Willie Nelson and company are headed for the Tar Heel state for Farm Aid 2022.
The annual festival was founded by Willie, John Mellencamp and Neil Young in 1985 as an annual benefit concert held for American farmers. Dave Matthews joined the Farm Aid Board of Directors in 2001, and Margo Price joined in 2021.
But this year, the annual concert will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek.
Slated to take place on September 24th, the just-announced lineup includes Willie and Family, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, Chris Stapleton, Sheryl Crow, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Allison Russel, Charley Crockett, Brittney Spencer and Particle Kid.
Farm Aid was held at the same Raleigh venue back in 2014, so I couldn’t be more excited for this stellar lineup of artist to descend on my home state for a kickass day of music.
However, co-founder Neil Young will not be in attendance citing COVID concerns. According to his website, Neil Young Archives, Neil responded to a fan that was hoping to see him at Farm Aid this year , confirming that he won’t be attending:
“I will not be attending Farm Aid this year. I am not ready for that yet. I don’t think it is safe in the pandemic. I miss it very much.”
Of course, Neil Young made headlines earlier this year when he insisted Spotify either remove Joe Rogan’s podcast, or remove his music. Young accused Rogan of spreading COVID misinformation. Spotify declined to remove Rogan so Young took his music off the platform.
Crosby, Stills, and Nash also supported Young is complaint against Spotify, however after 5 months, their music has returned to the platform.
Young also sat out last year’s Farm Aid, citing the same COVID concerns.
Tickets for this year’s event go on sale this Saturday at 10am:
“Did you hear? Farm Aid 2022 is heading to Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday, Sept.24! We hope to see you there.
Tickets go on sale this Saturday, July 30, at 10 a.m. ET. Get more details about this year’s music and food festival here: www.farmaid.org/festival.”
You can check out the full list of performers and more information about Farm Aid 2022 here:
Willie’s currently out on the road for his Outlaw Music Festival tour.
Outlaw Music Festival tour dates:
7/29/22 Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
7/30/22 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
7/31/22 Pittsburgh, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
8/12/22 Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
8/13/22 Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center
8/14/22 Darien, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
9/9/22 Atlanta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
9/10/22 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
9/11/22 Virginia Beach, VA – Veteran’s United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
9/13/22 Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
9/16/22 Boston, MA – Xfinity Center
9/17/22 Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
9/18/22 Saratoga Springs, NY – SPAC
9/23/22 Philadelphia, PA – Waterfront Music Pavilion
10/14/22 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
10/15/22 Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
10/16/22 Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre
Neil Young Encourages Spotify Employees To Quit
With Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announcing that he would not be removing Joe Rogan’s podcast from the platform, singer/songwriter Neil Young is putting his 10 cents in.
We all know the 76-year-old was the first to remove his music from Spotify, due to his beliefs that Joe Rogan was spreading COVID-19 vaccine “misinformation” on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience.
Now, it appears that Young has a bone to pick with Daniel Ek, and not Joe Rogan.
According to the New York Post, the singer said on his website, the Neil Young Archives Times-Contrarian:
“In our communication age, misinformation is the problem. Ditch the misinformers. To the musicians and creators in the world, I say this: You must be able to find a better place than SPOTIFY to be the home of your art.
To the workers at SPOTIFY, I say Daniel Ek is your big problem– not Joe Rogan. Get out of that place before it eats up your soul.”
He continued:
“The only goals stated by Ek are about numbers– not art, not creativity. Notice that Ek never mentions the medical professionals who started this conversation.
You and I need to lead… join me as I move my money away from the damage causers or you will unintentionally be one of them.
You have the power to change the world… We can do it together. Your grandchildren will thank you in history.”
Of course, Rogan posted a video after Young’s music was removed, saying he had no intentions to piss people off, and simply wanted to have a number of conversations from varying opinions.
He even noted that he was a Neil Young fan.
Needless to say, Neil Young doesn’t sound like he’s letting this go anytime soon…
