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Music stars’ hearts are with Katrina victims

Stars like Carlos Santana, Melissa Etheridge and Beyonce want to help
/ Source: Access Hollywood

It's day four of the Verizon Wireless Access Across America tour as Billy and Nancy have landed in a rainy Orlando, Florida.

However the tour was scheduled to be in New Orleans instead. Of course, our re-routing of the tour is but of minor consequence to the tragedy engulfing the Big Easy.

As the world watches the footage and tries to make sense of the chaos, no one is immune to what they are seeing — and that includes Hollywood.

The World Music Awards invaded Los Angeles on Wednesday night, but all hearts and minds were thousands of miles away.

"We were just talking about how hard it is to come here and get all dressed up and know that there is someone sitting in their attic hoping they are not going to die," Melissa Etheridge told Access. "I called my manager today and I said what can I do. I hate this feeling of wanting to do something."

"There could easily be more lives lost due to this than there were on Sept. 11," Nick Lachey noted.

"To the victims and people out there, our hearts are going out to them. We're not forgetting about them," Carmen Electra added.

"The country has to get together and has to do something about this. It reminds me of what happened last year with the tsunami," said Ricky Martin.

And no donation or effort big or small is unwanted or unappreciated by those who are in need of assistance.

"If every single person in America just donated $1, it would help so much," Kelly Osbourne told us.

"I'm ready to do whatever is necessary for me to do," rock legend Carlos Santana insisted.

Clearly, so many stars want to lend a hand.

"We definitely are planning on doing more," Beyonce told us.

"And I'll do it with you," added Patti LaBelle. "Carlos Santana and I talked about that tonight, so it would be us and the girls. We all want to do something … It's spontaneous, but it has to be done."

"It absolutely does," Beyonce agreed.

The World Music Awards weren't the only celebrity function in Hollywood on Wednesday night. At the TV Academy Writer's peer group Emmy nominee reception, "Desperate Housewives" star Teri Hatcher told us she has friends who were forced to abandon their homes.

"They are safe but they are not in their homes. They are city-less. I think it's just a disaster for everyone," Teri said. "I'm already getting involved with a Public Service Announcement for the Red Cross."

And for someone like Ellen DeGeneres, who was born and raised in New Orleans, the feelings are overwhelming.

"I'm feeling devastated. My aunt has lost everything. She is 82-years-old, we heard from her once and we haven't heard from her since. She grabbed four pictures off the wall…her whole life is gone. My cousins' homes are gone," a clearly shaken Ellen said.

She joined Donald Trump, Peter Boyle, Jason Ritter, Access' own Nancy O'Dell and fellow New Orleans native Wynton Marsalis for the WNBC New York City Telethon on Wednesday night to raise over $8 million for hurricane victims.

"It hurts me, it's my hometown," Marsalis told us. "I know the spirit of New Orleans in in all of us."