Billy Porter & Rosie O'Donnell

Billy Porter & Rosie O'Donnell

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Rosie O'Donnell To Host Livestream With Billy Porter, Gloria Estefan, Morgan Freeman & More For Broadway Coronavirus Relief

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On Sun. March 22, the daytime TV icon will revive her Emmy-winning show with a star-studded special guest cast for one night only, to benefit The Actors Fund
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Mar 19, 2020 - 2:31 pm

Today, Emmy winner Rosie O'Donnell revealed she will be hosting a star-studded special livestream show this Sun., March 22 to benefit The Actors Fund, a non-profit org supporting entertainment professionals in need. Billy Porter, Gloria Estefan, Morgan Freeman, Jordin Sparks, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Jessica Parker, Barry Manilow, Ben Platt, Kristen Chenoweth and many more stars will join the show for performances and conversation—while practicing safe social-distancing from their own homes.

The special edition of The Rosie O'Donnell Show will be streamed on Broadway.com's YouTube and website at 7:00 p.m. ET, and will encourage viewers to donate to the Fund. A week ago, on March 12, Broadway closed its doors until at least April 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, along with many other aspects of the entertainment industry that have come to a screeching halt.

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"Everybody who knows me knows that Broadway has been one of the brightest lights in my life since the time I was a little girl. It has also been the lifeblood of New York City for generation after generation. After all Broadway has given to the world, now—in this time of tremendous need—it's our turn to give something back," O'Donnell said in a statement to People. "There is no better way to support this community than via The Actors Fund. And, with a line-up like this, I dare you not to tune in."

Read: King Henry VIII's "Six" Wives Are Alive & Live On Broadway

John McDaniel, The Rosie O’Donnell Show's original music director/composer/producer will return for the epic reunion.

"This is the ultimate win-win proposition; The Actors Fund needs our support, and we're all desperate for some fabulous entertainment we can enjoy from the safety of our own homes. I'm so grateful to Rosie, and to this truly jaw-dropping array of talent that have agreed to participate," said actor/producer Erich Bergen, who will be joining in on the online fun.

The Actors Fund supports people working in arts and entertainment in many ways, such as with housing, career and health care resources,including counseling, addiction/recovery, HIV/AIDS and senior services.

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Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

Mariah Carey in 2019

Mariah Carey

Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

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"Rise Up New York!" COVID-19 Relief Benefit To Feature Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Tina Fey, Bon Jovi & Many More

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Tina Fey is hosting the star-studded May 11 TV special raising money for the most in-need New Yorkers during the coronavirus crisis
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
May 4, 2020 - 1:47 pm

On Mon. May 11, famous New Yorkers will gather together virtually to share music, jokes and stories to support their most in-need neighbors on behalf of local non-profit Robin Hood's COVID-19 Relief Fund. "Rise Up New York!," an hour-long fundraising special, will be hosted by Tina Fey and feature performances from GRAMMY-winning legends Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Mariah Carey and Sting. Jennifer Lopez, Barbra Streisand, Ben Platt, Bette Midler, Idina Menzel, Trevor Noah and many more are also slated to appear on the show.

More performers will be revealed, but iconic director Spike Lee, actors Chris Rock, Christopher Jackson, Robert De Niro and Jake Gyllenhaal, along with NY Giants Super Bowl champs Eli Manning Michael Strahan, will also make cameos. N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and N.Y.C. Mayor Bill de Blasio, as well as some of the city's brave frontline workers, will also speak.

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According to their website, Robin Hood is the biggest poverty-fighting organization in N.Y.C., working with over 250 local non-profits that support food, housing, education, legal services, work opportunities and more. Their COVID-19 Relief Fund was created to ensure that the city's most vulnerable can survive the harrowing pandemic, with 100% of donations going directly to the orgs working on the frontlines, as overhead costs are paid by board members.

With "Rise Up New York!," which is co-hosted by iHeartMedia, Robin Hood is aiming to raise $10 million for the fund. They are asking for $10 donation from individuals and hoping to get at least 1 million out of over 8.5 million New Yorkers on board.

