Farm Aid '99 Brings Great Music To Nation's Capital To Benefit America's Family Farmers

Farm Aid
Friday, 16 July 1999

Lineup for September Concert Includes Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews Band, Trisha Yearwood, The Mavericks, Sawyer Brown, Steve Earle and Susan Tedeschi

BRISTOW, Va - Farm Aid President Willie Nelson today outlined plans for the national family farm organization's benefit concert as family farmers and farm supporters across the country rallied for relief from Washington's misguided farm policies.

Farm Aid '99 is scheduled for September 12 at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, VA, just outside Washington, DC. Tickets for the event go on sale Saturday, July 17 at 10 a.m. EDT. The show will spotlight some of the country's top music artists including Farm Aid founders Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, as well as Dave Matthews Band, Trisha Yearwood, The Mavericks, Sawyer Brown, Steve Earle and Susan Tedeschi.

"I'm inviting everyone to join us at Farm Aid '99 to share the music and our fight for family farmers. We're bringing this lineup of committed musicians to Washington to entertain folks, but also to remind them that right now our family farmers are gripped in a struggle to survive," said Nelson.

Tickets for Farm Aid '99 will go on sale at 10 a.m. EDT Saturday, July 17. Ticket buyers may call about a limited number of premium "Corn Belt" seats available for $65. Tickets in the pavilion are priced at $42.50, and lawn tickets are $27.50. Parking and applicable service fees will be added to the ticket price. Tickets are available at the Nissan Pavilion Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 703-573-SEAT, 202-432-SEAT, 410-481-SEAT or 800-551-SEAT. Tickets are also available on-line at www.cellardoor.com and AOL keyword: Nissan Pavilion.

"Farm Aid '99 offers a great chance to see artists from country, rock, pop and blues together on the same stage-artists who are donating their time and talents to help family farmers and rural communities," added Nelson.

It is no accident that Farm Aid is announcing its 1999 concert date on the same day the Campaign to Reclaim Rural America is staging rallies across the country calling on Washington to reform farm policy.

"Family farmers are rallying today to tell people across this country that bad farm policy is pushing farmers off their land," said Nelson. "Farmers are mad and they should be. Farm policy has failed them. Farm Aid stands with them, and we'll be in Washington in September to keep pushing for changes that will guarantee the survival of our family farms."

Farm Aid '99 will be telecast live for the second consecutive year by CMT: Country Music Television as an eight-hour special Sunday, September 12, from 2 -10 p.m. EDT.

Farm Aid was founded in 1985 by Nelson, Mellencamp and Young to raise public awareness about the plight of the American family farmer and to provide assistance to those families whose livelihood depends on agriculture. In the past 14 years, Farm Aid has granted $14.5 million to over 100 farm organizations, churches and service agencies in 44 states. Since 1985, Farm Aid has granted $672,000 to farm groups active in the mid-Atlantic region.

A list of Farm Aid's generous sponsors will be announced shortly.

For more information, or to contact Farm Aid, see their website at: www.farmaid.org