MICHAEL JACKSON

AND THE CHICAGO FACTOR

BEFORE YOU BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL PERFORMER YOU FIRST BECOME A LOCAL
PERFORMER
THE JACKSON 5 BUILT A HUGE FOLLOWING PERFROMING IN LOCAL VENUES IN GARY,
AND NORTHWEST
INDIANA BUT THE JACKSON 5 AND MICHAEL JACKSON HAVE STRONG ROOTS IN
CHICAGO, IL
WELL TH BEST PLACE TO START A HISTORY SEGMENT IS TO BEGAN WITH FAMILY
MICHAEL JACKSON GRANDFATHER PRINCE ALBERT SCRUSE THE 1 WAS THE FATHER
OF MICHAELS MOTHER KATHERINE SCRUSE
GRANDPA SCRUSE WAS BORN IN ALABAMA BUT SPENT HIS FINAL DAYS IN
KANKAKEE, ILLNOIS A SMALL SUBURB JUST SOUTH OF CHICAGO. THE JACKSON 5
PERFORMED AT MANY VENUES IN THE CHICAGO AREA INCLUDING THE
INTERNATIONAL AMPHITHEATER FOR OPERATION BREAD BASKET JESSE JACKSONS
(NO RELATION) THE BLACK EXPO.
THE JACKSON 5 WAS ONE OF THE FIRST GROUPS TO PERFORM ON THE CHICAGO
BASED ORIGINAL SOUL TRAIN TELEVSION SERIES CREATED BY CHICAGOS VERY
OWN DON CORNELIUS.
MICHAEL JACKSON OFTEN VISTED THE CHICAGO. IN THE 80S HE MET WITH
CHICAGOS VERY OWN JOHN H JOHNSON PUBLISHER OF EBONY AND JET MAGAZINE .
MICHAEL ASKED JOHN JOHNSON FOR INVESTMENT ADVICE AND JOHN JOHNSON
BOLDY LSAID YOU NEED TO GET INTO PUBLISHING MJ THEN PURCHASED THE
BEATELS CATALOG LITTLE KNOWN FACT THE BEATELS WERE SIGNED TO THEIR
FIRST RECORD LABLE VEE JAY RECORDS WHICH HAD OFFICES IN INDIANA AND YOU
GUEST IT CHICAGO, IL
So who really discovered the Jackson 5 well there were so many individuals that
contributed to the development stages of the beginning of their career. Reynaurd
Jones was best friends with Jackie Jackson and put the group together performing in
talent shows in gary when the boys won their father began to pay attention to them
with encouraging words from Mom Katherine
Now the J5 were born in Gary but truly once again were discovered in x Chicago.
The Jackson 5 perfromed at local venues in Chicago like the green bunny and high
chapperal. They were discovered by one of the biggest disc jockes in the country E
Rodney Jones a radio personality from WVON radio station he held local talent
shows at the regal theater. Other s involved was WVON owner Pervis Spann and
also radio personality Luck Cordell these 3 gentleman along with a local

entertainment promoter Helen wooten invested 40,000 dollars into the

development and training of the Jackson 5 guitar player and jimmy ones band larry
blasiingane coached tito and Jermaine on playing guitar. And shirly cartma was the
vocal coach
The leaner brothers recorded the boys and onderful studios on Michigan ave their
first single big boy now written by eddie silvers unfortunately everyone except for
Helen wooten lost faith in the group and turned them over to Gordon keith owner of
steel town records Gordon hired some musicians and background vocalist and re
recorded big boy on his steeltown lrecord label they recorded 3 other songs we
dont have to be 21 to fall inlvoe youved change and some girls want for their lover
also called Michael the lover got a distribution deal on atlantic records Gordon keith
also recorded the drifters and the ripples and the waves big boy was played on
wvon radio station by e rodney jones and also herb kent the song song sold 60,000
copies. Helen wooten went on to starts the careers of r. lelly and lisa ray and also
wroed with will smithshe reconnected with the jacksons to promote the victory tour
in Chicago Mj trusted Helen they had one thing in common they both suffered from
vitiligo. Gordon keith is a minister now and still works with various artists