Look To The Stars News: Joss Stone

Prince Charles Thanks Celebrities For Charity Support

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Prince Charles thanked a number of high-profile celebrities for their support of his Prince’s Trust this week by holding a special garden party at his Highgrove home near Tetbury, in Gloucestershire.

Along with the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles wined and dined over 100 guests, including Phil Collins – the Trust’s first ambassador – as well as Bryan Adams, Phillip Schofield, Gary Lineker, Sir Ben Kingsley, Jenson Button, Amanda Burton, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Jeremy Irons, Joss Stone, Kate Adie, Aleisha Dixon and many others. The celebrity ambassadors were given a tour of the Highgrove estate in the late summer sun before lunching on asparagus and pea risotto followed by summer berries with pannacotta.

“I have been a Prince’s Trust ambassador for going back 20 years and it is has been a real privilege to be able to meet people who have benefited from the scheme and turned their life around,” said Gary Linekar.

The Prince’s Trust gives practical and financial support to help disadvantaged young people aged between 14 and 30 develop workplace skills. The Trust offers support by training, mentoring and giving financial assistance to help disadvantaged young people achieve their potential.

Mel C And Joss Stone Sign Up For Pinktober

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former Spice Girl Melanie C is just one of a group of celebrities set to rock the Royal Albert Hall as part of Hard Rock Café’s Pinktober initiative for breast cancer research.

Joining the British singer will be Joss Stone, 80’s girl group Bananarama, Tulisa Contostavlos from N-Dubz, Jamelia, Bonnie Tyler, and Escala. Sharon Corr of Irish group The Corrs will also play the Pinktober gig on November 1, presented by Hard Rock Cafe and held in aid of breast cancer charity the Caron Keating Foundation.

“I always try and support as many charities as I can and breast cancer is extra important to me, being a woman – I hope to make a small difference,” said Joss Stone.

This year’s concert celebrates the tenth anniversary of the initiative, which last year featured a performance from Melissa Etheridge.

“I’m really happy to take part in another fundraising event for the Caron Keating Foundation following my Pinktober show at Hard Rock Cafe Manchester last year,” said Mel C. “Hard Rock organize their events so well and I am delighted that this show at the Royal Albert Hall is donating profits to such a wonderful charity.”

More info will be released closer to the event.

Big Stars To Hit The Stage Again At Rockwell

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

In 1990 some of the world’s biggest musicians put on one of the most important gigs of all time.

In aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, the event at Knebworth featured the likes of Robert Plant, Pink Floyd and Paul McCartney. An incredible line-up of former Silver Clef award winners performed to 120,000 fans in a show that raised over three million pounds.

Now nineteen years later a new generation are set to do it again at the O2 arena. Rockwell promises to be the star-studded musical event of the year with some of the world’s most influential musicians sharing a stage with the best of UK talent.

For one night only – September 11 – Rockwell will bring together some of the world’s biggest bands and musicians. Performing never-to-be-repeated collaborations at The O2 will be Ronan Keating, Lulu, Razorlight, Joss Stone, David Gray, Tom Jones, Robert Plant, Gabriella Cilmi, Supergrass and many more.

Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy is the UK’s largest specialist music therapy charity, providing over 35,000 therapy sessions a year through its National Centre in London and over 40 outreach projects nationwide. It also runs postgraduate training programs in music therapy and a research program with regular public courses and conferences.

Proceeds from the show will be donated to Nordoff-Robbins, and O2 customers will benefit from an exclusive priority ticket period on 3rd and 4th August, followed by a general release ticket sales period for non-O2 customers on Wednesday 5th August. To find out more and purchase tickets, click here.

Animated Frog Helps Raise Awareness Of Rainforests

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:30:00 -0000

London’s Picadilly Circus came alive last week when its iconic Coca Cola and McDonalds signs burst into life with the appearance of a new animated rainforest frog. St Trinian’s star Talulah Riley was on hand to launch the new initiative, which is part of an ongoing campaign for the Prince’s Rainforests Project.

The McDonald’s sign gives members of the public the chance to interact with the breathing frog, allowing them to be photographed in front of the screens with the frog seemingly on their hand, head or shoulder, in keeping with the PRP campaign video.

The animated frog was first seen earlier this year in a video featuring Harrison Ford, Prince William and Prince Harry, Robin Williams, Daniel Craig, Kermit The Frog, Joss Stone, footballer Pelé and the Dalai Lama that promoted the protection of rainforests. This was followed by another video featuring Richard Branson and other business leaders.

The PRP’s ‘Prince and the Frog’ campaign was launched in May to build a community of support to put rainforests at the heart of the climate change debate. In a move which signals the support of these two global brands to The Prince of Wales’ project, the new signs will be live from now until the end of the year.

