Posted on 06/30/2009 8:52:45 AM PDT by AJKauf
I wonder if Stevie still thinks that "Peace has come to Zimbabwe"?
All these people talking about how MJ’s sales are the greatest ever when they don’t realize he isn’t even in the top THREE in total albums sold! 1) Beatles, 2) Elvis Presley, 3) George Strait!
But, beyond that, let’s not limit our view to thinking that sales are what makes you great! Debbie Gibson was the number one selling “artist” in one year, does that make her the GREATEST for that year? No, it meant she had a great PR team and was pushed like no other!
Don’t get me wrong, I like MJ. I grew up on some of his music, and I own several of his albums (yes, those round things you play with a needle). BUT, I own more albums and CDs of each of the following entertainers: Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Charlie Pride!
Want to talk about barriers - Charlie Pride won COUNTRY Music Entertainer of the Year in 1971! And Top Male Country Vocalist 1971 & 1972! From, I think, 1969 through 1972 he had eight straight number one country singles! THAT was a barrier! First black entertainer at the Grand Ole Opry since 1925!
Was he good, yes. Was he great, some people think so. Was he the greatest, not even close!
(Now-not-so-little) Stevie was always more than a bit naive in the politics dept.
I don't see why anyone would downplay his standing in the entertainment industry. In fact, his standing in the entertainment industry says more about the entertainment industry than anything else.
But for the life of me, I have no idea what his "accomplishments" were.
I gotta go with Bing Crosby as a great male singer of the 20th century. Something about the soothing sound of his voice, and the talent as an actor as well.
Make no mistake, Stevie had a tremendous run from “Talking Book” to “Songs In the..”. Innervisions is one of the Top Ten albums of all time IMHO.
As a chick and a former kid, that was highly insulting. After One Bad Apple and ABC (and my own puberty) I scorned his music almost as much as disco.
My pick was Ray Charles. The guy owned any genre he wanted to sing, whether it was soul, country, rock or gospel.
Oh, he was more than a celebrity. He was a pedophile who made that acceptable....to some—Not anyone who had any sense of morality.
I always thought Otis Day and the Knights were the greatest black entertainers of all time. :-P
I like Prince or the artist formerly known as Prince better than MJ.
He actually writes his own songs.
Party like its 1929 or 1999 is a classic. The Bangles Manic Monday also really good.
I’ll stick with The Wolf, and Hooker, thankyou.
Right. I’ve still got some questions about Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. LOL.
Off the top of my head, I'll go with the Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Bob Dylan.
Wait'll Otis sees us! He loves us!
ROFL.
“Otis, my man!” - Boon
Someone needs to photoshop that pic, so they’re all grabbin’ the crotches!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.