Willie Nelson’s “Last Leaf” Performance at Farm Aid Left No Dry Eyes
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Willie Nelson performed at Farm Aid 2026, bringing his signature sound to the music festival he helped created in 1985.
What Is Farm Aid?
Farm Aid has been bringing together music and support for America’s family farmers since 1985, when Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young organized the first benefit concert in Champaign, Illinois.
The event was created during a severe farm crisis, as falling crop prices, rising interest rates and financial pressures were forcing many family farmers off their land. What began as a single concert grew into a year-round nonprofit organization focused on helping family farmers stay on the land and strengthening the family-farm food system.
Over the past four decades, Farm Aid has become one of the most anticipated annual music events, with legendary performers sharing the stage alongside newer artists. The organization says it has raised more than $90 million since its founding, supporting programs that provide resources to farmers, promote family-farm food and advocate for a stronger agricultural system.
Farm Aid 2026 took place September 26 at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, marking the festival’s first time in the city. The lineup featured Farm Aid veterans Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, along with Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff, Turnpike Troubadours, Lukas Nelson, Ty Myers, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Jesse Welles, Sierra Ferrell, Mon Rovîa, I’m With Her, Amythyst Kiah, Lily Meola and Chris Pierce.
The 2026 festival also continued Farm Aid’s tradition of putting farmers at the center of the celebration, with homegrown food and agricultural experiences alongside the music. For more than 40 years, the event has used the power of music to bring attention to the challenges facing family farmers while celebrating the people who grow food and help sustain communities across the country.
Willie Nelson Performed A 15-Song Set
When it came time for the 93-year-old country legend to take the stage, he performed 15 songs including his legendary hits “On The Road Again,” “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground,” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.”
Neil Young, Lukas Nelson, Lily Meola, Nathaniel Rateliff, Margo Price, and Turnpike Troubadours all joined Nelson onstage for memorable performances. True to his iconic style, Nelson wore his signature red bandana and had his beloved guitar, Trigger, by his side, secured with his unmistakable red, white, and blue guitar strap.
With Young, Nelson performed “Are There Any More Real Cowboys?”
The legend’s son, Lukas, joined him on stage to sing the Pearl Jam song “Just Breathe.”
But the most memorable performance of the night was Willie singing “Last Leaf,” a song written and originally performed by Tom Waits. Nelson released his version in 2024 as the first single off his 76th solo album Last Leaf on the Tree.
In the song, he sings about being the last leaf on the tree, or the last of his friends still standing. This song strikes a different chord, because it comes just a a month after the passing of his great friend, Dolly Parton.
In a recent interview, he revealed that he saw Parton shortly before her death and had no clue that she was sick, saying, “I had no idea. I did an interview with her shortly before [she died.] She seemed fine.”
After watching video of his performance, one fan commented, “This song made me tear up. I was thinking of him and others we have lost from his era. I thought about growing up listening to him and many others at my nana and grampa’s on the different variety shows.”
In fact, we’re pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the venue after watching this performance. It’s always a special treat to see a legend like Nelson take the stage, but knowing how many loved ones he’s lost over the years, and hearing him sing these lyrics with that history behind them, makes the moment hit a little differently.
Watch him perform “Last Leaf” below.
