2010 Grammy Awards Honor Michael Jackson with Lifetime Achievement Grammy

The 2010 Grammy Awards not only reminded us of all the great music that hit the airwaves and music stores last year, but it also reminded us of something we lost -- Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. The 2010 Grammy Awards honored the pop legend with a 3-D tribute of a never before seen mini-movie that would have been included in his fall "This Is It Tour." The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences bestowed upon Michael Jackson this year's Lifetime Achievement Award and his children were there to accept it for him.

In a manner that belied his 12 years, Prince stepped the microphone after accepting the Grammy. "We would like to thank the fans. Our father loved you so much, because you were always there for him."

"To all his songs, his message was simple, love," Prince Michael told the audience at the Staples Center Sunday evening. "We will continue to spread his message and help the world."

Paris, 11, followed her brother. "Daddy was supposed to be here..."

Michael Jackson's children were part of a group of Jackson family cousins that wore black and stood behind them during the small speech. Each had on a red armband.

The presentation of the Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement came after the 3-D tribute that incorporated a recorded Michael Jackson performing his song "Earth Song," accompanied by performances by Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson.

It has only been seven months since Michael Jackson was rushed to the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles and pronounced dead from a cardiac arrest. A media firestorm ensued that ran the gamut of speculation as to how Michael Jackson died to where he might be eventually buried, from retrospectives about his storied life and portions of his career (both the good and the bad) to news pieces about his estate, his will, and what it all meant to his family.

In the intervening months, the estate was settled, the children went to live with Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, and a homicide investigation into Michael Jackson's death resulted in charges of manslaughter being considered against his private doctor. In the music world that he was such a driving force within for so many years, sales of his albums and singles after his death skyrocketed, setting new records. "Thriller" became the #1 bestselling album of all time in the United States, surpassing the Eagles. His catalog of albums sold millions worldwide. And Sony distributed the film, "This Is It," made from the footage of the rehearsals taking place in the Staples Center for his tour that was to be held in the fall, and saw it become the #1 movie in box office sales the week of its release. The soundtrack album would also top the charts in several countries, including the United States.

One thing remained certain: Michael Jackson was still the King of Pop.

For his four decades of contribution to the music industry, from his work as part of the Jackson 5 to his amazing success as a solo artist, the King of Pop was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the industry's most prestigious organization Sunday evening. He was joined by six other music legends in receiving the Grammy Awards honor for 2010: Leonard Cohen, Loretta Lynn, Bobby Darin, Andre Previn, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, and Clark Terry.

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Sources:

"52nd Annual Grammy Awards," CBS Television
YouTube.com
Billboard.com