Michael Jackson: The Boy Who Brought Me to Tears
Renowned photographer Henry Diltz, whose work has appeared in Life, Rolling Stone and the New York Times, captured the Jackson 5 multiple times in the 1970s. He reconnected with their lead singer Michael Jackson, who had since become the biggest pop star on the planet, in 1985 to document the famed 'We Are the World' charity single recording sessions. He witnessed Michael the boy, the man, the transcendent genius and the troubled superstar, from two feet away.

Michael was always very quiet. His older brothers were a lot more loose and outgoing, always joking and laughing. But Michael came alive onstage -- almost like he lived for those moments.
In the early '70s, I went to a small concert at a school for blind children in L.A. I was sitting cross-legged two feet away from Michael with all these kids in the front row. His voice had such a pure quality to it that it just released something in you. I could see all the kids listening and moving, so enthralled by the music. He just sang so amazingly beautiful. It was so joyful and such an outpouring of angelic sound that it released something in me, and tears started rolling down my face.
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Posted by Henry Diltz on Jun 27th 2009 12:00AM
Filed under: Exclusive, R.I.P., PhotoSynthesis
