Launching the new signs serves to remind all visitors to London of the important role rainforests play globally in keeping our planet cool, and delivers a message asking people to sign up in support of the project. Through this, The Prince’s Rainforests Project hopes to gather more sign ups and public support for its call for emergency action for the forests to be agreed before the end of this year.

Briony Mathieson, Head of Communications for The Prince’s Rainforests Project comments: “We are delighted that our important message will be on shown in one of London’s top visitor spaces. It is an amazing opportunity to gather increasing support for our campaign.”

Steve Easterbrook, CEO of McDonald’s UK and member of The Prince’s Rainforests Project Steering Group comments: “The Prince’s Rainforests Project is a fantastic way to spread the message about climate change and we’re keen to play our part in this wherever possible. That’s why we’ve agreed to share our landmark Piccadilly sign with the Project and in turn introduce the frog to as many people as possible. People can have fun interacting with the frog on our sign and hopefully many more people will sign up to the campaign as a result.”

Liz Lowe, Citizenship Manager at Coca-Cola Great Britain comments: “Coca-Cola has been lighting up the Piccadilly Circus sign since 1954 and, as one of London’s most iconic landmarks, it’s an engaging way to get this important message out to masses of people – Londoners and visitors alike. We’re delighted to be able to support The Prince’s Rainforests Project in this way.”

Find out more about the campaign here.

Annie Lennox To Play Unplugged In South Africa

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Annie Lennox will play a special unplugged concert in South Africa next month for charity.

The singer will perform at the Teatro theatre in Montecasino on July 8 to raise funds and awareness for her SING Foundation.

“Audiences will see the star up close and personal, accompanied by nothing other than her piano and her stories,” said Penny Stein, spokeswoman for the event.

SING was launched in 2007 to raise money for the Treatment Action Campaign through the sales of an all-star single that featured the voices of Madonna, Céline Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Joss Stone, Pink, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Bonnie Raitt, KT Tunstall, Shakira, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Anastacia, the Sugababes, KD Lang, Martha Wainwright, Angélique Kidjo, Beverley Knight, Shingai Shoniwa, Gladys Knight, and Isobel Campbell.

Tickets are available here and include a pre-show cocktail party with a special performance by the Soweto Gospel Choir.

Annie Lennox SINGS In Norway

Tue, 19 May 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer Annie Lennox was in Norway last week to host a special event that aimed to raise money and awareness for the SING Campaign against AIDS.

The singer performed in Oslo on May 15 at an event in which guests were required to make a minimum donation of NOK 1,000 to the SING Campaign in order to redeem an invite.

SING was launched to raise money for the Treatment Action Campaign through the sales of an all-star single that featured the voices of Madonna, Céline Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Joss Stone, Pink, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Bonnie Raitt, KT Tunstall, Shakira, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Anastacia, the Sugababes, KD Lang, Martha Wainwright, Angélique Kidjo, Beverley Knight, Shingai Shoniwa, Gladys Knight, and Isobel Campbell.

“One third of pregnant women in South Africa are HIV positive,” said the 53-year-old in a recent CNN interview. “We can prevent their children being born with the virus if we let the women have access to treatment. If you do not allow that to happen, you’re going to have future generations simply being wiped out.”

More information about the campaign, visit the Sing Campaign website.

Prince Charles Joins Kermit And Friends For The Rainforests

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Prince Charles has launched a new online video to promote the protection of rainforests, and he has called on some of his celebrity friends to help.

The 90-second video features appearances by Harrison Ford, Prince William and Prince Harry, Robin Williams, Daniel Craig, Kermit The Frog, Joss Stone, footballer Pelé and the Dalai Lama. Each star in the film talks of their support for the halting of tropical rainforest deforestation, and is joined on-camera by an animated Argentinean Horned Frog, a symbol of the rainforest.

“One of the Internet’s strengths is that it can enable diverse communities to come together to ensure that everybody’s views and actions can really be made to count,” Prince Charles said in a webcast to launch the video. “Our aim, with your help, is to build an online community to call, from the bottom up, for urgent action to protect the rainforests, without which we will most certainly lose the battle against catastrophic climate change.”

The video was organized by the Prince’s Rainforest Project, an organization established in 2007 to promote awareness tropical deforestation. To view the film, visit the Rainforests SOS website.

Joss Stone Gets Rolling For Peace Day

Tue, 05 May 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is set to record a song with soul singer Joss Stone for charity.

The pair first recorded together in 2004 on a track called Lonely Without You, for Jude Law’s movie remake Alfie. They are now set to contribute another song to an album being released to coincide with the United Nations’ International Day of Peace on 21 September.

