Chicago, Illinois () - It had been a long several days for Kenny Chesney, but nothing was going to stop the Luttrell, Tennessean from doing his part for the American family farmer. Three weeks after wrapping his wildly successful Somewhere In The Sun Tour, Chesney and his band returned to the concert stage to make his debut at the Willie Nelson/John Mellencamp/Neil Young-originated event -- and turned in a rousing 35 minute set.
Closing with the farm-equipment-as-aphrodisiac anthem "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy," the man who sold more than a million concert tickets for the last three summers in a row had the crowd on their feet and hollering for the duration of his performance. Introduced by good friend and CMT "Crossroads" compadre John Mellecamp, Chesney offered up a heart-tugging "Back Where I Come From," "Young," "Don't Happen Twice," "Live Those Songs Again," "Anything But Mine" and "I Go Back."
"The American family farmer -- like Americans in small towns everywhere, blue collar workers, anyone who believes in working hard, from the ground up and seeking a dream -- is what this country is made of... and they're in trouble..," Chesney said, citing his reason for participating. "They're being put off the land by big business... That's something we can't forget: protecting the little guy... that's why we're here -- to make sure people remember the American family farmer."
Being sandwiched in between Los Lonely Boys and most recent Farm Aid board member Dave Matthews, Chesney made a point to thank everyone for coming and supporting the cause from the stage. Having brought his band back together for the event -- they will reunite again for Oct. 1's One Country Benefit with George Strait and Alan Jackson at Houston's Reunion Arena for relief from Hurricane Katrina -- the man whose The Road & The Radio drops Nov. 8 showed no signs of being worse for the time off.
"It's amazing how when you play together as much as we have, especially over the last few years, it just comes together," Chesney allowed. "Plus, I think being in such great company kinda gets everybody kicking up their game a little bit… You want to hold your own with the rest of these acts."
In addition to making plans to write a song with Dave Matthews during his time off and getting some sage advice from Willie Nelson about how to live one's life, Chesney was especially glad to be able to give back to the farmers and be a part of raising consciousness about the issues facing the people working outside the parameters of agribusiness.
"It's a lot more complicated than planting seeds, watch ing them grow and bringing in the harvest," says the man whose "Somewhere In The Sun" tv special airs on ABC on Nov. 23rd. "When you're in the grocery store buying lettuce or corn or whatever, you don't realize how much goes into it -- and it's why we need to pay attention, protect these folks and keep the family farmers on the land."
