Look To The Stars News: Jackson Browne

Al Gore And Richard Branson Witness Climate Change In Antarctica

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:05:00 +0000

Al Gore and Richard Branson are currently en route to Antarctica to witness first-hand the effects of climate change.

The trip – organized by Gore’s Climate Reality Project – sees the former Vice President return to the continent for the first time in 22 years.

“The Antarctic Peninsula, which juts northward toward South America, is lined with ice-covered mountains and surrounded by abundant wildlife in the sea,” he blogged. "But even on this continent that looks and feels pristine, a troubling process is underway because of global warming.

Stars Mark Second Anniversary Of Earthquake In Haiti

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:55:00 +0000

Today, on the second anniversary of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Paurt-Au-Prince, killing 230,000 and injuring millions more, over 40 high profile personalities are using their Twitter and Facebook accounts to rekindle the world’s interest in helping Haiti.

Celebrities leveraging their social influence to raise awareness for “HAITI: Aid Still Required” include Maroon 5, Sting, Alicia Keys, Lady Antebellum, Hugh Jackman, Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, Martha Stewart, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Don Cheadle, Deepak Chopra and NBA stars Paul Pierce, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, reaching a total of 125 million social media followers.

WhyHunger Celebrates Successful Hungerthon

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:30:00 +0000

2011 marks a banner year for WhyHunger with the most successful Hungerthon in the annual event’s 26-year history! Aided by its partners at SiriusXM, CBS Radio (including NYC’s WFAN 660 and WCBS 880), and charitybuzz, WhyHunger raised a record $764,000 for the fight against hunger and poverty, via its online auction and two-day radiothon.

This year’s top Hungerthon earners, some of which brought in bids over $20,000, included:

Bruce Springsteen-autographed guitar

Chimes Of Freedom: Stars Cover Bob Dylan For Charity

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Two iconic forces that have impacted the past 50 years – the life-saving human rights activism of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Amnesty International and the incomparable artistry of Bob Dylan – are being saluted by 80 musicians who contributed new or previously unreleased recordings to Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International.

The collection is scheduled for physical (4 discs) and digital release in North America on January 24, 2012 through Fontana Distribution. It will be distributed internationally through Fontana International, a Universal Music company, on January 30.

Chimes of Freedom features a stellar and diverse group of artists across the generational and musical spectrum. The performers, including many of Amnesty International’s longtime supporters, range in age from teenage pop star Miley Cyrus, 19, to folk music legend Pete Seeger, who, at 92, records Dylan’s poignant “Forever Young,” with a children’s chorus.

Charity To Benefit From John Lennon Celebrity Tribute Album

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Theatre Within has announced the November 15th release of a live album chronicling the sold out, star-studded 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute, Live from the Beacon Theatre NYC.

The 15-song release will be available digitally via iTunes, Amazon and other major online music outlets. The album can be pre-ordered now at iTunes. Proceeds from the sales of the digital release will be shared with the Japanese Red Cross for its ongoing Earthquake/Tsunami Relief efforts.

“John would have loved that Theatre Within has produced a special live album of his songs to benefit the Japanese Red Cross and the people still suffering from the tsunami and earthquake,” states Yoko Ono.

Alfre Woodard To Attend Desmond Tutu Book Event

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Alfre Woodard, Deborah Santana, Sharon Gelman, Kitsaun King, Marlene Saritzky and noted guests will attend an afternoon of food, drink, enjoyment and a special program on October 30, where Artists for a New South Africa pays tribute from afar to Desmond Tutu.

The event will celebrate the publication of Tutu: Authorized, an extraordinary new book, celebrating eighty years of Archbishop Tutu’s life,

The book features interviews with President Barack Obama, Kofi Annan, Aung San Suu Kyi and ANSA supporters Harry Belafonte, Jackson Browne, Samuel L. Jackson, Quincy Jones, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Hugh Masekela, Deborah Santana, Blair Underwood, Alfre Woodard and many more.

Call To Ban Shark Fins Gains Support Of Some Big Fish

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:30:00 +0000

On both sides of the world, the movement to ban the trade and sale of shark fin products has gained an impressive roster of noteworthy supporters including Leonardo DiCaprio, James Cameron, Wolfgang Puck, Gordon Ramsey, Richard Branson, Yao Ming, Mario Batali, Edward Norton, and Chinese billionaire Zhang Yue.

