With no words, just photos of Haiti's desperate citizens as a backdrop, the star-studded international Hope For Haiti Now telethon began today.
In the event's first performance, Alicia Keys called for the help of angels in sombre song.
"Can you send me an angel to guide me?" Keys sang, from her song Prelude To A Kiss. There was no audience or applause, allowing the moment to sink in for the millions expected to watch worldwide.
"The Haitian people need our help," said George Clooney, who helped organise the two-hour event. "They need to know that they are not alone. They need to know that we still care."
Then, after an impassioned plea from Halle Berry, Bruce Springsteen dedicated a song for Haiti - We Shall Overcome.
Since Haiti suffered the devastating earthquake on January 12 that killed more than 200,000 people, the entertainment world has responded with an outpouring of charity, from million dollar donations to songs designed to raise money for relief.
Today those efforts became collective as the biggest celebrities from music, film, sports and even politics joined forces for the telethon. Stars such as Mel Gibson and Reese Witherspoon manned telephone lines while CNN's Anderson Cooper gave reports from Haiti.
The show, broadcast from New York, London, Los Angeles and Haiti, included musical performances by a variety of superstars, including Beyonce, Madonna, Taylor Swift, U2's Bono and the Edge and Keith Urban.
The telethon was featured on all the major networks and channels such as MTV, BET, Bravo, PBS, Fuse, CNN, and more than a dozen others. It was also streamed live on sites such as YouTube and MySpace.
Haitians would be able to listen on Radio One Haiti, according to MTV.
