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Episode premiere: ACL 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors John Prine

Iconic television series Austin City Limits (ACL) returns on Saturday, January 13 with a special broadcast: Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors John Prine, saluting the late legendary singer-songwriter and newest inductee John Prine and featuring an all-star slate of guest performers paying tribute to their friend, hero and inspiration: Tyler Childers, Valerie June, Tommy Prine, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell and Kurt Vile. The hour-long broadcast premieres Saturday, January 13 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on PBS. Check local PBS listings for times. The special will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, January 14 at 10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits. A special companion Hall of Fame hour salutes fellow inductee Trisha Yearwood and will close out Season 49 on March 2. The series returns January 20 ringing in a new year with all-new episodes as part of its Season 49. The Peabody Award-winning program, produced by Austin PBS and recorded live at ACL’s studio home ACL Live in Austin, Texas, continues its extraordinary run as the longest-running music television show in history. ACL provides viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for 49 years as this American music institution nears a remarkable half-century milestone this year. Willie Nelson taped the pilot episode in 1974 and the trailblazing series premiered in 1975. Stay tuned for news on special concerts, fan events and activations as Austin City Limits salutes an incredible legacy of 50 golden years of American musical history and iconic performances. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) and full episodes are made available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits following the initial broadcast.  

Since the inaugural 2014 ACL Hall of Fame honoring Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan, the music-filled salutes have become fan-favorites. Austin City Limits takes viewers inside the celebration with a pair of deep-dive presentations from this year’s Inductions, recorded live in Austin, Texas on October 26, 2023. The special installments, Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors, will bookend the second half of the season and salute newly-minted inductees John Prine and Trisha Yearwood with separate hours that showcase each artist’s Hall of Fame tribute, featuring musical performances, along with extended highlights including induction speeches and vintage clips from the honorees’ multiple appearances on Austin City Limits.

The first HOF episode premieres January 13 at 7pm CT/8pm ET, toasting the late singer-songwriter John Prine. Actor Ethan Hawke inducts the beloved icon posthumously as music greats Tyler Childers, Valerie June, Tommy Prine, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell and Kurt Vile salute the celebrated artist in a heartfelt hour featuring exclusive ACL intimate tributes alongside highlights from Prine’s eight appearances on the ACL stage. Rounding out Season 49 on March 2 at 7pm CT/8pm ET is a Hall of Fame tribute to country superstar Trisha Yearwood, Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Trisha Yearwood, with Don Henley handling induction honors and musical salutes featuring Henley, Brandy Clark, Ronnie Dunn, Jo Dee Messina and Brothers Osborne along with vintage clips from Yearwood’s four classic ACL appearances.

John Prine made his ACL debut in 1979, and the captivating hour opens with vintage highlights from his eight appearances, including a 2002 appearance joining Bonnie Raitt for one of his most iconic songs, “Angel from Montgomery,” and his final ACL appearance in 2018, showcasing gems from his late-career triumph The Tree of Forgiveness. Actor Ethan Hawke, a longtime fan, tips his hat to the revered songwriter and delivers a rousing, inspired induction, celebrating Prine’s “homespun genius,” saying, “To love John Prine and his songs is to be part of one of the greatest conversations imaginable,” and calls him “a vivid, beautiful example of a singer-songwriter who chased excellence and truth rather than fame.” John’s widow Fiona, joined by their three sons, accepts on his behalf, saying “Austin City Limits, in its 50th year, continues to uphold the songwriter and the song,” and “for John, getting that call (to appear) was a thrill every single time.” 