In California, WildAid, NRDC, and The Humane Society of the United States worked with DiCaprio, Norton, and Yao to write a joint letter to Governor Jerry Brown, urging him to sign California’s Assembly Bill 376, which will ban the import, trade, and possession of shark fin in California. AB 376 has already passed both legislative bodies with bi-partisan support – and currently awaits the Governor’s signature. The letter, also signed by over 50 additional notables including James Cameron, musician Jackson Browne, and actress Rosario Dawson, asserts that the ban is “absolutely necessary if we are to conserve sharks and, in effect, our entire ocean ecosystem.”

Stars Cover Buddy Holly For Charity

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Songmasters has announced Listen To Me: Buddy Holly, a new collection benefitting the Grammy Foundation and featuring contemporary takes on songs originally written and performed by Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Buddy Holly.

Set to be released Sept. 6 in conjunction with Holly’s 75th birthday, the album includes tracks from Jackson Browne, Chris Isaak, Patrick Monahan (Train), Stevie Nicks, and Ringo Starr, among others.

No Nukes Celebrity Charity Concert Returns After 32 Years

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:00:00 +0000

On Sunday August 7, an all-star line-up performed a benefit concert for Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. Among the artists to take part were Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Jason Mraz, The Doobie Brothers, Tom Morello, John Hall, Kitaro, Jonathan Wilson, Sweet Honey in the Rock and many more.

Proceeds from the concert will be distributed to Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) to support Japan disaster relief efforts, and organizations worldwide working to promote safe, alternative, non-nuclear energy.

The concert follows a massive series of No Nukes shows performed at Madison Square Garden back in 1979, which were organized by Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Graham Nash and John Hall after the Three Mile Island nuclear accident.

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.

Annie Lennox To Be Honored With Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:00:00 +0000

NARM, the music business association, has announced that it will honor Grammy and Oscar-winning artist, activist and campaigner, Annie Lennox, with its Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award in recognition of her outstanding work on behalf of HIV/AIDS awareness and other health, human rights and environmental causes.

The presentation will take place at the 2011 NARM Convention Awards Dinner Finale at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 12.

Jackson Browne And Alice Cooper Organize Celebrity Charity Concert

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Jackson Browne and Alice Cooper have put together an all-star line-up of musicians for a benefit concert to take place at the Tucson Convention Center on Thursday, March 10.

The event is a fundraiser for the non-profit Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, benefiting the newly established Fund for Civility, Respect, and Understanding. The Fund will support individuals and families affected by the January 8th shooting in Tucson, and will promote civility and respect in public discourse, schools, and the community. The fund will also work to increase awareness of mental health symptoms, prevention and treatment services.

Black Eyed Peas Hold Annual Celebrity Charity Concert

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:30:00 +0000

The Black Eyed Peas held their seventh annual Peapod Charity Benefit Concert in Hollywood on Thursday, and a host of celebrity friends turned out in support.

Held at The Music Box, the show raised much-needed funds for the group’s Peapod Foundation, which aims to give back to the band members’ communities around the world.Founded by will.i.am and Polo Molina of Grassroots Productions, The Peapod benefit concerts date back to the earliest incarnation of The Black Eyed Peas and began as charity toy drives for Los Angeles based children and local orphanages.

The band – including Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo – lined up on stage along with John Legend, Jackson Browne, Natasha Bedingfield and Bobby Brown.

Celebrity Charity Initiative: Aid Still Required In Haiti

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

What do Maroon 5, Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce and Spike Lee have in common? They’re three of dozens of celebrities who are concerned about the situation in Haiti and are doing something about it.

This month celebrities around the world are joining forces to launch the “Haiti: Aid Still Required” campaign to raise public awareness and fund the next wave of support for the Haitian people.

“It’s impossible to hear what’s happening in Haiti and not want to help,” says NBA star Blake Griffin. “For a full year they’ve lived through the worst nightmare.”

Music Legends Support Hungerthon Celebrity Charity Auction

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Some of music’s legendary performers have come together as part of a special celebrity charity auction for Hungerthon.

