This didn’t seem appropriate for the Michael Jackson wake thread, but it’s music and Michael Jackson related.

I never really cared for MJ’s music or MJ as a performer. The exceptions were some of the cuts on Thriller, like Billy Jean.

In fact, I was surprised to now find out that the Jackson 5 are considered a Motown group, because I never considered them a Motown group. So I did some digging, and now know why.

In the early 70’s Motown moved from Detroit to Los Angeles. In doing so, they left behind their signature rythm section - the Funk Brothers, and more specifically bassist extraodinaire James Jamerson. The Jackson 5 recorded out of LA, not Detroit, and did not have the signature Detroit sound. No Detroit sound, no Motown, at least in my mind.

Sadly, Jamerson moved to LA, but never caught on out there, in no small part because he was in the later stages of alcoholism. He died out there in the 80’s of diseases related to alcoholism.

So in tribute to James Jamerson, who is largely unknown but who played on MOST of the the Detroit-based Motown hits

Youtube Video