Bob Dylan‘s words have been the source of many things since the early 1960s — one of them was Farm Aid, which held its first concert 35 years ago today at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.

It’s wasn’t a Dylan lyric that gave rise to what has become America’s longest running benefit concert series, but a comment he made from the stage at Live Aid earlier that year. He said he hoped some of the money they raised would help American farmers in danger of losing their farms through mortgage debt.

That spurred Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young into action, forming the Farm Aid board that, with the addition of Dave Matthews in 2001, has lasted to this day. Since September 22nd, 1985, the organization has raised nearly $60-million for family farmers through its annual concerts.

The first Farm Aid concert featured 55 different acts, including the three board members, Dylan, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, John Fogerty, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Roy Orbison and many more and drew 80,000 people. Since that day there have been Farm Aid concerts in 20 states, not counting 1989, when it encompassed a 16-date tour headlined by Willie Nelson. Illinois has hosted five shows, Virginia and Pennsylvania, three apiece.

This year’s Farm Aid On the Road concert is this Saturday and will, take place virtually. Its lineup features the four board members plus 17 other acts, including Black Pumas, Bonnie Raitt and Boz Scaggs, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton and Norah Jones. It will stream live in HD at farmaid.org, from 8 p.m through 11 p.m. ET.