Willie Nelson‘s Long Ride

May 31, 2009

Willie Nelson’s long Ride
Beyond the music, an interest in food & farms

By Rick Coates

In a recent survey of Europeans, Willie Nelson topped the list of people who most reflect a sense of Americana in the United States.
Nelson, known simply as Willie to his legions of fans, has a worldwide following. He has recorded more than 80 studio and live solo albums in a career that spans 50 years. He has appeared on more than 250 albums as a guest of other performers, all while writing more than 2,500 songs.
Willie rolls into Northern Michigan on his Honeysuckle Rose (#3) tour bus this Sunday to kick off the Interlochen Summer Arts Festival concert series.
Willie’s success in the world of country music has been well documented. While he loves to talk music, he is equally passionate about food and family farms. He has been a long-time advocate of healthy eating, and practices what he preaches.
In the concert industry, contracts are known as “riders” and they detail every aspect of the concert from performance fees to stage set up to what the band will be provided for meals and drinks. These riders are often several pages (sometimes 100 or more) and the “catering” section is as important as the sound and stage sections.

NO JOKE
Food requirements from various musicians on tour have been legendary over the years. From no green M&M’s to only brown eggs, to a lifetime supply of liquor. Often, the artist has no idea about these oddball requests; it is usually management that puts them in as a joke. But in the case of Willie Nelson, his requests are no joke.
His rider calls for very healthy items, such as free-range organic items that are delivered to his tour bus and prepared by his daughter. For example he asks for two gallons of distilled aloe vera.
“It is great for ulcers and other stomach ailments, heartburn relief and constipation,” said Willie, who just turned 76 a month ago. “I have been an advocate for years about eating healthy and knowing where your food comes from.”
Willie’s food advocacy became public in 1985 when he hosted the first Farm Aid concert.
“I heard Dylan say on stage at a benefit for the Ethiopian famine: ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could do something for our American farmers?’” said Willie. “So along with Neil Young and John Mellencamp I started Farm Aid with the idea that an annual concert could solve the problems of the American farmer. What I have come to realize is that without the government changing their policies, no amount of money from a concert is going to save the plight of the family farm.”

CALLING THE PREZ
Willie wasted no time lobbying President Obama on behalf of American farms.
“A few days after he was elected, I sent him a letter. If we can spend a billion dollars bailing out Wall Street, we can spend a billion dollars to bail out the foundation of this country,” said Willie. “Basically, I told him that our organization is out there to help his administration in creating new farm and food policies that supports a sustainable family farm system of agriculture in our country. The policies of the past have wreaked havoc on our family farms, resulting in a negative impact on our communities and our food. The small family farm has been replaced by the large industrial farm. I wanted the President to know we are a resource to turn to.”
Willie has yet to hear from Obama and realizes the President is busy, but the legendary country music star feels it is important that all Americans become vigilant on behalf of the family farmer.
“The fight to save family farms goes beyond just the concerns of the farmer. It is about making sure our food supply is safe,” said Willie. “This is really about making America better. Look at societies of the past that have fallen apart, those are the ones that were unable to feed themselves. We are fast heading in that direction. This movement of supporting the family farm is one that will help our economy; it will create jobs from Main Street to Wall Street.”

GETTING THE WORD OUT
Willie is pleased to see some Americans are starting to get the need to support their local farmer. He feels the work of Farm Aid has helped, along with more information being available.
“With the Internet there is no reason for anyone not to get informed on any issue,” said Willie. “What makes it difficult is that the industrial agriculturalist and their big money lobby’s Washington and the small family farmers’ interest often goes unheard. So we are basically putting the word out that if policies do not change we are going to have 300-plus farmers quitting each week in this country. So we have to wonder if this trend continues where our food will come from.”
As for Willie’s trend for the road, will that continue?
“Every year I get asked if I am going to retire. I always say, ‘Retire from what?’ I only play music and play golf, so what am I going to give up?” chuckles Willie. “I feel very healthy right now, between my food choices, the fact that I took up running and I gave up smoking and drinking. Basically, I am trying to do as much good to my body in the daytime that I was destroying in the nighttime. These changes were pretty simple: either I change or I was going to die.”
One thing Willie isn’t going to change is his love for music and passion for the live performance.
“At the end of the day, for me, it all gets down to the music. It really has and always will be about the music and performing for the fans,” said Willie. “As long as I can keep doing it I am going to.”

Americana icon Willie Nelson brings his band to Interlochen Center for the Arts Kresge Auditorium on Sunday June 7 for the start of the summer concert season. Tickets are close to selling out. For additional information check out interlochen.org or call the box office
800-681-5920.