The Power of Music

I've been somewhat obsessed by the coverage Michael Jackson's passing. I think this is due to the fact that Thriller came out when I was a junior in high school, and it was huge. I remember it playing constantly on MTV, and even before the main attraction when we went to the movies. Then, a chance meeting with Brooke Shields gave me a brief insight into the real Michael Jackson. I grew up in New Jersey, and Brooke attended Peddie, a local private high school. My track team members and I once bumped into her at a track meet Peddie was hosting. As exciting as it was to meet her, we all wanted to know what Michael Jackson was REALLY like. She spoke so warmly about him, that from then on I always thought of him a little differently - as a guy who just really liked to sing.

His contributions to the entertainment industry changed the world. That's the power of music. It can change moods, change minds, and change hearts. The Indianapolis Children's Choir recently held a ceremony for its 2009 graduates. Part of the ceremony involved reading each graduate's answer to the following question: "What does ICC mean to me?" Elizabeth Bain, a six year member of ICC very eloquently said, "ICC means music to me. It is a common joy that flows through each and every one of us and bonds us in ways nothing else could."

Music does bond us. What else could explain all the recent attention on Michael Jackson? We all witnessed the making of one of the biggest stars on earth - brought to us by music.