I sit here writing this letter to you with a heavy heart. With blasts from different news outlets, it is hard to actually grasp the fact that you, The King of Pop, MJ, Michael Jackson – is gone. But you are. You were immortal to me, just like my parents are. But I have come to learn in time, that nothing lasts forever. This is not only a shock felt in the music community, but a blanket of sadness wrapped around the world. You have been a constant in my life from the start of my musical journey. And because of the ongoing ride I have taken with you, I had to share my sincere thanks and tell you just how much you are appreciated.
There’s so much I can say about you, it’s hard to actually put it into words. I would most definitely say that you were my first musical influence, from when I could remember. My first set of 8 tracks were: Barbra Streisand’s “Guilty,” Chic’s “Greatest Hits,” Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” and The Jackson 5 “Anthology.” “Dancing Machine” was a song that played incessantly in the house. I drove everyone nuts with the click and constant back tracking, as you can imagine. You were my first pretend boyfriend and infatuation (should I be telling you this?). I had magazines, books, clothing (“Thriller” and “Beat It” jacket, blouse and leather pants from “Rock With You” and pink Thriller sweater!) – anything that I could get my hands on or that was purchased for me. My earliest music memory was receiving my first album ever Off The Wall. I played it all day, from the morning I put the needle on the record. I will stand by my word that Off The Wall is your crowning achievement and the best album of all time. But if we go through your body of work, it is quite easy to be enchanted with a number of songs that have touched our hearts in some shape or form. Your music transcends cultures, your words, chosen carefully like a professor teaching his kids. You delivered messages of love, lust and plain old fun. We dance rhythmically when “You Wanna Be Starting Something” is blaring from a speaker and we shared in the sadness you felt when you spoke of your friend “Ben.” I don’t want to run the risk of sounding like a deranged fan, but you were that guy. We all admired your humanitarian work and notably, your undying love for your fans.
You have always been so very modest about what you have accomplished, I don’t think you really understand what and who you have influenced with your amazing career. You single handedly changed the landscape of video producing as we know it today, because of one of the most haunting videos of all time, “Thriller.” Your short story mini-movie video’s took a life of their own and you had everyone emulating you. Your choreography was awe inspiring – The Moonwalk and the anti-gravity lean in “Smooth Criminal”? Really? Dude, you stopped a gang fight with the swivel and thrusts of your hips in “Beat It.” You are that serious! To this day, you know we still trip over ourselves trying to walk on the moon like you did! Your personal 18 Grammy awards are an outstanding representation of the celebrated artist you are. And that number does not even come close to the amount of accolades you have received over the years.
Everyone may choose to discuss your misfortunes, but I choose to focus on your highs. We are only human and I believe there is balance after all. As your fans, you have given us music to last a lifetime, hope, so we can try to do better as a human race and lots of memories to last a lifetime. I know you are up there with my Dad, singing my song “Smooth Criminal” and he’s most likely divulging all my secrets from the days I fainted and swooned over you. Don’t listen to him! But do know, you, Mr. Michael Joseph Jackson, will forever remain in our hearts. You were everywhere I turned tonight in NYC, from Times Square, to every car that passed. You showed us that music truly does bring people together and like you told your friend “Ben” – “And you my friend will see, you’ve got a friend in me.” Thank you Michael, thank you.
Much love and admiration, forever and always…
amc
