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CNN Live Event/Special

Farm Aid 2026 Music Festival Live. Aired 9-10p ET

Aired September 26, 2026 - 21:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[21:00:00]

John Mellencamp performs his song "Jack & Diane."

[21:05:00]

John Mellencamp performs his song "Jack & Diane."

John Mellencamp performs his song "Rain on The Scarecrow."

[21:10:00]

John Mellencamp performs his song "Rain on The Scarecrow."

John Mellencamp performs his song "Crumblin Down."

[21:15:00]

John Mellencamp performs his song "Crumblin Down."

John Mellencamp performs his song "Pink Houses."

[21:20:00]

John Mellencamp performs his song "Pink Houses."

LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: That was amazing, John Mellencamp. He is bringing the house to sing all of the songs people wanted to hear save a couple ones or two, but what a performance. We are here with the Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger. Thank you so much for being here in your state, you brought Farm Aid, and I love it.

GOV. ABIGAIL SPANBERGER (D-VA): Thank you. We are so excited to host Farm Aid here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Agriculture is our number one private industry.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well so, I honestly, I was wondering that because I know agriculture was huge when Virginia was founded, like you know during the Revolution, it was big there at Thomas Jefferson. But I was like, why Virginia Beach? But it turns out farming is just a giant deal here.

SPANBERGER: Well, and -- and while we're on the coast, importantly, you know, it's agriculture, it's aquaculture, it's forestry. We're actually the number one producer of clams on the eastern -- on the east coast, between clams and oysters, certainly timber, livestock. I mean, you -- you name it, we produce it.

COATES: I love the that you said America, Made in Virginia. I like that, and it's certainly here. This is a wonderful opportunity here. But you know, you've been on really both sides of the state and federal government, and we're here because the farmers desperately need help, and the concert embodies that. Tell me, like, what can you do on the state level to improve the experience, the life, the -- the entire path for farmers.

SPANBERGER: I mean, first you got to like acknowledge head on all the challenges that the agricultural community is facing. First and foremost, you know, Congress hasn't passed a Farm Bill. We've got tariffs, trade wars. Our number one agricultural trading partner for the Commonwealth of Virginia is Canada. So, disruptions there. Fuel costs are at a record high.

We've had drought conditions, which have really impacted our hay production, which impacts our cattle farmers, and now the president's chosen to flood the market with subsidized foreign beef. It's a really tough time because of everything that's happening at the federal level. So, at the state level, I declared a hay emergency to try and surge additional hay for -- for winter feeding, so we can keep -- you know our cattle producers can stay afloat, but I mean, it's a tough, tough time.

We've fully funded our agricultural best management practices. That's hundreds of millions of dollars to support farmers who are utilizing rotational grazing and cover crops, which have a great conservation benefit, but are also really good on-farm practices that help lower input costs and -- and -- and -- and are supported. It was a you know primary ask of the Virginia Farm Bureau headed into our last general assembly session. But -- but times are tough.

The support of an organization like Farm Aid really, really matters. But we actually just need better policies out of Washington, because you know just fighting against every single hurdle it hurts. I mean even cuts to SNAP, it hurts farmers because so much of the food that would be, you know, feeding kids and feeding families through SNAP, a lot of that is locally grown.

It's -- it's produced by American farmers, and so the -- the challenges that the agricultural community in Virginia and across the country is facing is significant.

BERMAN: And that's why Farm Aid is so wonderful. It does such good things for the farmers, but also does really good music, and I couldn't help but notice, I couldn't help but notice you were really enjoying the John Mellencamp music.

[21:25:00]

SPANBERGER: Well, we were waiting for everything to start. Yes, I was. You know, I -- we're walking over here, during little Jack and Diane, so you know things are good.

BERMAN: And you've got like a real -- in a way, a connection to Dave Matthews, also.

SPANBERGER: Well, I would like to.

BERMAN: Well, well.

SPANBERGER: I will say so. I'm a I'm a UVA alumna. Of course, he came up in Charlottesville, so you know Virginia. We love to claim Dave Matthews, but I remember the year I graduated college was the first year that he played the new stadium at UVA, and you know his concerts have been sort of like you know chapters along the -- the point in time in my -- in my life, and he -- he played at our inaugural ball, and so it's phenomenal to see him.

But you know, he's long -- he's been a longtime board member of Farm Aid, and his commitment to Virginia agriculture, like all of the other incredible performers today, you know, inspired by Willie Nelson and those who really got it going, recognizing that -- that -- that coming together in community around music, but also highlighting our food system is challenged.

