Pop Music Blog

I get e-mail, and sometimes I think someone's punking me:

NEW YORK, March 12, 2009--Toto founder, keyboardist, singer and main composer David Paich has been invited to perform at the United Nations for the inaugural Millennium Development Goals (M.D.G.) Awards on March 17. Accompanied by the Harlem Boys Choir and members of Paul Simon's band, the seven-time-Grammy and Emmy Award winning artist will sing "Africa," the 1982 chart-topping hit he co-wrote with Toto band mate Jeff Porcaro, at the ceremony, which will honor Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Dr. Kevin Cahill for a Lifetime of Humanitarian Service with the initial M.D.G. Awards.

...

Macy Gray, Akon, Julian and Sean Lennon, K'naan, Simply Red's Mick Hucknall, Keaton Simon and the National Dance Institute will perform, while Vanessa Redgrave, Armand Assante, Sol Guy and Jonathan Granoff will be among the hosts and entertainers on hand. Presenters will outline the M.D.G.s, explain the Awards program as well as the voting and nomination protocols for what is being called the "Oscars" of world nations.

David Paich singing "Africa"? Armand Assante? This is Archbishop Desmond Freaking Tutu we're talking about here.

"Africa"?

Really?

 Tags  Archbishop Desmond Tutu Armand Assante David Paich Toto

---