Clint’s Classic Clips: Jason & The Scorchers “White Lies” Farm Aid, 1986

A typically electrifying performance from the band that for many provided the stepping stone from punk to americana.

Farm Aid was set up by Willie Nelson and Neil Young and began in 1985 to raise money for small American family farmers who were struggling to stay in business. It has run every year since, including the online ‘At Home With Farm Aid’ during the pandemic in 2020. The clip here comes from Farm Aid II held in 1986 at the Manor Downs race track near Austin, Texas. An impressive bill included Bob Dylan, Bon Jovi, The Beach Boys, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Neil Young with the Grateful Dead playing via satellite from the Rich Stadium in Buffalo. As well as such established stars Farm Aid has always also promoted newer acts and as well as Jason & The Scorchers the 1986 show also featured The Blasters, Steve Earle, Los Lobos and X. The organisers weren’t averse to throwing in a bit of cheese too, among those performing whilst you returned to the bar or queued for the toilets were Alabama, Exile and er.. Julio Iglesias!

Back to the clip though, ‘White Lies’ comes from Jason & The Scorchers 1985 album ‘Lost & Found’ which along with most of their early catalogue was a vibrant and exciting record. However, as this clip shows, it was as a live act that they really came into their own. Enjoy!

About Clint West 319 Articles
From buying my first record aged 10 and attending my first gig at 14, music has been a lifelong obsession. A proud native of Suffolk, I have lived in and around Manchester for the best part of 30 years. My idea of a perfect day would be a new record arriving in the post in the morning, watching Ipswich Town win in the afternoon followed by a gig and a pint with my mates at night,
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Steve Goldsmith

Jason is an absolute stalwart of the americana scene often touring over here. And this is one of his great songs . https://youtu.be/v2En6GnLaCw