Family farmers, I mean, so frequently in in Virginia and elsewhere, farmers are getting off farm jobs to just stay afloat as they are continuing to produce the food that is you know going on our tables and feeding our kids. And so, to be able to enjoy a little bit of music and -- and -- and be here with fellow Virginians, and we got some folks from out of state as well supporting.

It matters, and it matters to farmers across the country.

COATES: Speaking of right across the country, I mean, are governors working together to try to solve these issues? Because this is not just an individual state, and really, this is the United States, as you well know. But with experience of the farmers, it is almost universal, and it is problematic, and generation after generation seems to be fighting the same battles in a very, very difficult way.

SPANBERGER: Yeah, and we're looking. I mean, I've been coordinating with other governors, looking at the strategies they're employing to keep working lands working. You know, any -- any time you've got a place where there's development of land, whether it's for commercial or for residential, it becomes a real challenge. So many farmers across Virginia might have a plot of land they own.

Many don't, and -- and are working multiple plots of land. You know, some farmers in Virginia across multiple counties. And once you add fuel costs as you're moving your equipment, it becomes really hard. Virginia has an office of working lands, which is a way that we are really endeavoring to -- to keep a priority on and keeping land in production. We've got strong conservation practices.

We -- we recognize the strength of the you know the -- the number one private industry in Virginia, which is agriculture. But to be able to coordinate with other states and see, particularly those that are similar along the you know the -- the East Coast, where it's predominantly small family farms. About 95 percent of our farms are family owned, and -- and by a lot of

other comparisons, they are small. And small disruptions in the market, whether it's fuel costs or a loss of a trading partner or market, like that that rocks their ability to -- to stay steady and it endangers family farms.

BERMAN: So, we still have Neil Young to go and Willie Nelson.

COATES: Yeah, and you know I have to ask you. I've been asking everyone, what is your favorite Willie Nelson song?

SPANBERGER: Oh, my goodness, you're putting me up.

COATES: What don't you love?

SPANBERGER: You know, it's so I actually just had the opportunity to meet him, and I was so starstruck, and you know he was unbelievably kind and unbelievably gracious. And my -- our Secretary of Agriculture from Virginia, Katie Frazier, and I went back to meet him, and he, you know, said such kind things about the work we're doing, and -- and I -- I think I just said thank you, sir, like over and over and over again.

So, anything he sings, I will be delighted to hear.

BERMAN: All of the above. We'll mark you down for all of the above. Governor Abigail Spanberger, thank you so much for being here. Thank you for letting us come and watch this here in Virginia Beach.

SPANBERGER: Thank you. Thank you.

COATES: We come back. We'll speak with Lukas Nelson.

BERMAN: That's right. He knows Willie really well. He's known him his whole life. And then we're going to have musical performances by Neil Young and Willie Nelson himself. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COATES: Well, the party is far from over here at Farm Aid 2026 Music Festival live. In just in a few minutes, Neil Young is going to take the stage, and then the one, the only, the Willie Nelson.

BERMAN: And remember, tonight is all about America's family farmers. The goal is to spread awareness of the challenges they face, really the rising challenges they face, and help raise money to help them overcome those challenges. And you could donate by scanning the QR code at the bottom of your screen there, and by texting Farm Aid to 70-70-70.

COATES: And for more on this special night, we're joined now by yet another musical star, Lukas Nelson. He performed earlier in the day, and he will retake the stage later alongside his father, country music superstar Willie Nelson. I'm so glad that you're here.

LUKAS NELSON, SINGER & SONGWRITER: Thanks. It's good to be here.

COATES: You're 37. You've always been here. You've never missed a farm aid.

NELSON: Well, no, I missed three.

COATES: Really?

NELSON: Yeah, I was born in '88, and so it started '85.

COATES: Well, since you've been alive, you haven't missed one.

NELSON: I haven't missed one since I could. There you go. I had to get, you know -- I had to age into it.

BERMAN: So, 37 years of Farm Aid.

NELSON: Yes.

BERMAN: How do you think the --

NELSON: No, no. There's 40.

BERMAN: I know for you.

NELSON: Oh, for me.

BERMAN: For you.

COATES: Don't make us do math.

NELSON: The Lukas Nelson era.

BERMAN: The Lukas Nelson era farm aid is 37 years long.

NELSON: Yeah.

BERMAN: How do you think the challenges facing farmers have changed over those years?