“Joss and Mick hit it off when they worked with producer Dave Stewart on the Alfie soundtrack,” a source told Britain’s The Sun newspaper. “So they were hoping to collaborate again. When this project was suggested they were keen to get on board, especially considering the glittering cast of other musicians involved.”

Bono, Nas and others are also expected to take part.

The United Nations’ International Day of Peace – marked every year on September 21 – is a global holiday when individuals, communities, nations and governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace. Established by U.N. resolution in 1982, “Peace Day” has grown to include millions of people around the world who participate in all kinds of events, large and small. Information about Peace Day can be found at the official website.

English Stars Invade Hollywood For Britweek

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A host of British stars – and former British prime minister Tony Blair – invaded Hollywood last week for an event to raise awareness and money for Malaria No More.

Britweek 2009 kicked off on April 21 with a dinner attended by celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Nigel Lythgoe and Ryan Seacrest, who donated $100,000 to the charity.

The brainchild of Nigel Lythgoe, Britweek encompasses a large number of events designed to highlight the rich connections between Britain and Southern California. This year’s events feature LA Galaxy, UB40, Joss Stone, Michael Deeley, Jeff Beck, Tracey Ullman and many others.

To learn more about the events that are taking place, visit the official Britweek website.

Celebrities Fight Ugly Fashion Practices

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Ugly Betty star Ashley Jensen, Brit supermodel Lily Cole, singers Joss Stone and Sophie Ellis-Bextor plus a host of top fashion talent have backed the Environmental Justice Foundation’s work (EJF) to raise awareness of the continued use of forced child labour and the ecological devastation associated with cotton production.

The celebrities joined an international roll call of 23 models from 14 different nations including the US, UK, Brazil, South Korea, Italy, Belgium and the Ukraine in a series of photo shoots to launch EJF"s latest exclusive t-shirts designed by Giles Deacon, Allegra Hicks, Zandra Rhodes and John Rocha.

The t-shirts are produced on organic and fairly traded cotton and printed with organic certified inks. All money raised by EJF from the sale of the t-shirts goes to support the charity"s valuable work. The t-shirts are available in ladies fitted and men"s classic styles from £30 on the charity’s website (worldwide delivery).

America’s Karlie Kloss, South Korean sensations Daul Kim and Hye Park, Ekat Kiseleva from Russia and Brazilian Aline Weber were among those who turned out during a week-long photo shoot in New York with top fashion photographer Eric Guillemain. In London, British models Laura Bailey, Lisa B, Jasmine Guinness, fashion guru Louise Roe, top male model Max Rogers and actor Nicholas Hoult also showed their support in shoots with Jane Mcleish-Kelsey, Matthew Eades and Glen Burrows.

EJF works to achieve environmental security and resolve the profound human rights abuses associated with cotton production globally, with particular focus on the Central Asian Republic of Uzbekistan.

Around the world, whether it is state enforced, or child trafficking, millions of children face severe exploitation in the cotton industry. In Uzbekistan, the world’s 3rd largest exporter of cotton, roughly a third of the population are forced to work in conditions near slavery for the state run cotton industry. Many are children. Schools across the country are shut down for the cotton harvest as children from the age of 7 are sent to work for weeks in the fields, paid little or nothing, but benefiting their repressive government through this forced labour.

Juliette Williams, Programme Director for EJF, says "Even in tough economic times, our buying power can be a force for good. Choosing organic and fairly traded cotton actively supports communities in some of the world’s poorest nations, where fair and equitable trade to the west can literally mean the difference between life and death. With public support, companies have been inspired to look at the way the cotton they buy and sell is produced, and high street names are saying “no” to cotton from Uzbekistan until child labour and environmental abuses are eradicated. Together we can change our world".

Annual Charity Gathering Attracts Rich And Famous

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

The ‘Fortune Forum Summit’ is an annual charity gathering that brings together heavy hitters from the world of the rich and famous. And earlier this month, the gathering attracted the likes of billionaire philanthropist Ted Turner, singer Joss Stone, designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, actress Milla Jovovich, easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou, former Rolling Stones member Bill Wyman and Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens.

Held at the Dorchester hotel in Mayfair, London, the event was a virtual who’s who of giving, and was basically a ‘philanthropy party.’ According to the invitation, it was billed as a “a deep humanitarian experience.”

Ted Turner spoke about his $1B donation to United Nations causes.

“I’ve given a billion and a half away,” Turner told the Guardian before taking to the stage. How did it feel? “I enjoyed it. Better than just sitting on it.”

