Farm Aid - My Squidoo Virtual Concert

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Helping Out Family Farmers In The Heartland

The first Farm Aid concert took place in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. Farm Aid was the brain child of John Mellencamp with help from Willie Nelson and Neil Young. Dave Matthews joined the Farm Aid Board of Directors in 2001. Since 1985 Farm Aid has raised more than $30 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. Farm Aid is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to keep family farmers on their land. Sit back, relax, and enjoy some memorable performances from past shows.

Music Changes The World 

Farm Aid Pink Houses

John performs Pink Houses lives at Farm Aid

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How It Began 

Farm Aid started as a benefit concert on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, held to raise money for family farmers in the United States. The concert was organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, spurred on by Bob Dylan's comments at Live Aid earlier in that year. (Dylan said, "I hope that some of the money...maybe they can just take a little bit of it, maybe...one or two million, maybe...and use it, say, to pay the mortgages on some of the farms and, the farmers here, owe to the banks....") Nelson and Mellencamp then brought family farmers before Congress to testify about the state of family farming in America. Congress subsequently passed the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 to help save family farms from foreclosure.

Today, Farm Aid is an organization that works to increase awareness of the importance of family farms, and puts on an annual concert of country, blues and rock music with a variety of stars. The board of directors includes Nelson, Mellencamp, Neil Young, and Dave Matthews. Young's speeches about the environment are a highlight of the annual shows.

The 2005 concert, marked the 20th anniversary of Farm Aid, took place at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, Illinois, with events in downtown Chicago as well. The 2007 Concert took place at Randalls Island in New York City (1st Farm Aid in New York) and was recorded in High Definition to be broadcast on HDNet as a 2 Hour Special highlighting many of the performances from the Allman Brothers and Counting Crows to John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson.

More Information and Ways To Donate 

Farm Aid 2008
The official site for Farm Aid 2008

A Song For America 

Farm Aid: A Song for America

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

John Mellencamp 

Founder of Farm Aid

John Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, (born October 7, 1951) is a Grammy-winning American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his rootsy, organic brand of heartland rock that is infused with catchy pop hooks and evocative, introspective lyrics about such hot-button subjects as politics, racism, poverty and mortality. Mellencamp has brought together rock, folk, country, blues and R&B into his eclectic body of work.

He has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has amassed 22 Top 40 hits in the United States. In addition, he holds the record for the most tracks by a solo artist to hit number-one on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, with seven, and he has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning one.

Mellencamp is also one of the founding members of Farm Aid, an organization that began in 1985 with a star-studded concert in Champaign, Illinois to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. The Farm Aid concerts have remained an annual event over the past 24 years, and as of 2009 the organization has raised over $35 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.

Mellencamp was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008, by Billy Joel. His biggest musical influences are Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and The Rolling Stones.

Sammy Hagar Perfoms at the First Farm Aid 

1985 Sammy Hagar "I Can't Drive 55" (Farm Aid)

Sammy Hagar performs "I Can't Drive 55" at Farm Aid concert, September 22, 1985, at Champaign, Illinois' Memorial Stadium. This is soon after it was announced that Sammy would be Van Halen's next singer. At the same show he also performed Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" with Eddie Van Halen on guitar. (See my other video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyyLshCQUEU )

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Neil Young 

Co-Founder

Neil Percival YoungMcDonough, Jimmy (2002) p. 37, OM (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film director. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995 and also as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997.http://www.rockhall.com/inductees/inductee-list/

Young's work is characterized by deeply personal lyrics, distinctive guitar work,"Young is a most distinctive guitarist and singer, using ghostly shards of feedback to taint his ringing guitar chords." "It's Young's distinctive, chunky rhythm guitar sound which defines the songs here Living with War." and signature"30 years on, Neil Young remains one of the most distinctive voices of his, or any other, generation." tenor singing voice. Although he accompanies himself on several different instruments?including piano and harmonica, his clawhammer acoustic guitar style and often idiosyncratic electric guitar soloing are the linchpins of a sometimes ragged, sometimes polished sound. Although Young has experimented widely with differing music styles, including swing, jazz, rockabilly, blues, and electronic music throughout a varied career, his best known work usually falls into either of two distinct styles: acoustic folk/country ("Heart of Gold", "Harvest Moon" and "Old Man") and electric-charged hard rock (like "Cinnamon Girl", "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)"). In recent years, Young has adopted elements from newer styles like industrial, alternative country and grunge. Young's profound influence on the latter caused some to dub him "the Godfather of Grunge".

