didn't do anything wrong and that he was wrongly accused and yes I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it." In a phone call he made to her, she described him as high, incoherent and delusional. Shortly afterwards, she tried to persuade Jackson to settle the allegations out of court and go into rehabilitation to recover-he subsequently did both. Jackson proposed to Lisa Marie over the telephone towards the fall of 1993, saying, "If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?". Presley and Jackson married in the Dominican Republic in secrecy; the parties denied they had been married for nearly two months. The marriage was, in her words, "a married couple's life ... that was sexually active". At the time, the tabloid media speculated that the wedding was a ploy to prop up Jackson's public image in light of prior sexual abuse allegations. Jackson and Presley divorced less than two years later.