Also mingling in the crowd was Saudi Prince al-Walid Bin Saud al-Saud, whose fortune is estimated at about $17B; Vincent Tchenguiz, an Iranian property tycoon worth an estimated £200m; and Daily Express Publisher Richard Desmond, who’s net worth hovers around £1.9bn.

The super rich weren’t there to compare each other’s wealth, but to raise money and help launch a campaign to persuade the Treasury to provide a 50% tax break for donations to the UN millennium development goals.

“Tonight is about galvanizing awareness for the tax scheme and convening some of the most powerful philanthropists, billionaires, celebrity activists and major NGOs,” said Renu Mehta, the events organizer.

Turner apparently stole the show, advising the millionaires and billionaires to “give while you still have something to give.”

Annie Lennox Raises Awareness Of SING Campaign

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singer Annie Lennox has just released her new Greatest Hits collection in the US and has used the occasion to raise awareness of a new campaign being run by SING, an initiative she established to bring attention to AIDS/HIV in Africa.

Over the next few weeks and months, SING will be telling the stories of four women in Africa who are currently living their lives and raising their families whilst dealing with the effects of HIV/AIDS.

After personally witnessing Nelson Mandela describe the African HIV pandemic as a genocide, with women and children becoming the frontline victims, Annie Lennox set out to try and do something about it.

The singer launched the SING Campaign in 2007 when she released a special fundraising single called Sing, which featured a 23-member choir of female celebrities, including Madonna, Céline Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Joss Stone, Pink, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Bonnie Raitt, KT Tunstall, Shakira, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Anastacia, the Sugababes, KD Lang, Martha Wainwright, Angélique Kidjo, Beverley Knight, Shingai Shoniwa, Gladys Knight, and Isobel Campbell. Proceeds from the single went to the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), an organization that that provides much needed support in the continent’s struggle against the deadly virus.

The money raised by SING helps prevent the spread of HIV in South Africa, and also supports those currently living with HIV.

“[The focus of the SING Campaign] is really on women,” Lennox told CNN last week. “I understand what it is for a woman to want to protect their children and give them the best they can.”

To follow the new campaign being run by SING, visit their website. A video announcing the new campaign for 2009 can be viewed here.

John Lennon Serves Up Song For Charity CD

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Hot on the heels of John Lennon’s charity TV advertisements for lap tops, Hard Rock International is proud to announce the launch of its 2008 global “Imagine There’s No Hunger” campaign to benefit WHY, a nonprofit organization that strives to fight against hunger and poverty in America and around the world.

Setting the foundation for the “Imagine There’s No Hunger” campaign, artist and musician Yoko Ono has graciously donated her late husband John Lennon’s inspirational song “Give Peace A Chance” to the SERVE3 compilation. The CD will also include rare, new or previously unreleased tracks from some of music’s most influential artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Joss Stone, Avril Lavigne, Starsailor, My Morning Jacket and more. SERVE3 will be available at Hard Rock locations around the world and on www.hardrock.com, with digital downloads available at iTunes.com.

“I am glad that WHY is using John’s lyrics to communicate the seriousness of this issue to the world,” said Yoko Ono. “Let’s all work together to make a world without hunger as soon as humanly possible. We owe this battle to our children. WAR IS OVER if you want it. In brotherhood and sisterhood.”

The “Imagine There’s No Hunger” campaign also includes a charity bracelet, as well as a limited-edition pin and holiday ornament, featuring John Lennon’s famous self-portrait and signature. All net proceeds from the campaign will be donated directly to WHY to benefit grassroots efforts in Kenya, Haiti, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa, Venezuela and New Orleans.

More info can be found here.

Springsteen Serves Again For World Hunger Year

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Bruce Springsteen has once again donated a song to the World Hunger Year organization for a new benefit CD.

Serve3 is the third installment of the album that features rare and unreleased tracks released by Hard Rock International to help fight world hunger and poverty. The CD features performances by some of rock’s biggest selling artists, as well as Grammy winners and critically acclaimed musicians.

Joining Springsteen in donating songs for Serve3 is Joss Stone, Avril Lavigne, DMC, and The Chapin Sisters – the three nieces of the late folk singer Harry Chapin, who formed World Hunger Year in 1975 because he “saw hunger and poverty as an insult to America”. Chapin – who died in 1981 – donated all of the proceeds from his concert merchandise to World Hunger Year, and gave almost all of his personal fortune away to the 81 charities he was known to support.

