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John "Invites" Tavis Smiley to Host Farm Aid 25
08.23.2010 - TAVIS SMILEY TO JOIN HISTORIC CELEBRATION MARKING FARM AID’S 25th ANNIVERSARY
Farm Aid Board Member John Mellencamp Makes Public Invitation Asking Smiley to
Host Annual Benefit Concert
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Award-winning broadcaster Tavis Smiley has been tapped by Farm
Aid, the country’s leading champion for family farmers, to host the
organization’s 25th anniversary concert, which will celebrate the positive,
sustainable future that family farmers are growing through their hard work every
day.
Smiley was personally invited to be the Master of Ceremonies for Farm Aid 25:
Growing Hope for America by Farm Aid board member and co-founder John Mellencamp
during his visit to Tavis Smiley on PBS last week in Los Angeles. The two share
a connection to the Hoosier state. Smiley and Mellencamp first met at Indiana
University, Smiley’s alma mater, and have stayed in touch ever since.
“John Mellencamp’s genius continues to cement his imprint on the world of
heartland rock,” says Smiley. “I am nothing but humbled that one of the founding
members of Farm Aid, a man who understands you have to serve the people, would
ask me to host this landmark concert celebrating twenty-five years of raising
awareness for America’s farmers.”
Smiley will host Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America on October 2 at Miller
Park in Milwaukee. The all-day benefit concert will feature Farm Aid board
members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews, who will
be joined by Kenny Chesney, Norah Jones, Jason Mraz, Jeff Tweedy, Band of
Horses, The BoDeans, Amos Lee, Robert Francis, and more artists to be announced.
“When we held the first Farm Aid concert twenty-five years ago, we thought that
would be it. One show and we’d raise enough awareness to fix the problem. Well,
this is our 25th year and we’ve made a lot of progress, but there is still a lot
that needs to be done. I know Tavis can help us share that story and help
America understand that family farmers are the cornerstone of this country,”
said Mellencamp.
The all-day festival will be a celebration of music, family farmers and good
food and will again feature HOMEGROWN concessions—family farm-identified, local
and organic foods. Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Village will showcase hands-on
activities that give concertgoers a chance to meet farmers, get their hands
dirty and learn how family farmers are growing good food, protecting our natural
resources and connecting us to our roots.
“We are honored that Tavis Smiley will be hosting our 25th anniversary concert,”
said Carolyn Mugar, Farm Aid’s executive director. “Farm Aid and Mr. Smiley have
a common goal to highlight the good work of people across the country to
transform America. Mr. Smiley’s mission to enlighten, encourage and empower is
very much in the spirit of family farmers and Farm Aid.”
Tickets for Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America are available at the Miller
Park box office, by phone at (414) 902-4000 or online at www.tickets.com. Ticket
prices range from $39.50 to $97.50, including facility fee. For those outside
the Milwaukee area, the concert will be broadcast live on DirecTV’s The 101
Network.
About Tavis Smiley
Tavis Smiley is host of the nightly talk show TAVIS SMILEY on PBS and “The Tavis
Smiley Show” from PRI. Smiley launched America I AM: The African American
Imprint, a world-class exhibition celebrating the extraordinary impact of
African American contributions to our nation and the world in early 2009. The
exhibit is on a four-year, 10-city tour. Smiley is also the author or editor of
14 books, including The New York Times best-sellers Covenant with Black America
and What I Know for Sure: My Story of Growing Up in America, and his most
recent, Accountable: Making America As Good As Its Promise. For more
information, visit www.tavistalks.com.
About Farm Aid
Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of
agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil
Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds
to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose
family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who
contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $37 million to
support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food
Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture
and promote food from family farms.
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