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"New York City is at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has created a whole new set of challenges for the millions of New Yorkers who already struggled to make ends meet," Robin Hood CEO Wes Moore said in a statement. "This is a moment where we must all come together and rise up together as a community in support of our neighbors and in support of one another."

The show will air on Mon., May 11 at 7 p.m. ET on all local TV stations, iHeartMedia and Entercom broadcast radio stations, News 12, Spectrum News NY1, SiriusXM and nationally on CNBC.

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Frank Iero

Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance

Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

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MusiCares COVID-19 Fund: MCR's Frank Iero, Rita Wilson & Naughty By Nature, Ellie & Drew Holcomb & More Support With Livestreams & Beyond

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Linda Perry with We Are Hear, Brett Young via Levi Strauss' "5:01 Live" series and CMT, with their upcoming star-studded Kenny Rogers tribute special, have also joined the cause
Ana Monroy Yglesias
MusiCares
Apr 6, 2020 - 12:58 pm

Many more artists and companies have come together during this difficult time to support the many music people out-of-work and in-need due to coronavirus, with more fun fundraisers and generous donations to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Today, actor/singer Rita Wilson teamed up with hip-hop legends Naughty By Nature to release a special remix of their classic track "Hip Hop Hooray," featuring none other than Wilson herself throwing down bars. All proceeds from the song will be donated to the Fund. It was released on YouTube today (listen below) and will be available across streaming/digital platforms this Friday. Wilson and her husband, Tom Hanks, contracted COVID-19 while filming in New Zealand; after posting a video rapping "Hip Hop Hooray" on Instagram, the group reached out to her about collaborating on the new version for a good cause.

For the last two weeks, Nashville powerhouse singer/songwriters and power couple Ellie and Drew Holcomb having been performing fun covers ranging from U2 to Kacey Musgraves to John Mayer on their daily Kitchen Covers series, raising money for MusiCares and their out-of-work touring band and crew.

Linda Perry and Kerry Brown's We Are Hear multifaceted music org have launched the On The Air series, in partnership with Roland, featuring music industry talks, performances and more on YouTube. With the platform's donation functionality, they are raising money for the Fund. Halestorm's Lzzy Hale offered some empowering words and music in one of the latest episodes. 

Read More: Troye Sivan, Yoshiki, Father John Misty, Selena Gomez & More Donate To MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund

On Wednesday, April 8, CMT will be airing a special star-studded tribute show to the late country king Kenny Rogers to benefit MusiCares. "CMT Giants Kenny Rogers: A Benefit for MusiCares" will feature at-home performances by Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, Lady Antebellum, Vince Gill, Michael McDonald, Rascal Flatts and more.

Later this week, on April 11, the Human To Human 2020 festival on Facebook Live will feature live music from Alec Benjamin, Tayla Parx, Skylar Grey, Richard Marx, Cyn, Grouplove, Jewel, Lauren Daigle and more. They will be raising money for the Plus1 COVID-19 Relief Fund, which has partnered with MusiCares and the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

Until April 9 (it began April 2), the UnCanceled Music Festival is bringing tons of live sets from artists around globe by pairing with local venues and brands to curate digital stages. The massive online event is hosted on the StageIt platform and requires "attendees" to donate in a pay-what-you-can model to watch. Fender's stage has featured alt faves like Waxahatchee, Cautious Clay and The Marias, while Los Angeles venue Hotel Cafe has tapped VINCINT, Colbie Caillat, Molly Tuttle and more. All money raised is donated to the venues' staff, the artist community and MusiCares.

Fender has been finding several creative ways to collaborate with artists and contribute to the MusiCares Fund. With the Fender Artist Check-In series on IGTV, they've tapped bad-ass guitarists including My Chemical Romance's Frank Iero, John 5, Isbell, and more and are donating on behalf of each artist that participates. In Iero's recent Check-In, which you can watch below, he shares a guitar tutorial for two MCR fan-favorites, "Ghost of You" and "Welcome to the Black Parade."

