Isaiah Brown's mother may have been the Michael Jackson fan, but the 10-year-old Collins Elementary student has the late singer's moves.
Isaiah danced his way to free concert tickets Tuesday night during a contest at the downtown celebration to honor the King of Pop's passing last week. He used the singer's famous moonwalk and crotch grab to win the prize.
"I just kept on looking at his videos," Isaiah said, describing how he learned to mimic Mr. Jackson.
Hundreds packed into the Augusta Common to pay their last respects to a musical icon who called one of Augusta's own sons his inspiration.
The tribute, sponsored by several local radio stations, brought fans young and old downtown to say goodbye.
Denise Brown, a daughter of Mr. Jackson's idol James Brown, spoke to the crowd from the base of her father's statue as people lit candles in honor of the King of Pop. "He truly, truly loved my father, and (my father) truly loved Michael," Ms. Brown said.
Fans sang along to the late singer's hits and watched as an impersonator used some of Mr. Jackson's signature moves while dancing to his hit Billie Jean .
Wearing a Michael Jackson T-shirt and button, Julius Raynor, 50, proudly proclaimed that he was born the same year as the singer and even stood about the same height. He recalled listening to the Jackson 5's hit ABC on vinyl as a 6-year-old.
"We didn't have a good stereo back then, just the 45," he said. "I remember it like it was yesterday."
Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Why do we make this clown a hero? I'm sorry he passed away but enough already.
Uncle BS: No different than we make any of these other celebrities heroes (i.e., Elvis, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, etc). Continued coverage = the law of "supply and demand." Public continues to demand it and the media continues to supply it.
May God bless Michael Jackson's family and fans.vKing of Pop. Godfather of Soul, may you both rest in Peace. God grace and mercy was sufficient for both of you. GOD WILL NOT GIVE HIS NAME OR GLORY (KING) (GODFATHER) TO ANOTHER. God is a jealous God. When God realized that the fans in London were so eager to give Michael Jackson his glory, let's face it, he intervened and took Michael away from ALL worldly things. The final concert had the correct name, "THIS IS IT" Now all the fane who idolized James Brown and Michael Jackson can put God in their place. Look at the videos and the trillions of souls worshiping James Brown and Michael. Their advice to the WORLD is to "Seek the Lord while he yet may be found. JESUS IS SOON TO COME. The world and judicial system gave both African American genuises some terrible blows and much disrespect. They were accused of so many things and found not guilty. They had many fans but very little REAL TRUE, GENUINE, AND GODLY LOVE. Most of the people loved them because of what they could produce or give them. I am proud for the gift that God gave to Michael and James. May God reward them for their PURE HEARTS. ONLY THE PURE IN HEART SHALL SEE GOD AMEN
Other items to honor the singer include small children, prescription drugs and Clorox.
I pray that the King of Pop knew the King of Kings!! My prayers go out to Mike's children and his family.
Enough, really. Who cares?
Anotherday, looks like a lot of people cares.Just change your channel,but let others celebrate this man's life, if they want to. Grinder, get a soul. Foolks like you ,are just jealous, Michael is more important deceased, than you are alive.
No soul is more important than another in God's eyes. God wants ALL souls to come to Him. Only He knows who is truly jealous of another. Only He knows what goes on in a man's heart and soul and He looks at each of us individually. He has not judged a group of people since Sodom and Gomorrah and promised not to judge a people as a group and punish them as a group, ever again. Unless you are God, you cannot say what another person's motivation is. As far as Grinder's comment goes, I can say that it comes across as heartless, unkind and tasteless.
Amazing how many black people turned out to mourn the death of an asian woman.
There is a void in every person and everyone fills that void and worships somebody or some thing. God put the void there and a few choose to fill it with a relationship with God and they are the only ones truly with peace and joy.