Culture

Simon Cowell Produces Everybody Hurts Charity Single for Haiti

by Paulette Sedgwick | January 22, 2010 at 03:53 am

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Simon Cowell has instigated a fundraising effort that will gather music stars to produce a single called ''Everybody Hurts'' released later this month.

The all-star rendition of R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” will be available for download Sunday, February 7th, and features Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle, Rod Stewart, Jon Bon Jovi and Miley Cyrus. Cowell’s version sticks close to the Automatic For the People original with all the stars involved each singing a line from the R.E.M. classic.

An unprecedented army of famous faces has been amassed for the Hope For Haiti Now show. More than 40 TV channels across the globe will air the “telethon.

Simon Cowell said, ''I hope to bring together the world’s biggest names to raise millions for the quake-torn Caribbean country. I will get a record out within seven to 10 days.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has vowed to waive VAT on UK record sales to maximize donations.

“Everybody Hurts” aims more for a British audience than an American one, as several contestants from Cowell’s U.K. shows like The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent make appearances, including Joe McElderry and X Factor judge Cheryl Cole, and members of Brit boy bands Take That, JLS and Westlife. Rounding out Cowell’s crew are Mika, Kylie Minogue, James Morrison, Michael Buble and James Blunt.

Producers Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie and RedOne rounded up 100-plus stars in a Los Angeles studio for a re-recording of “We Are the World” that will also raise money to help those struck by the earthquake in Haiti. So far, the entertainment industry has helped raise $64 million thanks largely to the “Hope For Haiti Now” telethon.