LIVE FEED (Items on Farm Aid, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Kenny Chesney, Cherryholmes, Keith Urban)

Ahead of today's Farm Aid concert in Mansfield, Massachusetts, Willie Nelson announced that the organization is giving $30,000 dollars to charities in Texas and Louisiana, states recently effected by Hurricane Ike.
Since the first show back in 1985, over 30 million dollars has been raised by the longest-running benefit show in the U.S.
People magazine takes us back to that very first show (which included, among others, Johnny & June, Van Halen, B.B. King, John Fogerty, Lone Justice, X and Arlo Guthrie- who's performing at today's show- along with a young chap known circa MCMLXXXV as "former Pure Prairie League vocalist Vince Gill").
Meanwhile, Willie, who writes the checks, promises a lineup today that stretches from Boston to Brazil. And when Willie performs, he might do "Whiskey River" twice, which may or may not be on purpose.
If you're going to Farm Aid, you'll be interested to know that you can belly up to "concessions that feature family farm-identified foods" (try the good ol' all-natural buffalo-and-cranberry Tanka Bar!).
If you're watching at home on Directv (on their 101 Network, starting at 4:00 est), you can feast on knowing that your donations to enrich family farming in America will be doubled by the satellite TV provider.

Middle Age Crazy: Who is the new face of Banquet TV dinners? Lee Ann Womack, who good folks at ConAgra Foods hope will help steer the frozen din-dins into the microwaves of "its core demographic: country music-loving moms."
Meanwhile, Lee Ann was in New York this week previewing songs from her upcoming "Call Me Crazy" album and The Times was there.

Carribean King: Kenny Chesney, at Farm Aid today, is November's cover boy (and feature) at Caribbean Travel & Leisure magazine.

Cherry Springer: Family bluegrass band Cherryholmes is attempting to break into mainstream country music with their next release.

You Look Good in My Apron: Keith Urban's played concerts before ka-zillions, but his wife prefers his kitchen shows at home near Nashville.

Pod People: The iPods of Salinas, Kansas are loaded with lots of country music, which is a sure-fire headache cure.