Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 26, 1993)
Clockwise From Left: Kevin Kinney of Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ sings as the wind blows his hair across his face. Willie Nelson, right, raps with Maestro of the rap band Central Texas Posse. A couple watches Farm Aid VI from a grassy area opposite the stage. - — A crowd member motions for people to hit a giant beach ball his way. Photos by Jeff Haller/DN On the road again Farm Aid VI mixes stars with cause By Jill O'Brien Senior Reporter At 6 a.m. Saturday, inoculated by caffeine, chocolate and anticipation, we blazed east. Destination: Ames, Iowa, Farm Aid VI. We arrived amid the early unorganized moments of Farm Aid. Farmers cornered re porters and reporters cornered stars. Roger Clinton, the president’s brother, flanked by a 400-pound bodyguard, wandered amiably, signing autographs and talking with reporters. A frowning Neil Young, who brushed aside a ride in a chauffcurcd golf cart, chose instead to walk through a flurry of farmers and fans. At noon, Farm Aid kicked off with Willie Nelson’s remarks, followed by the Dennis Al ley Wisdom Indian Dancers. The day-long wind blew dust into eyes and litter under scats while its unseen hand swatted giant beach ballscirculating throughout acrowd of nearly 50,000. I was like one of those beach balls, never staying in one spot. Inside the press box, the music was inau dible. Press people who wanted to hear the music could sit in the stands. Unfortunately, from Section 16, visibility was rotten — you couldn't see the stars. Half a mile away, in a yellow-and-whiie striped tent, celebrities came and went for press conferences. In that tent, boyish-faced, gray-haired Arlo Guthrie modestly received praise from a dairy farmer who told reporters how Guthrie had staged an $8,000 benefit to help save her farm. Guthrie joked while advocating family farm ing as opposed to big corporation farming. “I don’t want to eat square tomatoes,” he said, “just because its easier to package them that way.” When asked what people should do to help the farmers’ cause, Native American poet and singer John Trudell had a suggestion. “Be real,” he said. “Be very, very real. Now is not a lime to be silent.” Nor was it lime to be silent on stage — not for Zaca Creek, a hard-rocking country group consisting of the four Foss brothers. It’s a group I’d nominate for best Farm Aid performance— and best lookers. When the winning band of the Jose Cuervo “Quest for Gold" talent contest was announced. Jagged Edge had its first television debut, play ing “Fiddlin’ Man.” ' Guitarist Scott Shelly told me the band had been together less than a year, but had a wide range of musical influence and experience be hind them. . “I’ve played with Dan Fogelberg and Randy Misner,” Shelly said. That might explain why Shelly, with long blond hair and a black trench coal, had that rock star glow, like "fiddlin’ man” Oakley Tyger and die other four members. “It all happened so fast,” Tyger said, beam ing. “All of a sudden we were up there on stage with Willie Nelson and announced as the win ners.” As the day wore on, the music got louder, the sets longer and the names bigger — Tom and Roscanne Arnold, Sawyer Brown, Bruce Hornsby, Ringo Starr and Marty Stuart, to name h few. When Bryan Adams hit the stage, the lights came on and Farm Aid look on a new concert dimension. Reluctantly, we left before the last perform ers, Neil Young and John Mellcncamp, played. Our mission: to drive home while we were still fueled by the excitement of Farm Aid VI. To make a donation to Farm Aid, you can call 1-800-FARM AID.