For the boy, who grew up into, not just a man, but a worldwide icon, Michael Jackson spent his entire life in the spot light, performing, dancing, singing and waiting for the final curtain call after shouts of ‘encore’ from his adoring fans.

But today there will be no singing, dancing, shouts of encore or a final curtain call, when the spotlight finally dims on the phenomenon known as The King of Pop, and not only the Americans pay tribute to the passing of their beloved Michael, but the world will bid it’s final farewell to the man who created the moonwalk, Thriller, the best selling album of all time and a following never before seen in the world of celebrity.

Jackson’s career, his life his enigma, has made compelling viewing over the years and his sudden, unnecessary death has left the world not only in mourning, but with many unanswered questions

And today, although the memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles gets underway at 10.00 am PT, with a star studded line up including, Lionel Richie, John Mayer, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Brooke Shields, Martin Luther King III, and many others no ‘one’ person will be more important than any other star today, and in many ways the fans will remain the stars of the show.

There are some in the media who are commenting that the coverage of MJ’s death has diverted the American people’s attention away from more important issues at hand, health care, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the shrinking economy, but by the end of this week, the media circus that has taken a brief respite from world news will return to normal, as it did following the passing of Princess Diana in 1997, when, once again the world stood still and united in grief for a brief time.

Even today, as President Barack Obama visits Russia we are told the Russians have also built their own shrine to the memory of Michael Jackson.

Although today may finally bring closure to the past 11 days of public mourning, Michael Jackson’s legacy will continue to live on in all our lives, who either grew up with his music, have found it on our way through life or have only just welcomed his talents into our lives since his death, and each and everyone of his iconic songs and performances will remain in our hearts and minds and memories.

So love him or hate him, we can never ignore him. Michael Jackson was the most important and influential musical figure of the 20th century and his death marks the end of an incredible musical era.