Elton John made a touching show of support for grieving Vanessa Redgrave, dedicating a song to her as she joined a packed audience at Carnegie Hall.
Elton dedicated his famous “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” to Redgrave, who recently lost her daughter, Natasha Richardson, sister Lynn Redgrave and brother Corin Redgrave.
He told acting legend Redgrave, who was seated in a box at Sting and Trudie Styler‘s Rainforest Fund Concert Thursday night, “She’s had a hell of a year. Vanessa, this is to you with love from me and all the artists on the stage.”
Redgrave recently held a memorial for Natasha, who died in a skiing accident in March 2009. Her brother died in April, and her sister died earlier this month. Vanessa was “nearly in tears” at the tribute and was ushered backstage during intermission for an emotional meeting with Elton.
The superstar singer also showed his feud with Madonna — whom he once called a “miserable cow” — was over by paying homage to her with her songs “Material Girl” and “Like a Virgin,” and was joined onstage by a troupe of scantily clad male dancers called “The Bad Boys of Dance.”
Other acts included Lady Gaga, Debbie Harry, Dame Shirley Bassey and a surprise appearance by Bruce Springsteen. The concert ended with the new face of Almay, Kate Hudson, and mom Goldie Hawn dancing onstage while Hudson’s new boss, Ronald Perelman, played the drums.
Later, at a Rainforest Fund gala dinner at the Plaza hotel ballroom, Australian supermodel Christy Hinze, wife of Netscape billionaire Jim Clark, spent $160,000 in the auction, $90,000 on a guitar signed by Sting, and $40,000 and $30,000 on guitars signed by Keith Richards and Springsteen.
Other guests included Chris Noth, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb as well as Hudson, who arrived in a demure outfit to avoid further speculation over her rumored boob job.