Elton John, Steven Tyler Among Those Set For 'We Are Family' Benefit Recording

09/20/2001 1:00 PM, LAUNCH
Bruce Simon

(9/20/01, 1 p.m. ET) -- Stars from all walks of the music and entertainment industries will gather this weekend in recording studios in New York and Los Angeles to work on an updated version of the 1979 Sister Sledge hit "We Are Family" that will benefit the victims of last week's terror attack at the World Trade Center in New York City.

Rockers including Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Elton John, Mick Jones of Foreigner, Sheryl Crow, the members of Sugar Ray, and Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas; hip-hoppers including Ice Cube, **Run-D.M.C.**, Busta Rhymes, and Russell Simmons; classic soul singers Sister Sledge, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, and Diana Ross; and pop stars like Monica, Britney Spears, and the members of *NSYNC are all expected to share microphone time under the watchful eye of guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers, who wrote, produced, and arranged the original version along with the late Bernard Edwards.

Also expected at the sessions are tennis greats Andre Agassi and John McEnroe, actors **Kevin Bacon**, Susan Lucci, Macaulay Culkin, Taye Diggs, Vanessa Williams, and Joan Rivers, and singers Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osborne, and Seal, among others.

One day later.

Entertainment - Rolling Stone - updated 9:30 PM ET Sep 21

Sugar Ray, Reed Join Family

Former Chic member Nile Rodgers is putting together a cast of musicians and actors to take part in a rendition the Rogers-penned 1979 Sister Sledge hit "We Are Family" as a response to recent backlash against the Arab and Muslim communities in the United States after last week's terrorist attacks. Lou Reed, Kenny G, Cyndi Lauper , Angie Martinez, Angie Stone, Joan Osborne, Sugar Ray and Run-D.M.C. are just a few of the musicians who will participate in the New York recording session of the song, which takes place on September 22nd. Russell Simmons, Sophie B. Hawkins , the Pointer Sisters and members of Sister Sledge are among the Los Angeles contributors, who will record on September 23rd.

"We Are Family," the song as well as a video, will be produced by Nile Rodgers, while Spike Lee will direct a clip for the song. Danny Schechter, a documentary director, will produce a film about the recording session.

Since I never heard anything afterwards, I assumed it just never came out. I was wrong.

I couldn't find Lou Reed, Seal or Sugar Ray, but David Hasselhoff is visibly (and audibly) present. Macaulay Culkin and Darius "Hootie" Rucker get one lovely "not feelin' it" shot each. I think I see Bono. I definitely see Little Steven. They're trying it again in March, but with a slightly different spin.