Tina Turner is the tenth singer from the ‘We Are the World’ single to Die – Billboard

Turner was the initial female vocalist to be heard on tape by a group of 44 singers (21 vocalists and 23 backing vocals) named USA for Africa (quick for United Assistance of Artists for Africa). Smash topped the Billboard Hot one hundred for 4 weeks in April and May well 1985. It won the Grammy for Record of the Year in February 1986, a year following Turner won in the category for her comeback “What is Like Got to Do With It .” “

With Turner’s death, just a month following the death of musician and activist Harry Belafonte — who was the primary driving force behind “We Are the Globe” — ten singers who participated in the coup have passed away. The initial to die was Waylon Jennings in 2002, followed by Ray Charles in 2004 and June Pointer of The Pointer Sisters in 2006.

Michael Jackson, who co-wrote the song with Lionel Richie and was featured on the recording, died in 2009, followed by Al Jaro in 2017, James Ingram in 2019 and Kenny Rogers in 2020. Rogers was managed by Ken Kragen for the duration of his 1980s heyday. , whom Belafonte hired to bring the vision to life. Kragen died in 2021.

Anita Pointer of The Pointer Sisters died in December 2022, then Belafonte on April 25, and now Turner.

Jackson and Richie won a Grammy for Song of the Year for writing the song, but none of the artists on the recording won a Grammy. The Recording Academy decided to award the record of the year, and the other award – finest pop efficiency by a duo or group with vocals – went only to the single’s producer, Quincy Jones. Jones won his third Grammy on the evening as producer of “We Are the Globe – The Video Occasion,” which won Very best Quick Kind Music Video. (Video director Tom Trbovich also won in that category).

Jones and Ritchie are nonetheless alive, as are most of the other participants. Other singers on the album integrated: Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Bob Dylan, Lindsay Buckingham, Sheila E. , Jeffrey Osborne, Smokey Robinson, Ruth Pointer of The Pointer Sisters and Daryl Hall and John Oates.

Also: Huey Lewis and 5 former or present members of his band The Neves Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler, who co-hosted the initial MTV Video Music Awards in September 1984 Bob Geldof, behind the 1984 British charity single “Do Thei Know It really is Christmas?”, which inspired this American response and 5 of Jackson’s siblings – but not Janet, who broke by means of Manage subsequent year.