All-Time Great Concert

Farm Aid I

Sep 22, 1985 (41 years ago)

Memorial Stadium, University of Illinois Champaign, Illinois, United States

Conceived by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp, Farm Aid aimed to raise awareness and funds for struggling family farmers in the United States. This inaugural concert was a star-studded affair, featuring performances from over 50 artists, including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and B.B. King. Broadcast live on television, the event successfully raised over $9 million. Farm Aid sparked a movement, highlighting the plight of family farmers and advocating for sustainable agriculture, ultimately becoming an annual event with a lasting impact.

Alabama

John Anderson

The Beach Boys

The Blasters

Jimmy Buffett

Glen Campbell

Johnny Cash

David Allan Coe

John Conlee

Ry Cooder

Lacy J. Dalton

John Denver

Bob Dylan

Foreigner

Vince Gill

Sammy Hagar

Daryl Hall

Don Henley

Waylon Jennings

Billy Joel

George Jones

Rickie Lee Jones

Carole King

Robby Krieger

Kris Kristofferson

Lone Justice

Loretta Lynn

Delbert McClinton

John Mellencamp

Roger Miller

Joni Mitchell

Randy Newman

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Roy Orbison

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Bonnie Raitt

Lou Reed

Kenny Rogers

Johnny Rodriguez

John Schneider

Southern Pacific

Tanya Tucker

Eddie Van Halen

Dottie West

Hoyt Axton

Bon Jovi

The Charlie Daniels Band

John Fogerty

Arlo Guthrie

Merle Haggard

Emmylou Harris

B.B. King

Huey Lewis

Roger McGuinn

Willie Nelson

Brian Setzer

Sissy Spacek

Neil Young

Vern Gosdin

Charley Pride

The Winters Brothers Band

Concert Details

Date:: Sunday, September 22, 1985
Venue:: Memorial Stadium, University of Illinois
Location:: Champaign, Illinois, United States

