Michael Recruits Pals for Relief Song

09/13/2005 1:59 PM, E! Online
Sarah Hall

With a little help from his friends, Michael Jackson is going to try and heal the Gulf Coast.

The popster, who's currently enjoying a lengthy vacation in the United Arab Emigrates, previously announced plans to record a song to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Now a hefty roster of musical A-listers have thrown their support behind the single, currently going under the working title "From the Bottom of My Heart."

Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, R. Kelly, Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, James Brown, Snoop Dogg, , Yolanda Adams, the O'Jays and Ciara are among the stars signing on to lend their vocals to the song, which will be released on 2 Seas Records, a label owned by Prince Abdulla Hamad Alkhalifa of Bahrain.

Jackson is said to be hopeful that the project will mimic the success he enjoyed with his multi-star recording of "We Are the World," which raised millions of dollars for African aid.

Prince, meanwhile, has already released two new songs via iTunes and his own site, npgmusicclub.com, for 99 cents each. The new tracks, "SST" and "Brand New Orleans" were written and recorded in the wake of the flooding of New Orleans and will benefit disaster relief efforts. Prince is also offering a download of Mavis Staples' cover of his gospel song, "U Will Be Moved."

And in a slightly different musical vein, stars of the country world have signed on for a daylong benefit concert in Houston on Oct. 1.

George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Willie Nelson and Martina McBride are among the country crooners who will take the stage to raise funds for hurricane victims. Tickets for the event go on sale to the public on Friday.

Meanwhile, a contingency of Hispanic entertainers led by Gloria Estefan, Jimmy Smits, Andy Garcia and Arturo Sandoval traveled to the Gulf Coast on Monday to distribute toys and other supplies to shelters in Biloxi, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"The separation of families to me is very close to my heart because we lived that as immigrants," Estefan said in a statement. "I strongly feel that we are all connected, and having felt people's love and support first hand through difficult moments in my life, makes me feel it's our responsibility to help one another. I am privileged to help in some way and I will always take that opportunity."

Elsewhere, perhaps operating under the maxim that "Every little bit helps," Eva Longoria has announced plans to donate the bathing suit she wore onstage as a presenter at the MTV Video Music Awards last month.

"I wasn't going to let a little hurricane keep me from wearing my bathing suit," the Desperate Housewives star joked at the time.

Now, apparently having belatedly realized that the storm was neither little, nor a joking matter, Longoria is ready to sell off the suit to the highest bidder to do her part for the relief effort.