THE GRAMMY LEGEND AWARD FOR 1993

FOR THE IMPACT ON MILLIONS OF LIVES WITH HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS

FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS IN INFLUENCING THE RECORDING INDUSTRY

HOW TO BECOME A LEGEND

Be born with a huge talent and the willingness to take the plunge.

Have 4 consecutive number one hits before graduating from Grade School.

Record a hugely successful first solo album.

Record the album THRILLER and watch it become the largest selling album of all time.

Bring videos into short films with stories and special effects.

Start the home video industry with the MAKING OF THRILLER the largest selling documentary of all time.

Bring a struggling MTV into a sensation.

Be the first Black artist to be aired on MTV.

Receive a record-breaking 8 Grammies in a single year…1984..

Make TV history with a legendary performance of Billie Jean…Motown 25.

Create an International Anthem, WE ARE THE WORLD which is the largest selling single of all time.

Record the BAD album and watch it become the second largest selling album of all time.

Record the DANGEROUS album and watch it enter the charts at #1 and be the biggest selling album of 1992 and 1993.

Prepare a 2 1/2 hour standing room only concert in Bucharesti, Romania and have it aired on HBO…the highest audience ratings of all time earning a CABLE ACE AWARD.

Tour the world in the DANGEROUS TOUR breaking all attendance records with the best contemporary concert entertainment to over 10 million people.

Perform at Super Bowl 17 to the largest audience in TV history.

Use popular influence, time, money and heart to healing children all over the world.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeJYAgHgYtw

MICHAEL JACKSON…RECIPIENT OF THE GRAMMY LEGEND AWARD OF 1993.

I MUST CONFESS THAT IT FEELS GOOD TO BE THOUGHT OF AS A PERSON AND NOT A PERSONALITY BECAUSE, I DON’T READ ALL THE THINGS WRITTEN ABOUT ME.  I WASN’T AWARE THAT THE WORLD THOUGHT I WAS SO WEIRD AND BIZARRE.  BUT, WHEN YOU GROW UP AS I DID IN FRONT OF A HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE SINCE THE AGE OF 5, YOU’RE AUTOMATICALLY DIFFERENT.  THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I HAVE BEEN CLEANSING MYSELF AND IT’S BEEN A REBIRTH FOR MYSELF.  IT’S LIKE A CLEANSING SPIRIT.

I LOVE YOU! 

MY CHILDHOOD WAS COMPLETELY TAKEN AWAY FROM ME…THERE WAS NO CHRISTMAS, NO BIRTHDAYS, IT WAS NOT A NORMAL CHILDHOOD.  NO NORMAL PLEASURES OF CHILDHOOD.  THOSE WERE EXCHANGED FOR HARD WORK, STRUGGLE AND PAIN AND EVENTUAL MATERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS.  BUT, AS AN AWFUL PRICE, I CANNOT RECREATE THAT PART OF MY LIFE, NOR WOULD I CHANGE ANY PART OF MY LIFE.  HOWEVER, TODAY, WHEN I CREATE MY MUSIC, I FEEL LIKE AN INSTRUMENT OF NATURE.  I WONDER WHAT DELIGHT NATURE MUST FEEL WHEN WE OPEN OUR HEARTS AND EXPRESS OUR GOD-GIVEN TALENTS.  THE SOUND OF APPROVAL ROSE ACROSS THE UNIVERSE AND THE WHOLE WORLD ABOUNDS IN MAGIC.  WONDER FILLS OUR HEARTS FOR WHAT WE HAVE GLIMPSED FOR AN INSTANT…THE PLAYFULNESS OF LIFE.  AND, THAT’S WHY I LOVE CHILDREN AND LEARN SO MUCH FROM BEING AROUND THEM.  I REALIZE THAT MANY OF OUR WORLD’S PROBLEMS TODAY, FROM THE INNER CITY CRIME TO LARGE SCALE WARS AND TERRORISM AND OUR OVER-CROWDED PRISONS ARE A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT CHILDREN HAVE HAD THEIR CHILDHOOD STOLEN FROM THEM.  THE MAGIC, THE WONDER AND THE MYSTERY IN THE INNOCENCE OF A CHILD’S HEART ARE THE SEEDS OF CREATIVITY THAT WILL HEAL THE WORLD.  I REALLY BELIEVE THAT!

I LOVE YOU, TOO!

WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN FROM CHILDREN ISN’T CHILDISH.  BEING WITH THEM CONNECTS US TO THE DEEPER WISDOM OF LIFE WHICH IS EVER PRESENT AND ONLY ASKS TO BE LIVED.  THEY KNOW THE SOLUTIONS THAT LIE WAITING TO BE RECOGNIZED WITHIN OUR OWN HEARTS.

TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE SICK AND DEPRIVED.  I AM SO SENSITIVE TO YOUR PAIN!  I WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO HAVE HELPED ME CHANNEL MY TALENT ON THIS EARTH.  FROM THE BEGINNING, MY PARENTS AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, ESPECIALLY JANET.  I AM SO PROUD OF HER.  WHEN WE WERE LITTLE, I USED TO ASK HER TO BE GINGER RODGERS WHILE I WAS FRED ASTAIRE.  THE MOTOWN FAMILY, MY TEACHER, BERRY GORDY, DIANA ROSS, I LOVE YOU.  SUZANNE DEPASSE, THE WONDERFUL, GREAT QUINCY JONES, MY GODSON, MICHAEL GIBB.  MY NEW SONY FAMILY, THANKS FOR MAKING MY MOST CREATIVE ENDEAVOR, THE DANGEROUS ALBUM SUCH A SUCCESS. 

I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!  ALL THE FANTASTIC FANS AROUND THE WORLD…I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!”  MICHAEL JACKSON

“Michael didn’t think in terms of political policies.  He could, however, imagine people around the world from disparate cultures and languages humming the simple melody of a song…he could feel the collective awakening and action it helped inspire and he could see the starving children of Ethiopia being fed and clothed”

THE POWER OF MUSIC TO BRING ABOUT PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL HEALING

THE POWERFUL POSSIBILIITES FOR FUSING MUSIC WITH LARGE SCALE SOCIAL ACTION

     “The goal is simply to try it, to never stop trying, never stop dancing Michael’s dream.” Franzisha Neurieder, Germany

     This morning, I am filled with optimism.  My optimism comes from the millions of voices coming together around the world sharing Michael’s dance, his music, his dreams for the world, his love.  I am grateful to be connected to kindred spirits. Today, as I walked in God’s beautiful natural world, I prayed that all the small voices coming together as one would drown out the media bullying decibels. I prayed that all the tireless efforts of Michael’s Army of Love continue to use every gift within their power to change the world and cause its healing. Michael believed with all his heart in the POWER OF THE PEOPLE.  I am holding onto that.  IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LOVE!

Jude

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