Hungerthon was started in 1975 as a partnership between WhyHunger and Infinity Broadcasting and has since expanded to become an autumn radio tradition among the New York tri-state area radio stations in the CBS, Clear Channel and Emmis Radio Groups, and Sirius XM Satellite Radio, with support from Citadel New York stations, Last.FM and more.

WhyHunger is a leader in building the movement to end hunger and poverty by connecting people to nutritious, affordable food and by supporting grassroots solutions that inspire self-reliance and community empowerment. WhyHunger was founded in 1975 by the singer-songwriter Harry Chapin and radio talk-show host and current Executive Director Bill Ayres.

Cyndi Lauper And Friends Celebrate John Lennon At Celebrity Charity Concert

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Driven by the fundamental belief that peace and change are possible through the universal language of music, the Playing For Change Foundation together with the support of Theatre Within have announced their plans to launch the POWER TO THE PEOPLE campaign.

Thanks to the generous support of Yoko Ono, the initiative seeks to advance John Lennon’s vision of peace by raising awareness and funds to develop and sustain Playing For Change Foundation’s vital music education programs in schools around the globe. A portion of proceeds will also benefit Theatre Within’s mission to produce events to benefit important charities and social causes.

The campaign was announced last week as part of Theatre Within’s 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York. The concert, which benefited Playing For Change Foundation, brought together a rare gathering of artists who came together to celebrate the life, music and creative spirit of John Lennon. The all-star lineup of performers spanned nearly four generations, ranging from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame music icons Jackson Browne and Patti Smith to acclaimed artists Cyndi Lauper, Aimee Mann, Keb’ Mo, Joan Osborne, Martin Sexton, and many others.

Neil Young Gathers Rock Legends For Benefit Concert

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:20:00 +0000

Neil Young’s annual Bridge School Benefit saw the likes of Pearl Jam, Billy Idol and Elvis Costello come out to perform over the weekend.

The Bridge School Benefit is an annual non-profit charity concert held in Mountain View, California every October at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. The concerts are all organized by musician Neil Young and his wife, Pegi, and benefit The Bridge School, an innovative organization educating children with severe speech and physical impairments.

Saturday’s lineup included Buffalo Springfield, Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello, Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson, Lucinda Williams, Steve Stevens, Billy Idol, Jackson Browne and David Lindley, Modest Mouse, Emmylou Harris and Grizzly Bear.

John Lennon's 70th To Be Celebrated With Charity Concert

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:30:00 +0000

John Lennon’s 70th birthday will be celebrated with a massive charity concert in New York.

The concert, on November 12, will be held at the Beacon Theatre and will feature Jackson Browne, Patti Smith, Cyndi Lauper, Aimee Mann and many more.

Lennon’s birthday is on October 9, and a number of events will be held from that date to celebrate the former Beatle’s 70th.

Rare Celebrity Items Go Under The Hammer At Charity Grammy Auction

Wed, 12 May 2010 13:00:00 +0000

The Grammy Charity Online Auction, sponsored by The Recording Academy, is on through May 20, 2010. A wide selection of music and memorabilia from famed artists are being auctioned off to the general public. All proceeds raised will directly benefit The Grammy Foundation and MusiCares.

This year’s special charity auction is presented in partnership with Kompolt Online Aunction Agency, a California based online aunction agency, focused on securing the highest quality of merchandise sale. Managed by professionals, buyers are guaranteed bona fide VIP experiences, bidder pre-qualifcation, and the authenticity of celebrity autographed items to ensure overall customer satisfaction.

A few of this year’s auctioned items include music memorabilia from Neil Young, Kings of Leon, Green Day, Colbie Caillat, James Taylor, Elton John, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews; a Red Hot Chili Peppers signed model Gibson guitar; a guitar signed by stars including Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, and Lady Gaga; a meet and greet VIP experience with Michael McDonald; a DJ AM signed iPod Classic with his own personal playlist; a Lynyrd Skynyrd signed remo drumhead; celebrity-signed memorabilia from the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards and more.

Jackson Browne To Be Honored At Charity Concert

Mon, 10 May 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Jackson Browne is to headline a special charity concert this Wednesday, May 12.

