Michael Jackson was a well-revered pop singing sensation of the late 60s through the early 2000s. He was a musician, a dancer, and one of the most influential entertainers of all time. Michael was an icon of pop culture specifically for his own style of fashion and dance moves. He became an official part of the music industry at the young age of 7, and made his debut alongside his brothers in the band the Jackson 5. From his success in the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist, many issues arose, but is still one of the most iconic artists to this day. Michael began his career at the age of 5 as the lead singer for the family band the Jackson 5, formed in 1964. In the beginning years, the siblings played local bars and clubs in Indiana in attempt to build a strong following; they were not officiated with any record labels (The Bio History of Michael Joseph Jackson).
Behind the scenes, the siblings' father, Joseph Jackson, pushed his sons to succeed, not with the best intentions. He was reportedly known to become extremely violent with them. The siblings spent countless hours practicing their acts and rehearsing their songs (Michael Jackson Biography). The Jackson 5 continued to grow, working as an opening act for R&B artists such as James Brown. Most of the performers were signed to the Motown record label, and reportedly, Gladys Knight may have been the one to tell the founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy about the Jackson 5. Fascinated by the group, Gordy signed them to the Motown label in 1968 (The Bio History of Michael Joseph Jackson).
After relocating themselves to Los Angeles, the brothers worked constantly on their music and dancing with their father Joseph Jackson as their manager. In August 1969, the Jackson 5 was introduced to the music industry at an event, and became an opening act for the Supremes. Their first album Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5 hit charts in December of that year.