Serve3 is available in both CD and digital formats, with 7 bonus tracks available when purchased from iTunes. The full tracklist is:

Bruce Springsteen Remember When The Music
Joss Stone Love Has Made You Beautiful
My Morning Jacket Look At You
Avril Lavigne When You’re Gone
Robert Randolph and The Family Band Diane
The Charlatans Complete Control
Ryan Shaw People Get Ready
Marc Broussard Keep Coming Back
Starsailor Military Madness
Micki Free Mother Earth
DMC I Be Rockin’ It
The Chapin Sisters I Know It’s Over
John Lennon Give Peace A Chance

Digital Bonus Tracks:

Dave Barnes On a Night Like This
Toby Lightman Color
The Brilliant Mistakes Becoming
Middle Distance Runner I Hope You’re Upset
Scott Barnhill Heaven
Lisa Bouchelle Time
The Dead Trees Jew Said Grace

Join the Hard Rock Imagine There’s No Hunger campaign by purchasing the album at the Serve3 website.

Stars Sing Praises For Annie Lennox

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

December 1 marked the first anniversary of Annie Lennox’s SING Campaign, and some of the stars involved have paid tribute to her work.

“Congratulations for all the hard work that Sing has done in the last year, good luck and much love for the next year to come,” said Anastacia. "Happy First birthday Sing! "

“Congratulations on all the success of the foundation,” added Gladys Knight. “We all must do our part to make a difference. Thank you so much for stepping up to the plate.”

“Happy anniversary ‘SING’!” said Joss Stone. “Well done to everyone on the team and a special well done to Annie for sticking her neck out for the things that she believes in! I am inspired and proud to be part of this.”

Bonnie Raitt also wrote a note of support: “Thanks for all the wonderful work you’ve done this year with the Sing campaign. I’m so proud to have joined together with so many wonderful singers to help Annie raise awareness and support for the terrible problem of HIV/AIDS especially for women in Africa. I’ve loved Annie’s music for years and hope we can work miracles with her beautiful song and Sister Choir.”

A special first birthday film for the campaign – featuring Lennox – can be found at YouTube.

Martha Stewart Gets Celeb Friends To Sign Decorations

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

An eclectic array of stars, including Dido, The Wiggles, James Taylor, Patti LaBelle, Pink, and Joss Stone, have signed Christmas ornaments for Martha Stewart’s new charity auction.

Stewart’s Sirius Radio show launched the auction this week to benefit the Taste of the NFL, an organization that raises money and awareness for hunger organizations.

Other stars to join in the fun include Howard Stern, David Archuleta, the Kaiser Chiefs, Jane Krakowski, Nigella Lawson, Quincy Jones, Elle Macpherson, Tom Arnold, Jacqueline Bisset, David Cook, Nickelback, Jamie Oliver, Lee Ann Womack, and many more.

The auction – which runs until December 12 – can be accessed through eBay.

Annie Lennox Sings For World AIDS Day

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day – and also the first anniversary of Annie Lennox’s SING Campaign, and the star has launched a host of new additions to the SING website to celebrate.

Among the additions are a new Timeline that plots the progress of the campaign since its launch, and an Advent calendar which will unlock a new window every day through December that features either SING video’s, SING Image’s or a special video message from Lennox. There is also a new Widget that can be downloaded for Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and other sites, as well as a special SING Campaign YouTube site. Lennox is also writing a column in today’s issue of Britain’s The Sun newspaper about her work with SING.

To watch a special video celebrating the first anniversary of the SING campaign, click here.

Whatever It Takes For Christmas

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Whatever It Takes – the charity that offers artworks and clothing designed by celebrities – have some great gift ideas for the coming holiday season.

The charity – which raises money for all sorts of charities, such as Adopt-A-Minefield, Anti-Slavery International, Breast Cancer Campaign, CARE, Children of the Andes, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Christian Children’s Fund, City at Peace, Comic Relief, Dreams Can Be Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Greenpeace and many more – is offering T-shirts designed by the Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party; rings designed by Robbie Williams, Ozzy Osbourne and Snoop Dogg; mouse pads from George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, and Coldplay; bed linen from Joss Stone; and a huge selection of plates and mugs designed by Bob Geldof, Paul McCartney, Ewan McGregor and many others.

To get your hands on one of these unique items – which would make the perfect gift – or to see the entire range, visit the Whatever It Takes website.

Annie Lennox Sings Praises For Charity Work

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Annie Lennox has written an update about her SING campaign, an initiative she launched last year to raise money for AIDS treatment projects.

“December 1st will be World Aids day, and will also be the 1st anniversary of the launch of SING,” she wrote in her latest blog. “I think it’s essential that anyone who supports the campaign gets a clearly outlined list of everything we’ve done so far, so that you can get a better understanding of our accomplishments.”