One of Los Angeles’ many unique entrepreneurial organizations is ICEF Public Schools, a charter school organization of 15 high performing schools serving over 4,000 K-12 students in South LA. ICEF students receive a high quality college preparatory education that has produced an astounding graduation rate of 100%, compared to the area public schools’ 41 percent dropout rate. The Success Through the Arts Foundation, co-founded by Jackson Browne, focuses its efforts on using the arts to help young people realize their full potential by creating an environment where students of all ages who have been traditionally underserved by the public schools, can learn to appreciate and produce music and art.

On Wed., May 12, ICEF and Success Through the Arts Foundation will honor two of their most devoted boosters, singer/songwriter Jackson Browne, and advocate for higher quality public education and ICEF’s co-founder and Chairman of the Board Stephen Smith, at a star studded gala at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, presented by Citi and sponsored by The Seaport Group.

Ewan McGregor To Lead Star-Studded Charity Shakespeare Reading

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:30:00 +0000

The Shakespeare Center Los Angeles, a professional and community-based non-profit theater company, is celebrating its 25th anniversary serving LA by creating accessible theater that builds community in innovative, unexpected ways.

With the recent budget cuts to the Los Angeles Unified School District’s arts programs, the Shakespeare Center Los Angeles’ actors and youth programming have become invaluable tools for promoting participation in live theater and the other performing arts with the city’s youth.

Jackson Browne And Friends Play Concert For Chile

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Jackson Browne headlined a surfer’s benefit for survivors of the Chilean earthquake at Brushfire Records’ studios in Los Angeles last week.

The singer joined musicians such as Jon Swift, White Buffalo, Andrew Bird and LA-based band Dawes at the gig to benefit Save the Waves, an environmental coalition – dedicated to preserving the world’s surf spots and their surrounding environments – that is heavily involved in relief efforts following last month’s earthquake.

The evening featured acoustic and electric sets, as well as an auction that featured items donated by Jack Johnson, Kelly Slater and many more.

Ben Stiller Joins Artists For Peace And Justice Board Of Directors

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Artists for Peace and Justice (APJ) has announced that it will merge with Ben Stiller’s Haitian school initiative (HSI).

The two organizations, both of whom were committed to improving living conditions in impoverished Haiti prior to the devastating earthquake, will combine their shared passion in helping build essential schools for the children of Haiti. Together they have engaged Global Philanthropy Group (GPG) to help develop and manage their philanthropic efforts. In partnership with an interim Country Director in Port-au-Prince, GPG will coordinate the day-to-day efforts of APJ.

“Ben Stiller understands the important role of schools in the lives of Haitian children. Together we share a mutual passion and determination to be as effective as quickly as possible,” says Paul Haggis, founder of Artists for Peace and Justice. “For the children of Haiti, schools provide so much more than education. They provide their only hot meals, their only clean drinking water and medical attention. These are critical elements for children, especially in a time of crisis.”

Celebrities Donate Items To Artists For Peace And Justice Charity Auction

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

Artists for Peace and Justice – the Haitian earthquake charity supported by a host of stars – has partnered with popular online auction site charitybuzz.com for a special celebrity awards-themed auction that launched on February 24.

The auction will feature exclusive one-of-a kind items donated by internationally known artists. One hundred percent of the funds raised will be directed to the initiatives of APJ, a charitable organization founded by award winning writer/director Paul Haggis and friends that is committed to improving the lives of children in the impoverished and devastated nation of Haiti. APJ’s immediate goal is to build schools to serve the poorest areas of Haiti, providing an education, hot meals, clean drinking water and regular medical treatments to the children living in the slums.

The list of items going under the hammer includes:

Keith Urban Building Schools In Haiti

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Country singer Keith Urban spoke on the radio recently about a project he and his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, are involved in – building schools in Haiti.

“We’re going to be funding a school down there for the next five years,” he told CatCountry 96. “The kids will also have one hot meal a day. They’ll have all of their medical taken care of by the school, and clothing as well.”

Several other celebrities have joined the same Artists for Peace and Justice school building project, including Javier Bardem, Jackson Browne, Gerard Butler, Daniel Craig, Russell Crowe, Penelope Cruz, Clint Eastwood and Sean Penn, each committing $50,000 a year for the next five years. The schools will be attended by children living in slums and camps around Port-au-Prince.