Grammy tribute to Michael Jackson to feature 3-D movie

LOS ANGELES - Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood and Usher will take part in a tribute to Michael Jackson at the Grammy awards next week that will also showcase a movie created by Jackson for his hit "Earth Song."

Grammy organizers said on Wednesday that Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson would also join in the Jackson tribute, singing along with the voice of the "Thriller" singer.

The January 31 Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles will also feature the first showing of the 3-D mini movie for "Earth Song" created by Jackson before his death in June.

The song and the movie, about the future of the planet, were intended to be the centerpiece of Jackson's planned series of 50 "This is It" comeback concerts in London last summer.

"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," Ken Ehrlich, a Grammy producer and longtime Jackson associate, said in a statement.

Organizers said the Grammy ceremony would be broadcast in 3-D for the first time. 3-D glasses will be provided to the audience in Los Angeles and U.S. TV viewers will be able to get free 3-D glasses through a partnership between broadcasters CBS and retail store Target.

Jackson, who won 13 Grammys and whose 1982 album "Thriller" is the biggest-selling album of all time, is to get a posthumous lifetime achievement Grammy this year.

Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy which awards the Grammys, said the Jackson tribute "promises to be an emotional highlight of this year's show".

Jackson, 50, died in June of cardiac arrest caused by an overdose of prescription medication and the powerful anesthetic propofol. Los Angeles authorities are still investigating and no-one has been charged in the case.