Prine’s youngest son Tommy kicks off the musical tribute with one of his favorite songs by his late father, “Souvenirs,” saying, “This song made it into every single setlist, pretty much every show he every played,” and closes with a poignant “I miss you Daddy.” A stellar slate of singer-songwriter aces take the stage to salute their hero in song: Prine’s cross-generational appeal is evident as indie songwriter-guitarist Kurt Vile performs a wistful, solo acoustic “How Lucky,” a Prine gem he recorded with Prine himself shortly before his 2020 passing; Allison Russell calls Prine “a foundational influence as a writer and as a human,” and renders a soaring “Storm Windows,” the title track of Prine’s 1980 album, backed by the ACL All-Stars house band, led by pedal steel ace Lloyd Maines; Nathaniel Rateliff hails, “We love you Handsome Johnny,” and regales the crowd with stories of Prine’s legendary wit and storytelling, before launching into a faithful rendition of “All the Best,” from Prine’s seminal 1991 album The Missing Years; Tyler Childers, who appeared as a guest of Prine during his final ACL appearance in 2018 for Season 44, performs one of his favorite John Prine songs, the honky-tonker “Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You,” from the songwriter’s 1972 Diamonds in the Rough. Prine was “the gospel truth,” says Valerie June, and delivers a sparkling “Angel From Montgomery,” the Prine classic from his 1971 self-titled debut. The all-star cast returns for a poignant “Paradise,” trading verses on the Prine signature, with Tommy Prine taking his father’s last verse for a moving close and a standing ovation. 

The night’s performers are accompanied by the ACL All-Stars house band, led by ACL Hall of Famer, renowned steel guitarist and musical director Lloyd Maines, and featuring guitarist David Grissom, keyboardist Chris Gage, bassist Bill Whitbeck and drummer Tom Van Schaik.

“We had planned to induct John into the ACL Hall of Fame in 2020, before he tragically became an early victim of the Covid pandemic,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “There were many well-deserved tributes at the time, but this year finally felt like the right moment to recognize his long history with ACL. Working closely with John’s family, we created a special celebration of his impact on singers and songwriters across so many genres.”

Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors John Prine (in order of appearance):

Tommy Prine “Souvenirs”

Kurt Vile “How Lucky”

Allison Russell “Storm Windows”

Nathaniel Rateliff “All the Best”

Tyler Childers “Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You”

Valerie June “Angel From Montgomery”

All-Star Finale “Paradise”

The second half of ACL”s Season 49 continues in January with a diverse slate spotlighting multiple 2024 Grammy nominees: Five-time Grammy Award-winning innovator Robert Glasper, newly-nominated for a pair of 2024 Grammy Awards, brings his celebrated Black Radio series to life on the ACL stage joined by a trio of multiple Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning special guests, including R&B singers Emily King and Yebba, along with rapper D Smoke; sharing the hour is eclectic, next-generation jazz duo DOMi and JD BECK, nominated for a 2023 Best New Artist Grammy, making their ACL debut with songs from their debut Not Tight. Breakout Vermont singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, nominated for a 2024 Best New Artist Grammy, makes a highly-anticipated debut on the ACL stage with songs from his acclaimed Stick Season; sharing the hour is the groundbreaking all-female mariachi act Flor de Toloache, with numbers from their 2024 Grammy-nominated album Motherflower. A season highlight is the long-awaited comeback, after nearly four decades, of country icon and Texas native Tanya Tucker for a must-see performance of career classics and new gems from her Sweet Western Sound; sharing the hour is country breakout Brittney Spencer with selections from her upcoming debut My Stupid Life

ACL spotlights a number of popular acts with career-spanning hours: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legends Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo make their first-ever appearance on the series with an epic hour of classic rock highlights with the hitmakers showcasing gems from across their career; modern rock superstar Alanis Morissette makes her ACL debut with an hour of classics in an ecstatic live performance; ACL Hall of Fame icon Bonnie Raitt returns for the first time in a decade with a selection of favorites and highlights from her triple 2023 Grammy-winning album Just Like That… in a sterling new hour.

Season 49 Broadcast Schedule (Second Half):

January 13 Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors John Prine

January 20 Robert Glasper | DOMi and JD BECK

January 27 Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

February 3 Tanya Tucker | Brittney Spencer

February 10 Noah Kahan | Flor de Toloache

February 17 Alanis Morissette

February 24 Bonnie Raitt

March 2 Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Trisha Yearwood

Watch new episodes live, stream online, or download the PBS App. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding upcoming Season 50 tapings, live streams and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter, IG and TikTok. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. Now in its 49th Season, the program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic Austin PBS Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012. ACL celebrates 50 years as an American music institution in 2024.  