Young has directed (or co-directed) a number of films using the pseudonym Bernard Shakey, including Journey Through the Past (1973), Rust Never Sleeps (1979), Human Highway (1982), Greendale (2003), and CSNY Déjà Vu (2008). He is currently working on a documentary about electric car technology, tentatively titled Linc/Volt. The project involves a 1959 Lincoln Continental converted to hybrid technology, which Young plans to drive to Washington, DC as an example to lawmakers there.

He is also an outspoken advocate for environmental issues and small farmers, having co-founded in 1985 the benefit concert Farm Aid, and in 1986 helped found The Bridge School,Welcome to The Bridge School and its annual supporting Bridge School Benefit concerts, together with his wife Pegi (in this, Young's involvement stems at least partially from the fact that both of his sons have cerebral palsy and his daughter, like Young himself, has epilepsy).

Although Young has lived in northern California since the 1970s and sings as frequently about U.S. themes and subjects as he does about his native country, he retains Canadian citizenship, which he has never wanted to relinquish.Resurrection of Neil Young, Continued - TIME

Neil Young's Thoughts on The American Farmer 

NEIL YOUNG SAYS 2006 FARM AID ABOUT QUALITY FOOD

Neil Young says that the 2006 Farm Aid concert was all about making sure quality growers stay in business and get fresh food to your market. Keywords: John Mellencamp, Bridge School, Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson

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Rockin' In The Free World 

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More Amazing Performances 


Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band @ Farm Aid

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Lou Reed (Farm Aid 1985) New Sensations

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THE ALLMAN BROTHERS FARM AID 2007

Runtime: 9:58
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Petra at Farm Aid (1992)

Runtime: 8:56
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Counting Crows - Rain King & Thunder Road, Farm Aid 9-9-07

Runtime: 4:09
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Farm Aid Finale

Runtime: 11:41
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Greg Allman,Dave Matthews,Warren Haynes, Farm Aid 9/9/07

Runtime: 4:10
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Past Concerts Available on DVD 

Farm Aid 20th Anniversary Concert (2005)

Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Farm Aid 2001 - A Concert For America

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

The Concert for New York City

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Keep on Playing 


Farm Aid 2007- Melissa - Dave Matthews, G. Allman, W. Haynes

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George Jones 4th of July 86 Austin Farm Aid satellite feed

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El Dorado - Farm Aid 1993

Runtime: 5:29
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Guns N' Roses - Down On The Farm (Farm Aid IV)

Runtime: 3:19
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Danielle Evin - Kiss Me Slow, Farm Aid 2006

Runtime: 3:57
1230 views
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Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings - Farm Aid I

Runtime: 2:37
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Jerry Lee Lewis 2006 Farm aid Bright lights big city

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Music Supporting The Cause 

Farm Aid: Keep America Growing, Vol. 1

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Farm Aid 2001 - A Concert For America

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) Buy Now

Dave Matthews at Farm Aid 2006 

Dave Matthews - Farm Aid 2006 - Crush

Dave Matthews Farm Aid Crush 2006

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Willie Nelson 

Co-Founder

Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 30, 1933) is an American country singer-songwriter, author, poet, actor and activist. He reached his greatest fame during the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, but remains iconic, especially in American popular culture.

He has continued to tour, record and perform in recent years, and these activities, combined with his advocacy for marijuana legalization and 2006 arrest for marijuana possession, have made him the subject of renewed media attention.See, e.g., Reader offers Willie fitting lyrics for song and Reader offers Willie better-fitting lyrics from the Reporter-News (Abilene, Texas).

Willie Nelson at Farm Aid 

Farm Aid 2007 - Greg Allman & Willie Nelson

Farm Aid 2007 - Greg Allman & Willie Nelson

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Reproduction of the Original 1985 Concert Poster 

Farm Aid 2005 - The First Year 

Jon Bon Jovi Performs

Bon Jovi - Heart Of America (Farm Aid 1985)

The only time this song was ever done live.

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Are You Rockin' Yet? 

Reggie_Marigold wrote...

1985? I didn't realize it's been that long...23 years. WOW.

ReplyPosted October 02, 2008

MarcoG wrote...

I saw this advertised on TV, it looked cool :)

ReplyPosted September 17, 2008

GypsyPirate wrote...

Farm Aid (and Willie Nelson) are near and dear to my heart. great Virtual Concert - second best to being there!

ReplyPosted August 03, 2008

JenniferAkers wrote...

Wow - I love seeing the past concerts with some of my favorite artists! Great lens!

ReplyPosted August 02, 2008

AdrienneJenkins wrote...

So hard to pick a favorite concert.

ReplyPosted August 02, 2008

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