House Resolution 8

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION HONORING AND COMMEMORATING THE LIFE, CAREER, MUSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND LEGACY OF MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON, "THE KING OF POP," AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.

WHEREAS, occasionally, into our lives, there comes a talent so rare and so great that the performer makes this very difficult art, the art of creating music capable of moving one's very soul, preserving our history and building bridges between our different cultures, seem naturally easy and effortless as evidenced by the life, career and contributions to the musical industry by one individual duly acclaimed as the "King of Pop," Michael Joseph Jackson; and

WHEREAS, on Thursday, June 25, 2009, the world lost an international musical icon and prodigy in Michael Jackson, born August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to the working-class family of Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and Katherine Esther Jackson, as he departed this earthly life at the age of 50 to enter into eternal rest, bringing great sorrow and loss to his family, friends and global fan base; and

WHEREAS, an American recording artist, entertainer and businessman, he made his debut on the professional music scene in 1968 as a member of The Jackson 5, before beginning his solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group; and

WHEREAS, in a skyrocketing rise to stardom, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music in the early 1980s, and chartered a course in history as the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV, transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, helping to bring the relatively new channel to fame with the popularity of his music videos of "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" airing on the network; and

WHEREAS, with stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, and coupled with his distinctive musical sound and vocal style, influenced many hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists across several generations, ethnicities and cultures; and

WHEREAS, raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his devout mother, who instilled in all of her children the traditional values of love and concern premised on the tenets of Matthew 25:40, which reads in part, "Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me," Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundations, charity singles and support of 39 charities; and

WHEREAS, Jackson showed musical talent early in his life, a talent upon which his musical genius and success were predicated, serving as the driving force to the success of his career with The Jackson 5 and as a solo artist with such notable songs as: "Big Boy"; the group's chart-record-setting first four singles, "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There," which all peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100; and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin"; and

WHEREAS, beyond its record-breaking success among fans, Jackson's 1982 Thriller album instituted multiple changes within the music industry, earning him the distinction by some critics as "a one-man rescue team for the music business" by accomplishing the following: raising the importance of albums, while challenging notions about how many prospective hits an album should contain; restoring to the industry a sense of confidence in its ability to release high-level artistry during a time when profits had been sinking; helping to bring MTV into its heyday, even as MTV helped fuel Thriller's success; and paving the way for other highly profitable acts such as Prince; and

WHEREAS, referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, Thriller remains the world's best-selling album of all time, that at its 25th anniversary retained important influence over the music industry, artists and American culture, and four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory; and

WHEREAS, having donated millions of dollars and countless hours to such causes as Brotman Medical Center, HIV/AIDS awareness, drug and alcohol treatment, hospitals, orphanages, underprivileged children, the United Negro College Fund, Heal the World Foundation, which he founded, Warchild, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Red Cross and UNESCO, Michael Jackson can be proclaimed as the first entertainer and public figure to serve as a symbol of international humanitarianism and philanthropy, charting the course for many other notables such as Princess Diana, George Clooney and Bono to engage in humanitarian aid and charitable and philanthropic gifting; and

WHEREAS, Jackson co-wrote the charity single, "We Are the World," with Lionel Richie, that was released worldwide to aid the poor in Africa and the United States, that became the international anthem of unification which called individuals to action and service, as the project intricately wove the threaded talents of 39 music celebrities to perform on the record, allowing it to became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with nearly 20 million copies sold and millions of dollars donated to famine relief; and

WHEREAS, his legacy and influence have infallibly left an indelible imprint on the lives of numerous musicians who patterned their careers from the mold shaped by Jackson, as well as having a lasting effect on the millions who were benefactors of his generous and incessant benevolence; and

WHEREAS, inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984, Michael Jackson's notable impact on music and culture throughout the world broke down racial barriers, transformed the art of the music video and paved the way for modern pop music in his own country, as his work, distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced hip hop, pop and R&B artists; and

WHEREAS, he had an "unparalleled" level of worldwide influence over the younger generation through his musical and humanitarian contributions, and throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including: the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium; the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award; the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award; one of the few artists to have been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001; a 2002 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee; multiple Guinness World Records (eight in 2006 alone); 13 Grammy Awards; 13 number one singles in his solo career, more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era; and the sale of more than 750 million records worldwide; and

WHEREAS, characterized as "an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility and loads of sheer star power," he was instantly declared as "the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley"; and

WHEREAS, though his physical presence shall never again grace the world's stages in jubilant rendition of song and dance that once fell upon our perceptive sensory, the legacy of a true legend in his own right and of our time, shall never cease to fall silent upon the hearts and memories of family, friends and fans, as he now takes his place in the studios of timeless eternity; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commemorate the life of those whose artistry has garnered praise from all of their contemporaries and millions of fans worldwide like Michael Jackson, whose unmatched caliber and superstardom can only be rivaled by his many extraordinary accomplishments and contributions to our society:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby honor and commemorate the life, career, musical accomplishments, contributions and legacy of Michael Joseph Jackson, "The King of Pop," and express deepest sympathy to his family, friends and fans upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Sony Music to be forwarded to the family of Michael Jackson and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.