NEW YORK (AP) - Entertainers from all walks of life gathered in New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Nashville, and Toronto over the weekend in an unparalleled frenzy of benefit concerts which helped raise millions for the victims and families of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
In New York City on Saturday (Oct. 20), Paul McCartney's The Concert for New York at Madison Square Garden is estimated to have raised between $125-150 million in ticket sales, merchandise sales, and donations. The concert starred McCartney, David Bowie, the Who, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Bon Jovi, among others.
Highlights of the five-hour event included Bowie's crowd-rousing rendition of "Heroes," Joel's stirring version of "New York State of Mind" (as well as his duet with John on the latter's "Your Song"), Jagger and his Rolling Stone band mate Keith Richards' rare performance of the Stones' "Salt of the Earth," the Who's blistering "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley," and a McCartney-led all-star rendition of the Beatles "Let It Be."
Michael Jackson |
At Washington, D.C.,'s RFK Stadium on Sunday (Oct. 21), Michael Jackson, 'NSync, Backstreet Boys, Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey, and Aerosmith, among others, gathered for United We Stand: What More Can I Give. The 11-hour concert raised over $2 million for the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
Although plagued by sound and logistical problems here and there (Ricky Martin and MC Hammer were mysterious no-shows), highlights of the concert included Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs," and a show-ending all-star rendition of Jackson's tribute to the victims, "What More Can I Give."
Martina McBride |
Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center was the site of the Country Freedom Concert on Sunday, starring Clint Black,
George Strait, Martine McBride, Hank Williams, Jr., Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Brooks & Dunn, and Tim McGraw, among others. Details on how much money the three-hour helped for the Salvation Army Disaster Relief Fund will not be available for a few days..
Highlights, however, included McBride's "Independence Day," a refashioned version of Williams' "A Country Boy Can Survive" dubbed "America Will Survive," and Black's "America."
Alanis Morissette |
Across the border at Toronto's Air Canada Centre, Alanis Morissette, Barenaked Ladies, Our Lady Peace, Bruce Cockburn, and the Tragically Hip, among others, gathered for the
Music Without Borders concert. Not including telephone donations, the six-hour event helped raise approximately $500,000 ($750,000 Canadian) for the United
National Donor Alert Fund. Among the notable moments included an emotional version of Our Lady Peace's current Canadian single "Life" and an all-star rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" led by the evening's biggest draw, the Tragically Hip.
Bruce Springsteen |
Leading up to the superstar charitable weekend was the Allegiance for Neighbors concert, a two-night affair on
Thursday (Oct. 19) and Friday (Oct. 20), at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, N.J., starring Bruce Springsteen, Bob Jovi, Joan Jett, Joe Ely, and the Smithereens, among others. Although a monetary figure was not available at press time, highlights of the shows included Jett and Springsteen's rendition of the latter's "Light of Day."
System of a Down |
In non-benefit concert (yet still charitable) news,
System of a Down will donate all proceeds from its upcoming Pledge of Allegiance tour stop at Continental Airlines
Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., on Oct. 31 to the American Red Cross
Liberty Fund. "All of us in the band were very shaken by the events of
September 11," said singer
Serj Tankian on a statement released on Monday (Oct. 22). "We know that there are so many victims of this tragedy who need help, and we felt that since we were going to be performing in the New York area, it was a perfect opportunity for us to do something that would make a difference. The donation is from our hearts."
Carlos Santana |
Last but not least, the Spanish version of Michael Jackson's benefit track "What More Can I Give?," "Todo Para Ti," will include vocals by
Laura Pausini,
Carlos Santana, Boyz II Men, Joy Enriquez,
Celine Dion,
Julio Iglesias,
Ruben Blades, Jon Secada, Ricky Martin, Brian McKnight, Mariah Carey, 'NSync,
Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys), Luis Miguel, Destiny's Child, Britney Spears, Shakira, Luther Vandross, Alejandro Sanz, and
Gloria Estefan. The KC Porter-produced track will benefit victims and families of those lost on Sept. 11.