For those seeking a little retail therapy for a good cause, live music photographer Jacob Blickenstaff and pop star Troye Sivan have you covered. Blickenstaff has partnered with some of the artists he's photographed over the years, including Isbell, Dawes, Yola and Hiss Golden Messenger, selling gorgeous prints with a portion of the proceeds going to the Fund. Sivan, who had shared he would be supporting both MusiCares and the WHO's coronavirus relief efforts, recently released merch for his new single, "Take Yourself Home." All the profits from the three t-shirts will be donated to the WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and Spotify's COVID-19 Music Relief project, which supports MusiCares and several other charities.

Last Fri., April 3, Light In The Attic & Friends Live brought live sets from Ben Gibbard, Jim James, Fred Armisen, Barbara Lynn, Devendra Banhart and more on their YouTube and Twitch accounts. All donations were directed to MusiCares. "Lo-Fi" singer Haley Reinhart recently did a performance on Billboard's Live At-Home series, choosing MusiCares as her charity of choice.

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Denim purveyors Levi Strauss have launched a star-studded 5:01 Live IGTV music and chat series to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts from MusiCares and the WHO. So far, it's featured a stellar squad including Snoop Dogg, Questlove, Burna Boy, Moses Sumney and Brett Young. Young, who performed last week, donated his performance fee to MusiCares. Additionally, the country star's past GRAMMY Museum is also being featured in the Museum's exciting digital offering rollout, going live on April 29.

On March 30, his birthday, country star Thomas Rhett released a new song benefiting MusiCares, called "Be A Light." Featuring none other than Reba McEntire, Keith Urban, Hillary Scott and Chris Tomlin, all of the artists' proceeds will be donated to the cause. Joining the growing coalition of companies supporting the Fund, the Country Music Association and its philanthropic arm, the CMA Foundation, announced a $1 million donation last week.

As more members of the music community rallying around a unified cause, we'll keep you posted right here on musicares.org.

Learn more about how you can donate to or apply for assistance via the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Learn more about the financial, medical and personal emergencies services and resources offered by the Recording Academy and MusiCares. 

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Ariana Grande performs at the 2020 GRAMMYs

Ariana Grande at the 2020 GRAMMYs

Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS/Getty Images

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Ariana Grande & Broadway Star Shoshana Bean To Perform For SubCulture Virtual Benefit Concert

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The Mon., April 27 livestream show will feature both powerhouse vocalists performing from their homes with Broadway composer and SubCulture concert curator Jason Robert Brown
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Apr 22, 2020 - 2:05 pm

On Mon., April 27, GRAMMY-winning pop songstress Ariana Grande and Broadway musical star Shoshana Bean will treat fans to a special livestream concert for the SubCulture Residency Concert, to benefit the currently out-of-work staff and musicians from the beloved N.Y.C. venue.

The event of theater nerd dreams is led by musical composer and SubCulture Artist-in-Residency concert curator Jason Robert Brown. He will perform with the two powerhouse vocalists/performers—all from the comfort of their homes, of course.

"I had to figure out some way to let these notes and words in my head come out and be shared with my collaborators and my audience, and so, here we are," Brown said in a statement.

"All of us in our homes, making music however and whenever we can, with an amazing team to help pull it all together, and two of the greatest singers on the planet Earth: the patron saint of the SubCulture Residency, Shoshana Bean, and GRAMMY-winner, icon and total theater nerd Ariana Grande. We've put together a show about what we've lost, what we've discovered and what we're grateful for, and I can't wait to share it with you."

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Back in 2008, Grande worked with Brown on "13," her Broadway and professional debut, at age 15. The "thank u, next" singer more recently showed of her musical theater chops in NBC's "Hairspray Live!" in YEAR. At the 2020 GRAMMY Awards, she served up a sultry, pink-hued medley of "My Favorite Things," "7 rings," which interpolates the Rodgers and Hammerstein-classic, and "thank u, next." The year prior, at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, she won her first golden gramophone; Best Pop Vocal Album for 2018's Sweetener.

Up until 2006, Bean sang her heart out in lead roles in Broadway's "Wicked," "Hairspray," "Funny Girl" and more, and recently returned to the spotlight after time away, with the lead role in the beloved Sara Bareilles-scored musical "Waitress." Tomorrow, April 23, she will perform during the "Stonewall Gives Back!" livestream concert to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The livestream concert series is free to watch, but viewers are encouraged to donate to their fund to assist the SubCulture staff and musicians. It will be streaming on SubCulture's Facebook page and Vimeo at 5:00 p.m. ET on Mon. April 27.

