The soundtrack for the Rugby World Cup festivities has begun in an unusual way. Sports festivals favorite Lionel Richie has teamed up with one of the best male vocalists on the planet, Guy Sebastian of Australia to record a new version of Richie’s hit All Night Long. Sebastian was the first ever winner of Australian Idol reality TV Talent show.
The song that has been performed successfully at The Olympic Games in Los Angeles in prior years (1984 -watch video footage below) is being remade with a charitable focus in mind. Richie and Sebastian aim to help raise funds for the earthquake hit City of Christchurch, who lost loved ones in their hour of devastation. Says Richie of the joy of giving to this City:
“I can think of no better use for one of my most successful copyrights than to help raise needed funds for the people of New Zealand. New Zealand has been very good to me over the course of my career and I welcome the opportunity to return the kindness.”
Lionel selected All Night Long for the region of Canterbury, as “it will give people a reason to donate and celebrate the good times ahead instead of just dwelling in the past.” Word.
Richie and Sebastian will perform the song on stage during their current New Zealand tour.
Guy Sebastian, a gracious statesman of Australia in a pop cultural capacity added, “Being offered the tour with Lionel is a real honour but getting to record with him is truly humbling,” Sebastian said.
There is so much good will occurring in the South Pacific right now, it’s amazing to watch. What a good collaborative effort between two fine entertainers for noble-hearted people and for a noble cause.
Above is Guy singing Receba o Poder/ Recieve the Power with Australian-Polynesian R n B vocal princess Paulini, Espanol-singing artist Silva Alemão, Robert Galea (Italiano). Amélia Farrugia (France) in a song that guy and Gary Pinto penned.
Richie and Sebastian’s song has RedOne as producer on it. As we know RedOne is a producer who grew up in Africa with a cross-cultural daily reality and his work involves producing some tracks for Stefani Germanotta of the USA. I’m feeling that We Are The World giving vibe strongly on this one, aren’t you?
Here’s Lionel in action.
[Story penned by NZPA via The New Zealand Herald]
Artwork – Holly V. Hoof of Los Angeles to celebrate this moment that is humbling to blog about because goodness, kindness, compassion that is honoring life is being shared freely and willingy in hearts with such a gesture. So powerful.
Fine entertainment producing in action. If you’ve ever taken the time to read the lyrics of Christchurch’s national anthem, this is the “freedom’s ramparts on the sea” part of the anthem being fulfilled in entertainment for Christchurch City. As we know “ramparts” is also a word found in the Star Spangled Banner of the USA as well.
May Love & Peace always be our power shared equally and freely around the globe amongst people in our common bonds of shared humanity. To love others and be considerate to others is to be royal and warm-hearted. May that always be what we sing about and celebrate with and in our strong communities (the real celebrities of us all)… the most. True power is when we serve others like brothers and sisters into our comos-zealous destinies at the foot of The Tree of Life.
~Thanks Lionel, Guy & RedOne. Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 3.16.11~