57 years ago today, five brothers from Gary, Indiana stepped onto ABCs Hollywood Palace for their first national TV appearance and rewrote the rules of television. Diana Ross introduced an 11 year old Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, they opened with “Sing a Simple Song,” slid into “Can You Remember,” then dropped their brand new Motown hit “I Want You Back.”
In a few electric minutes, the kid with the voice and moves announced that music’s next chapter had arrived. History didn’t just happen that night it sang and danced.