U2’s The Edge Working Hard For Charity

The Edge has helped raise over $2 million for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The U2 guitarist hosted a charity auction at New York's Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square on Saturday night selling music memorabilia from a host of rock legends including Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Kiss.

A left-handed 1966 Fender Mustang guitar used by Hendrix to record the landmark albums 'Axis: Bold as Love' and 'Electric Ladyland' sold for $480,000. A Fender guitar played by Bob Dylan during the 1980s and 1990s raised $192,000.

The Edge said: "Tonight is about raising lots of money for some very special musicians."

Some of the money raised will go to his charity, Music Rising, which has helped more than 2,500 musicians buy new equipment in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina destroyed most of the city two years ago.

The Edge donated his favourite guitar, a 1975 Gibson Les Paul that he has played for years. It had been expected to fetch $60,000 to $80,000, but on the night sold for $288,000. A pair of sunglasses donated by Bono raised $24,000 and a guitar from Sir Paul McCartney fetched $81,600.