:: Historic gathering for new version of 'We Are The World' to help HaitiBy: Carmine PascuzziProducer Quincy Jones, Singer/Songwriter Lionel Richie, Wyclef Jean and Superstar Artists will mark the 25th Anniversary of ‘We Are The World’ in an historic gathering to benefit Haitian Earthquake Relief Efforts Jones and Richie were the producer and co-writer of the anthemic classic and they have confirmed teaming up with Wyclef Jean and producer/musical director Ricky Minor to record a contemporary version of the song to benefit the Haitian earthquake relief efforts. The world premiere of We Are The World - 25 For Haiti will air during NBC's coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics on Friday, February 12. Following the world premiere on NBC, it will air on other networks throughout the world. This project was made possible through a contribution from Visa. Twenty five years after the original recording at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Recording Studios) in Hollywood, Jones, Richie, Jean, and co. will bring together a diverse group of contemporary superstar artists in the very same recording studio to record the world renowned song originally written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. In addition to recording the landmark song, Academy Award-winning writer-director Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) whose own personal efforts as well as those of Artists for Peace and Justice have already saved countless lives in Haiti, will film the session to create an accompanying video. Both the contemporary version of We Are The World and the accompanying video will be available for purchase through a consortium of on-line and retail partners with all proceeds going directly to the earthquake relief efforts in the country of Haiti through the We Are The World Foundation, a newly created not-for-profit organisation made up of board members Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Wyclef Jean, Paul Haggis, Randy Phillips and Ambassador Louis Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank. Commented Jones, “25 years ago, the entertainment industry showed the power of community to help our fellow man when we recorded ‘We Are The World’ to bring relief to those suffering from famine in Ethiopia. And while the need to assistant Africa continues, today the country of Haiti is suffering immeasurably from the destruction due to the recent earthquake and is in immediate need of relief that will last long after the television cameras have left. As artists, we have joined together on this 25th anniversary and in the spirit of ‘We Are The World’ to help meet that need.” “What an unbelievable group of people who have come together to give their voices, for a cause to start the healing of a people who have experienced a devastation of such magnitude,” said Richie. “We believe ‘We Are The World - 25 for Haiti’ can be the start of the healing process.” “On January 12th, the people of Haiti were faced with a tragedy unlike anything the country has ever experienced,” said Wyclef Jean, songwriter and co-founder of the We Are The World Foundation. “Today, I am proud to be joined by so many members of the artistic community that want to support the region and have donated their time and talents to providing an effective way for the global community to get involved with helping the Haitian population.” “I'm thrilled Quincy, Lionel and Randy invited me to be a part of something so wonderful in which we are standing side by side with Haitian artists and community to help them rebuild their broken nation,” commented Paul Haggis. “We Are The World” - 25th Anniversary Recording For Haitian Earthquake Relief Artists Roster |
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