Every Singer From We Are The World Who Has Passed Away

In late 1984, calypso legend and renowned humanitarian Harry Belafonte spearheaded an effort to bring emergency relief to famine-ravaged Africa. As The New York Times reported, he called well-connected L.A. entertainment manager and promoter Kenneth Kragen, who convinced Belafonte that a charity single, featuring America's best-known music stars, could raise millions. Within days, Kragen had assembled an A-list dream team of artists that included Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, and Bruce Springsteen. 

More artists came onboard, resulting in "We Are the World," the star-studded 1985 single benefitting the nonprofit USA for Africa Foundation. One of the fastest-selling pop singles in music history, "We Are the World" ultimately sold more than 20 million copies, raising a staggering $75 million while going on to win four Grammy Awards, including awards for both record and song of the year. In addition to the aforementioned artists, among the 40-plus who lent their voices to recording session — which took place on January 28, 1985 — were Cyndi Lauper, Hall & Oates, Huey Lewis, Willie Nelson, Tina Turner, the Pointer Sisters, Paul Simon, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, and many more.

The song remains one of the music industry's most successful charitable endeavors ever. Sadly, during the decades that have passed since the release of the single, several of the stars who participated are no longer with us. To find out more, read on for a look at every singer from "We Are the World" who has passed away.

Given his long association with producer Quincy Jones, one of the architects of "We Are the World," it wasn't surprising that honey-voiced R&B singer James Ingram would be tapped to contribute a verse. Among his many hits were: "PYT (Pretty Young Thing)," a collaboration with Michael Jackson that appeared on the latter's iconic "Thriller" album; "Yah Mo B There," a 1983 duet with Doobie Brothers frontman Michael McDonald; and "Somewhere Out There," his chart-topping duet with Linda Ronstadt from the soundtrack to the animated feature "An American Tail."

Ingram's smooth baritone arrives fairly early in the song, wedged directly between verses sung by Kenny Rogers and Tina Turner. His delivery of that single verse has since become so iconic that there's actually a YouTube video that compiles a number of amateur singers attempting their own impressions of Ingram's line. Ingram also made quite an impression visually. As Rolling Stone's minute-by-minute breakdown of the "We Are the World" video quipped, "James Ingram has shown up for the session in a shiny silver tracksuit, as if he came directly from a workout on the space shuttle."

Ingram died at age 66 in January 2019, with outlets reporting at the time that he'd been suffering from brain cancer. Jones shared a statement with Billboard to celebrate Ingram's talent. "With that soulful, whisky-sounding voice, James Ingram was simply magical ... Every beautiful note that James sang pierced your essence and comfortably made itself at home," Jones said.

Michael Jackson, long known to fans around the world as the King of Pop, died in 2009 at the age of 50; his death was ultimately ruled to be a homicide, the result of his doctor prescribing propofol — a powerful anesthetic used for sedation during surgery — as a sleep aid. 

Jackson's contribution to "We Are the World" was a major one, co-writing the song with Lionel Richie, and working in the studio to create the bedrock track to which the vocals were later added. This included Jackson multitracking his own background vocals. 

For Richie, co-writing the song with Jackson was a memorable experience — although perhaps not for the reasons most people might assume. "I'm at Michael's house trying to write 'We Are the World' and his dog is barking and his Mynah bird is yelling 'Shut up' [at the dog]," Richie recounted during an onstage MusiCares event, as reported by Billboard. In the midst of all that, Richie then noticed Jackson's stacks of vinyl albums tumbling over, which was revealed to be caused by a massive white python that emerged from behind the albums, slithering its way toward Richie. "I will admit I was screaming like a white woman," Richie confessed. In a previous interview with Billboard, Richie recalled his response to Jackson after the "Bad" singer told him the snake just wanted to play. "I said, 'You're out of your freaking mind,'" Richie said. "It took me about two hours to calm my a** back down."

There's no denying that Ray Charles — who died in 2004 at age 73 — held elder-statesman status in the "We Are the World" recording session, having laid the groundwork for rock and soul music with such piano-driven classics such as "What'd I Say" and "Hit the Road, Jack." That certainly proved to be the case for Billy Joel. As Life magazine's David Breskin recounted, Joel was awestruck when Charles entered the studio. "That's like the Statue of Liberty walking in," said Joel, who was physically shaking when he was introduced to Charles by producer Quincy Jones.

In footage taken during the session, Charles is seen nailing his part in one soulful take, reading the lyrics by running his fingertips across a sheet of paper on which they'd been translated into Braille as he danced and stomped his foot. Charles then took a seat at a grand piano to contribute a keyboard flourish to the song. "When Ray came in and opened his mouth, we just kinda all fell over in the corner and said, 'Wow, did you hear that? That's Ray Charles.' It was just brilliant," Lionel Richie told Esquire.

According to Rolling Stone's recollection, one of the more surreal moments in the session came when Charles asked for directions to the restroom. The first person to pipe up was Stevie Wonder. "I'll show you where it is, Ray. Follow me!" Wonder told Charles, taking his hand as one blind man led another.

During the mid-1980s, when "We Are the World" was recorded, The Pointer Sisters were coasting on the success of a string of hits that included "I'm So Excited," "Jump," "Slow Hand," "Automatic," "Neutron Dance" and others. The group originally consisted of Anita, June, Ruth, and Bonnie Pointer, before the act scaled down to a trio when Bonnie left in 1977 to pursue a solo career.

The three-woman version of The Pointer Sisters were invited to participate in the "We Are the World" recording session. Despite their bevy of hits, none of the three were asked to take a vocal solo, but appeared in the chorus. In the years following "We Are the World," June Pointer, the youngest of the four sisters, struggled with substance abuse. After exiting rehab in 1998, she told People, "It's been a long road for all of us," and that she was happy to be able to return to singing with her sisters. "That," she added, "is my favorite high." Sadly, she subsequently relapsed and was asked to leave the group in 2004. Later that same year, when she was 50, she was arrested and charged with cocaine possession. She was eventually sentenced to 18 months in rehab; it was during this time that she was diagnosed with cancer, which had come to metastasize in her liver, pancreas, and lungs.

June Pointer died in 2006. She was just 52 when she succumbed to cancer.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

The late Harry Belafonte, whose desire to raise money for famine relief efforts in Africa led to "We Are the World," joined in as a member of the chorus. Belafonte came to be known as the "king of Calypso" for introducing Caribbean music into the American pop lexicon, racking up such hits as "Matilda, Matilda," "Jump In the Line," and "Mama Look a Boo Boo." He died in April 2023 at the age of 96.

Belafonte was at the center of one of the most heartwarming anecdotes to emerge from the recording of "We Are the World." As the chorus completed its final recording, most of the participants launched into an impromptu a cappella rendition of Belafonte's classic "Banana Boat," chanting its iconic chorus of "Day-o, Day-o, Daylight come and me wanna go home."

As video of the moment indicated, not everyone sang along. Bruce Springsteen can be seen grinning widely, apparently not quite sure what's going on. Bob Dylan, standing immediately behind Smokey Robinson and Ray Charles, seemed a bit confused, but likewise couldn't help but break out into a smile. Al Jarreau wound up taking control of the singalong, animatedly leading the singers through the verses and choruses of Belafonte's classic song, as a grinning Belafonte sang along until the song ended and the assemblage of superstars honored him with a round of applause.