Music How Funk Bassist Bootsy Collins and Country Prodigy EmiSunshine Saw “Stars” The Unlikely Collaboration Will Benefit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund by Alison Bonaguro 6/26/2020 Embedded from www.youtube.com. </noscript> </div> The list of credits in this new “Stars” video is long and it is varied. There is a bassist from the funk world and a young singer-songwriter from the country world. And that’s just the beginning. The new multi-genre collaboration features Bootsy Collins and EmiSunshine, along with professor/philosopher/author/activist Dr. Cornel West, jazz/bluegrass banjo player Béla Fleck, DJ remixer Chew Fu, Nigerian-American singer/songwriter Uche’ Ndubizu, Steve Jordan, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Victor Wooten, Brian Culbertson, AzYet, Olvido Ruiz, and Manou Gallo. The song was written by Collins, Sunshine, West, Fleck and Fu, and the video was directed by Oscar Arce. This all started back on March 26, when Collins and Sunshine were scheduled to take part in the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day parade. (It was one of the first MLB large gatherings to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.) But after that, Collins still wanted to find a way to collaborate somehow with the 16-year-old from East Tennessee. “I was very impressed by this young lady’s depth in the world around her,” Collins said in a press release. “It is my pleasure to support EmiSunshine in her musical career. She has all the real qualities of a real person and a true star.” The feeling was clearly mutual. “I am excited and honored to be working with Bootsy Collins,” Sunshine shared. “We come from different musical worlds, but I have always loved exploring and incorporating other styles in my own songs. The fact that ‘Stars’ will be used to help other struggling artists makes this project even more meaningful.” The young country artist got a very early start in the music business, and even had CMT’s Next Women of Country Tanya Tucker on an episode of her Americana Corner video series four years ago. Embedded from www.youtube.com. </noscript> </div> “Stars” is now available for download and across all streaming services, with proceeds benefiting the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. Click here to donate to help musicians who have lost work during the pandemic. Alison Bonaguro Alison makes her living loving country music. She's based in Chicago, but she's always leaving her heart in Nashville. @alisonbonaguro