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Courtesy Photo: GRAMMY Museum

Courtesy Photo: GRAMMY Museum

Courtesy Photo: GRAMMY Museum

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#DoorsClosedMissionOpen: GRAMMY Museum Staff Curates Daily Playlists To Soundtrack Your COVID-19 Quarantine

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The daily playlists are part of a larger digital initiative from the GRAMMY Museum during the location's temporary closure, which includes never-before-released free digital content from the archives
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Apr 2, 2020 - 10:42 am

Like many other businesses, arts organizations and museums around the world, our beloved GRAMMY Museum home base in Los Angeles is currently being impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since mid-March, the GRAMMY Museum has temporarily closed its doors until further notice for safety and health precautions in light of the coronavirus pandemic. 

But while the location may be physically closed for now, the GRAMMY Museum's mission of cultivating a greater understanding of the history and significance of music remains wide open and alive online. And they're keeping that mission at the forefront in the best way they know how: music. 

As part of their ongoing digital initiatives, the music-loving staff at the GRAMMY Museum is sharing exclusive Spotify playlists to soundtrack your daily life during this time of social distancing. Updated daily at 10 a.m. PT, the playlists are curated by staff members from across the GRAMMY Museum team in an effort to keep all employees engaged with each other and with the Museum's followers and patrons during this closure. 

Featuring selections from everyone from guest services and security team members to the executive team and spotlighting everything from disco hits and Afrobeat to classic rock and Latin trap, the playlists highlight the wide range of personal tastes reflected in the Museum's diverse staff and honor the genres and artists both the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum celebrate every day in our missions.

Read: Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

"Once we made the decision to temporarily close our doors, it was a priority for me that we maintain staff engagement as much as possible," GRAMMY Museum President Michael Sticka said. "Asking each member of our staff to curate their own playlists has been one way that we've been able to do that. For me personally, I have loved getting to know our staff better by listening to their music choices and hearing their personalities shine through! I'm proud that we have been able to build a digital museum that properly continues each pillar of our mission, including public programs, education and virtual exhibits. Our digital museum has been a key element of our strategic plan for some time now, so I'm happy that all of these initiatives will continue after we re-open our doors. For the time being, our doors may be closed, but our mission isn't and we look forward to continuing to bring music content to the general public during this time and into the future."

The daily playlists are part of a larger digital initiative from the GRAMMY Museum during the location's temporary closure, which includes never-before-released free digital content from the archives. The newly announced lineup of April 2020 programming includes exclusive content from Tanya Tucker, Ben Platt, Common, Los Tigres del Norte, Courtney Barnett and many more. They join previously announced programs featuring Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, Greta Van Fleet and Kool & The Gang, making this April a can't-miss event for the GRAMMY Museum's digital content public programming. 

This month, the GRAMMY Museum will also debut the Digital Exhibit Series, exhibit slideshows featuring past exhibitions and museum installations, featuring Jenni Rivera, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. 

The Museum's Public Programs digital series features intimate sit-down interviews with artists and musicians in its 200-seat Clive Davis Theater from past programs. Since the Museum opened 12 years ago, it has offered more than 900 Public Programs.

Additionally, the Museum continues to release digital educational content and lesson plans titled GRAMMY In The Schools Mini-Lessons, continuing its mission of paying tribute to our musical heritage and bringing our community together through music.

In all, the Museum is releasing new content every day of the week, with GRAMMY In The Schools Mini-Lessons on Sundays and Tuesdays, Digital Public Program Series on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and Digital Exhibit Series on Friday. Thursdays are Member Engagement Nights. Exclusive for Museum members, these special nights include an Album Club, which is an interactive experience similar to a book club, except members listen to music instead of reading books.

To experience all the Museum At Home digital content and to view the full programming schedule, visit the GRAMMY Museum website, where you can also find more information about the organization and its programs.

GRAMMY Museum's April Online Lineup: Tanya Tucker, Ben Platt, Common, Los Tigres Del Norte & More