I was digging through the catalog looking for a Throwback
Thursday item and found some very interesting pieces. How about Bob Dylan? Burt Reynolds? Mike Ditka? These guys are all great but not really the kind
of cultural icons capable of bringing back a flood of memories. And then I saw
her, Janet Damita Jo Jackson. Janet Jackson! Holy crap, doesn’t get much more throwbacky
than that that.
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| Janet Jackson Autographed 8x10 Photo |
Janet Jackson, the youngest of the nine Jackson kids (I bet
you thought there were only 5), was born May 16, 1966 in Gary Indiana and was
quickly assimilated into the family business. She first hit the stage at 7 when
she joined the family in their Vegas stage show at the old MGM. Then it was on to TV;
Good Times when she was 11, Diff’rent Strokes when she was 16 and then the
dance school drama Fame in 1984.
*Trivia alert – she played Willis' girlfriend Charlene for
11 episodes of Diff'rent Strokes. How many times do think she
had to hear “What you talking about Willis?”
By 1981 Janet’s brother Michael was a huge international
star and dear old dad Joe thought she should release an album of her own. Her first couple of albums did OK but
in 1986 she blew up with the release of Control. A massive hit with 5 singles, this is the album that took
her out of her brother’s shadow.
Which brings us to 1989 when Janet released Rhythm Nation 1814.
14 million albums were sold, it won a record 15 Billboard awards, the Rhythym Nation long form video won a Grammy award, and Janet won Songwriter of the Year award from BMI.
Janet rocketed to the top of the pop music world and pretty
much went on to own the 90’s as the world’s top Diva. So what else was going on
in your world in 1989 Throwbackers? Here’s our short list of music, sports and
entertainment moments:
Johnny Bench and Carl Yastrerzemski elected to Baseball Hall
of Fame
Michael Jordan scores his 10,000th NBA point in his 5th season
Kareem Abdul-Jabar becomes 1st NBA player to score 38,000 points
Wayne Gretzky sets 2 records, his 45th hat trick & 10th 40+
goal season
Mike Tyson TKOs Frank Bruno in 5 for heavyweight boxing
title
Madonna's "Like a Prayer" premieres on worldwide
Pepsi commercial
Worst US oil spill, Exxon's Valdez spills 11.3 mil gallons off Alaska
NHL's NY Rangers fire GM & coach Phil Esposito
"Dead Poets Society" starring Robin Williams premieres
Mets Dwight Gooden wins his 100th game (100-37)
Movie "Batman" premieres
Rod Stewart hits his head while on stage & knocks
himself out
President Ronald Reagan sportscasts All Star Game
Pete Rose is suspended from baseball for life for gambling
Glenn Frey joins Don Henley on-stage (for 1st time since
1981)
Larry Bird (Celtics) begins NBA free throw streak of 71
games
Germans begin demolishing Berlin Wall
