Crow, Dixie Chicks among Katrina benefit acts

09/07/2005 2:19 AM, Reuters


Sheryl Crow, the Dixie Chicks, Randy Newman, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Alicia Keys and Paul Simon will perform during Friday's Hurricane Katrina benefit organized by the major broadcast networks.

"Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast," a live, hourlong telecast, will be carried commercial-free by more than two dozen other cable outlets. In addition to raising money for victims of Hurricane Katrina, the event will pay tribute to the rescue and recovery workers who have an arduous task ahead in cleaning up the devastated regions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Cable networks confirmed to participate in the roadblock telecast include ABC Family, Bravo, E!, TBS, USA Network, FX and Oxygen.

Jennifer Aniston, Ellen DeGeneres, Ray Romano, Jack Nicholson, Cameron Diaz, Sela Ward and Chris Rock are among the celebrities slated to appear on the telecast, to be executive produced by Joel Gallen, who directed many of the same artists four years ago when he executive produced the post-September 11 "America: A Tribute to Heroes" telethon, which was also "roadblocked" across dozens of media outlets.

The "Shelter" special also will be carried widely in more than 95 countries, including most of Europe, the U.K. and Asia. The Big Four networks have yet to specify where the donations raised through the telethon will be sent.

The special will originate from Sony studio facilities in Los Angeles and New York. It will air at 8 p.m. (on tape delay in the Pacific and Mountain time zones).

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter