Oprah, Brad Pitt, John Fogerty, Jamie Foxx, and Cyndi Lauper will appear on a Grammys tribute to essential workers, United We Sing. Harry Connick Jr. will host the show, which airs June 21st at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
Per a press release, the show will feature Connick and his filmmaker daughter, Georgia Connick, taking “a road trip in an RV to thank and celebrate essential workers who risk their own lives on a daily basis to keep us safe.” The trip will start in Connecticut and end in New Orleans, and at each stop along the way, the Connicks will listen “to the stories of essential workers in health care, food preparation, sanitation, law enforcement, trucking, and more to honor their dedication and public service during this unique moment in history.” (A note in the press release adds that United We Sing was “filmed with a minimal crew practicing social distancing and with extensive safety precautions in place.”)
During the trip, celebrities like Oprah, Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Renée Zellweger, Queen Latifah, and Drew Brees will “deliver surprise messages to America’s unsung heroes.” There will also be plenty of musical performances: The lineup boasts Connick, Fogerty, Foxx, and Lauper, as well as Herbie Hancock, Little Big Town, Dave Matthews, Tim McGraw, Andra Day, Jon Batiste, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Rockin Dopsie, Irma Thomas, and Trombone Shorty.
During United We Sing, viewers will be encouraged to donate to charities that support underserved children, such as No Kid Hungry and the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans. The special will also raise money for the COVID-19 relief fund set up by the Recording Academy’s charitable wing, MusiCares, which is providing aid to people in the music industry who have been hit hardest by COVID-19.