I Toured With Michael Jackson | The Triumph Tour, Part 1

In this candid behind-the-scenes story, Bill Wolfer shares how he landed the keyboard chair on The Jacksons’ 1981 Triumph Tour, revealing what life was really like rehearsing and touring with Michael Jackson and his brothers. From audition lessons learned from Herbie Hancock, to programming a Prophet-5 for the tryout, to six weeks of intense rehearsals in Van Nuys, Wolfer offers rare insight into the professionalism, pressure, and preparation behind one of the biggest tours of the era. Along the way, he recounts deeply human moments with Michael Jackson, creative disagreements inside the band, massive stage production secrets, and even bluffing his way through designing a thunderous Moog synth intro that launched the show each night. A must-watch for fans of Michael Jackson, The Jacksons, Earth Wind & Fire, classic tours, synths, and real-world musician stories. Chapters 00:00 Joining The Jacksons’ Triumph Tour (1981) 00:41 From Triumph Sessions to the Road 01:23 Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett & the Gig Offer 02:46 Audition Lessons from Herbie Hancock 05:22 Preparing for the Jacksons Audition 06:10 Programming the Prophet-5 & Getting the Gig 07:03 Six Weeks of Rehearsals in Van Nuys 08:21 Life with Michael Jackson Offstage 10:24 “I Don’t Have Any Friends” — A Telling Moment 11:01 Band Dynamics & Brotherly Decisions 13:51 Dress Rehearsals & Massive Stage Production 14:31 Creating the Show’s Moog Synth Intro 17:05 Tour Logistics & Gerry Stickells 19:53 Discovering How Big Michael Jackson Really Was #michaeljackson #thejacksons