Dunno if you heard the news, but Michael Jackson is dead. I write that with a lot of sarcasm because by now, everybody has heard the news. And it is sad news.

Now, from a musical perspective, the saddest aspect of his death is that the guy died being known as a weirdo.

I mean, if you’re 25 years old, or even 30, and under you probably only know Mike as an eccentric, alleged child molester with bleached skin and an addiction to plastic surgery. But back before all that shit, Mike was really one of the most incredible soul/R&B performers ever.

I’m talkin’ back before even Thriller.

I was born and raised in Jackson’s hometown of Gary, Ind., so growing up I heard a lot about the guy. We’d drive by his house and kind of laugh at the weirdness that such a legendary icon was from our town. Him appearing on shows like Soul Train and Motown 25 was a big deal for folks in the city. And, taking a look back at some of those old performances, you can see that Jackson’s vocal skills and dancing abilities were — even today — ahead of its time.

I guess I can’t describe how amazing the dude was with words, so I found some video clips — arranged in no particular order — to illustrate my point. Forget the cheese of his later years, and listen to the vocals and arrangements. Fuck “pop.” This is real soul music:

And here’s the last one live from Gary. Rest in peace Mike:

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