Yusuf Islam — the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens — plans to donate a portion of the royalties from his upcoming box set to the September 11th Fund, with the rest going to orphans and homeless families in underdeveloped
countries.
"I feel this is my duty," Islam said in a statement from his label. "I hope that this donation will bring some comfort." The four-disc box, to be released October 30, will include material spanning the artist's career, from demos recorded in 1965 through his '70s hits and work he recorded in the '90s under his Muslim name. The title of the set and track list have not been finalized.
Islam supervised the re-release of much of his '70s catalog last year, royalties from which benefit children's charities such as Small Kindness, which helps families in Kosovo, Bosnia and other nations torn apart by war.
"The Peace Train I still pray will one day arrive," Islam said, referring to his 1971 hit.
The singer recently condemned the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on his official Web site
(see "Yusuf Islam Expresses 'Heartfelt Horror' Over Terrorist Attacks").
In 1989, Islam became embroiled in controversy when, while giving a lecture, he was asked to comment on the death sentence the Iranian government had ordered for author Salman Rushdie for perceived blasphemy in his book "The Satanic Verses."
Islam was blasted in the Western world for what was interpreted as condoning the death sentence. Many radio stations stopped playing his music and still don't to this day.
For more information on and audience reaction to the attacks, including tips on how you can help, see "America Comes Together."
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