By Tim Saunders on
Earthquake victims in New Zealand are receiving more celebrity support as charities continue to campaign for help.
As the official death toll reaches 150, Lionel Richie has announced he will release a new version of his hit 1983 single “All Night Long” with Australian singer Guy Sebastian to raise money for earthquake victims, as well as those affected by January’s devastating floods in Queensland, Australia.
“As an artist with 40 something years in the business, how do you do something meaningful?” he asked The Daily Telegraph. "What’s happened this year with the floods and now with the earthquakes, it’s horrific.
“Instead of just coming to tour again this time, I want to help you for a minute, I’ll take one of my biggest songs and give it to you. [The victims] don’t need to feel any more sombre. This will make some money for relief charities but also make people feel good. If you’ve lost everything maybe it’ll bring back a memory of better days.
“Every once in a while someone comes along and blows you away. Guy is on fire. He’s got the vibe and the swagger. It feels natural for both of us. The two of us sound like we’ve been doing this for 40 years.”
Also doing his bit is The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan, who was born and raised in New Zealand. Phil is currently traveling to New Zealand to lend a hand, and has filmed Red Cross PSAs to urge people to donate.
“The message that I really want to communicate is people need to travel to New Zealand,” Keoghan told Craig Ferguson on The Late Late Show last week. “This is a national emergency. The rest of New Zealand is open for business, and we need to communicate that, because in all seriousness, it could absolutely collapse the economy if people just stop coming to the country. It’s the best thing that people can do.”
Those wishing to donate to victims can visit RedCross.org.nz, SalvationArmy.org.nz or DonateChristchurch.co.nz.
Copyright © 2011 Look to the Stars
