Synopsis
The documentary-style video follows the creation of "Voices That Care," from recording sessions packed with singers, actors, athletes, and other celebrities to the finished performance delivered as a message of support to U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf. Studio footage shows the participants singing individually and together, while the presentation emphasizes unity, encouragement, and concern for service members and their families. The video closes the distance between the entertainment industry and Operation Desert Storm personnel by framing the song as a collective gesture of solidarity.
Factoids & Trivia
- "Voices That Care" was created to boost the morale of U.S. troops involved in Operation Desert Storm. Proceeds from the single and video supported the USO and American Red Cross Gulf crisis funds.
- Nearly 100 celebrities from music, film, television, and professional sports took part in the project, including Garth Brooks, Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Kenny Rogers, Meryl Streep, Kevin Costner, Wayne Gretzky, Whoopi Goldberg, and Magic Johnson.
- The project was recorded at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, in February 1991. Participants donated their time, as did many of the technicians and companies involved in the production.
- The television documentary about the project aired on Fox on February 28, 1991, the same day the fighting in Operation Desert Storm ended.
- Warren Wiebe, who had recorded the original demo, was invited to sing lead on the final recording. He also delivered the song's closing solo lines.
- The charity single was released on March 13, 1991, and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
- The production was conceived during a period when Gulf War coverage dominated television, making the video an unusually concentrated snapshot of early-1990s celebrity culture and patriotic entertainment.