MUSIC NEWS
Christian Pop Stars Offer Recording To
Benefit Tsunami Victims
By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST
Ministries
CBN.com – LONDON,
UK (ANS) -- British Christian pop star, Sir Cliff Richard, has united
with other British pop luminaries to make a charity single called “Grief
Never Grows Old” to benefit the victims of the devastating Indian
Ocean Tsunami.
Sir Cliff has already recorded his vocal part for the melancholy ballad
written by DJ Mike Read at a studio in his Caribbean vacation hideaway
in Barbados, while Boy George has recorded his in New York. Sir Elton
John is also reported to be involved with the record.
According to the BBC website, they hope the song will raise more than
£2m (1.91 million U.S. dollars) for the relief fund.
“Former Boyzone singer Ronan Keating may also take part, if a studio
can be found close to where he is holidaying in Switzerland,” said
the BBC story. “Other music stars who are being approached include
Robin and Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, jazz sensation Jamie Cullum, Chris
Rea and Olivia Newton-John.
The BBC said that Read had written the song before the December 26 tragedy,
but thought it was too gloomy to release.
“But now he plans to have it recorded by a collective of pop stars
under the name One World Project,” said the BBC.
"It's a natural home for it because people kept saying to me, 'it's
such a good song,' but it's such a sad song," Read said.
He said the song was a slow ballad and would work with around 10 singers,
rather than a "singalong" like the Band Aid 20 single raising
money for famine relief in Africa.
“I'd only be pleased in terms of what it meant for sales if it
got to number one,” he added.
DJ Mike Read said that the backing track has already been recorded, and
organizers hope it can be finished within the next week to get it into
record stores as quickly as possible.
Read went to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which is coordinating
the British relief effort, with the idea the day after the tragedy occurred.
"I was totally shocked at the enormity and suddenness of the disaster
and in tears on seeing the orphaned children wandering aimlessly in search
of their parents," he said.
“The charity welcomed the news of the single and said money raised
would help its agencies working in the affected region to rebuild survivors'
lives and livelihoods,” concluded the BBC story.
Cliff Richard and Christianity
Cliff Richard became a Christian in 1966 and caused a sensation when
he appeared at a Billy Graham crusade in Earls Court, London, to give
his testimony.
“First of all Richard believed that he should quit rock n roll,
as he thought he could no longer be the rocker who had in the early years
been called a 'crude exhibitionist' and 'too sexy for TV' and a threat
to parents' daughters,” said a story in Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia.
“Although his image had already become tamer due to his film roles
and well spoken voice on radio and TV, he still rocked on stage. After
intending to become a teacher instead, Christian friends told him that
he didn't have to give his career up just because he had become a Christian.
Soon after, Cliff re-emerged and performed with Christian groups and recorded
some Christian material.
“He still recorded secular songs with the Shadows, some of which
introduced revolutionary recording techniques which influenced the Beatles
and other groups, but he gave a lot of his time to Christian work. As
time progressed, he balanced his life and work out, enabling him to still
be the most popular singer in Britain while also one of the best known
Christians.”
Dan Wooding is an award winning British journalist now living in
Southern California with his wife Norma. He is the founder and international
director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the
ASSIST News Service
(ANS). Wooding is also the co-host of the weekly radio show, "Window
on the World".
Assist News Service is brought to you in part by Open Doors USA, a ministry
that has served the Suffering Church around the world for nearly 50 years.
You can get more information by logging onto their website at www.opendoorsusa.org.
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