Watch Stevie Wonder’s Righteous Rendition of ‘Lean on Me’ for Hurricane Relief
Stevie Wonder delivered a rousing rendition of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me” to open the Hand in Hand telethon to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.
Prior to his performance, Wonder delivered a poignant message about equality and unity, as well as a sharp remark about climate change: “Anyone who believes that there is no such thing as global warming must be blind or unintelligent.”
Wonder then launched into “Lean On Me.” Backed by a full gospel choir, the musician added a rollicking and righteous energy to the Withers classic, sharing vocal duties with several soloists from the choir.
Along with Wonder, the Hand in Hand telethon featured performances from Usher and Blake Shelton, Dave Matthews, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait and more. Other participants included Beyoncé, George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Drake, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Travis Scott and Leonardo DiCaprio. Proceeds will go the following charities: Rebuild Texas Fund, ASPCA, Best Friends, Direct Relief, Feeding Texas, Feeding Florida, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children and United Way.