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, the Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic and AXS Ticketing. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

Austin City Limits Hall of FameIn 2014, Austin PBS, KLRU-TV — creator and producer of the legendary PBS show Austin City Limits — established the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame to recognize legendary musicians and key individuals who have been instrumental in making television’s longest-running popular music show an institution. Each year a new class of honorees are inducted and celebrated at a live event taped to air on PBS. It is also a historical archive, educational resource and celebration of Austin City Limits —telling the story of the show through photos, a timeline/anthology mural and in the near future, an interactive database of vintage Austin City Limits performances and video footage of interviews, behind-the-scenes and never before seen performances throughout the decades. Honorees to-date include Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Flaco Jiménez, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, B.B. King, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Roy Orbison, Marcia Ball, Ray Charles, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Sheryl Crow, John Prine and Trisha Yearwood.

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Hall of Fame News

Bid on a piece of Austin City Limits History in Austin PBS’s 2023 Hall of Fame Auction

Enter the 2023 ACL Hall of Fame Auction for a Chance to Win Artist Signed Posters, Custom Guitars, and more Austin City Limits Collectibles!

As a part of the 2023 ACL Hall of Fame, honoring Trisha Yearwood and John Prine, Austin PBS and ACL have created a special online auction featuring an array of once-in-a-lifetime items and experiences. This auction marks the start of a year-long celebration of Austin City Limits’ 50th Anniversary Season in 2024.

Register to bid and view all the items featured in the auction before it opens on Wednesday, October 25 at 10 a.m. CT. 

Items include access to tapings during Season 50, a custom Collings C-10 guitar using wood from the original ACL Studio 6A stage, a Gibson Les Paul to be signed by all the Season 50 artists, signed posters from deep in the archives, autographed Soundwaves fine art honoring the honorees, private parties and screening, one-of-a-kind mementos and more. Auction closes Friday, October 27 at 10 a.m. CT

Proceeds from the night go directly back to the Austin PBS station to continue our work in the community, support Made In Austin productions like Austin City Limits and to celebrate Season 50 of ACL.

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Featured Hall of Fame News Taping Announcement

Austin City Limits Announces Full Line-Up for 2023 ACL Hall of Fame

Austin City Limits proudly announces additional guest performers for the 2023 ACL Hall of Fame Inductions & Celebration on October 26, 2023. Acclaimed singer-songwriters Brandy Clark, Valerie June, Nathaniel Rateliff and Grammy-winning duo Brothers Osborne will join the previously announced line-up of music luminaries slated to perform: Tyler Childers, Ronnie Dunn, Don Henley, Jo Dee Messina, Tommy Prine, Allison Russell and Kurt Vile. The all-star line-up will salute a pair of American originals—country superstar Trisha Yearwood and late, beloved singer-songwriter John Prine—with one-of-a-kind music performances and intimate tributes as they are inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame. All-star guests will handle induction honors on this epic night: Don Henley will induct Trisha Yearwood; renowned actor and filmmaker Ethan Hawke will induct John Prine posthumously. 

The inductees will be honored at a star-studded ceremony at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame is produced by Austin PBS. Musical highlights and inductions from the celebration will air as a pair of companion Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors installments dedicated to each inductee, set to air in January 2024 on PBS.

Co-founder of the Eagles Don Henley, will induct his longtime friend Trisha Yearwood and perform in tribute. Brandy Clark and Brothers Osborne join country greats Jo Dee Messina and Ronnie Dunn in saluting Yearwood; additionally, honoree Yearwood is slated to perform with Don Henley at the celebration. Actor and Austin native Ethan Hawke will induct John Prine, who passed away in 2020. Music great Nathaniel Rateliff and musician, artist, and bestselling author Valerie June join the musical salute as a stellar slate of guest artists take the stage to pay tribute to their friend, mentor and inspiration, including acclaimed singer-songwriter Tyler Childers, who performed with Prine during his final ACL taping in 2018 for Season 44, Americana great Allison Russell, and singer, songwriter and guitar ace Kurt Vile. John’s son, singer-songwriter Tommy Prine, will perform in honor of his father.

