I was driving in my car when I first heard the news about Michael Jackson. There were few details other than “cardiac arrest”. Though I can’t say I have been a huge or recent fan, his passing is as monumental as it is sad.

Like a lot of people, my most recent memory were the unflattering and the just plain ‘weird’ over the past few years.

I grew up in the age of Michael Jackson and can say he definitely defined a generation of entertainment – what a life of impact!

When I think of him now, I don’t think of the last few years; I think of him as the smiling little black boy with the afro, singing and spinning in front of a crowd. The more that image comes to mind the more I’m struck by how sad it is.

With the path paved by Michael, first as a talented musician and singer then growing into the global entertainer he became, it’s hard not to think of all the doors that were opened due to his effort and success. I wonder how many people got a shot of walking through those doors because of him.

How will history judge Michael Jackson?

I consider myself a pretty open minded guy, but with Michael Jackson it’s difficult to escape the ‘weirdness factor’. But I think his huge and influential body of work will overwhelm any of that weirdness. His eccentricities will fall by the wayside under the weight of his immense and influential body of work.

The breadth and scope of Michael Jackson’s impact has few rivals. One of the things that impresses me most is the quality of entertainers and musicians who are on the performance tier below Michael Jackson – it’s a long list of talented individuals and it’s a sad end to such a creative individual.