This Day in History: , 'Live Aid' Concert Raises $127 Million
for Famine Relief in Africa.
July 13, 1985.
Prince Charles and Princess
Diana kicked off the 16-hour,
multi-city concert at Wembley
Stadium in London.
Linked by satellite,
the "super-concert" was
available to more than a billion
people in 110 countries.
The brainchild of Irish rock
singer Bob Geldof, the massive,
75 act undertaking was
organized in just ten weeks.
Geldof had been inspired to
organize the concert after a visit
to Ethiopia, where he witnessed the
effects of that country's deadly famine.
Queen, Run DMC, Elton John, U2,
Madonna, Mick Jagger, David Bowie,
Eric Clapton, The Who and Sade
were just some of the performers.
In addition to the $127 million raised,
Western nations offered enough of
their surplus grain to end
the immediate African hunger crisis