The campaign was launched to raise money for the Treatment Action Campaign through the sales of an all-star single that featured the voices of Madonna, Céline Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Joss Stone, Pink, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Bonnie Raitt, KT Tunstall, Shakira, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Anastacia, the Sugababes, KD Lang, Martha Wainwright, Angélique Kidjo, Beverley Knight, Shingai Shoniwa, Gladys Knight, and Isobel Campbell.

“One of the reasons SING supports the Treatment Action Campaign is because it is a “grassroots” organization, run by the people “for” the people," wrote Lennox. "Once you can start to empower people with information, education and collective solidarity, you can begin to implement effective changes at a community level. Now that there is a new health minister in South Africa, there can be a window of opportunity to take some significant steps towards saving and sustaining lives. In a few weeks I will be having a meeting with the CEO of TAC, where we’ll have the chance to discuss what needs to be done, and how we can go about instilling and supporting positive action asap.

“Meanwhile thank you for supporting SING… as I’ve said before, we’re in for the long haul, and I aim to make a difference!”

It has also been announced that Lennox is to receive a Special Achievement Award at the 2008 German Sustainability Awards for her commitment to a sustainable future, in particular her commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The ceremony will take place in Düsseldorf on December 5.

Shanna Moakler Makes PETA Ad

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Meet The Barkers’ Shanna Moakler is the latest celebrity to appear in an ad for PETA.

The 33-year-old joins Sir Paul McCartney, Joss Stone, Alicia Silverstone, Forest Whitaker, Casey Affleck, and James Cromwell in advertising for the organization, and didn’t hesitate when asked to film an advert.

“There are so many good reasons not to eat meat, but for me, the well-being of my children is the most important,” said Moakler, who has appeared in several films and on many TV shows, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Dancing With the Stars. “I want them to be healthy and also to understand that when they say ‘No!’ to meat, they’re saying ‘No!’ to animal cruelty. We talk about our pets, and I say, ‘You wouldn’t eat Biscuit, would you? Well, then let’s not eat any animal, O.K.?’”

The model is also against the use of fur in fashion – she won several fur coats in various pageants but now plans to donate them to PETA to use in its campaign to educate the public about the cruelty of the fur industry.

“I don’t think I really realized what I was putting into my body and the actual effects that it was having on me, so now I feel so much healthier, and I have so much more energy, and foods taste better!”

For more information and to view the ad, visit PETA.org.

Dave Dobbyn Promotes Hearing Awareness In Fiji

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

You may have heard of Heal The World – well, now some of the world’s greatest musicians are taking part in a campaign to raise awareness of hearing loss called Hear The World.

Hear the World is an initiative by Phonak – a leading manufacturer of hearing aids – that aims to raise awareness of the topic of hearing and hearing loss and to promote good hearing all over the world, and musician Dave Dobbyn spent the weekend in Fiji doing exactly that.

“I see other people who support ‘Hear the World’ like Harry Belafonte, Annie Lennox, Placido Domingo,” said 51-year-old Dobbyn, whose new album, Anotherland, has just been released. “I’m in great company when we’re all thinking about our ears and our health. Your ears get fatigued like every organ in your body so to treat them with respect and keep the volume down.”

One in five children in Fiji are profoundly deaf, and there is no audiology service in the South Pacific nation – children with hearing loss are often not diagnosed until they reach school.

“A child needs to be able to hear sounds in the environment to hear speech and language in order to produce speech and to develop language,” said Logan McMeekin, a Phonak Audiologist who is fitting hearing aids – free-of-charge – to children affected by hearing loss in Fiji. “Our goal isn’t to restore normal hearing we try and give them cues for awareness of their environment so they’re able to be safe in their environment.”

Dave Dobbyn – who has had 10 songs in New Zealand’s Top 100 Songs of All Time, including Loyal and Slice of Heaven – joins a long list of celebrities who support the Hear The World campaign. Amy Winehouse, Annie Lennox, Bobby McFerrin, Michael Buble, Common, Dave Stewart, Dionne Warwick, Franka Potente, Josh Groban, Jerry Hall, Harry Belafonte, Joss Stone, Chad Kroeger, Diane Kruger, Lindsay Lohan, Moby, Placido Domingo, Kelly Osbourne, Eric Roberts, and Rod Stewart are all ambassadors for the initiative, whose goal is to educate the general public about the importance of hearing, the social and emotional impacts and the benefits of available solutions for those with hearing loss. Rocker Bryan Adams is the official photographer for the campaign, and his photos of the ambassadors can be seen on the campaign’s website.

Dave Dobbyn’s message is simple – don’t take it for granted because the ability to hear is a gift. To see a video of him performing for Fijian schoolchildren, click here. To learn more about Hear The World, visit www.hear-the-world.com.

