FARM AID 40 RECAP By Jeff Croyle

THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF FARM AID IN MINNEAPOLIS

It was a monumental show on a big scale and Minneapolis showed up in numbers. Music legends and icons gathered for the largest fundraiser of the year for the agricultural cultural community nationwide and it was a unique experience. The performers ages ranged all the way up to 92 years of age. Co-founders Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp brought the iconic one-day festival to the Twin Cities and it was not only a success for the farmers, but as well for the community/ business owners. The lineup included a mix of Country, Bluegrass, Rock, and Pop. It also included local act Trampled By Turtles and a late addition by Minnesota native Bob Dylan

With Madeline Edwards, Jesse Welles, Eric Burton of the Black Pumas, and Waxahatchee performing earlier in the day, Wynonna Judd took the stage and sounded terrific. It was the first time during the day that I really noticed the sound quality (great job sound crew) and the strong vocals unique to an artist such as Wynonna. The 6-song set included 2 songs by The Judds. "Rockin' With The Rhythm Of The Rain" & "Why Not Me." A strong finish to her set with "No One Else On Earth" brought sunshine and smiles to both Wynonna and the thousands of fans in attendance at Huntington Bank Stadium.

LUKAS NELSON / BILLY STRINGS

One of the artist that caught my attention on Saturday is Willie Nelson's son Lukas Nelson. The vocal range was incredible and yet sounds very similar to his father's sound. He also had a 6-set performance with his last two songs a duet with Sierra Ferrrell. A Grammy-winning singer/songwriter from West Viginia. Both songs filled with emotion that I truly connected with.

Billy Strings was another artist that I had a connection with through his performance. The Harmonies and Bluegrass tones were impressive. The 6-song set included three cover songs and "Hellbender." This is an artist that has a long career ahead of him in my opinion.

MARGO PRICE

With Kenny Chesney's set kicking off CNN's coverage of Farm Aid 40, his set was 8 songs long. Included were songs "Beer In Mexico", "When The Sun Goes Down", & "Don't Happen Twice."

The country singer/songwriter from Illinois Margo Price took the stage next with a 9-song set. Her debut album "Midwest Farmer's Daughter" peaked at 10 on the US Country charts. Being a Farmer's daughter really hits home and it's personal when it comes to being a contributing performer at Farm Aid. Her voice has calmness and range. Easily enjoyed her set.

FARM AID 40 By Jeff Croyle

DAVE MATTHEWS

Dave Matthews was an interictal part of Farm Aid 40. He performed, played as a special guest, and even introduced Neil Young. Dave has performed at Farm Aid for over 20 years and is on the Board Of Directors. Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds performed 7 songs and the last three included Jake Simpson to make a three-piece band that was incredible. With 2 acoustic guitars and a violin, this performance sounded like a full band performance. This was my first time ever seeing Dave Matthews and I was thoroughly impressed.

JOHN MELLENCAMP

Co-founder of Live Aid John Mellencamp took the stage with his full band. Songs included in his set were "Small Town", "Pink Houses", and an acoustic version of "Jack And Diane." This was for me one of the highlights of the night. Picture a whole stadium singing this song with a light misty rain. It was phenomenal. If there was a moment of peace during the festival, that was it. Mellencamp has lobbyed for the agriculture community for the majority of his career and his effort don't go unnoticed. An Indiana native, his folk-style rock has been heard for decades. Twenty-five studio albums later and he still is making an impact on helping others.

NEIL YOUNG & THE CHROME HEARTS

After Bob Dylan performed his set, Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts took the stage. Seven powerful songs and the energy was powerful from this multi-grammy winner. "Rockin In The Free World", "Southern Man", and "Old Man" were among the songs in his set. His signature sideburns and unique vocals were nostalgic to put it simply. How can a 79-year-old man have that much energy? I said to myself. As an original co-founder of Live Aid, Neil really captured thes essence of why We were all there. Passion and music go a long way in the hearts of fans.

WILLIE NELSON

For the 40th time Wiilie Nelson took the stage to help raise money for Agriculture. At 92 years old, his legacy continues to grow. He sounded really good as he finished hi set into the midnight hour. Many waited through the very end and through several rounds of light rain to hear him perform. Such a talent and gentleman. Willie was joined on stage with his sons and band. He performed his classics like "Always On My Mind" and "On The Road Again." As Willie and Family wrap up another Farm Aid, the traditional encore of many of the performers on stage to join him for a couple of songs was a perfect way to end Farm Aid 40. Another success and a new experience for me. I am sure it was a unique experience for many others as well.