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"Heaven Can Wait"

Date range confirmed by background vocalist Que aka “Deo.SOUL The GREAT iAM” (“Those background vocals that you hear include my vocals. I recorded this song back in 2000 as a writer under BMG Publishing. I was called by Teddy Riley to come to Miami in May of 2001 to record Heaven Can Wait backgrounds over again for Michael who requested that I come.”)

“Iconic” magazine (March 2012), From Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

I received a phone call clear out of the blue. I had no idea what was happening. A crazy moment. Can you imagine, your phone is ringing and next someone is saying Michael Jackson wants to record a song of yours? The producer said Michael Jackson heard my song and wanted to work with me. The next thing I know I am on a plane to Miami to work with Teddy Riley. Later on Michael came to the sessions.

Michael made notes and did drawings on the lyric sheet in the studio which Beal still owns. He was told to sell it, but had no intention of doing so.

“Are you crazy,” he told his friend. “That’s like having a kid. You can’t sell it.

Nate Smith, co-writer, Billboard interview

Billboard: You also have a credit on a Michael Jackson song, right?

Nate Smith: I was a grad student at Virginia Commonwealth University, and I was producing -- as I always have -- R&B music. It's a part of my life that jazz fans and listeners don't really know about. I was just making demos in my bedroom, and I met a guy who knew a guy, who knew a guy, who knew Teddy Riley. One of the tracks that I wrote ended up in Teddy's hands as he was soliciting songs to Michael Jackson for the Invincible album. One of the songs I wrote became made the album -- it's called "Heaven Can Wait." It came out in 2001...it was a long and winding road. [Laughs] It remains the biggest and most miraculous accident of my career. It's something I definitely plan to return to.

When the Michael Jackson thing happened, I wasn't prepared for it at all. For the first two weeks after that record came out, every A&R would take my call. I could get any meeting I wanted. But I'd roll up to the meeting, and I didn't have anything to play for them! I didn't have a catalog of "Heaven Can Wait"s. That's the lesson I learned: be ready. When that kind of opportunity comes, you've gotta be ready for it.

Que (aka “Deo.SOUL The GREAT iAM”), background vocalist, Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

Those background vocals that you hear include my vocals. I recorded this song back in 2000 as a writer under BMG Publishing. I was called by Teddy Riley to come to Miami in May of 2001 to record Heaven Can Wait backgrounds over again for Michael who requested that I come. So that what I mean when I say that it’s me singing the background. Check the credits.

Teddy Riley, co-writer and co-producer, “Hip-Hop Wired” (July 8, 2009) (archived)

What I did with Michael doing strings on “Heaven Can Wait,” was like, we did the track first, that all took one day, and then the string section and then we did the guitar session and that’s about three days. So the modern day is a little quick. Lil’ Wayne, all those guys, the new cats, they cut a record in an hour. Michael Jackson, Kool & The Gang, Frank Sinatra, they take the time to get all that stuff tuned and get it all right so they are setting up the mood with the sound.

...When I did that song with him, he held his heart and he said ‘Teddy, is this mine?’ I said, ‘It’s yours if you want it, Michael.’ He’s like: ‘I want it, let’s go get it!’ He was so excited. I have a couple of witnesses that were in the room when he said ‘I want that song. I need that song in my life.’

Kenny Quiller, personal assistant to Teddy Riley, “Q City Metro” (July 7, 2009)

How many people can say they actually spent quality time with Michael Jackson?

Charlotte native Kenny Quiller can.

In fact, he got a song-writing credit on Jackson’s “Invincible” album for the song "Heaven Can wait."

The one-time personal assistant to then-super producer Teddy Riley of Guy and Blackstreet fame, had the fortune of having a song fall in his lap. According to Quiller, a friend left a CD at his house with the song "Heaven Can Wait" on it. When he heard the song, he knew it would be perfect for Jackson, so he shared it with Riley, who agreed.

When Riley presented the song to Jackson, the King of Pop loved it and wanted to include it on his album.

Although Quiller didn’t write the song, he said Jackson gave him a songwriting credit for the role he played.

"Out of all respect for me, and because I found the song, Michael and Ted Riley and the other writers allotted me writers credit," he said.

So what was it like meeting and spending time Michael Jackson?

Quiller, along with Riley, met with Jackson several times in 2000-2001 in New York, Virginia Beach and Miami during the production of the song. He said Jackson was nice and didn’t roll with a large entourage. He said he got to talk with Jackson’s children, Paris and Prince. And yes, nanny Grace Rwaramba was there.

"One time we were in Virginia watching television and his children asked to turn the television off,” he recalled. “They said their father only allowed them to watch T.V. once a week and they had already had their T.V. time."

Quiller said the children also listened to classical music while Jackson was working.

Quiller said he and Jackson bonded quickly because they shared a religious background. Both were raised as Jehovah Witnesses.

Once he shared that information with Jackson, Quiller said, the singer opened up and they talked often.

Quiller said he wants people to know that Jackson was grounded and knew who he was. He said he believes the singer’s childhood, stardom and religious background caused him a lot of mental anguish that the average person couldn’t understand.

"Growing up as a Witness, I have insight on why he did what he did and why people thought he was weird and strange,” Quiller said. “He was just human."

Quiller said he also believes that because Jackson was such a major icon, people expected the pop star to be perfect, and he was not.

"He wanted to relate to children because they were innocent and didn’t have a motive,” Quiller said. “The singer was a little naïve and the court case brought him back to reality."

Quiller says meeting Jackson was a surreal experience.

"For me, it’s a sense of completion,” he said. “Knowing that I met him, took a picture with him and got my name on his album, its completion. It’s something that most people would only dream about."

Quiller currently works as a barber in Charlotte and has plans to work with up-and-coming producers and songwriters. His wants to get them exposure so their records will get played.