It was 26 years ago, but I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

The day after Michael Jackson debuted his signature dance move, the “moonwalk,” there wasn’t a kid in my 7th grade glass who wasn’t talking about it. It was May 1983, at the beginning of Jackson’s reign as the undisputed King of Pop. When he took the stage for Motown’s nationally-televised 25th anniversary show, the world stopped. At least our world did. The hat, the glove, the way he slid across the floor in a manner none of us had ever seen – that’s an image that sticks with you forever.   Watch Michael on Motown 25   I love that move so much, I learned how to do it as a kid. And I’ve passed it on, teaching it to my two-year-old daughter.

You can say what you want about Michael Jackson. He did himself no favors with his ever-changing appearance, the child molestation accusations and hanging his son over a balcony. But none of those things tarnishes Jackson’s true legacy — that of arguably the greatest entertainer the world has ever seen.

He entertained us with his voice and he entertained us with his moves. And he did it for decades. Rarely does a successful child entertainer find further success as an adult, let alone become even more successful. Jackson didn’t just re-establish himself; he became the biggest star in the world.

How popular was Michael Jackson? Eight years after the release of his last album, and 15 years since he appeared to lose his musical relevance, Jackson sold out 50 shows that were to take place later this summer in London. That’s more than a million tickets sold. How many acts could do that at the height of their popularity, let alone decades later?

It’s a sad day. Michael Jackson is gone, and part of my childhood is gone with it. But it hasn’t all been taken away. I can still moonwalk. I’m pretty good at it, too.  And so is my daughter.

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