In this updated 40th anniversary edition, L. Roi Boyd III has added a new chapter to Bless His Soul: The Agony, The Ecstasy, and the Destiny of Michael Jackson. This book is about the coming of age of Michael Jackson and how the events in his life between 1975 and 1978 were lyrically verbalized and musically communicated in The Jacksons’ 1978 album, Destiny . This is a musicological study that includes an abundance of analytical commentary. Lyrical quotations of the composer are necessary and incorporated as they provide support to the themes and arguments expressed in this work as well as transcribed musical keys. Bless His Soul: The Agony, the Ecstasy, and the Music of Michael Jackson is an examination of how Jackson processed and documented his human experience during a tumultuous period in his life that eventually gave birth to his superstar status and his greatest work five years later(Thriller). For musicians, musicologists, and studio professionals, this manuscript should only be an accompaniment to the playing of the songs on the Destiny album. This book is a MUST HAVE for the serious Michael Jackson fan! Not everyone will appreciate the detailed study of Jackson’s music…but he deserves a critical review as much as Tchaikovsky or Prokofiev. Bless His Soul is dedicated to providing just such a critical review to the greatest artist of our time. You can also appreciate L. Roi Boyd III’s fine arts organization, of which he is a co-director with Yemaja Jubilee, at Cultural Libations. https: //www.facebook.com/culturallibation