Remembering Michael Jackson

I know I'm not alone when I say that MJ will be greatly missed. I'm grieved by the way his life ended...Suddenly. Without warning, deep in debt, with his public image tarnished in controversy and just shy of a total and complete comeback. I'm sad it had to end this way but as I type this I remember his glory days...His strong message of love, racial equality and the undeniable soul that he put into his music. From his pre-pubescent days in the Jackson 5, clearly he was blessed with an amazing vocal talent that gripped everyone who heard it...to the days of 'Thriller' and 'Beat It' that left EVERYONE copying his moon walk and wowed by his charismatic and off the wall dance moves. He was an amazing performer, an innovator in all genres of music and was the most influential musician of our generation; hands down...He influenced every artist after him and gave us the sound track to our childhood. Lets us all come together to share memories of his music. Let us all stop and pause, to honor the massively huge impact he has left on our world.

As a young girl, I performed 'Man in the Mirror' to a pretend audience in my bedroom. I practiced every vocal nuance till I got it perfect and rewound the tape over and over so much, that I had to use a pencil to wind the tape back into the cassette. That song greatly impacted me and sparked in me a passion for great songwriting. It made me want to change the world.

I have fond memories of singing 'I'll Be There' for a high school solo. I will always be in awe of his childhood voice. It had such purity and soul at such a young age, the Jackson 5 tunes are truly a gift to us. ..music to be studied as the beginning of pop music.

I remember getting chills on the back of my neck, watching ‘Thriller’ on MTV…and copying every dance move to ‘Beat It’. I can still do them, to this day.

And of course, many memories to getting down in the clubs whenever an MJ song came on...if you were ever sitting down, his music was sure to get you on your feet and onto the dance floor with the quickness.

And as I type this, I have spent these last 2 days…listening to www.mjtunes.com and reflecting on art, reflecting on life. I can’t help but be MORE inspired that yes, music can change the world. Yes, music is an important part of our culture and the world needs our own, individual expression of it! Musicians, we all have the same love, the same passion…let us keep the fire burning and take our music dream to the next level. Even if you never impact the world on a global scale, the people around you, in your sphere of influence, need your music. When was the last time you woke up and went through a whole day and did not listen to or hear one song? Umm…never! You hear music everywhere you go, in every way. Let us be inspired by the power of music and the unspeakable things it can do to the hearts of those around us…Let us dig down into our own creativity and perhaps, surprise ourselves by the freedom that we have to express what is going on in our hearts and minds…let us reveal ourselves and show some bold vulnerability. Let us say NO to the haters and critics and start saying YES to that thing inside us that NEEDS to be expressed. Whatever it is…let – it – out! Create the change you want to see in this world and do it through music and melody. And while we’re honing our craft and perfecting our art, let us revel in the sheer funky pleasure of getting down to some MJ tunes with friends and family or even better, shamelessly sing at the top of our lungs to his timeless tunes in our living rooms. Let his music impact you in a new way… don’t let this moment pass without truly feeling what it has to offer you.

Let us use this thread to reach out to one another, let us mourn the loss of 'one of our own'....a man that was more like a kid that never grew up, someone who had a heart for the poor and more than anything, a true passion for creativity and original vision. Feel free to share your thoughts, favorite vids, pix or memories and explore how his passing has impacted our lives…

Please note: if you have negative comments about Michael, please keep them to yourself and let us that loved him grieve and remember him in peace...this is not a thread for haters...but for people that love and admire the great art that he produced. If need be, let us separate the art from the artist, and give credit where credit is due.