Bruno Mars steps from behind the piano and picks up a guitar, leading in with a vaguely familiar rift…

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Covering a song by the King of Pop is already a tall task.  When done right, it is one of the most powerful statements a band can make.  David Cook amazed American Idol with his cover of Billie Jean; Alien Ant Farm had instant success with their version of Smooth Criminal; and Fall Out Boy’s version of Beat It pays more than adequate homage to the original classic.  Bruno Mars, the smooth voiced cameo success of 2010 displayed plenty of vocal range in his songs, but transcended even that in this live version of Dirty Diana.

Most remarkable is his intonation, approaching some especially difficult notes with confident poise, almost with ease.  Bruno has already proven himself Top 40 worthy, but performances like this are what occupy history books.

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