Watch Usher, Blake Shelton’s Moving ‘Stand By Me’ Duet for Hurricane Relief
Usher and Blake Shelton performed a striking duet of Ben E. King’s soul standard “Stand By Me” as part of the Hand in Hand hurricane relief telethon to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.
The two united at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee where they were backed by a small band that crafted a simple arrangement that bubbled with plenty of country and R&B. Usher and Shelton traded verses before coming together to build some chilling harmonies during the chorus and ultimately enlisted the Opry crowd to help finish the song.
Along with Usher and Shelton, the Hand in Hand telethon featured performances from Stevie Wonder, 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.