That's What Friends Are STILL For (20 Years Later)

Exactly one week from today the Black AIDS Institute is throwing it's annual Heroes in the Struggle fundraising gala at the Directors Guild of America building in West Hollywood starting at 6pm. The theme of the event is "That What Friends Are Still For" in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the release of the song "That's What Friends Are For" written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, recorded by Dionne and Friends (Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Elton John) as a charity single with all funds going to AmFar (American Foundation for AIDS Research). The song won two Grammy awards (Best Song and Best Pop Performance by Duo or Group with Vocal) at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards and raised at least 2 million dollars for AIDS research.

On YouTube there's this amazing live rendition of the song with Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick and Stevie Wonder:


Dionne will attend the event, as will Mad Professah, so I hope to have a report on the event next week. Tickets are still available, and proceeds go to a good cause. The motto of the Black AIDS Institute is "Our People, Our Problem, Our Solution."