Sheryl Crow pays tribute to the late Michael Jackson, one year after his death, on her upcoming album, 100 Miles From Memphis.
The country-rocker's new record has more than a little R&B flavor to it, and certain to be a stand-out cut is Crow's version of The Jackson 5's I Want You Back, which Crow describes as "a sort of homage."
Talking to the BBC, the 48-year-old singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist said, "Like so many other people, I didn't really weigh the importance of his presence until he was gone. The Jackson 5's ABC record was the first album I ever owned, and Michael ended up giving me my first gig as a back-up singer."
'Tis true. During Jackson's Bad Tour, which ran from September 1987 to January 1989, Crow was a backup vocalist, and even shared the spotlight with Michael (as seen in the video below - dig that big hair!).
Despite the feel-good nature of I Want You Back, Crow said, "It was a bitter-sweet moment for me to sing that song with the experience that I'd had with him."
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Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.
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