ACL Hall of Famer, renowned steel guitarist and producer Lloyd Maines, returns as Music Director, leading the ACL All-Stars house band featuring guitarist David Grissom, keyboardist Chris Gage, bassist Bill Whitbeck and drummer Tom Van Schaik

The event is open to the public and a limited number of tickets are on sale at acltv.com/hall-of-fame.  Sponsor packages are available at acltv.com/hall-of-fame. All proceeds benefit Austin PBS

Austin City Limits celebrates 50 years as a live music beacon with a yearlong milestone celebration beginning in 2024: on October 17, 1974, Willie Nelson taped the pilot episode and the trailblazing series premiered in 1975. Stay tuned for news on special concerts, fan events and activations as Austin City Limits salutes an incredible legacy of 50 golden years of American musical history and iconic performances. 

Since its inception in 2014, the annual ACL Hall of Fame celebration honors the legendary artists who helped to build the legacy of the trailblazing music series as it nears a remarkable half-century milestone as a music institution. The inaugural awards honored Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The ninth class of inductees features two legendary acts: Multiple GRAMMY®, CMA® and ACM® Award-winner Trisha Yearwood debuted on the series in Season 17 in 1992. She went on to make two additional headlining appearances in 1996 and 2000 and returned in Season 41 in 2015 as a guest of Don Henley. The late singer-songwriter John Prine appeared regularly on ACL throughout his celebrated five-decade career. Prine made his first Austin City Limits appearance in 1978, in the third season of the nascent show, and returned for his eighth and final appearance forty years later in Season 44 in 2018. The influential artist appeared on a Songwriters Special in 1983 alongside peers including Guy Clark and Rodney Crowell, and made headlining appearances in 1988, 1992 and 1996; and in 2002 appeared as a special guest of Bonnie Raitt. Austin City Limits saluted Prine with a posthumous retrospective hour in 2020, which aired as the season premiere of Season 46 and highlighted classic gems from his catalog.

Established in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame celebrates the legacy of legendary artists and key individuals who have played a vital part in the pioneering music series remarkable nearly half-century as a music institution. The Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty artists at eight previous ceremonies including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, Marcia Ball, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, Shawn Colvin, Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo. The eighth annual Hall of Fame in 2022 welcomed Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely to its ranks. 

Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by AXS Ticketing.

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Featured Hall of Fame News

ACL announces Hall of Fame 2023 guest performers

Austin City Limits (ACL) announces an all-star slate of guest performers and presenters for the 2023 ACL Hall of Fame Inductions & Celebration on October 26, 2023, recognizing two beacons of American music: celebrated country superstar Trisha Yearwood and late, beloved singer-songwriter John Prine. All-star guests will handle induction honors on this epic night: Don Henley will induct Trisha Yearwood; renowned actor Ethan Hawke will induct John Prine posthumously. A parade of music luminaries including Henley, Jo Dee Messina, Ronnie Dunn, Tyler Childers, Allison Russell, Kurt Vile and Tommy Prine will take part in saluting the honorees with one-of-a-kind music performances and intimate tributes. 

The inductees will be honored at a star-studded ceremony at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame is produced by Austin PBS. Additional special guests will be announced prior to the event. Musical highlights and inductions from the celebration will air as a pair of companion Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors installments dedicated to each inductee, set to air in January 2024 on PBS.

Don Henley. Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.

Co-founder of the Eagles Don Henley, will induct his longtime friend Trisha Yearwood and perform in tribute. Yearwood and Henley performed together during his ACL debut in 2015 in Season 41. Country greats Jo Dee Messina and Ronnie Dunn will also pay homage with salutes; additionally, Yearwood is slated to perform at the celebration. Renowned actor and Austin native Ethan Hawke will induct John Prine, who passed away in 2020. A stellar slate of artists will take the stage to pay tribute in song to their friend, mentor and inspiration: acclaimed singer-songwriter Tyler Childers, who performed with Prine during his final ACL taping in 2018 for Season 44; Americana great Allison Russell; and singer, songwriter and guitar ace Kurt Vile. John’s son, singer-songwriter Tommy Prine, will perform in honor of his father.

