Grammy announces Jackson tribute
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Grammy winners Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood, and Usher will join together, along with the voice of Michael Jackson, in a moving tribute to Jackson at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 31. This very special Grammy Moment will feature the never-before-seen 3-D mini-movie for "Earth Song" that was created by Jackson as the centerpiece of his much-anticipated This Is It tour, but was never seen by the public prior to this Grammy performance.
The 3-D film was created to support the performance of "Earth Song," an original composition and a No. 1 hit for Jackson. The song has a strong theme about the future of the planet, and Jackson saw it as a unique opportunity to deliver a message to millions of people who would have seen him on tour.
"It was one of the most important portions of the concert tour to Michael and when Michael saw the film for the first time at his last rehearsal, there were tears in his eyes," according to Ken Ehrlich, Grammy co-Executive Producer and longtime Jackson associate, who was also at the rehearsal that night.
"This very special Grammy Moment will feature some of our most respected Grammy recipients, all of whom have a great love for Michael," added Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "This segment promises to be an emotional highlight of this year's show, and is sure to join the unique list of amazing performances for which the Grammy Awards have become renowned."
This special segment also represents another Grammy technical breakthrough in that it will be the first time a major awards show broadcasts in 3-D. The Grammy Awards also were the first awards show to broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound (2003).
So that viewers can enjoy this unique 3-D TV experience at home, CBS and Target have partnered to provide millions of free 3-D Grammy Glasses.
This Grammy tribute to Michael Jackson joins previously announced performances by nominees Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, the Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Maxwell, Pink, Taylor Swift, and the Zac Brown Band.
All five Album Of The Year nominees are set to perform on Music's Biggest Night: Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, the Dave Matthews Band, and Taylor Swift.
Current nominee Carrie Underwood is up for two awards this year: Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Just A Dream," and Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for "I Told You So" (with Randy Travis).
As part of Bon Jovi's performance on the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, fans will have an opportunity to decide which Bon Jovi hit the band will perform. For this "You Pick It, They Play It!" special segment, viewers can log on to www.cbs.com/Grammys and vote in two phases for one out of six of their favorite hit Bon Jovi songs: "Always," "Bed Of Roses," "Have A Nice Day," "It's My Life," "Livin' On A Prayer," and "Wanted Dead Or Alive."
The 52nd Grammy Awards will take place live on Sunday, Jan. 31 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
