Look To The Stars News: Elvis Costello

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.

Mary J. Blige To Headline Richard Branson's Rock The Kasbah

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:15:00 +0000

Richard Branson will join his mother, Eve Branson, as host of the fifth annual Rock The Kasbah charity event to benefit Virgin Unite and The Eve Branson Foundation on November 16.

This incredible evening of music, food, auction items and more features The Pussycat Dolls, O.A.R. and DJ Chris Holmes, as well as Mary J. Blige performing selections from her new album!

The focus is on building opportunity for youth: In the USA, Virgin Unite is providing opportunities for youth facing unprecedented unemployment, while The Eve Branson Foundation is empowering young women in Moroccan villages. Business, once again, is a force for good at Rock the Kasbah 2011.

Celebrities Go Without Their Woolly Hats For Charity

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:45:00 +0000

A whole bunch of British celebrities have donated their woolly hats to a new charity auction that aims to raise money for the homeless.

Charity St. Mungo’s is putting hats from famous heads belonging to Eric Clapton, Ricky Gervais, Sienna Miller, Alan Carr, Fearne Cotton, Simon Pegg, Elvis Costello, Helena Bonham Carter, Joan Collins and many more under the hammer.

St. Mungo’s is hosting Woolly Hat Day on November 4. There are so many ways you can be involved in Woolly Hat Day 2011. Whether you want to get involved through your school or college, your workplace, with a community group, or just with friends, the charity has lots of ideas to help you fundraise. Just click here to find out more.

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.

Celebrity Charity Event Aims To Save Music

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Join Macy Gray, Lou Reed, Roberta Flack, Dr. John, Danny Glover, Christian McBride and 40 other legends for an unforgettable night that will help save music itself.

The 10th annual A Night In Harlem event will take place at the Apollo Theater in New York on May 19 to benefit the Jazz Foundation of America. For over 22 years, the Jazz Foundation has been dedicated to saving the homes and lives of elder jazz and blues musicians in crisis. It now assists in over 5,000 cases a year, including hundreds of New Orleans musicians and their children still recovering from Katrina.

Past performances and appearances have included legends like Bill Cosby, Quincy Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Brubeck, Elvis Costello, Chevy Chase, Hank Jones, Abbey Lincoln, Odetta and many others.

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.

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.

Celebrities Team Up For Father's Day Charity Auction

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Charitybuzz.com, the leading destination for online charity auctions, has announced the launch of its Second Annual Dads and Grads Charity Auction, featuring exclusive experiences with renowned entertainers to raise funds for more than 50 nonprofits around the globe.

Chevy Chase, Emeril Lagasse, Derek Jeter, Carlos Santana, Tommy Hilfiger, Eli Manning, Elvis Costello, Joe Montana and Phil Mickelson are just a few of the celebrities and sports stars who have donated packages for the auction, which is open for bidding through June 16 at www.charitybuzz.com/DadsGrads.

The once-in-a-lifetime gifts that give back in this year’s Dad’s and Grad’s Auction will give recipients bragging rights for years to come and make a significant impact in the work of important nonprofits, including Malaria No More, The RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, Oceana, Musicians on Call, Hollywood Unites For Haiti, Project Cuddle, American Cancer Society, Hollywood Note Foundation and many others.

Elvis Costello Cancels Israeli Gigs Over Palestinian Treatment

Fri, 21 May 2010 13:30:00 +0000

Elvis Costello has cancelled two shows in Israel in protest of the country’s treatment of Palestinians. 

The singer-songwriter posted a message on Elviscostello.com explaining his reasons for canceling the June 30 and July 1 shows in Caesarea.

  "Then there are occasions when merely having your name added to a concert schedule may be interpreted as a political act that resonates more than anything that might be sung and it may be assumed that one has no mind for the suffering of the innocent," Costello wrote, “I must believe that the audience for the coming concerts would have contained many people who question the policies of their government on settlement and deplore conditions that visit intimidation, humiliation or much worse on Palestinian civilians in the name of national security… sometimes a silence in music is better than adding to the static and so an end to it. I cannot imagine receiving another invitation to perform in Israel, which is a matter of regret, but I can imagine a better time when I would not be writing this.”

Michael J. Fox Rocks For A Cure

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Michael J. Fox proved that he can still rock like Marty McFly during the weekend when he appeared on stage at his annual A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson’s gala at New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Saturday.

The gala benefited his Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research, and the evening saw Fox join rockers such as Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler and Elvis Costello on stage for a jam. The event was emceed by Denis Leary, and guests such as Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Scorsese and Ben Stiller were spotted enjoying the evening.

Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease within the decade through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.

Hard Rock Serves Up John Lennon For Charity

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Last week, Look To The Stars brought you the news that Yoko Ono had donated John Lennon’s Give Peace A Chance to charity. Now we can reveal that she has also donated another of the singer’s songs to another charity campaign.

