My Elvis

Michael Jackson, my Elvis Presley, is dead at 50.

As a four year old girl living in Dallas, I wore a sparkly glove and carried a magazine with his face gracing the cover. I went every where with my glove and magazine. I knew all the songs. I tried to dance like him. I loved Michael Jackson.

My first memory of a tape was Michael’s music. I was in the car with one of my parents and we were going fast down the freeway. I kept trying to hold the tape out of the window and they told me not to; that I would let go and lose it forever. Like a silly girl, I held the tape out the window. Sure enough, my little hands couldn’t hold on against the whipping wind… my parents were right.

For months, when we would travel that section of the freeway, I would look for my tape. I would see the sparkly ribbon scattered around the shoulder. I wished I could string the tape back together in its hard case and listen again. I was sad I couldn’t do this… I had lost his music.

Many, many years later, I bought his greatest hits cd. Now, that same cd is stored digitally on my iPod.

Michael Jackson’s musical influence impacted me in ways I can’t put into words. He might have been a crazy guy, had some strange things happen to him, and transformed in many sad ways but after 28 years of life, he’s the one musical constant from my childhood. His songs never get old to me.

Selfishly, I don’t want him to be gone, but I’m happy that he’s no longer suffering on Earth.

So, here’s to Michael… May his music live on in the hearts of fans like me forever.

Have you been impacted by him as much as me? Tell me your story so we can keep him in our memory.