Remembering Michael Jackson

Following the untimiely death of Michael Jackson, Sam Rogers spoke with Joy Sutton of WDBJ-7. He offers insighs on the out-pouring of grief across the world at the passing of this iconic musicical artist.
People connect with artists because they express ideas and emotions that we all experience and struggle with. That is the essence of art. That is the reason art is important. This may be especially true for musicians and singers. The music that Michael Jackson produced helped millions of fans to experience and, at some level understand their own emotions. Most of us, if we hear the music of our adolescence, will remember with nostalgia or pain the emotions of that period of our lives. When an artist dies, especially if it is sudden and unexpected, it will touch us, and we will experience a sense of grief and loss. Without the tension of day to day associations, we place our idols on a pedestal. They seem greater than they are. Although we only knew that artist through his or her medium (music in this case), we are moved. The more that artist touched us, the more that artist expressed our own emotions, the stronger that loss will be. Although Michael Jackson had a somewhat uneven life, his music touched the hearts of many, and they grieve his passing..
The interview appears on the WDBJ-7 web site. (www.wdbj7.com) in the "Local Health" section under the title, "Why do the death of celebrities move us to tears?"