The World Hunger Year (WHY), along with Hard Rock Cafe, has released Serve4, the latest in their series of albums designed to fight hunger around the world. Yoko Ono has donated John Lennon’s Gimme Some Truth to the album.

“This is a beautiful step towards world peace,” she said. “By imagining there’s no hunger, like what John sang in his song, we express our strong desire to bring a world in which children will never again suffer from hunger or poverty. Let’s come together and help spread this message around the world. John would have loved the fact that so many illustrious and good meaning partners and organizations have stood up to make this effort together.”

Sheryl Crow And Elvis Costello Rock MLB For Cancer

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Sheryl Crow joined Elvis Costello onstage at the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Charity Concert on Saturday, July 11, under the iconic Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

The concert, which was free to fans, was the culmination of a day-long celebration of baseball history and featured a $1 million donation by Major League Baseball to Stand Up To Cancer. In addition, fans were able to make donations to Stand Up To Cancer after the concert. The concert streamed live on MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, and fans watching the live stream were encouraged to donate to Stand Up To Cancer.

“I want you all to take your cell phones out and text STAND to 40202,” told the 100,000 people in the crowd. “I know you have cell phones. You’ve been taking pictures of me. I’ve seen you. Take them out and text to 40202. You can help to end cancer in my lifetime. And yours.”

Celebrity Charity Auction Raises Funds For Museum

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:00:00 +0000

A new charity auction is giving you the chance to bid on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and items to raise money for a state-of-the-art museum in New York City designed to highlight the achievements of songwriting greats and acknowledge their rightful place in culture.

Going under the hammer are opportunities to have lunch with Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan, backstage meet-and-greets with Cher, Jason Mraz, Wynonna, Chris Daughtry, Clint Black and Bonnie Raitt, as well as guitars signed by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Peter Wentz, handwritten lyrics signed by Paul Simon, Rob Thomas and Carley Simon, and other items signed by Elvis Costello, Julianne Hough, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, John Mayer, and much more.

The new museum facility will serve as a resource and center of study for scholars, aspiring songwriters, students and music lovers young and old to learn about America’s musical heritage.

30 Rock Spoof To Raise Real Cash For Charity

Wed, 20 May 2009 15:30:00 +0000

A star-studded charity spoof song recorded for television series 30 Rock is set to raise cash for a real-life charity organization.

He Needs A Kidney is a song written and recorded for the comedy series that features hilarious appearances by Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Michael McDonald, the Beastie Boys, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, Mary J. Blige, Cyndi Lauper, Moby, Clay Aiken and many more.

The song is now available for sale as a download on iTunes.com with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the National Kidney Foundation.

Charitable Stars Shine For Obama

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Celebrities were out and about in droves on Tuesday to celebrate Barack Obama’s inauguration by attending several charity balls.

One of the largest was the Creative Coalition Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts in Washington DC. The sold-out event cost between $10,000 and $100,000 to attend, and attracted appearances by Ashley Judd, Anne Hathaway, Susan Sarandon, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachael Leigh Cook, Ron Howard, Heather Graham, Forest Whitaker, Magic Johnson and many more. Entertainment was provided by Elvis Costello, Sam Moore and Sting.

The Creative Coalition is a nonprofit public charity organized by the creative community to learn about pressing issues so they can better inform and influence the community and nation.

Rihanna To Play Inauguration Show For The Hungry

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Pop star Rihanna is set to perform at Barack Obama’s inauguration to benefit hunger relief.

The 20-year-old has been confirmed to sing at the Recording Industry Association of America’s Presidential Inauguration Charity Ball in aid of Feeding America.

“We could not be happier that Rihanna will be performing at the Inauguration charity ball to benefit Feeding America,” Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest), told people.com. “Rihanna’s involvement will help raise awareness about the prevalence of hunger in America and help bring more aid to the 36 million Americans who do not always know where they will find their next meal.”

U2 Believe In Father Christmas For Africa

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:30:00 +0000

December 1st was World AIDS Day, and it also marked the launch of (RED)WIRE, an innovative new music service from (RED) that’s been set up to raise funds for HIV/AIDS charities in Africa.

Many artists have already lined up to premiere exclusive songs to help mark the event. Of course, Bono and his boys in U2 were one of the first to record an exclusive track for the new digital music magazine. Their cover of Greg Lake’s ‘I Believe in Father Christmas’ is only available on (RED)WIRE.

Those who purchase (RED)WIRE memberships- which are only $5 a month- will receive a weekly digital music offering including an exclusive song from a major artist, a song from an up-and-coming artist, and bonus content such as a digital short film or a reading from an artist or actor, as well information about the impact (RED) dollars have in Africa. Half of the $5 monthly fee goes directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa.

Stephen Colbert's Christmas Special For Charity

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Stephen Colbert will host his own holiday special this Sunday, November 23, with the show being released as a charity DVD next week.

“A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All” is an hour-long tongue-in-cheek extravaganza with the Colbert Report host belting out Christmas hits from Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, and even David Bowie.

“This is just some good fun to watch during your eggnog-induced dementia,” Colbert joked.