OK, I admit it. I am the same age as Michael Jackson. Actually two years younger. I can sing all the Jackson 5 hits by heart. I liked them better than the Osmonds. But since I was a pre-adolescent at the height of the Jackson 5 fame, I moved on as I became a teen to harder rock like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a music snob. I enjoy Hank Williams just as well as Bob Dylan. But the pop rock bubble gum music did not touch my heart like "Sweet Melissa," or "Respect."

When Michael Jackson made it big on his own in the ’80s I liked his new hits. I didn’t have cable at the time, so I never saw the videos that practically carried MTV to instant success.

Later I was negatively influenced by his weird actions including the Neverland Ranch, holding the baby out the window and his oddly changing appearance. The media helped to flame this negativity and it’s sad that only after his death does one take the time to seek out the truth.

I watched CBS Sunday morning news after his death and learned he produced "Thriller" with Quincy Jones after meeting on the set of the "Wiz." Quincy Jones, who has won a record 27 Grammys and who has worked with such entertainment legends as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, recognized the genius in Michael Jackson. Jones said Michael had memorized every line in the play [The Wiz], knew every choreographed move and had an incredible work ethic.

Later I watched a video tribute to Jackson on VH1 or 2 and saw his famous videos for the first time. I was blown away. They are more like mini movies than music videos and the productions are works of art. I knew of his ‘moonwalk’ moves, but did not realize the extent of his dancing talent. I watched mesmerized as the channel switched from MTV productions to the Jackson 5 performances on Dick Clark and Ed Sullivan.

I also knew Michael Jackson gave to charities but had no idea just how much. When he was burned during a Pepsi commercial and received an out of court settlement of $1.5 million, he gave the money to the Brotman Medical Center where he had been treated, allowing the hospital to acquire the best available technology for treating severe burns; Brotman subsequently renamed its burn ward "Michael Jackson Burn Center" in his honor.

His charity single hit, "We are the World," written with Lionel Ritchie, raised millions of dollars for famine relief both here and in Africa. In 2000, Jackson was listed in the book of Guinness World Records for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer or personality.

OK, so he had problems. Who doesn’t? Anyone who idolizes Walt Disney and Fred Astaire must have some good qualities. Hats off in remembrance of yet another great artist. He is now "really" dancing with the stars.