Mr Clinton introduced the singer

The pop superstar shared the stage with former president Bill Clinton and singers Tony Bennett and kd lang at a concert that raised almost $3m (�2m) for the Democratic National Committee.

The money would be used for the new Every Vote Counts campaign, the committee said.

Jackson was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.

The iconic venue saw Jackson perform there in his youth, as well as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Stevie Wonder.

The 1,400 audience members paid up to $5,000 (�3,400) each to see the array of stars, which also included comedian Chris Tucker and actress Cicely Tyson.

The concert was one of 30 Every Vote Counts events

Mr Clinton said voting was important, adding that with "conflicts all over the world" they were "trying to build a community in which everybody can respect his or her own race or religion and still be a part of a larger community".

Mr Clinton introduced Jackson as "one of the most remarkable performers in American history" - but he did not accompany him on the saxophone, as some had hoped.

Tony Bennett and kd lang also performed

The concert was one of 30 events that launched the Every Vote Counts campaign six months before elections in November.

Hip-hop record executive Russell Simmons said encouraging people to register to vote was "one of the most American things we can do".

"I think it is important that we get young people, black people, poor people, all the ones that are disenfranchised or that are not being spoken to by politics today," he said.