newsmakers

newsmakers

Michael Jackson’s children appear at tribute show

CARDIFF, Wales

Chart-toppers, soul singers and three generations of Michael Jackson’s family — including his children — celebrated the King of Pop at an energetic tribute concert Saturday, urging fans to focus on the late star’s music rather than his death. The run-up to the “Michael Forever” concert was overshadowed by the Los Angeles manslaughter trial of Jackson’s doctor, and marred by fan criticism, sluggish ticket sales and dissension within the Jackson family. But once the four-hour show started, Jackson’s musical genius, and the warm tributes of friends and family, carried the night.

“We’re very happy to be here on this special night to honor our father,” said Jackson’s 13-year-old daughter, Paris, who made a brief onstage appearance alongside brothers Prince, 14, and 9-year-old Michael Joseph Jr., known as Blanket.

The children wore outfits evoking their father’s famous styles — Paris, most strikingly, in a red and black “Thriller”-style jacket. Blanket stood stoic and shy, but the older children smiled and appeared confident in the spotlight.

Associated Press