In Memoriam

It's been a while since my last post. Life has been a bit of a whirlwind. Shows in Lubbock & Houston, along with much time in the studio wrapping up an album as well as preparing for the push. It's been a bit crazy, but when a loss so great occurs, you almost have no choice but to stop & reflect on the weight of the situation. The loss I speak of is the death of perhaps the greatest pop artist this world has ever seen...Michael Jackson.

Trendsetter, trailblazer, an amazing vocalist, & so much more, the passing of MJ holds a deeper significance than that of simply the death of a celebrity. For many people throughout the world, Michael was the last icon. The term "popular culture" can be so broad, for fads that are identified with the times they inhabited can be absorbed within the ranks of what is considered popular culture, but Michael was more than that...Michael transcended generations. My parents grew up with the Jackson 5. I can recall digging thru my father's record collection & finding the "Victory" & "Destiny" albums in his crates. I never once reveled in the connection of how the "baby of the bunch" in a group that my father grew up with was the same man that I impersonated at family gatherings, parties, & anytime that I was on a smooth surface with socks & no shoes on.

As a youth and an aspiring musician, Michael remained the pinnacle of musical achievement, an international superstar, commanding performer, & expert songwriter. Much of my childhood contained Michael's music as the soundtrack, & even now, at the age of 27, his songbook remains undeniable. I hear tracks such as, "Rock With You" or "Thriller" & almost immediately I am taken back to time when I was just a kid watching "Moonwalker," seeing his 1993 halftime performance at the Super Bowl, attending Chicken Skates, & so much more. As I grew up & began to question everything, I also remember the allegations, secrecy, & speculation that began to outshine his achievements. Despite it all, there's still a joy that I hear in his music, an instant trip down memory lane to a more innocent time in my life.

Much can be said of MJ's eccentrics, but consider, if you will, other greats such as Miles Davis, Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Ernest Hemingway, Hunter S. Thompson, Beethoven, & so forth. Never has the genius of their artistry been shadowed by their personal lives. Their art becomes a part of the world's collective conscious, our culture, our lives, & in that they live on thru us. Much of my love of music is thanks to Michael Jackson, & for that I will forever be grateful. May you rest in peace, King of Pop.