Introduction
Standing Strong Among the Crops: Willie Nelson Serenades with “Last Leaf” at Farm Aid 2024
When Willie Nelson, at 92 years young, takes the stage, it isn’t just music—it’s a testament to enduring spirit, artistry, and purpose. His performance of “Last Leaf” at Farm Aid 2024 in Saratoga Springs was one such profound moment—a live rendition that spoke volumes without a single flash of spectacle.
“Last Leaf” comes from Nelson’s 76th studio album, Last Leaf on the Tree, produced by his son Micah. It’s a poignant cover of a Tom Waits song—its lyrics rich with metaphor, celebrating the resilience to remain when everything else has withered away . And on that stage, Nelson lent it more than notes—he lent it life.
From the first soft strum, you could feel the audience lean in. With his voice both fragile and unwavering, he embodied the song’s central lyric—“I’m the last leaf on the tree.” It wasn’t just a performance—it was a shared declaration: that aging doesn’t equal fading, and that grace often comes in the form of survival.
Farm Aid has been Nelson’s cause since its founding in 1985 . To close out the 40th-anniversary festival with an emotional tribute from his latest album—a work focused on facing life’s final chapters with dignity—felt both fitting and deeply moving. The crowd rose to its feet, not just for nostalgia, but for recognition: here was a man who has never stopped singing, never stopped fighting, never stopped being himself.
In a world obsessed with youth and spectacle, Nelson’s “Last Leaf” reminds us that some of the most powerful art comes from quiet authenticity and lived experience. On that Farm Aid stage, he wasn’t just performing—he was standing tall among the crops he still cares for, singing for a future he’s helping sustain
Video
Lyrics
I’m the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But it won’t take me
I’m the last leaf on the tree
When the autumn wind blows, they’re already gone
They flutter to the ground, they just can’t hang on
When there’s nothing in this world that I ain’t seen
I greet all the new ones that are coming in green
I’m the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But they won’t take me
‘Cause I’m the last leaf on the tree
They say I got staying power
Here on the tree
But I’ve been here since Eisenhower
And I’ve outlived even he
I’m the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But they won’t take me
I’m the last leaf on the tree
I fight off the snow, I fight off the hail
Nothing makes me go, I’m like some vestigial tail
I’ll be here through eternity, if you wanna know how long
If they cut down this tree, I’ll show up in a song
I’m the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But they won’t take me
I’m the last leaf on the tree
I’m the last leaf on the tree
I’m the last leaf on the tree