USA For Africa

USA for Africa was the name of a group of 45 artists (most of them were americans) led by Harry Belafonte, Kenny Rogers, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

In 1985, the group recorded “We Are the World”, a song and charity single written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie (with arrangements by Michael Omartian) and produced by Quincy Jones for the album We Are the World. With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of the fewer than 30 all-time physical singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide.

The substantial income went to the USA for Africa Foundation, wich used the profits to take care of serious problems in Africa.

USA for Africa musicians:

Conductor:
• Quincy Jones

Soloists (in order of appearance):
• Lionel Richie
• Stevie Wonder
• Paul Simon (member of Simon & Garfunkel)
• Kenny Rogers
• James Ingram
• Tina Turner
• Billy Joel
• Michael Jackson
• Diana Ross
• Dionne Warwick
• Willie Nelson
• Al Jarreau
• Bruce Springsteen
• Kenny Loggins
• Steve Perry (member of Journey)
• Daryl Hall (member of Hall & Oates)
• Huey Lewis (member of Huey Lewis and the News)
• Cyndi Lauper
• Kim Carnes
• Bob Dylan
• Ray Charles

Chorus (alphabetically):
• Dan Aykroyd
• Harry Belafonte
• Lindsey Buckingham (member of Fleetwood Mac)
• Mario Cipollina (member of Huey Lewis and the News)
• Johnny Colla (member of Huey Lewis and the News)
• Sheila E.
• Bob Geldof (member of Band Aid)
• Bill Gibson (member of Huey Lewis and the News)
• Chris Hayes (member of Huey Lewis and the News)
• Sean Hopper (member of Huey Lewis and the News)
• Jackie Jackson
• La Toya Jackson
• Marlon Jackson
• Randy Jackson
• Tito Jackson
• Waylon Jennings
• Bette Midler
• John Oates (member of Hall & Oates)
• Jeffrey Osborne
• The Pointer Sisters
• Smokey Robinson

Instrument players:
• David Paich – synthesizers
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizers, programming
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Phil Collins – percussion
• Louis Johnson – synth bass
• Michael Omartian – keyboards
• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
• John Robinson – drums