Look To The Stars News: Brian Wilson

Paul McCartney Honored As MusiCares Person Of The Year

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Beatles legend Paul McCartney was honored as the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year at a special event in Los Angeles on Friday, celebrating his exceptional artistic achievements as well as his philanthropic work.

The sold-out tribute to McCartney benefits MusiCares’ emergency financial assistance and addiction recovery programs. Proceeds from the annual Person of the Year tribute — now in its 22nd year — provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that members of the music community have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

Hosted by Eddie Izzard, performers included Cirque du Soleil, Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Duane Eddy, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, James Taylor, Diana Krall, Neil Young with Crazy Horse, Sergio Mendes and Katy Perry. The evening also featured a special performance by 14-time GRAMMY winning artist and 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year Paul McCartney.

Stars To Come Out For Paul McCartney At Charity Gala

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:30:00 +0000

An impressive star-studded cast will come together to honor 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Paul McCartney during a sold-out gala on Feb. 10 in Los Angeles, two days prior to the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Hosted by actor/comedian Eddie Izzard, artists set to perform are current GRAMMY nominees Tony Bennett, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, and Katy Perry; GRAMMY-winning artists Duane Eddy, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Diana Krall, James Taylor, and Neil Young with Crazy Horse; two-time Latin GRAMMY-winning artist Sergio Mendes; and the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s “Love” Beatles tribute show. The evening will also feature a special performance by McCartney.

The 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year gala, which will celebrate McCartney’s exceptional artistic achievements and philanthropic work, will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction sponsored by the Starkey Hearing Foundation that will offer an exclusive selection of luxury items, VIP experiences and celebrity memorabilia for bidding guests. The auction will be followed by a gala dinner sponsored by AEG Live, and a star-studded tribute concert sponsored by Acura/ELS. This year’s red-carpet press arrivals will be sponsored by Kinect for Xbox 360 and Dance Central 2. Other event supporters include CenterStaging — A SoundCheck LA Company, Classic Wines of California, Delta Airlines, Double Platinum, Gibson, Global Art, Heineken, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Jackson Limo, Korbel, Patron Spirits Company, Pepsi, and Sweetwater.

Paul McCartney To Perform At MusiCares Person Of The Year Event

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Legendary singer/songwriter, 14-time Grammy winner and 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Paul McCartney is set to perform at the sold-out star-studded tribute concert, taking place in Los Angeles during Grammy Week on Feb. 10.

The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Week. Proceeds from the dinner and concert will provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need.

Sting And Friends To Hit The Carnegie Hall For Charity In April

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Sting and Trudie Styler will present the 2012 Sting & Friends Rainforest Fund Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, April 4.

Performers are yet to be announced, but ticket prices are as follows:

- $50,000 Packages (16 Tickets for concert & supper)

Brian Wilson Performs At Charity Teddy Bear Ball

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Brian Wilson, one of popular music’s most revered figures and influential composers, took to the stage to perform at The Help Group’s Teddy Bear Ball on Monday, December 5th at the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Entertainment Tonight’s Nancy O’Dell hosted the evening’s festivities and The Insider’s Kevin Frazier participated in the program.

The Teddy Bear Ball honored CBS Television Distribution President, John Nogawski, Microsoft, Inc. and California President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg for their efforts that improve the quality of lives for countless children.

Slash And Ozzy Feature In Gibson GuitarTown Charity Auction

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:15:00 +0000

Gibson GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip, administered by the Gibson Foundation, is completing its yearlong “tour” of the boulevard and has announced the art guitars will be auctioned for charity on December 3, 2011, at Julien’s Auctions Beverly Hills Gallery (9665 Wilshire Blvd.) beginning at 2 p.m.

The auction will also be accessible online at www.julienslive.com. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Los Angeles Youth Network, which provides outreach, food, emergency shelter, transitional living and educational enrichment programs for homeless adolescents; West Hollywood Arts & Cultural Commission to further support public art and artists on The Sunset Strip; and the West Hollywood Library.

GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip is a larger-than-life public art exhibit celebrating the people and places that have shaped the legendary music boulevard. More than 20 ten-foot Gibson art guitars have lined the 1.6-mile boulevard since August 2010.

UNICEF Celebrates George Harrison's Charity Concert For Bangladesh

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

On the 40th anniversary of George Harrison’s groundbreaking Concert for Bangladesh, the first major celebrity charity concert for a humanitarian cause, the music community is coming together yet again for UNICEF, this time to help provide emergency relief for children in famine and drought-affected regions in the Horn of Africa.

