Huey’s ’80s Radio / Apple Music
’80s hitmaker Kenny Loggins is peeling back another layer on the legendary recording of “We Are the World” — revealing how he scored his pal Huey Lewis a solo when Prince bowed out.
Kenny spilled the tea on a recent episode of Huey Lewis’ Apple Music show, as both artists were talking about “The Greatest Night in Pop” … the Netflix documentary about the making of the 1985 charity record.
Huey says the doc helped him piece together lots of details about the recording … including the fact Kenny was the one who suggested Huey sing the line originally intended for the “Purple Rain” singer.
KL says he went to Michael Jackson — who co-wrote the song — and told him Huey was the best person to take over the line, once they learned Prince was no-showing.
Huey perfectly belted out, “But if you just believe, there’s no way we can fall” … and the rest, as they say, is history.
That night was monumental, with stars like Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross and Ray Charles — to name just a few — joining forces for the collaborative single.
It was an amazing and unique recording session … which we broke down on TMZ’s music podcast, “Get to the Hook.”
BTW, USA for Africa — the official name of the supergroup — didn’t just make music history … it also raised more than $60 million in aid for famine-ravaged Ethiopia, and snagged 4 Grammys.