On this day I was headed to the San Francisco Best Of The Bay event at The Metreon, and walking down Stockton toward Mission when I got the news via a CNN message to my phone. I just stopped and wound-up interviewing a woman on the street.

Then I went into the event, and it was somber at first – time and drink cured that.

But Michael Jackson music was the theme.

Michael Jackson will never, ever be forgotten. He gave all of us the gift of his talent – singing, songwriting, producing. Michael Jackson was a genius, and regardless of where that came from, he just was. He was also a person who was afraid to, it seems, grow up, and sought refuge. That’s easy to understand when you’ve never had a childhood, and need a shelter from the storm of people around you.

The next day, I went to San Francisco’s Aventine Bar…

And have never, ever forgotten, and never will forget the contributions and role Michael Jackson had in my life.

Stay tuned.