Ethan Hawke. Photo by Francois Berthier.

ACL Hall of Famer, renowned steel guitarist and producer Lloyd Maines, returns as Music Director, leading the ACL All-Stars house band featuring guitarist David Grissom, keyboardist Chris Gage, bassist Bill Whitbeck and drummer Tom Van Schaik

Jo Dee Messina. Photo by John Zocco.

The event is open to the public and a limited number of tickets are on sale at acltv.com/hall-of-fame.  Sponsor packages are available at acltv.com/hall-of-fame. All proceeds benefit Austin PBS

Allison Russell. Photo by Dana Trippe.

Austin City Limits celebrates 50 years as a live music beacon with a yearlong milestone celebration beginning in October 2024: on October 17, 1974, Willie Nelson taped the pilot episode and the trailblazing series premiered in 1975. Stay tuned for news on special concerts, fan events and activations as Austin City Limits salutes an incredible legacy of 50 golden years of American musical history and iconic performances. 

Ronnie Dunn. Photo by Jim Arndt.

Since its inception in 2014, the annual ACL Hall of Fame celebration honors the legendary artists who helped to build the legacy of the trailblazing music series as it nears a remarkable half-century milestone as a music institution. The inaugural awards honored Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The ninth class of inductees features two legendary acts: Multiple GRAMMY®, CMA® and ACM® Award-winner Trisha Yearwood debuted on the series in Season 17 in 1992. She went on to make two additional headlining appearances in 1996 and 2000 and returned in Season 41 in 2015 as a guest of Don Henley. The late singer-songwriter John Prine appeared regularly on ACL throughout his celebrated five-decade career. Prine made his first Austin City Limits appearance in 1978, in the third season of the nascent show, and returned for his eighth and final appearance forty years later in Season 44 in 2018. The influential artist appeared on a Songwriters Special in 1983 alongside peers including Guy Clark and Rodney Crowell, and made headlining appearances in 1988, 1992 and 1996; and in 2002 appeared as a special guest of Bonnie Raitt. Austin City Limits saluted Prine with a posthumous retrospective hour in 2020, which aired as the season premiere of Season 46 and highlighted classic gems from his catalog.

Kurt Vile. Photo by Adam Wallacavage.

Established in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame celebrates the legacy of legendary artists and key individuals who have played a vital part in the pioneering music series remarkable nearly half-century as a music institution. The Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty artists at eight previous ceremonies including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, Marcia Ball, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, Shawn Colvin, Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo. The eighth annual Hall of Fame in 2022 welcomed Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely to its ranks. 

Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by AXS Ticketing.

Tyler Childers. Photo by Sam Waxman.

Austin City Limits Hall of FameIn 2014, Austin PBS, KLRU-TV — creator and producer of the legendary PBS show Austin City Limits — established the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame to recognize legendary musicians and key individuals who have been instrumental in making television’s longest-running popular music show an institution. Each year a new class of honorees are inducted and celebrated at a live event taped to air on PBS. It is also a historical archive, educational resource and celebration of Austin City Limits —telling the story of the show through photos, a timeline/anthology mural and in the near future, an interactive database of vintage Austin City Limits performances and video footage of interviews, behind-the-scenes and never before seen performances throughout the decades. Honorees to-date include Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Flaco Jiménez, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, B.B. King, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Roy Orbison, Marcia Ball, Ray Charles, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely and Sheryl Crow.

Tommy Prine. Photo by Emma Delevante.
Categories
Featured Hall of Fame News

JOHN PRINE AND TRISHA YEARWOOD JOIN ACL HALL OF FAME

Austin City Limits (ACL) is proud to announce the newest class of Austin City Limits Hall of Fame inductees, recognizing two beacons of American music: Celebrated country superstar Trisha Yearwood and late songwriting giant John Prine. The ACL Hall of Fame celebrates this stellar pair of pioneering artists with longtime ties to ACL. The 2023 ACL Hall of Fame inductees will be saluted at a star-studded ceremony to be held October 26, 2023 at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. More information about guest performers, presenters and additional guest stars will be announced prior to the event.  Musical highlights and inductions from the ceremony will air on PBS in 2024.

