Nathaniel Rateliff has joined the board of directors for Farm Aid. The “S.O.B.” singer was elevated to the board in a unanimous vote, according to a release from Farm Aid on Wednesday morning (Feb. 11), where he will sit alongside the event’s co-founders, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, as well as fellow artist board members Dave Matthews and Margo Price.
“Farm Aid has made a huge impact on me,” Rateliff said in a statement. “It is always one of my favorite events of the year. It is an honor and a privilege to join my heroes and peers as a Farm Aid board member. I look forward to working together to continue educating the public on the struggles family farmers face and to raise money to support them for a better future.”
Hermann, Missouri-bred Rateliff is the third artist to be added to Farm Aid’s board since its founding more than four decades ago. Rateliff has long been a supporter of the organization, first taking the stage on Farm Aid Eve in 2013 and then performing repeatedly over the years, taking the main stage with his band, the Night Sweats, in 2016. According to the release, since then he has leaned further into the organization’s goal of supporting America’s family farmers, often showing up as a performer and as a featured speaker on the FarmYard stage to help amplify the organization’s mission.
After the first Night Sweats appearance in 2016, Rateliff knew he wanted to continue working with Farm Aid and take the stage on an annual basis. “Since then, he has only leaned further into the work, using the annual festival not only as a performance opportunity but as a space to learn — especially about the challenges farmers face and the vital role they play in sustaining their communities,” according to the organization. Those deeper conversations have resulted in the creation of the Marigold Project, Rateliff’s foundation dedicated to funding strategies to confront income inequality, boost civic engagement and expand equitable access to growing and eating good food, as well as advancing gender and racial justice.
Since 1985, Farm Aid has raised more than $90 million to support programs helping American family farms. The date and lineup for this year’s Farm Aid has not yet been announced. Last year’s show in Minneapolis featured Nelson, Young, Bob Dylan, Mellencamp, Matthews, Price, Kenny Chesney, Billy Strings, Rateliff, Lukas Nelson, Trampled By Turtles and others.