UNICEF is calling the situation in the Horn of Africa the “worst humanitarian emergency in the world,” with Somalia being the epicenter of the crisis.

To pay tribute to the Concert for Bangladesh and its organizers George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, this August has been designated as the “Month of Giving.” During the Month of Giving all donations to the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF will benefit UNICEF’s life-saving programs for children in the Horn of Africa. To jump start this fundraising initiative, the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF, which was founded by Olivia Harrison, wife of the late George Harrison, is immediately releasing $1 million to UNICEF for emergency efforts there.

Elton John To Host Celebrity Charity Ball In June

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

In July 1999, Sir Elton John and David Furnish opened the doors of their Old Windsor home for the first White Tie & Tiara Ball, and the tradition will continue in 2011 on June 23..

Set amongst 37 acres of rolling English countryside next to Windsor castle, the White Tie & Tiara Ball is a spectacular evening, raising money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Since then, it has become an annual event hosted by Elton and David and one of the premier fundraising events of the UK.

Elton John And Lady Gaga To Join Sting At Charity Concert For Rainforests

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Elton John, Lady Gaga and Shirley Bassey will join Sting and Trudie Styler at this year’s Rainforest Fund benefit concert.

The event will celebrate Sting and Styler’s 21st year supporting the work of the Rainforest Foundation Fund. The Foundation was established in 1989 to raise awareness about the need to conserve tropical forests, support indigenous peoples, their land, their rights and to develop resource management. It began its focus in Brazil and then spread throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The semi-annual concert has attracted performers such as Don Henley, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Brian Wilson and many more in the past. The concerts are the main fundraising initiative for the organization, and have raised over $30 million.

Status Quo Honored For Charity Work

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Veteran British rockers Status Quo have been honored by the Queen for their services to charity and music.

The band’s two founders – Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi – were awarded OBEs in the Queen’s New Years Honors List.

“To be perfectly honest with all the hard work we have put in over the years I accept it graciously – I do think we deserve it with all that work and what we have done for charity,” said Parfitt. “We’ve worked hard over the years and done a lot for Nordoff Robbins, the Prince’s Trust and the Heart Foundation and other charities, so I thought there had been a chance that we may have got something, but I had kind of given up hoping.”

Neil Young: 2010 MusiCares Person Of The Year

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Neil Young has been announced as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year.

The 63-year-old musician is being recognized for his outstanding philanthropic work, including co-founding Farm Aid in 1985, and founding Bridge School – and running the annual Bridge School Concerts – with his wife Pegi in 1986. Bridge School was founded to develop and use advanced technologies to aid in the instruction of children with severe speech and physical disabilities.

“Neil has set a standard of artistic integrity and iconoclastic creativity for more than four decades, and his achievements have been matched by his unwavering humanitarianism,” said Neil Portnow, president/CEO of the Recording Academy and the MusiCares Foundation. “He is a shining example of how music people offer their creative gifts to the world, and how they also give back through their commitments to charitable endeavors.”

Take That Wins Award And Donates To Charity

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

British boy band Take That has made a major donation to charity following winning a coveted award during the weekend.

Singer Gary Barlow announced they would be giving £50,000 to Nordoff Robbins, the UK’s leading independent provider of music therapy service, after they took home their second Silver Clef award at the Intercontinental Hotel in London on Friday.

Hosted by Denise Van Outen, this year’s Silver Clef event raised more than £400,000 for the charity. As well as some memorable performances, the event featured an auction of one-off music memorabilia items, including a one-off Mini Cooper designed by former Silver Clef recipient Paul Weller, and a £10 note signed by Take That that was sold for £2,000. The annual event has raised over £7.5m for Nordoff Robbins over the years.

War Child Album Cover Artwork To Be Auctioned

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Artist John Squire’s artwork for the new War Child Heroes compilation is to be auctioned off for the charity.

The former Stone Roses guitarist has donated the image for the online auction on eBay.

“For me the appeal of War Child is pretty simple, they help the hungry, the displaced and the traumatised children in certain war zones to deal with that situation and they involve them in deciding how that help is organised,” he said. “Anything I can do to support them is no trouble at all.”

Lily Allen To Go Abroad With War Child

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:00:00 +0000

British singer Lily Allen has announced her plans to travel overseas for charity and explained why.

