Mourning the King of Pop: The Passing of Michael Jackson  As I'm
sure just about everyone has heard, the music community has lost
one of the most well known, most influential artists of all
time: Michael Jackson. Jackson died at the age of 50 yesterday
after being rushed to the hospital.  In recent years it seems
that Michael Jackson has been discussed more for the
controversies surrounding his personal life, and celebrity
status than for his music. In tribute, I think it's important to
put all of the celebrity gossip aside and remember just exactly
how talented and how influential Jackson was on the music scene
going all the way back his youth.  Album's like Thriller will
remain as something of crowning achievements for Jackson... and
with good reason. Not only did this work earn the label of the
"best selling album of all time" and garner Jackson some 8
Grammy's, it is also just an incredible musical work from start
to finish... something of a pop/R&B masterpiece. It's easy to
forget though that Jackson was