The event will be open to the public and tickets will be on sale June 23 at 10am CT at acltv.com/hall-of-fame.  Sponsor packages are available now at acltv.com/hall-of-fame. All proceeds benefit Austin PBS.

Since its inception in 2014, the ACL Hall of Fame has honored legendary artists who have played a vital part in the trailblazing music series remarkable nearly half-century as a music institution. The inaugural awards honored Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The ninth class of inductees features two legendary acts: Multiple GRAMMY®, CMA® and ACM® Award-winner Trisha Yearwood debuted on the series in Season 17 in 1992. She went on to make two additional headlining appearances in 1996 and 2000 and returned in Season 41 in 2015 as a guest of Don Henley. The late singer-songwriter John Prine, who passed away in 2020, appeared regularly on ACL throughout his celebrated five-decade career. Prine made his first Austin City Limits appearance in 1978, in the third season of the nascent show, and returned for his eighth and final appearance forty years later in Season 44 in 2018. The influential artist appeared on a Songwriters Special in 1983 alongside peers including Guy Clark and Rodney Crowell, and made headlining appearances in 1988, 1992 and 1996; and in 2002 appeared as a special guest of Bonnie Raitt. Austin City Limits saluted Prine with a posthumous retrospective hour in 2020, which aired as the season premiere of Season 46 and highlighted classic gems from his catalog.

“John Prine and Trisha Yearwood represent both the growth and continuity of ACL’s legacy,” says longtime ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. “John was the consummate songwriter whose body of work on ACL spans decades. Trisha was one of a new breed of women in Country music, and one of the first to recognize ACL’s value and impact. They are foundational artists in ACL’s rich legacy.”

Honorees and their families shared their reactions to joining the ranks of outstanding artists who have been inducted into the Austin City Limits  Hall of Fame:

Trisha Yearwood: “Appearing on Austin City Limits for the first time in 1992 was a rite of passage for me as an artist. After watching all of my heroes grace that stage, walking onto it myself was a spiritual experience. I am so honored to go into the ACL Hall of Fame, made even sweeter by going in alongside my friend John Prine. Getting to sing with John was one of the highlights of my career, and I’m proud to share the evening honoring his memory.”

Fiona Whelan Prine: “We are delighted and honored that Austin City Limits will induct John into its esteemed Hall of Fame. ACL is an important institution, celebrating the very best of American music and performances. John was always proud to appear on Austin City Limits. This induction would be a proud moment for him to join some of the artists he most admired. It is especially meaningful that he will be inducted alongside his dear friend, and duet partner, Trisha Yearwood.”

About the 2023 Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honorees:

John Prine: 

Called “the Mark Twain of American songwriting” by Rolling Stone, Prine’s singular talent and his ability to write songs about everyday lives and the human condition are revered by generations of songwriters. The Maywood, Illinois native went on to become one of the most highly acclaimed and beloved singer-songwriters in American musical history, with fans ranging from Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Bonnie Raitt to Jason Isbell and Kacey Musgraves. His 1971 self-titled debut arrived already packed with classics including “Sam Stone,” “Paradise,” and “Angel From Montgomery,” and was only the first in a long line of stunning collections of insightful, witty, and heartfelt songs and stories. With nineteen studio albums, the folk hero was a four-time GRAMMY® winner, the recipient of a GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019, the Americana Music Association’s Artist of the Year for consecutive years in 2017, 2018 and 2020, and the recipient of the 2016 PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award. Prine had a remarkable final act: his final album, 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness, was both his most lauded and successful, debuting in the top 5 on the Billboard 200, earning a pair of GRAMMY® Awards. Prine appeared on Austin City Limits no less than nine times: as a headlining artist in 1978, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2005 and 2018, and 2020’s posthumous retrospective, and on a songwriters special in 1983 and as a special guest of Bonnie Raitt in 2002. Prine passed away in 2020 but leaves behind an extraordinary body of work and his enduring legacy lives on.