NELSON: Oh, in an exponential way, because of the exponential growth of technology and the -- the multifaceted assaults from every angle. You know, it's become as complicated as the world is, with everything developing at such a rapid pace, you know, it's -- it's -- it's hard enough just to understand what's happening, you know.

So, it's like I mean, I don't even -- it's very difficult to keep track of the new ways that people are getting their asses handed to them.

[21:35:00]

COATES: And yet, we need farmers. Everyone knows how important they are, but I wonder why we can't keep them a priority. NELSON: I think what people really need to do is understand that

investing in quality food is an investment in their own health, and to understand that you're saving money in medical bills by eating this type of food, eating food that's grown health -- in a health-conscious way, that's grown regeneratively, that's grown it with regenerative farming practices, it's grown without the additives and things that people put into the food in multinational corporation style to -- the quality is sacrificed for the output and the quantity and the ability to make the bottom line for each quarterly earnings, you know.

And so that's -- I think that's what matters to those people. Which, fair enough, capitalist society. However, if people start prioritizing their own health, then they're going to start understanding that they need to, in order to be healthy and not pay thousands to the pharmaceutical industry and thousands to the -- the medical industrial complex, you're -- you're going to end up shelling out way more in insurance, and -- and you know with you're not -- they're not going to cover you for everything, especially not for something that happens because you've been slowly killing yourself by eating terrible food that has all these additives that over time give you cancers and things like that.

So, I think that's what's going to cause people because people obviously are going to use the cheaper option, and that's what they go for. They go for the cheaper option. The big box store can sell for cheaper. That's why they're successful. But a family farm, while you pay a premium, you get your health in return, and that's I think the key to understanding why you -- you -- you -- you do this.

BERMAN: You -- you said you almost can't count or setting new records for ways that farmers are getting their asses --

NELSON: Well, there's the data centers. There's the -- the data centers that are being built right through their land. There's the -- the -- there -- and then there's the impact that those data centers have on the environment, just in the area in terms of water absorption. There's a data center that's being built in Nathaniel Rateliff's hometown in Missouri that is right on an area that absorbs a lot of water, and it's already a huge flood zone.

So, if that area is paved, it's going to make the flooding a lot worse. There's so many things, and then the flooding gets worse, and of course the farms suffer in every way, shape, and form. The farms, especially the family farms that can't afford hits after hits, they get they -- they get the short end of the stick.

BERMAN: Yeah.

COATES: So how does Farm Aid contribute to this greater understanding, but also to try to stop this from being a continuous intergenerational crisis?

NELSON: I think it comes down to awareness by the general population that there is a fighting force of people, and they're called farmers, that are there to make your food not kill you over time. So, you need to eat their food and not this food. Pay a little more. Set aside a little more dollars in your home savings so that you can eat healthy food, so that you don't have to shell out way more later.

It's about thinking ahead.

BERMAN: Listen, I got to say, there's this fight going on there. The fighters you're standing right behind and fighting hard too, fighting alongside Farm Aid. Lukas Nelson, it's great to see you again.

NELSON: Thank you. It's great to see you.

BERMAN: Great to see you up on stage, and we'll look forward to seeing in a few minutes.

COATES: Can't wait.

NELSON: Appreciate it. Thank you.

BERMAN: All right, we're going to go back into the crowd now, back to where the fun is happening. You know, when I think of fun, I think of seeing Bill Weir. Captain Fun, we like to call him, don't we, Bill?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is such a treat to get off the climate beat for a night, you know, and talk about music and connection and good food, and we're up here in sort of the grass. You get a sense here. These are the -- this is the lawn (ph) here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, sir.

WEIR: You got to love these folks. It's a little nippy now, and some of these people have to be up early to you know milk or harvest season is coming, but they're here for the mainliners at this point now, Neil Young, who of course is outspoken in a good year, is from Canada.

There is a place in North Ontario, as you know, so he'll have much to say. Last year in Minnesota, he came out blazing with a song, I believe, titled "There's a felon in the White House," so you got him. But then Willie Nelson, actually John and Laura, I was just looking back.

[21:40:00]

WEIR: He did an interview with Anderson Cooper on his "All There Is" podcast about grief, and it reminded me that he nearly died of COVID back in 2022. He said five times he thought he was close to the end, and he wanted to, but his wife Annie (ph) said, "You better not, or I'll kill you." And you know he rallied, and they're still out here, and to see his last set was so moving. That I'm looking forward to.

