1.563812-3312724329
Bahrain's King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa receiving Michael Jackson in April 2006. Image Credit: Supplied

Manama: In a rare compliment to a Western star, the Indian Club in Manama is staging a tribute to pop icon Michael Jackson, a former resident of Bahrain.

A band will be performing at the Club on Thursday evening and fans will be invited to join in singing the late star's greatest hits, organizers said.

Michael Jackson moved to Bahrain in June 2005, days after the end of a trial on child molestation charges in which he was cleared of any wrongdoing.

His brother Jermaine, who often visited Bahrain, encouraged him to make the move in order to "benefit from the tranquil and placid country and take a real rest, relax and have a worry-free life."

Michael, along with his children, eased into his Bahrain life, sheltered from the onslaught of local and international media and rarely appearing in public places.

He left Bahrain in 2006 for Europe and the US, but was deeply mourned by Bahrainis upon the news of his death in 2009.