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Stars in shock at Jackson's death
2009-06-26
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Celebrities and stars around the globe paid tribute Thursday to pop icon Michael Jackson, praising his contributions to the world of music as they reeled from the news of his sudden death. As fans gathered to grieve outside the Los Angeles hospital where the troubled star was pronounced dead after apparently suffering a heart attack, some of the biggest names in entertainment struggled to cope with the news. Madonna said she was left in tears over the loss of "one of the greats" of pop music. "I can't stop crying over the sad news," the veteran pop diva told celebrity website People.com. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever." Actress Elizabeth Taylor, one of Jackson's closest and longstanding friends, was "too devastated" to issue a statement, her spokesperson said, according to People. Record producer and former Jackson collaborator Quincy Jones said he too was "devastated" by the news that the "King of Pop" had died at age 50. "To this day, that music is played in every corner of the world, and the reason is because he had it all -- talent, grace and professionalism," Jones told US television network NBC. "I've lost my little brother today and part of my soul has gone with him." The star's first wife Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, said his death had left her speechless. "I am so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. I am heartbroken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and for his family," Presley told MTV News in a statement. "This is such a massive loss on so many levels. Words fail me." Jackson's influence on a younger generation of pop stars was clear, with warm tributes from Grammy winners Justin Timberlake and Beyonce. Timberlake -- who like Jackson is known for both his singing and dancing abilities -- said in a statement that the world had "lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only pop music, but of all music." "He has been an inspiration to multiple generations and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together." Beyonce called Jackson's death a "tragic loss". "The incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music," she told US television programme Entertainment Tonight. "He was magic. He was what we all strive to be. He will always be the king of pop. "For anyone who has ever seen, felt, or heard his art, we are all honoured to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson." California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger lamented the loss of "one of the most influential and iconic figures in the music industry." There were "serious questions" about Jackson's personal life, Schwarzenegger noted, adding however that he and his wife Maria Shriver joined "all Californians in expressing our shock and sadness over his death." Uri Geller, a close friend of the star, said: "I'm just devastated, very, very sad. I pray that his soul is up there now." Jackson was best man when the television psychic renewed his wedding vows in 2001. Celebrities from Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda to hip-hop icon and fashion mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs to cycling champion Lance Armstrong used micro-blogging website Twitter to express their sadness. "Michael Jackson showed me that you can actually see the beat. He made the music come to life!! He made me believe in magic. I will miss him!" said Combs. Jackson's album "Thriller" remains the bestselling album of all time with more than 41 million sales. And his iconic moonwalk has passed into dance legend. "Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be anyone comparable to Michael Jackson," director Steven Spielberg told Entertainment Weekly. "His talent, his wonderment and his mystery make him a legend." Tommy Mottola, the former head of Sony Music who released Jackson's records for 16 years, said the singer had a place in the pantheon of American music. "In pop history, there's a triumvirate of pop icons: Sinatra, Elvis and Michael, that define the whole culture," he told the Los Angeles Times. "His music bridged races and ages and absolutely defined the video age. Nothing that came before him or that has come after him will ever be as big as he was."
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