Farm Aid stages America’s longest running annual concert event that unites farmers, artists, consumers, and concerned citizens to build a powerful movement for good food from family farms. Throughout the year, Farm Aid promotes food from family farms through inspiring and informative television, radio, mail, and web campaigns.

Tickets for this year’s Farm Aid will go on sale to the general public July 28 at 10am EST.

NEW YORK — Once a year, New York City hosts a grand celebration of the art of songwriting. Each time around, the Songwriters Hall of Fame — founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and currently chaired by Burt Bacharach’s famed writing partner, lyricist Hal David — leaves the flashy sets and gaudy glitz to the Grammys and honors another batch of esteemed songwriters at a classy, but cool, induction ceremony.

Thursday night (June 19), in a posh but understated banquet room at the Marriott Marquis hotel in the heart of Times Square, upwards of a thousand guests — mostly music-biz invitees — gathered to witness the honors. Those being feted came from wildly disparate ends of the musical spectrum, from Broadway to alt-rock, but the little lady who brought the house down was, in the words of Hal David, “the pride of Butcher Holler, Kentucky” — Loretta Lynn.

CMT continues:

During the course of the nearly three-hour-long festivities, a wealth of singers, songwriters and styles were represented onstage. Hit doctor Desmond Child delivered a medley of tunes he has penned for everyone from Ricky Martin to presenter Joan Jett. Paul Anka unabashedly undertook a “duet” with the recorded voice of Frank Sinatra on Anka’s “My Way” (admittedly the night’s nadir). Show tune shaman Alan Menken sat at a piano and picked out his Disney hits from the likes of The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. But for all the diversity on display, it seems unlikely that anyone in attendance could have left the event holding anything closer to their heart than the memory of the irrepressible force of nature that is Loretta Lynn.

Congrats goes out to Loretta on an amazing life and career.

Alan Jackson will be on the road this year in support of his new album, Good Time.

May 1 — Laredo, TX
May 2 — Corpus Christi, TX
May 3 — Bossier City, LA
May 5 — Spokane, WA
May 8 — Portland, OR
May 9 — Tacoma, WA
May 10 — Vancouver, BC Canada
May 14 — Albugquerque, NM
May 16 — San Jacinto, CA
June 21 — Somnerset, WI
June 28 — Dauphin, MB Canada
July 25 — Kelseyville, CA
July 26 — Costa Mesa, CA
July 27 — Paso Robles, CA

Tour dates are subject to change. For more info and tour dates go to Alan Jackson.com

(source: Great American Country (GAC) and image credit: Staynergirl)