“I sometimes feel like my life is a bit empty – as ridiculous as that sounds to some people, a bit vacuous,” she told Q Radio host Samanthi. "It is pop music and people do talk about it too much and sometimes I feel like I want to have a bit more substance in my life.

“I am going to be going to Afghanistan or the Congo in a few weeks to help War Child. They want me to go there and see how the money I have earned for them in the past is being used. And that is the stuff I get really excited about.”

The Hiltons Help Out For Christmas

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Paris Hilton’s mother, Kathy, held her annual Christmas auction to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation on Saturday, December 20.

The auction was broadcast live on the internet and featured over 200 items, such as a meet-and-greet with the Jonas Brothers, shoes and a necklace donated by Elizabeth Taylor, autographed guitars from Melissa Etheridge and Avril Lavigne, a tambourine signed by Brian Wilson and designer clothes taken from the closets of Paris and Nicky Hilton.

Kathy Hilton held her first celebrity auction last year, and raised over $27,000 with items such as Mel Gibson’s jeans, Tom Cruise’s sunglasses, and an Ocean’s Thirteen script signed by the movie’s stars, including George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Springsteen Chooses Rockers For Charity Album

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:30:00 +0000

The long-delayed Heroes charity album will finally get its release in February, and anticipation is already high from music fans and musicians alike.

“We’d already done ‘Atlantic City’ at a charity benefit, so we kind of had an arrangement worked up, so we decided to record that,” Craig Finn, lead singer with The Hold Steady told XFM radio after Bruce Springsteen chose the Brooklyn-based band to cover his song for Heroes. “It’s a pretty fun song, and I’m pretty happy with our version of it. We’ve been compared to Bruce Springsteen a lot, and he is a hero to all of us. It’s flattering that he’d think of us, given the choice. We hope our version of the song conveys the respect we have for him as an artist.”

The album will raise money for War Child, and features a series of once-in-a-lifetime collaborations between some of the best known names in the music world and up-and-coming stars – a concept that mirrors one of the intrinsic aims of War Child’s worldwide efforts in war zones across the world – to place faith in the next generation. Stars such as Sir Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Brian Wilson have selected one of their best-known classic songs and nominated a new artist to record a cover of the track. Artists taking part include Beck, who will cover Dylan’s Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat; Rufus Wainwright, who will perform a medley from Wilson’s Smile; and The Kooks, who will cover The Kinks’ Victoria.

Status Quo Rocks The Auction House

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Last week’s special charity auction featuring works from some of Status Quo’s celebrity fans was a huge success.

Over US$158,000 was raised for the Prince’s Trust in the auction, which featured artworks created by Brian Wilson, Rolf Harris, Alice Cooper, Brian May, Chris Tarrant, Jamie Cullum, Katie Melua, Paul Rogers and 50 other stars. Every artwork represented one of Status Quo’s album or single covers from the last 40 years, with one painting by David Shepherd attracting bids in excess of $26,860.

“It’s marvelous because normally these things can go down a damp squib,” said Quo frontman Francis Rossi. “The fact that we reached GBP100,000 is very nice. The Prince’s Trust is for young people that are not articulate or come from a poor background. Nobody gives them a chance. It’s such an unusual charity. It’s not the kind of charity that most people give to. People are not usually concerned about some young kid from a council estate background.”

Status Quo's Celebrity Friends Help Out

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:00:00 +0000

British rockers Status Quo have asked some of their celebrity fans to create works of art to be auctioned off for charity.

Brian Wilson, Rolf Harris, Alice Cooper, Brian May, Chris Tarrant, Jamie Cullum, Katie Melua, Paul Rogers and 50 other stars have stepped up to the challenge to benefit the Prince’s Trust as part of the launch of the band’s new CD box set and double album being released to mark their 40th anniversary.

Eight of the paintings will go under the hammer at London auction house Bonhams on November 5 at a special album launch party, with the rest of the collection being sold via a silent auction accessed through the Prince’s Trust website. Entrance to the auction is invitation only.

Singers Cover Heroes For War Child

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:30:00 +0000

War Child has announced the release of their biggest and most ambitious album to date: Heroes.

The album – to be released on November 24 – will raise money for the charity, which works to help children around the world affected by war. It will feature a series of once-in-a-lifetime collaborations between some of the best known names in the music world and up-and-coming stars – a concept that mirrors one of the intrinsic aims of War Child’s worldwide efforts in war zones across the world – to place faith in the next generation.

The idea behind the project is to have stars such as Sir Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Brian Wilson select one of their best-known classic songs and nominate a new artist to record a cover of the track.

