Applause
April 1990
It’s been four years since Farm Aid came to Austin. In between then and now however, the Farm Aid organization has been working hard and one of the results is the upcoming Farm Aid IV concert slated for April 7 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Austinite Willie Nelson and singers John Couger Mellencamp and Neil Young are once again spearheading the concert. The threesome also played important roles in the other three Farm Aid events. Previous concerts in Champaign, Illinois (1985), Austin and Lincoln Nebraska (1987) raised more than $12 million to aid America’s farmers. That hasn’t been enough though.
“I had hoped that we wouldn’t have to do another concert,” Nelson said. “But we are losing family farms every day and many farmers who are still on their land are just hanging on.” Thus, the fourth megaconcert of its type was planned for the Hoosier dome and ill include some of the music industry’s bigget stars. Austin favorites, Asleep at the Wheel, Joe Ely, Nanci Griffith, Little Joe y La Familia and others are included in the lineup. Other musical volunteers will be recent grammy winners Don Henley and Bonnie Raitt along with Kris Kristoferson, Guns ‘N Roses, Lou Reed, 11, Col J., John Hiatt, Iggy Pop, Jackson Brown, Dwight Yoakham and Alo Gguthrie.
Farm Aid IV will emphasize the ability family farmers have of providing safe food at reasonable prices. Says Mellencamp, “We need to keep as many farmers on their land as possible, for their sake for ours.”