HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Stevie Wonder first met Michael Jackson when the young child star was turning heads as a member of the Jackson 5. So it was rightfully difficult for the elder Motown great to bid Jackson adieu.
"It's a very painful moment. It's sort of surreal, I guess. As much as I know it's true, I can't believe it," the 59-year-old Wonder told CBS' Katie Couric at Tuesday's public memorial service for Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
While Jackson's music made him the King of Pop, it was his passion for humanity that Wonder said everyone should learn from.
"I just encourage everyone to take the book of Michael's life and the positive things that he did and the music that he made and the songs that he sang and the commitment that he made to humanity, take that book and read it and we all can be inspired to do more for our humanity as he did," said the Grammy-winning artist.
Wonder said it's been an emotional rollercoaster for him ever since he learned of Jackson's death, but he's finding more strength as time goes on.
"The last two days I had more peace," said Wonder, who performed his 1971 song, "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer," at Jackson's memorial. "Just knowing that Michael gave so much of himself, gave so much of himself to the world as a musician, singer, song writer, dancer. His commitment to making this world better with his songs, with his expressions of not just talking about it but being about it, made a difference in the world in the time that he lived and obviously he died too soon."
Also see: Video: Stevie Wonder Singing "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" at the Michael Jackson memorial service.
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