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January 12 marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic earthquake in Haiti that claimed the lives of more than 300,000 Haitians. Legendary disco singer Gloria Gaynor is committed to giving back the best way she knows how – lending her voice to the cause.
"I wanted to be a part of something because I think that everyone should pitch in and do everything that they can," she told BlackVoices.com in an interview this week.
"I recognize that when these things happen, everybody jumps in in the beginning and then people forget about it and go back about their business and the people still need help."
The "Hope and a Future" benefit concert for Haiti will take place at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater on Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. The 61-year-old Newark, N.J., native will waive her appearance fee for the Community2Community event and perform for free to show her support for the cause.
"I couldn't find anybody who was interested in me helping when it first happened," Gaynor revealed. "I started calling and everybody was telling me, 'We already have enough artists' for the benefits they were putting on and it's not like you could just jump on a plane and go to Haiti."
"Since no one was interested, I never did anything. I just donated to the Red Cross, but I wanted to do something more," she continued.
Now she can rise to the occasion -- on her own terms.
Gaynor will be performing her breakout single 'I Will Survive,' which after 30 years is still relevant in speaking to the resilience of the Haitian people.
"It seems to give hope and encouragement and empowerment to people with all kinds of problems and through whatever adversities they are facing at any point in their lives. Hopefully the song is doing the same for them," she explained. "I feel very blessed to have a song where people draw something from it and it has lasted this long."
Radio personality Liz Black will host the benefit, and Ronald K. Brown's Evidence Dance Company is set to perform, along with several other notable artists who will spotlight Haitian culture and history. The New York Daily News, the Amsterdam News and Positive Community magazine are sponsoring the event with the Christian Cultural Center and Determined to Educate.
Money raised from the event will go toward four projects to help the Petit Goave community become self-sufficient and economically stable. Those objectives include: repairing the reservoir damaged by the earthquake to convert to a water treatment center for 16,000 people, rebuilding the school to provide quality education to more than 400 children, restoring the main road for businesses, market and trading, and reforesting the mountainside for sustainable agriculture and farming and creating green jobs.
Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.com and the Apollo Theater box office.
Gaynor plans to re-record some of her previously released tracks for a new four-song EP and an EP of Christian contemporary music, both due in the spring. The internationally acclaimed songstress, who has been touring the world on a symphony tour, will also soon record a PBS special concert, which is set to air this fall.
Black Music Notes Jan. 7
1/7/10: Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj has overcome all critics and disbelievers of her debut opus, 'Pink Friday.' The critically acclaimed album has reached platinum status within six weeks of its release, outpacing Kanye West's 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' which was also released on Nov. 22. To date, 'Pink Friday' remains the #2 Rap Album and the #4 Album in the country on Billboard's 200 charts.
1/7/10: Cee Lo Green, Sade, Michael Jackson
In preparation of the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards, set to take place on Feb. 13, comes the release of the 2011 Grammy Nominees album. The Jan. 25 release highlights 19 songs from various artists who are up for nominations this year including Cee Lo Green ('Forget You'), B.o.B ('Nothin On You'), Sade ('Babyfather'), and Michael Jackson ('This Is It') among others. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit the MusiCares Foundation and the Grammy Foundation.
12/29/10: Janet Jackson
Good news for Janet Jackson fans of Southeast Asia. The multi-talented Pop singer will kick off her 35-city tour in Singapore on Feb. 7. Jackson will perform tracks from her 2009 greatest hits album, 'Number Ones' and plans on dedicating a song during each tour stop, which she promises will be "more intimate and more personal" than ever before. "It's not about effects, it's not an extravaganza, it's not about being as big as in the past," she said. "This one is all about you and me. I love you Singapore. Let's go!" Tickets for Janet Jackson Number Ones, Up Close and Personal tour go on sale Jan. 7.
12/20/10: Gladys Knight
Grammy Award winning R&B legend Gladys Knight has reunited with 'American Idol' judge and master producer Randy Jackson for her latest single, 'Settle,' which is being released digitally this week. The mid-tempo, guitar laden track, which is featrued on the critically-acclaimed soundtrack to the Tyler Perry movie 'For Colored Girls,' was co-written and co-produced by Shep Crawford and Montel Jordan. Knight is signed to Jackson's new DreamMerchant 21 record label and is putting up the finishing touches on an opus that should be out in 2011.
