 Jackson's music took by storm in R&B, pop and soul.He had been influenced by the work of contemporary musicians such as James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis, Jr., Gene Kelly, David Ruffin, The Isley Brothers, the Bee Gees, and the "West Side Story" dancers.According to David Winters, who met and befriended Jackson while choreographing the 1971 Diana Ross TV special "Diana!