March 5, 2012
English 102-Section 2
Professor McGunnigle
Essay Final Draft
Michael Jackson: The Greatest of All-Time If asked the question, “Who is the greatest or famous music artist of all time,” which name would first pop into your head? Michael Jackson is the most accomplished artist that ever lived on this planet. To start things off, he has one of the best voices ever known to the industry of music. Secondly, he is also one of the best dancers to ever walk the earth. Lastly, his album Thriller, is the best-selling album of all time.
To start things off, Michael Jackson had a voice which was sublime, known for its softness and childlike qualities even when he was in his 40 's. According to his vocal coach, Seth Riggs, Michael had several advantages as a singer and qualities which made him so great. Statistics show that he had a vocal range of 4 octave of a tenor (“Michael Jackson’s Voice”). In clearer words, Michael’s voice had a range of 44 notes. He is able to reach octaves that other singers couldn’t dream of reaching with their natural voice, giving him the ability to leave audiences mind-blown at his performances. Another advantage was the natural speed of his voice. This speed in his voice gave Michael the ability to sing the very complex rhythms of his music in perfect timing. Very unique to most artists, he could also sing in staccato, notes of shortened duration (“Michael Jackson Vocal”). Michael managed to keep this beautiful voice his entire lifetime, being very consistent in his entertainment. His voice did not change much from th"ABC-123,” to Thriller. As he grew older, his voice got bigger, but it never really broke. He made outstanding music from the time he was a child to his death several years ago. His songs were memorable and there was much more to him than just a singing voice. His creative genius, hard work, and love for his art make him an unrivaled talent. His music will be listened to and enjoyed for centuries to
Cited: “Achievements.” AllMichaelJackson. 4 Mar. 2012 <http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/ achievements.html>. Campbell, Lisa. Michael Jackson: The King of Pop. Boston: Branden Publishing Company, 1993. Krohn, Katherine. Michael Jackson: Ultimate Music Legend. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Group, 2010. “Michael Jackson: Dance Legend.” BuzzSugar. 26 Feb. 2012. < http://www.buzzsugar.com/ Michael-Jackson-Dance-Michael-Jackson-Best-Dance-Moves-3379344>. “Michael Jackson: Vocal Range.” Diva Devotee. 26 Feb. 2012. < http://www.divadevotee.com /2012/01 /michael-jackson-vocal-profile-range.html>. Segal, Lewis. “Why Michael Jackson danced like no one else.” Los Angeles Times. 4 Mar. 2012 Tieck, Sarah. Michael Jackson: Music Legend. Edina, MN: ABDO Publishing Company, 2011. “Thriller Album – The NeverEnding Story.” Thriller Album. 26 Feb. 2012. < http://www. thrilleralbum.com/>.