Usher Grammys

In addition to receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy the day before the Grammy Awards, Michael Jackson will be the subject of a tribute by Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion and Smokey Robinson at the Grammys on January 31.

The tribute will include never-before-released footage from Jackson’s 3-D mini-movie “Earth Song,” which was meant to be included in his This Is It tour and has never been seen by the public. The message of the song and the film is that we need to put the future of the planet first.

“It was one of the most important portions of the concert tour to Michael, and when Michael saw the film for the first time at his last rehearsal, there were tears in his eyes,” Grammy co-executive producer Ken Ehrlich said in a statement. He was at the rehearsal when Jackson saw the film.

CBS, which airs the Grammy Awards, has teamed up with Target to provide free 3-D glasses to those who want to view the footage at home. They will be available January 24 through January 31 at Target stores. This is the first time an awards show has broadcast a segment in 3-D.

“This very special Grammy moment will feature some of our most respected Grammy recipients, all of whom have a great love for Michael,” added Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy. “This segment promises to be an emotional highlight of this year’s show, and is sure to join the unique list of amazing performances for which the Grammy Awards have become renowned.”

Robinson, Hudson and Usher were among those who paid tribute to Jackson at his star-studded memorial held last July. Late last year, Jermaine Jackson seemed enthusiastic about the Grammy Awards paying tribute to his late brother, saying,

 “We’d just like to see exactly what went down in a great sort of tribute or whatever the plan is. We want it to be real.”