But I've met some folks here, intergenerational folks who you know Gen Z who's never seen Neil Young. Let's go talk to this guy. How you doing? If you're going wave at me, man, I'm going to put you on CNN. What's your name?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kurt DeGraw (ph).

WEIR: Good to meet you, Kurt. I'm Bill Weir. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great to meet you, Bill.

WEIR: Who are you here to see?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Neil.

WEIR: Neil?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.

WEIR: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I loved Neil all my life. His songs sing to me, but there's been so many surprises tonight. Even the early acts were so fantastic. This has been just a fantastic night, and every act was phenomenal. But here to see Neil, love Neil, can't wait. Just getting ready to start.

WEIR: He's going to melt your face off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right. Yes.

WEIR: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As he has before.

WEIR: As he has before, but I'll kick it back to you guys. We're going to settle in. I'm so sorry for walking right into your face here, man. We appreciate all of you. We love you. John, Laura, back to you.

BERMAN: All right, Bill. Thank you very much. It looks so cool out there. I have to say.

COATES: You know what? Can we -- I want to bring back -- we want to bring back our panel. We have a panel here we got to talk to.

BERMAN: We do.

COATES: I (inaudible) even talk to. We've got CNN Presidential Historian and Farm Aid Expert Doug Brinkley. He's been here. Senior Editor at Billboard, Thom Duffy is also here as well. Are you guys hearing a phone? You're here.

BERMAN: We're going to talk to these guys just so the control room knows we've lost our ability to hear you in the control room. So, we'll dial back in and we're going to talk to Tom and Dave. In the meantime --

COATES: Yes. You know what's so great about this is because I cannot wait to hear Neil Young and of course Willie Nelson. But you all have been sitting here. First of all, you were at Live Aid many years ago, and look where we are right now, all these years later, which of course grew from that particular concert.

THOM DUFFY, SENIOR EDITOR, BILLBOARD: What happened was Bob Dylan came out at the tail end of Live Aid with Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood playing a shambolic acoustic set, and in the middle of that said, "Wouldn't be great if we could give like a million or $2 million to America's farmers?"

And watching Live Aid on television that day on his tour bus somewhere in America was Willie Nelson, and Willie called up his friend, happened to be the Governor of Illinois, and said, "You got that stadium in Champaign available anytime in the next couple of weeks?" 60 days was the time it took to put the first Farm Aid on. It was absolutely amazing.

COATES: 60 days? Wow!

BERMAN: So, from Live Aid to Farm Aid was 60 days?

DUFFY: July of 1985 to September of 1985.

BERMAN: And here we are, 41 years later.

COATES: Take that, bureaucrats.

DUFFY: Yeah.

BERMAN: And the thing is, it's so amazing about this is that 41 years ago there was a real need, obviously, for the farmers in America. They were suffering, but 41 years later, farmers are suffering again, facing even new, greater challenges in some ways.

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIANELSON: I think so. And in -- I was in Washington D.C. 1985, but grew up in Ohio and watching you know farms foreclose, talking to people in rural areas, it's my neighbors, my friends, in addition to cities like Toledo or Dayton and everything kind of unraveling in the 80s, and it connected to me to the Dust Bowl and the 1930s and the ecological disaster, and really understanding what happens when an agricultural and urban area just gets kind of decimated at once.

And then tied to the Ethiopian famine with -- with Live Aid and what's going on globally, and Bob Dylan, hero, hero, hero to me. Jimmy Carter was a hero to me in that '80s. Those guys cared so much about you know all of this, and Farm Aid's been part of my life ever since. It's like --

COATES: And you know what? John Mellencamp taking the stage right now, getting ready to get an introduction. I think you'll want to hear what he has to say. Let's listen.

JOHN MELLENCAMP, SINGER & SONGWRITER: And a guy that we've learned a lot from, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Neil Young.

[21:45:00]

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts perform their song "After the Gold Rush."

[21:50:00]

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts Perform their song "Human Highway."

BERMAN: All right, we're going to have much more from Neil Young just ahead, and Willie Nelson too, getting ready to take the stage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: This is Farm Aid 2026 right here on CNN. Let's go back to the stage and listen to more Neil Young.

NEIL YOUNG, SINGER & SONGWRITER: Wow, that was close. How you doing out there? How about you people back there? How you doing? Thanks for being here. I have a harmonica on the way, so I -- I can't start till I get my harp. Maybe -- maybe there's no harp on this one. OK, all right.

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts perform their song "Earth Girl."