Farm Aid 2013 in pics (Pete Seeger, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp & more)

John, Willie, Pete, Dave and Neil @ Farm Aid 2013

"Friends, I'm ninety-four and don't have much voice left," said surprise Farm Aid guest Pete Seeger when he took the stage near the end of the annual benefit concert. "Here is a song I think you may know. I think if we sing it together we'll make it a good song." He wasn't kidding about the state of his voice, but he projected as much as he could and 26,000 fans joined him in a sing-along rendition of "If I Had A Hammer," a tune he wrote with Lee Hayes a stunning sixty-four years ago.
Seeger, making one of his first major public appearances since the death of his wife Toshi in July, then invited Farm Aid board members Dave Mathews, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson onstage for a rousing "This Land Is Your Land." None of them brought guitars, allowing Seeger and his banjo to take the lead. He guided the crowd, and the four music icons huddled beside him, through the oft-ignored "private property" verse (causing Young to raise his arms in victory). They even introduced a new verse about New York state that culminated with "New York was made to be frack free." - [Rolling Stone]

Farm Aid 2013 happened on Saturday (9/21) at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY and this year's benefit concert featured sets from founders Neil Young, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp, plus Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Charlene Carter, Pegi Young (Neil's wife -- he sat in on few songs), and more. The highlight, as mentioned in the quoted article above, was a surprise appearance by folk legend Pete Seeger. Pictures from the whole day are in this post.

Money raised at Farm Aid goes to help keep family farmers on their land. Lots more pics below....

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Press Conference

Farm Aid 2013