12/17/10: Jay-Z
In spite of landing on the New York Times Bestseller list with his memoir, 'Decoded' and announcing future plans of bringing his 40/40 Club to major airports across America. Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has ditched plans on launching his own New York luxury hotel. According to the New York Post, Hov and his business partners recently returned $52 million to the lenders of the J Hotel project following lack of interest from investors. Jay's group purchased the property in Dec. 2007 for $66 million.
12/14/10: Lauryn Hill
In celebration of its 30th anniversary next month, New York's premiere Jazz club, The Blue Note is preparing to feature Grammy-Award winning singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill for three special nights. Given Ms. Hill's much anticipated Blue Note debut on Jan. 3, the limited engagement sold out within minutes of its announcement. Lauryn Hill's Blue Note appearance concludes on Jan. 5
12/14/10: Lil Wayne
With his new 'Carter IV' single, '6'7' hitting the web on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 14), Lil Wayne is officially making his rounds back on the music scene. The Cash Money/Young Money MC confirmed this week that he's scheduled to appear alongside Nicki Minaj on Carson Daly's New Years Eve special. The two chart-toppers will tape the New Years Eve special on Dec. 16.
12/14/10: Miles Davis
The son and daughter of Jazz legend Miles Davis, Erin and Cheryl Davis recently joined actor Don Cheadle to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their father's landmark album 'Bitches Brew.' The celebration, which took place at New York's Thompson Hotel, also marked the launch of the new online publication, 'The Revivalist.' The site dedicated a special 'Bitches Brew' 40th tribute issue in honor of the late trumpeter.
12/10/10: James Moody
Jazz saxophonist and 'Moody's Mood for Love' creator, James Moody died this week in a San Diego hospice following a 10 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 85. "I feel so grateful for the privilege of being this amazing man's wife for almost 22 years," Linda Moody said in a post on his website. "I learned so much from this beautiful gracious, kind person." Moody is survived by his wife and family. A public memorial service will be held in San Diego on December 18. For more information head over to Jamesmoody.com.
12/9/10: Keyshia Cole
In support of her forthcoming project, 'Calling All Hearts,' platinum-selling songstress Keyshia Cole is gearing up for her 2011 national tour. Fans can expect the four time Grammy nominee singer to perform songs off of her Dec. 21 album including 'I Ain't Thru' featuring Nicki Minaj and 'Long Way Down.' In addition to Nicki Minaj 'Calling All Hearts' also features collaborations with Faith Evans, Tank, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Timbaland among others.
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Comments: (4)
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By: rhonda on 1/07/2011 12:16PM
Gloria Gaynor really kept herself up.
"I Will Survive" is one of my favorites.
In regards to our President....
What I want to know is when the disrespect will end. I don't ever
remember people yelling out in meetings against a current President.
People need to write their Congressmen and Senators and complain that
we are tired of it. They can tell their contemporaries to stop it.
Show some respect for the person in that Position. Maybe if the
punishment was severe, they'd stop.
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By: Ralph on 1/12/2011 9:07AM
I think that's pretty ironic considering Miz Gaynor was overheard saying that she felt the Haitians brought this on themselves for practising "voodoo". She's using these people's pain as a way to promote herself.
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By: Brittany Gardner on 1/13/2011 7:33AM
Gloria Gaynor does not need to sing or help anyone for free. Im sure she is inundated with offers everyday. She is doing it to help these people.
Crawl back into your hole and quit spreading rumors.
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By: DOWNTOWN DONNY on 1/18/2011 9:24PM
DE APOLLO MUST COST A MINT TO GIT INTO NOW, NO MO $2.00 TICKETS FOR THE BALCONY. NO MORE MOVIES OR A PLACE TO CRASH OUT WHEN YOU ARE DRUNK AS A SKUNK, OR NODDING FROM SOME OF DAT NY DOPE.YOU KNOW YOU WILL NOT GET ROBBED, BECAUSE LITTLE MUSIC LOVERS LIKE ME ARE THERE TO SEE THE 4 MOVIES AND THE SHOW THEN GET ON THE #1 TRAIN TO TIMES SQUAR FOR 15CENTS THEN TAKE THE #7 TRAIN TO FLUSHING, THEN THE Q12 TO THE LITTLE NECK BOARDER, THEN WALK 2 MILES HOME ON JIGGERBOO HILL, WITH ALL THE NEW 45'S THAT WAS GIVEN AS I EXITED BY THE DIFFERENT ACTS. THE EARLY '60S. I THOUGHT IT WAS A HARD TIME, BUT NOW THAT I THINK BACK THOSE WERE SOME OF MY BEST TIMES EXCEPT FOR A FEW THINGS.
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