Artists alike, old and new, came together on Saturday to perform live songs virtually for viewers who are self-isolating at home and play tribute to those who are working on the frontlines to protect us all against COVID-19.
The eight hour live streamed concert was curated by Lady Gaga to help fight boredom while raising funds for the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The One World: Together At Home raised over $127 million on Saturday for essential personal protective equipment supplies and testing kits around the world.
The historic broadcast was hosted by Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel of Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Stephen Colbert of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The Rolling Stones will be joining One World: #TogetherAtHome with @GlblCtzn and @WHO – Tune in tomorrow at 8pm ET, for this special broadcast event to honour healthcare workers on the frontlines of the #COVID19 pandemic. Find out more here: https://t.co/u5szPciYK0 pic.twitter.com/UNeln1O3kc
— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) April 17, 2020
The star studded line up included British rock sensations, The Rolling Stones, who preformed ‘You can’t always get what you want’ separately and recorded on cell phones from inside their homes. Charlie Watts stole the show with his ‘Freedrum’ performance.
Additionally, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were on acoustic guitars while Ron Wood took over lead guitar with a Fender Stratocaster. This was his first time playing the Stones’ classic in standard guitar tuning since 1968.
The band prepared each of their pieces to a backing track consisting of an organ, percussion, and a sample of the choir from the original soundtrack.
Paul McCartney took a moment to share his late-mother’s story as a nurse and midwife before dedicating his performance to medical workers battling COVID-19. He was filmed from inside his Hog Hill studio in Sussex, England singing a solo version of ‘Lady Madonna’ on a Wurlitzer electric piano.
Stevie Wonder paid tribute to the man who wrote the song we all need now, the late-Bill Withers, ‘Lean on Me’. He also led, with the same melody, into ‘Love’s in Need of Love Today’ from his 1976 Songs in The Key of Life.
After being introduced by David and Victoria Beckham, Elton John dedicated his driveway performance to everyone working and watching. He played ‘I’m Still Standing’ on a grand piano which was dropped off for him outside as he reportedly does not have one in his Los Angles home.
Eddie Vedder surprised us with a solo rendition of Pearl Jam’s recent Gigaton track ‘River Cross’ on a pump organ. It’s definitely an impressive performance with an instrument we don’t get the chance to see played live, especially to a rock song.
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong sang the band’s American Idiot standout, ‘Wake me up When September End’. This song absolutely speaks to how we all might be feeling right now.
Along with these musicians, many other celebrities took part in the online concert. Other performances and appearances included Alicia Keys, Amy Poehler, Andrea Bocelli, Awkwafina, Billie Eilish, Burna Boy, Camila Cabello, Celine Dion, Chris Martin, Ellen DeGeneres, Finneas, Idris and Sabrina Elba, J. Balvin, The Killers, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, Lizzo, LL Cool J, Lupita Nyong’o, Maluma, Matthew McConaughey, Oprah Winfrey, Pharrell Williams, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sam Smith, Shah Rukh Khan, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift and Usher.
Friends from Sesame Street were also there to help unify and inspire people around the world to take meaningful actions that increase support for the global COVID-19 response.