Band Genres

Country Rock	40 bands
Country Rock: Alabama John Anderson Jimmy Buffett Glen Campbell David Allan Coe John Conlee Ry Cooder Lacy J. Dalton Bob Dylan Vince Gill Don Henley Waylon Jennings George Jones Rickie Lee Jones Kris Kristofferson Lone Justice Loretta Lynn Delbert McClinton John Mellencamp Roger Miller Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Johnny Rodriguez John Schneider Southern Pacific Tanya Tucker Hoyt Axton Bon Jovi The Charlie Daniels Band John Fogerty Arlo Guthrie Merle Haggard Emmylou Harris Roger McGuinn Willie Nelson Neil Young Vern Gosdin Charley Pride The Winters Brothers Band
Singer-Songwriter	38 bands
Singer-Songwriter: John Anderson The Beach Boys Jimmy Buffett Glen Campbell Johnny Cash David Allan Coe Ry Cooder Lacy J. Dalton John Denver Bob Dylan Daryl Hall Don Henley Billy Joel George Jones Rickie Lee Jones Carole King Kris Kristofferson Loretta Lynn Delbert McClinton John Mellencamp Roger Miller Joni Mitchell Randy Newman Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Roy Orbison Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Lou Reed Johnny Rodriguez Hoyt Axton John Fogerty Arlo Guthrie Merle Haggard Emmylou Harris Huey Lewis Roger McGuinn Willie Nelson Neil Young
Country	34 bands
Country: Alabama John Anderson Jimmy Buffett Glen Campbell Johnny Cash David Allan Coe John Conlee Lacy J. Dalton John Denver Bob Dylan Vince Gill Waylon Jennings George Jones Kris Kristofferson Loretta Lynn Delbert McClinton Roger Miller Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Roy Orbison Bonnie Raitt Kenny Rogers Johnny Rodriguez John Schneider Southern Pacific Tanya Tucker Dottie West Hoyt Axton The Charlie Daniels Band Merle Haggard Emmylou Harris Willie Nelson Neil Young Vern Gosdin Charley Pride
Rock	34 bands
Rock: The Beach Boys The Blasters Jimmy Buffett Johnny Cash Ry Cooder John Denver Bob Dylan Foreigner Sammy Hagar Daryl Hall Don Henley Billy Joel Rickie Lee Jones Carole King Robby Krieger Lone Justice John Mellencamp Joni Mitchell Randy Newman Roy Orbison Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Lou Reed Southern Pacific Eddie Van Halen X Bon Jovi The Charlie Daniels Band John Fogerty Huey Lewis Roger McGuinn Brian Setzer Neil Young The Winters Brothers Band
Classic Country	26 bands
Classic Country: Alabama John Anderson Glen Campbell Johnny Cash David Allan Coe John Conlee Lacy J. Dalton Vince Gill Waylon Jennings George Jones Kris Kristofferson Loretta Lynn Roger Miller Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Kenny Rogers Johnny Rodriguez John Schneider Tanya Tucker Dottie West Hoyt Axton The Charlie Daniels Band Merle Haggard Willie Nelson Sissy Spacek Vern Gosdin Charley Pride
Classic Rock	26 bands
Classic Rock: The Beach Boys The Blasters Jimmy Buffett Glen Campbell Johnny Cash John Denver Bob Dylan Foreigner Sammy Hagar Daryl Hall Don Henley Billy Joel Carole King John Mellencamp Roy Orbison Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Lou Reed Bon Jovi The Charlie Daniels Band John Fogerty Arlo Guthrie B.B. King Huey Lewis Roger McGuinn Neil Young
Mellow Gold	25 bands
Mellow Gold: The Beach Boys Jimmy Buffett Glen Campbell John Denver Bob Dylan Foreigner Sammy Hagar Daryl Hall Don Henley Billy Joel Rickie Lee Jones Carole King Kris Kristofferson Delbert McClinton John Mellencamp Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Roy Orbison Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Kenny Rogers John Fogerty Arlo Guthrie Emmylou Harris Huey Lewis Neil Young
Folk	24 bands
Folk: Glen Campbell Johnny Cash Ry Cooder John Denver Bob Dylan Don Henley Waylon Jennings Rickie Lee Jones Carole King Kris Kristofferson Loretta Lynn Delbert McClinton Roger Miller Joni Mitchell Randy Newman Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Bonnie Raitt Hoyt Axton John Fogerty Arlo Guthrie Emmylou Harris Roger McGuinn Willie Nelson Neil Young
Folk Rock	22 bands
Folk Rock: The Beach Boys Jimmy Buffett Glen Campbell Ry Cooder John Denver Bob Dylan Don Henley Billy Joel Rickie Lee Jones Carole King Kris Kristofferson John Mellencamp Joni Mitchell Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Roy Orbison Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt John Fogerty Arlo Guthrie Emmylou Harris Roger McGuinn Neil Young
Soft Rock	18 bands
Soft Rock: Jimmy Buffett Glen Campbell John Denver Foreigner Sammy Hagar Daryl Hall Don Henley Billy Joel Carole King John Mellencamp Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Roy Orbison Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Kenny Rogers Bon Jovi John Fogerty Huey Lewis
United States	18 bands
United States: The Beach Boys Johnny Cash David Allan Coe John Denver Bob Dylan Billy Joel George Jones Robby Krieger Loretta Lynn Randy Newman Kenny Rogers Tanya Tucker Dottie West X Hoyt Axton Merle Haggard Huey Lewis Charley Pride
Americana	17 bands
Americana: The Blasters Johnny Cash David Allan Coe Ry Cooder Waylon Jennings George Jones Kris Kristofferson Loretta Lynn Delbert McClinton John Mellencamp Randy Newman Johnny Rodriguez Hoyt Axton Arlo Guthrie Merle Haggard Emmylou Harris Willie Nelson
Traditional Country	17 bands
Traditional Country: John Anderson Johnny Cash John Conlee Lacy J. Dalton Vince Gill Waylon Jennings George Jones Loretta Lynn Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Johnny Rodriguez John Schneider Southern Pacific Dottie West Merle Haggard Willie Nelson Vern Gosdin Charley Pride
Pop Rock	16 bands
Pop Rock: The Beach Boys Jimmy Buffett Bob Dylan Foreigner Sammy Hagar Don Henley Billy Joel John Mellencamp Randy Newman Roy Orbison Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bonnie Raitt Lou Reed Southern Pacific Bon Jovi Huey Lewis
Pop	15 bands
Pop: The Beach Boys Glen Campbell John Denver Foreigner Sammy Hagar Daryl Hall Billy Joel Carole King John Mellencamp Joni Mitchell Randy Newman Roy Orbison Kenny Rogers Southern Pacific Huey Lewis
Classic Country Pop	15 bands
Classic Country Pop: John Anderson Glen Campbell John Conlee Lacy J. Dalton John Denver George Jones Loretta Lynn Roger Miller Kenny Rogers Johnny Rodriguez John Schneider Southern Pacific Dottie West Willie Nelson Charley Pride
Roots Rock	14 bands
Roots Rock: The Blasters Ry Cooder Bob Dylan Rickie Lee Jones Kris Kristofferson Lone Justice Delbert McClinton John Mellencamp Bonnie Raitt John Fogerty Arlo Guthrie Emmylou Harris Roger McGuinn Neil Young
Country Pop	12 bands
Country Pop: Alabama Glen Campbell Johnny Cash Vince Gill Kris Kristofferson Roger Miller Roy Orbison Tanya Tucker Dottie West Emmylou Harris Willie Nelson Charley Pride
Outlaw Country	12 bands
Outlaw Country: Johnny Cash David Allan Coe Waylon Jennings George Jones Kris Kristofferson Johnny Rodriguez Tanya Tucker The Charlie Daniels Band Merle Haggard Emmylou Harris Willie Nelson Vern Gosdin
Album Oriented Rock (AOR)	12 bands
Album Oriented Rock (AOR): Bob Dylan Foreigner Sammy Hagar Daryl Hall Don Henley Billy Joel John Mellencamp Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Bon Jovi The Charlie Daniels Band John Fogerty Huey Lewis

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Attendees (28)


Len Czyzniejewski
Andy J
dmaltby
vnhalen
topo5468
Robert Ashton
Tonyman60
JZink
Stevie B
Roberta Brin Sharpe
ShelRyan
mpa1012
commotoed
jharris133
vekven
Chris Mueller
whitness
Jim Robinson
Charles Keller
DarbyG