Sugarland photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Twenty-five years after Kenny Rogers’ then-manager Ken Kragen helped coordinate the landmark USA For Africa single “We Are The World,” the song was re-recorded Monday in Los Angeles with a cast of characters that apparently dwarfed the original, which featured nearly 50 artists of the time.

With Quincy Jones back to produce and Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the song with Michael Jackson, at the center of the event, more than 100 artists were expected to take part, according to CNN, though none of the artists who played on the first version were asked back this time. That means no Bob Dylan, no Bruce Springsteen, no Tina Turner and no Paul Simon. Country music’s Willie Nelson was on that first version, too.

Even without Willie, and without Kenny, country has a role again in the 2010 version.  Zac Brown, Sugarland, Julianne Hough and Miley Cyrus are among the artists who joined the crew in Los Angeles, according to an official release. They sang alongside Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, the Jonas Brothers, Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean, Jason Mraz, Jeff Bridges, Josh Groban, Pink, Usher and Carlos Santana.

“I remember playing the first one ad nauseam on the school bus,” Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles told USA Today, “until finally the guy behind me said, ‘Are you gonna play that again?’”

The 1985 version was recorded immediately after the American Music Awards, when a bevy of top stars were already in L.A., with proceeds slated to famine relief for Africa. This time around, the session was similarly scheduled for the day after the Grammy Awards, again guaranteeing a high volume of A-list acts, with the money earmarked for Haiti’s recovery from last month’s devastating earthquake.

But appearing on the Grammys was not a guarantee that artists would be available for Monday’s session. Taylor Swift had a flight booked to Australia immediately after Sunday’s awards. Carrie Underwood also had a scheduling conflict, according to her publicist.

The original recording was certified for sales of 4 million singles and 3 million albums. “We Are The World” was brought out again last July during a memorial service to Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in L.A.

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