Ellenore scott biography of michael jackson

American singer (1958–2009)

For other uses, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation).

"King of Pop" redirects here. For other uses, see King of Pop (disambiguation).

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant figures of the 20th century. Over a four-decade career, his world record music achievements broke racial barriers in America and his publicized personal life made him a global figure. Through songs, stages, and fashion, he proliferated visual performance for artists in popular music; popularizing street dance moves including the moonwalk (which he named), the robot, and the anti-gravity lean. Guinness World Records named him the most successful entertainer of all time.

As part of the Jackson family, Michael at age six made his public debut in 1964 with his older brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon, as a member of the Jackson 5 (lat

SECOND PLACE: Jakob Karr

THIRD PLACE: Kathryn McCormick

FOURTH PLACE: Ellenore Scott

FIFTH PLACE: Ashleigh Di Lello

SIXTH PLACE: Ryan Di Lello

To the former, I begrudgingly conceded, but I could not have disagreed more with the assertion that Jackson one of the Great American Songwriters.  In fact, I object to the very idea that Jackson was any sort of songwriter at all, much less a great one.

"But aren't you forgetting that Michael Jackson single-handedly wrote 'Billie Jean' and 'Beat It'?"

Good question, and, no, I am not forgetting anything.  The participation of Jackson in the writing process isn't being disputed, but, rather, the fact that he took SOLE songwriting credit for those songs.

Mind you, if we're playing by the "Avril Lavigne Rules Of Songwriting", simply being in the room while the song is being written by others constitutes co-writing a song, which is exactly how Lavigne "wrote" most of her first album, including the mega-hits "Complicated" and "I'm With You".  Unlike Jackson, who took full writing credit for hits such as "Billie Jean" and "Beat It", Avril at least gave her co-writers (The Matrix...remember them?) proper credit.

It is impossible to begrudge the quality of songwriting displayed on Michael Jackson's Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad albums.  That is not what's being argued here.  I'm merely arguing the point that somebody wrote those tunes WITH Jackson and it would merely be nice to give credit where credit is due.

Quite frankly, if we're going to continue to toss the word "genius" around like a set of lawn darts, the very least we can do is get the bleeping credits right.

Trivia Time: Which of the following Top 5 hits from Thriller did Michael Jackson NOT write?

a) Beat It

b) Thriller

c) Billie Jean

d) Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

While some of you may be wondering how I managed to resist adding  "e) all of the above", don't think that it didn't cross my mind, but ultimate

At 19, Ellenore Scott was about to give up on a dance career. She knew she had the talent and the training to fulfill her dreams. But she didn’t sing well enough to land Broadway ensemble roles, and none of the companies she auditioned for made offers. The profession she’d worked toward since childhood didn’t seem to want her.

“Look at me now,” she says, with a jolly, infectious laugh that lights up the Zoom screen. Even someone without her sunny disposition would be smiling. Because this month, as she turns 32, she will be making her Broadway debut as lead choreographer with not one but two major musicals opening—the Billy Crystal vehicle Mr. Saturday Night, based on his 1992 movie about an aging comedian, and the long-awaited revival of the 1964 smash that made Barbra Streisand a star, Funny Girl. And this ebullient dynamo, whose first Broadway credit came a scant six years ago, is as surprised as anyone at the twists and turns that brought her here.

The journey included small contemporary companies—one of them her own, currently on hiatus—and television shows, pop concerts and dance conventions. “Who’d a ­thunk?” she asks.

It all began in her early teens when she did the Ailey summer program and faculty member Christian von Howard recommended that she come to New York City for further training. She was accepted­ for the Ailey fellowship program, and her mother, her stepfather, their cat and their dog relocated from California. After a special audition for recent arrivals, she got into New York’s performing arts high school, LaGuardia, and was heading straight for concert dance. She started auditioning—just for practice—in her senior year, and after graduating in 2008, she got some work in von Howard’s company and several others. “Okay,” she remembers thinking, “now I’m gonna book everything.” But she didn’t. “It began to feel like for the entire year I was just being told no.