Promoter for Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and the Stones Discusses Star Performer's Recent Death (VIDEO)

Part 2 in our special Series interview with top Rock Promoter in the World Pete Bennett: a lifelong friend of the late Michael Jackson.

The late Michael Jackson

(MONTREAL) - The recent death of Michael Jackson was certainly the end of an era. Rock Promoter Pete Bennett who Billboard Magazine called "The #1 Promotion Man in the World", knew Michael Jackson from the time he was very young.

Pete Bennett & Tim King 2008

He saw the moments that were amazing and he was a friend to Michael Jackson during the hardest times. Pete spent forty-minutes talking to me this week about the "King of Pop" and we begin by talking about who and what Michael Jackson's inspirations were. One thing is certain, the Michael Jackson who Pete first came to know when he initially signed the Jackson 5 to the Epic Record label, was not necessarily the same guy he knew more recently. Pete talks about MJ's close relationships with Diana Ross and Elizabeth Taylor, and his inspiration from James Brown and Joe Tex. But he also talks about Michael Jackson "getting in with the wrong people" and he remembers the changes in this star performer. Few people can offer the insight into the life of a star like Michael Jackson the way Pete Bennett can. The interview below is the second of four parts that are being launched each day consecutively beginning 7-1-09. Here is the link to Part 1 in this special four-part series: Michael Jackson's Promoter Pete Bennett Talks Openly About Late Star (VIDEO) - Tim King Salem-News.com Here is the link to Part 3: Michael Jackson's Friend & Former Promoter Remembers Their Last Conversation (VIDEO) - Tim King Salem-News.com Here is the link to Part 4: Longtime Friend Pete Bennett Bids Farewell to Michael Jackson, King of Pop Video More on Pete Bennett from Salem-News.com: Legendary Promoter Pete Bennett Brings Rock Stars to Oregon: Up Close and Personal (VIDEO) - Bonnie King Salem-News.com Pete Bennett Presents: An Evening of Classic British Rock and Roll with Denny Laine - Bonnie King Salem-News.com ----------------------------------------------------- Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor.
Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), the first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several other awards including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated with Google News and several other major search engines and news aggregators.
You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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Great story Tim but what happened to part 3 and 4 ? thanks

They are back up Daniel, and part 4 will be here for Monday morning, thanks for asking !

It just gets more interesting as you go along . One of the best Jackson stories on the web !

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