Robbie Williams to Reunite With Former Band "Take That" For Virtual Fundraiser

Singer-songwriter Robbie Williams will be rejoining Take That for a virtual concert to help raise funds for the coronavirus pandemic effort.

The 46-year-old artist will be performing with his former groupmates Howard Donald (52), Gary Barlow (49), and Mark Owen (48). The "Back for Good" artists have reportedly agreed on a "huge undisclosed" fee with the BGL Group, a financial service entity behind "Compare the Market," to launch the one-time show.

British newspaper The Sun reported disclosed that the money involved to make the event possible is around "hundreds of thousands of pounds."

Take That will also host the concert from "their homes to yours," in partnership with Meerkat Music. It will be the music company's first official show, slated on May 29, Friday, at 8 PM BST. The music company launch and fundraiser will be streamed live on the Compare The Meerkat YouTube channel and their page's Facebook Live.

Proceeds from the event will go to Nordoff Robbins, UK's largest independent music therapy charity group, and Crew Nation, which musters a relief fund for concert workers displaced during the coronavirus canceled shows.

In the article from the British publication, the band said that this is a first for them, expressing their appreciation and added that "Reuniting with our old friend online for a one-off performance! It's always great getting back together with Robbie and we are really excited to be part of this unique show that everyone can enjoy from home."

Robbie Williams said that he's also looking forward to performing with his former bandmates, saying that "it's always a pleasure."

Aside from Williams, Donald, Barlow, and Owen, the group also included former total performer Jason Orange. The original five-man group assigned Gary Barlow as the lead singer and songwriter, with additional vocals from Williams and Owen. Donald and Orange were the original dancers for the group.

A year after the band was founded in 1989, then sixteen-year-old Robbie Williams joined the band as the youngest member. Williams left the group in 1995, leaving Take That to complete their "Nobody Else Tour" as a quartet. The group later disbanded in February 1996.

After a brief legal stint over his right to pursue a solo career, Williams started of later in the year by releasing a cover of George Michael's "Freedom." The upstart solo artist broke into the international mainstream scene with "Angels," his fourth single from his debut album "Life thru a Lens."

Williams enjoyed a widely successful solo career, releasing twelve studio albums - eleven of which have topped the UK album charts. He has also earned recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records for his "Close Encounters Tour," reaching 1.6 million tickets in sales in just a single day.

Reconciling their differences, Williams successfully rejoined Take That in 2010, and together released the album "Progress." While he has become a regular member of the group, he was not a part of its following studio albums "III" and "Wonderland," as well as the group's promotional tours. He focused on his solo career while also creating music with his former groupmates.

Tags

Robbie Williams, Take That, Gary Barlow