Julia Roberts Stands Up For A Cure

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Stand Up For A Cure – a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating lung cancer – is busy with its year-long quest to raise money by organizing concerts, and has just released details of their latest fundraising gig this Fall.

Julia Roberts has been confirmed to introduce the Dave Matthews Band when they play Madison Square Garden on September 10.

“The charity is honored that she will be introducing the band at the concert.,” said a rep for the event. “Her support will make a huge difference.”

Sir Elton John's White Tie And Tiara Party Hits The Beach

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:30:00 +0000

Once a year Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish throw open the doors of their exquisite Berkshire home to a sparkling array of celebrities for their annual White Tie and Tiara Ball, and last night was no different as a staggering number of stars filed into the singer’s house for this year’s much-looked-forward-to event.

More than 600 guests turned up to the beach-themed party, each paying around US$6,000 for the dinner, auction, and concert. This year’s performance came from Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson, and attendees included Bill Clinton, Elle Macpherson, Denzel Washington, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael Caine, Simon Cowell, Rod Stewart, Mischa Barton, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Gordon Ramsay, Tracey Emin, Roger Federer, Natalie Imbruglia, Kelly Osbourne, and Jemima Khan.

Sir Elton decorated his lavish garden with palm trees and sand for the party, which raised money for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Last year’s event raised over $12 million for the cause, and the White Tie and Tiara Balls have made over $50 million since 1998.

Artists are Standing Up For Stand Up

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:27:30 +0000

As previously reported, Jerry Seinfeld will perform in a benefit concert on June 2 at Madison Square Garden. The highly-anticipated show will be hosted by Alec Baldwin, and accompanied by an online auction to benefit Stand Up For A Cure.

Stand Up For A Cure’s strategy in eradicating lung cancer begins with the development of relationships. By creating meaningful partnerships with people in the entertainment industry, they gain high-profile artists who donate their time and talent. This brings much-needed attention and funding to their cause. By creating meaningful relationships with researchers, this funding is directed to the programs that show the best results and hope for progress in lung cancer research and improved treatments.

The key, Stand Up For A Cure believes, is in public awareness. Lung cancer research is seriously under-funded, in part because public opinion believes that lung cancer is a smoker’s disease, even though 60% of the newly-diagnosed don’t smoke or have never smoked. The use of celebrities on TV, radio, in print and on the Internet helps to bolster awareness, and so do their concerts. Next in line after Seinfeld is Brian Wilson in July, Dave Matthews Band in September, and Andrea Bocelli in the fall.

Sting’s 20th Year Saving Rainforests

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:44:38 +0000

Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, will celebrate their 15th annual Rainforest Foundation Fund benefit concert, Some Kinda Legacy, at Carnegie Hall May 8.

The Rainforest Foundation Fund (RFF) came out of Sting and Styler’s Rainforest Foundation International (RFI), created in 1989 to raise awareness about the need to conserve tropical forests, support indigenous peoples, their land, their rights and to develop resource management. RFI began its focus on Brazil and then spread throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia. RFF has continued funding the programs and creating new ones to this end since 1999.

To help raise awareness of both the rainforest and the Fund’s mission, the Mayor’s office has declared May “Rainforest Awareness Month” and the Empire State Building will be lit in green Thursday evening during the event.

Jerry Seinfeld Stands Up For A Cure

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:49:30 +0000

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and this June Jerry Seinfeld will prove the proverb when he performs a one-night-only charity gig at Madison Square Garden.

The 53-year-old comedian will bring his special brand of stand-up to the Wamu Theatre in New York on June 2 for a show benefiting Stand Up For A Cure, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating lung cancer. Tickets for the concert, which will be hosted by Alec Baldwin, cost $350 for general admission and are available through Ticketmaster.

The show will be accompanied by an online auction at Charity Buzz, which will also raise money for patient care, public awareness, and research into lung cancer. The auction will run from May 20 to June 11, and items will be announced closer to the time.

Bon Jovi Headline Charity Concert

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:28:56 +0000

Bon Jovi has headlined the first concert in a charity series to raise funds for lung cancer research.

The show was held at Manhattan’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Tuesday, February 12, to a capacity crowd of 3,500, with proceeds going to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering, a facility that specializes in lung cancer. The Center is also where Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora’s father received treatment for the disease before his death last year.

“Cancer is relentless; you can’t stop it,” said Sambora, who opened the concert with a 30 minute set of solo material. “Hopefully this money will help find answers.”