Joss Stone, Anita Baker To Shine for UNCF's An Evening of Stars

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Grammy-winning ladies of soul Anita Baker and Joss Stone are set to join Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and American Idol winner Fantasia at the UNCF’s tribute to Patti LaBelle.

The UNCF’s 30th Anniversary An Evening of Stars® Tribute to Patti LaBelle Presented by Target promises to be a night to remember as the charity salutes Patti LaBelle before a live audience on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Also scheduled to sing Patti LaBelle’s praises will be the incomparable Dionne Warwick, the soulful Brian McKnight, the multi talented comic and singer Wayne Brady and gospel legend Yolanda Adams. Additional performers and an all-star cast of presenters, to be announced
later, will join UNCF’s salute to the soulful songbird during a two-hour tribute that will air in January 2009.

Patti LaBelle, who has been an active supporter of UNCF through her appearances on past AEOS® tributes and participation in numerous UNCF fundraising events, will be on hand to accept UNCF’s Award of Excellence, given in recognition of her distinguished career as an artist and for her longstanding support of UNCF. She joins the esteemed company of prior award honorees Lou Rawls, Quincy Jones, Steve Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson.

Returning for his twelfth year as executive producer and director of An Evening of Stars® is five-time Emmy® winner Louis J. Horvitz. Horvitz and his team received the prestigious NAACP Image Award for a Tribute to Stevie Wonder benefiting the UNCF earlier in 2007.

In a career that has spanned more than three decades, Horvitz has helmed many high-profile programs, including “Fashion Rocks,” “VH-1 Concert for New York City” benefiting survivors of 9/11, and “Live Aid”.

Tickets to An Evening of Stars® Tribute to Patti LaBelle Presented by Target are now on sale at the Kodak Theatre box office, the Ticketmaster web site and at all Los Angeles area Ticketmaster locations. Ticket prices start at $28.

For more information on AEOS, visit www.uncf.org/aeos.

The United Negro College Fund is the nation’s oldest and most successful minority education assistance organization. Its mission is to increase minority degree attainment by providing financial support to its 39 member institutions, reducing financial barriers to college and serving as a national advocate for minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. UNCF’s recently redesigned logo and brand identity feature UNCF’s torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at www.UNCF.org.

Attention Country Music Fans: The Grammy Charities Auction Is For You

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fans of country music might want to head over to eBay to see their current “Grammy Charities Auction”.

Items up for offer include guitars signed by Miley Ray Cyrus, Dwight Yoakam, John Foggerty, and Jerry Lee Lewis, CDs signed by Taylor Swift and George Strait, and clothing donated by Rascal Flatts and Trace Adkins.

And if you’re not into country music, there’s a selection of items up for offer that might interest you too, including lots from John Legend, Alice Cooper, Billy Bob Thornton, Joss Stone, and Dave Matthews.

Money from the auction will go to MusiCares, which works to help those in need in the music industry, and the Grammy Foundation, which works with industries, cultural communities and the public to raise awareness of music and arts education.

Annie Lennox And Friends Sing For Africa

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:59:52 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Momentum is building behind Annie Lennox’s Sing Campaign, and the singer is now offering fans the chance to download the song that started it all for free in an initiative to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS problem in South Africa.

US residents will be able to download the song from Amazon MP3 until March 17 and support the Treatment Action Campaign, an orgainization that provides much needed support in the country’s struggle against the deadly virus.

The single, which was made available in the UK through the Body Shop, has sold out in countries such as Ireland and cities such as London. The entire UK has sold half of its stock in only two days, an unprecedented occurrence in the music industry, especially in relation to a charity single.

Lennox was joined by a choir of 23 well-known female performers for the song, which was originally released on her Songs of Mass Destruction album in 2007. The former Eurythmics lead singer believed that a group of female voices would make the message of the song stronger, so she enlisted the talents of Madonna, Céline Dion, Dido, Faith Hill, Joss Stone, Pink, Melissa Etheridge, Fergie, Bonnie Raitt, KT Tunstall, Shakira, Beth Orton, Sarah McLachlan, Anastacia, the Sugababes, KD Lang, Martha Wainwright, Angélique Kidjo, Beverley Knight, Shingai Shoniwa, Gladys Knight, and Isobel Campbell in the recording.

“Because I had written a song called ‘Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves’ in the 80s, which became a fairly well-known feminist anthem really, [I thought] perhaps it would be possible to try to attempt to write another kind of anthemic song for women,” said Lennox. “So I started to write a song and it ended up being called ‘Sing’. I sort of melded the song in with an HIV activist song written by a group of activists living in Khayelitsa in South Africa.”

The Sing Campaign, which Lennox launched in 2007, has also just set up a new video on YouTube, in which the public can leave comments in support of the campaign.

