I just had to say a little about Farm Aid 2007...Getting to be the opening act at Randall's Island had to be one of the coolest things to happen to me in awhile...it was a trip!...i was worried since i was first up and i only had time for 3 songs that i was going to walk away feeling empty and unappreciated...but quite the opposite happened! i got to be introduced by Willie Nelson and John Cougar Mellencamp and kick off the whole day! as my friend dave poe said "you'll be great...you'll do it with love!...just remember it's not about you...and you get to set the tone!"...it was truely an honor! After john fucked with me a little(that's how his sweetness comes out) by introducing me as the "not so young...singersongwriter" (The last time we worked together i was standing on stage and he said "so how big you plan on getting?" i replied "why, you think i gained weight since last year?" and his quick response was: "Hell Yea!!!" and then when i said "well i was thinking i wanted to try to be like you!"...he said: "well, hey There's nothin' wrong with large mammals..."--in both our defenses neither one of us is out of hand...it's just nice to have a little something to rub...but i digress...)so after he gave his little jab and as i walked to the mic pickin' my guitar and smiling at the two of them just taking in the moment he said "go!"... i thought as i started to talk and sing that they would leave...but Willie and john just faded off to the side and stood there with me not five feet from me for my whole first song!...at first it freaked me out for a second...but then it just felt like a wall of support...and who better to be singing my song "i'm not the only one" to! I could look to the audience that was pouring in and filling up the field in support of this great event to support organic sustaneable farming, i could look to john with his slightly pained expression with flashes of joy that creep in as he listens, i could look to cool cat Willie with his gold elvis glasses and feel his slow glide, i could look to myself filled with hope and excitement that i would do this moment some kind of justice, and i could look to the hot sun and remember that we're all under it! After i sang my first chorus which ends with the refrain: "i'm not the only one" and a few audience members yelled in appreciation or commiseration or whatever...and i saw willie and john smilling and clapping in approval with the audience...i felt so filled up with life! I thought WOW! i'm getting to do this! After they patted me on the back with reassurance and sent me on my way...i finished out my set and just kind of rode that wave for the rest of the evening!!!...everyone involved was really great...the performers...the crew guys...and the farm aid staff were all super supportive and super sweet...i think when it's known that the cause your doing something for is a really good one it just kind of permeates everything...i wish i felt like that for my whole country...i'm in washington DC right now and it's strange to be in the nations capitol...at this time...when so many people around the whole world are saying: "what the hell do they think they're doing?!!!...iit's strange to be George W's neighbor! but that's another blog i guess...

just thought i should let my first blog be about what i thought was a really great event...special thanks go out to johm mellencamp for inviting me and to the farm aid staff that were so sweet and helpful to me: esp. carolyn, glenda,kim and mike...tommy and his cousin...and my man Ike! may he rest in peace! sorry i didn't get to tast one of your famous crab cakes! but i still will...somehow!

support your local farmers...i went to the farmers market here in downtown washington DC and got some real nice red peppers! and some local honey...someone once told me it's always good to eat the local honey of wherever it is your gonna be for awhile because it's filled with all that stuff!!!

take it easy...but take it!!!

-jesse