Every Farm Aid staffer has a performer they’re dying to have in the Farm Aid line-up—to catch a glimpse of up close. This year, I get my wish!
There was a buzz around the office last week that a major country act was in the works, and now it’s true! Kenny Chesney is playing at Farm Aid 2008!!!
I remember driving my anti-country music college roommate crazy with “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” She was a city girl and just didn’t get it—in my small New Hampshire hometown, tractors are sexy! More than once we drove from field to field trying to find our crushes and the tractors they were on. I remember the day I returned to the dorm from class to find my roommate singing “She’s even kind of crazy ’bout my farmer’s tan . . . She thinks my tractor’s sexy, it really turns her on.” That closet country fan was busted! I know there’ll be some sexy tractors at Farm Aid this year.
I’m pretty sure he wrote “She Comes from Boston” about one of my best friends who took a year off from ‘education and occupation’ to work of the small island of Vieques. And no matter how hard ‘she tried to explain to them,’ her family never got it.
My first Kenny Chesney show was in Foxboro, MA, in 1999. I remember seeing him in Manchester, NH, where my friend broke her toe as we climbed over seats! (Not recommended.) I took my younger sister to her first country concert–Kenny of course– at the very same venue Farm Aid will be at this year in Mansfield, MA!! And I just saw him again in Foxboro Saturday night!!!
Here I am very excited before going into the stadium. The show was amazing & he wore a Red Sox shirt! He sang a variety of new and old songs including one of my favorites: “Back Where I Come From.” I admit it, there are times I ‘miscount all the beers I drank.’
The majority of the crowd was on there feet the whole time. But when he brought out a group of Boston sports greats like Teddy Bruschi and Jacoby Ellsbury, EVERYONE was standing up! As a huge Kenny Chesney & Red Sox fan- what could be better!?!? Here’s a picture of Red Sox players Sean Casey and Tim Wakefield helping out Kenny (Ellsbury is there too but you can’t see him at this angle)!
This year will be my first Farm Aid. It is Kenny’s second! He performed at our 20th anniversary show in Chicago in 2005. And now he’s donating his time again to help out family farmers and spread the love of good food!
My job for Farm Aid 2008 is Volunteer Coordinator. Some of our volunteers have been with us for 23 years—I’m sure they’ll be fine if I sneak away for 23 minutes or so to enjoy Kenny’s performance! I’ll be turning off my radio and sneaking as close to the stage as I can!
