[ABlairican Pie]

Michael Joe Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, a working-class suburb of Chicago. His parents Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and Katherine Esther Scruse, also had eight other children, Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy, and later, Janet. Michael was the seventh of the clan of siblings, who was a few years older than Randy. His father was a steel worker who performed often with an r & b group called the Falcons, while his mother, a devout Jehovah's Witness, raised her children according to her strict faith.

Jackson was pushed into performing at an early age: Joe seemed to have wanted to live vicariously through his musical children, and pushed his sons incessantly, even abusively toward that end. At a very young age, Michael endured constant whippings, verbal humiliation, endless rehearsals, in ordered to be molded for the stage, according to the future star. But in a way, this had a positive effect, it disciplined him into becoming a better performer. However, as with many show biz parents, this would scar young Michael--his father held him upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks", according to Marlon. He was no less severe with his other children, even pushing and tripping them to land into walls. His method of discipline even went so far as to crawl into Michael's open bedroom window, wearing a scary mask and waking him, frightening him as he lie asleep. This was to teach his children not to sleep with the window open. This incident traumatized Michael so much that throughout his life, he had recurring nightmares of being kidnapped.

Michael even spoke openly about his abuse in a 1993 interview on Oprah. He claimed that he often cried from loneliness and would even begin to vomit upon seeing his father. His father would even threaten him and his brothers with a belt if they did not perform their moves correctly.

At the age of five, young Michael showed remarkable ability as a singer and a performer, even playing with his brothers at a school Christmas recital. Later in the mid-60's, he and Jermaine became the lead vocalists of the group, now named the Jackson 5 in 1964, and hit the "chitlin' circuit", black clubs and venues which even had them open for strip shows 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.

An early shot of the Jackson brothers band:

Jackson family photo:

Michael as a baby:

Michael at the age of 7:

Michael at 8 in a class photo:

Another Jackson family photo:

The Jackson brothers' band when they were known as The Ripples and the Waves: