34 Years Ago, George Wendt Helped Launch Michael Jackson’s Biggest Music Video

SoulTracks Lost Gem: Bill Wolfer, Michael Jackson and Jon Gibson were "So Shy" together

Bill Wolfer was a hot young session musician who received an unexpected chance in 1982 to make his own record — and made the most of it. The Wyoming native’s star had been rising in the Soul Music world, and in the prior year he was involved with Stevie Wonder’s Hotter Than July and had been responsible for the synthesizer and keyboard work on perhaps the year’s most memorable song: Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”  Based on some demos on a cass…

34 Years Ago, George Wendt Helped Launch Michael Jackson’s Biggest Music Video

When most people think of George Wendt, they remember Norm, the friendly face at the bar on Cheers, whose name everyone shouted. But before he walked into that Boston pub for the millionth time, he helped launch one of the biggest music videos of all time. On November 14, 1991, Michael Jackson was about to release “Black or White,” a music video that would go on to break records and reach millions around the world. George Wendt was featured in t…