More information about the campaign, visit the Sing Campaign website.

Shakira Sheds Threads For Charity

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:11:47 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Although the Northern Hemisphere is still gripped with winter chills, it has not stopped some celebrities from shedding their clothes… for a good cause, of course.

Latin American pop princess Shakira leads the pack by donating more than 40 items of clothing from her 2007 Oral Fixation Tour to a massive internet auction.

There is an impressive list of garments from the hip-shaking performer’s wardrobe, including a lavender skirt with turqoise and coral beading and a blue tank top emblazoned with the words “For Those Who Love To Rock”. And the demand has been overwhelming, with one dress attracting bids of $10,000, and a custom-made bra reaching $1,126.

“We have bids from all over the world,” said Eric Ganzin, president of Auction Cause. “It’s very exciting.”

Proceeds from the auction will go to the singer’s Pies Descalzos Foundation, and the money will be used for the construction of a school for impoverished children in North Colombia.

But bidders had better be quick – the eBay auction ends in just a few hours.

Former Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar has pushed the envelope a little further by allowing naked photos of herself to be auctioned on eBay.

But before you get too excited, they are not all that they appear: the 30-year-old actress originally posed for the photos in a little black dress that was later removed digitally.

The proceeds from the photos will go to the Coalition of Skin Diseases.

And even Donald Trump is getting in on the act… although thankfully he is keeping his clothes on.

A tie signed by Trump is currently up for auction on eBay, with proceeds going to the Spirit Fund, a fund established by radio station Warm 101.3 to help children in the Rochester area.

The story behind the tie is twisty and, you could say, knotty: When a Kodak executive arrived on set for a recent taping of The Celebrity Apprentice, Trump objected to his tie. He ordered the executive to replace it with one belonging to one of the security guards.

There are only a few hours left in the auction, and bids have already reached $759.

But the biggest celebrity auction on the Net right now is the 50th Grammy Awards Charity Auction on eBay. Over 100 items from some of music’s hottest stars is up for grabs, with all proceeds going to MusiCares.

The auction, which runs until February 21, features exciting and priceless items such as the chance to visit the set of LL Cool J’s next video, a guitar lesson with Joe Satriani, VIP tickets to concerts by Linkin Park, John Legend, and Rihanna, guitars signed by Richie Sambora, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, and Neil Diamond, a microphone signed by Joss Stone, posters and photos signed by Rod Stewart ($167), John Mayer ($170), and Sting ($482), as well as items from Avril Lavigne, Slash, Reba McEntire, Quincy Jones, Beyoncé Knowles, and Snoop Dogg.

The internet auction follows a live auction held on February 8 at Aretha Franklin’s MusiCare’s Person Of The Year Award ceremony. Items that were up for sale on that night included a private painting lesson with Tony Bennett, a saxophone signed by Bill Clinton, sheet music to Stairway To Heaven signed by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, as well as clothing and instruments donated by Elton John, Slash, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen.

MusiCares is the charitable arm of the Recording Academy, the group that gives out the Grammys, and focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community.

Brad Pitt Joins Bono's (RED) Campaign

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:51:18 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

When Brad Pitt does commercials, it is mostly for markets other than the US. But now he is featuring in a homegrown commercial for DELL, in order to join other stars in contributing to Bono’s (RED) campaign.

The highly anticipated DELL computer commercial will be aired during the 2008 Super Bowl in February, and Pitt will donate his entire earnings from it to (RED).

Already in the line up to support (RED) is Joss Stone, who contributed the profits from iTune sales of her video, “Tell Me What We’re Gonna Do Now”, to the initiative. Just ahead of Christmas, Julia Roberts added red leather bracelets she designed with her husband to (RED)‘s product line. Also last month, The Killers donated all proceeds from their Christmas song, "Don’t Shoot Me Santa":http://www.looktothestars.org/news/441-charity-gift-ideas-for-christmas, to the campaign.

(RED) was founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver as a product brand to be used by the private sector to generate steady and sustainable corporate funding for charitable initiatives. Consumers simply choose from lines of (PRODUCT) RED clothing, accessories, watches, jewellery, eye wear, and fragrances, and a portion of the profits go toward Global Fund grants to benefit the health of women and children in Africa. Purchases of (RED) products have generated over $50 million for the Global Fund in only 20 months.

In Rwanda, Swaziland, and Ghana, (RED) money has financed the setting up of health centers, training for doctors and nurses in antiretroviral therapy, programs to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, and education on HIV/AIDS prevention.

“Philanthropy is like hippy music, holding hands,” Bono told Forbes Magazine. “(RED) is more like punk rock, hip hop, this should feel like hard commerce.”

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