Music promoter DAVID GEST is hoping to persuade MICHAEL JACKSON to return to America for a tribute to soul great SMOKEY ROBINSON.
Gest, who organised Jackson's one-off 30th anniversary TV special in 2001, has been asked to plan Robinson's 50th anniversary tour later this year (06).
And he wants his friend Michael to return from his new home in the Middle East to star in the celebrations.
Gest says, "I'm hoping that he will because Michael grew up listening to Smokey and wanting to be like him, and I think, if he does something, this would be the one where he would show up." But Gest admits tracking down the reclusive pop superstar, who fled to Bahrain after he was acquitted of child molestation charges last year (05), is proving difficult.
He adds, "I last spoke to him about five months ago... He's pretty reclusive."