Willie Nelson’s Farm Aid to Celebrate 25 Years
Willie Nelson should rightly receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his 25 years of work with Farm Aid, says John Mellencamp.
The rocker made the statement during a webcast earlier this week to announce 'Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America' will be held in Milwaukee, Wisc. on October 2. Willie, John, Neil Young (who also performed at the first Farm Aid benefit), and Dave Matthews are among the fellow organizers who will also perform.
"It is very important we point out that I think Willie should get Nobel Peace Prize for Farm Aid," John said via webcam from the room in his Bloomington, Ind., home where he was when Willie first called him to participate in the inaugural Farm Aid benefit concert in 1985. "This thing has been going on 25 years ... I am very proud of Willie. Whoever does this Nobel Peace Prize should look at Willie Nelson. My contribution is from the neck down. Willie is the brains behind the outfit."
On the same webcast, Willie explained that the idea for Farm Aid came to him in 1985 when he was traveling on his tour bus with Big John Thompson and they began to discuss farmers' problems.
"[We] decided to have Farm Aid, and 21 days later, we had sold out Champaign, Ill.," he said of the September 22, 1985 concert. "The problem is that today, [the farmers] still need help. Twenty-five years later, we have called attention to the problem but we have not solved the problem.
"We all have all the resources we need right here, and our family farmer is the first one," said Willie. "[Strengthening the American family farmer will also] keep the money here in this country."
For more information about 'Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America,' click here.
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