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Stevie Wonder Re-created ‘We Are the World’ for Lionel Richie at the AMAs
Stevie Wonder Re-created ‘We Are the World’ for Lionel Richie at the AMAs,Stevie Wonder performed “We Are the World” to honor Lionel Richie’s Icon Award at the American Music Awards, alongside Smokey Robinson, Charlie Puth, Ari Lennox, Melissa Etheridge, Jimmie Allen, Muni Long, Dustin Lynch, and Yola on November 20.

Stevie Wonder Re-created ‘We Are the World’ for Lionel Richie at the AMAs

A tribute from Stevie Wonder alone would be an occasion. A tribute from Stevie Wonder and eight other musicians across genres and eras? That’s world-class — and exactly the sort of honor Lionel Richie deserved at the American Music Awards, where he received the Icon Award. The former Commodores singer and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee watched excitedly as Wonder, Charlie Puth on a second piano, and Ari Lennox performed some of his biggest hits, including “Easy,” “Brick House,” and “All Night Long.” Then they called on some other friends — Melissa Etheridge, Muni Long, Jimmie Allen, Yola, Dustin Lynch, and, oh, Smokey freakin’ Robinson — to redo “We Are the World,” the charity single Richie wrote with Michael Jackson in 1985. “You all wrote a song that made it possible for those millions of people in Ethiopia to have food, and it inspired everyone throughout the nation and the world to do the right thing,” Wonder said, remembering when Richie asked him to join the original song. The tribute performance was a proper belt-fest that quickly got the AMAs audience (even top winner Taylor Swift) on their feet and waving their hands. And by the end of it, a smiling and clapping Richie had even joined the group onstage. Did someone say icon?

We are the W?RLD! @LionelRichie@StevieWonder@charlieputh@AriLennox@metheridge@munilong@dustinlynch@JimmieAllen@iamyola@smokeyrobinson

Catch the rest of the #AMAs on ABC. pic.twitter.com/LmlZs6rpta

— American Music Awards (@AMAs) November 21, 2022

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