Trisha Yearwood: 

Following three decades in the spotlight, numerous GRAMMY®, CMA® and ACM® Awards to her name, countless multiplatinum certifications, twelve studio albums and millions of fans entertained, the same passion still motivates and moves Trisha Yearwood. The singer, actress, best-selling author, chef, personality and entrepreneur derives deep fulfillment from simply walking up to a microphone and pouring her heart out by way of a celebrated powerhouse voice. In 2019, she continued that tradition with her first solo full-length since 2007, a collection of Frank Sinatra covers and one original entitled Let’s Be Frank. Later that year, Trisha unveiled her highly anticipated new single, “Every Girl in This Town,” setting the stage for the release of her first full-length country record in over a decade, Every Girl, and nationwide tour. The first single achieved the highest debut and biggest add day of her career. Every Girl: Deluxe, includes a new acoustic re-recording of her 1991 debut album’s lead single “She’s In Love With The Boy.” Trisha made history when the original “She’s In Love With The Boy” vaulted to #1 and cemented her as the first female country artist to have a debut single reach the top of the country charts. It was the first in a series of top 10 hits throughout the nineties, and in 2021 she made history once again when the country evergreen was named “the MOST listened to country song by a Female Artist in the history of Billboard’s Country Airplay Charts.” Every Girl: Deluxe upholds and extends the timeless entertainer’s legacy for a new generation of fans. Adding to that legacy, Yearwood has appeared on Austin City Limits four times – as a headliner in 1992, 1996, and 2000, and returning as a guest of Don Henley in 2015.

Established in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame celebrates the legacy of legendary artists and key individuals who have played a vital part in the pioneering music series remarkable nearly half-century as a music institution. The inaugural induction ceremony in 2014 honored Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, program creator Bill Arhos and Darrell Royal. 2015’s second annual ACL Hall of Fame ceremony honored Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez and Townes Van Zandt, along with the original crew of the show’s first season in 1974-75. The 2016 Hall of Fame honored Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt and B.B. King, alongside former ACL executive producer Dick Peterson.  2017’s Hall of Fame honored Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash and The Neville Brothers, and the 50th Anniversary of the Public Broadcasting Act.  2018’s fifth anniversary class featured the inductions of Ray Charles, Marcia Ball and Los Lobos. The 2019 Hall of Fame welcomed Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy and Shawn Colvin to its ranks. The seventh annual Hall of Fame in 2021 welcomed Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo. The eighth annual Hall of Fame in 2022 honored Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely.

Austin City Limits and the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame are produced by Austin PBS. Austin PBS is a non-profit organization providing public television and educational resources to Central Texas as well as producing quality national programming. 

Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. Now in its 49th Season, the program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic Austin PBS Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.  

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, Workrise, the Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic and AXS Ticketing. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

Austin City Limits Hall of Fame

In 2014, Austin PBS, KLRU-TV — creator and producer of the legendary PBS show Austin City Limits — established the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame to recognize legendary musicians and key individuals who have been instrumental in making television’s longest-running popular music show an institution. Each year a new class of honorees are inducted and celebrated at a live event taped to air on PBS. It is also a historical archive, educational resource and celebration of Austin City Limits —telling the story of the show through photos, a timeline/anthology mural and in the near future, an interactive database of vintage Austin City Limits performances and video footage of interviews, behind-the-scenes and never before seen performances throughout the decades. Honorees to-date include Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Flaco Jiménez, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, B.B. King, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Roy Orbison, Marcia Ball, Ray Charles, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely and Sheryl Crow.

Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by AXS Ticketing.

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Episode premiere: ACL Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely

Iconic television series Austin City Limits closes out Season 48 with a special installment, Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely, celebrating the Texas music legend and new inductee with a song-filled salute from revered Lone Star musicians and Ely’s longtime collaborators, Texas all-stars The Flatlanders, with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, alongside fellow Texans Rodney Crowell and Marcia Ball. The hour features a memorable induction by renowned Texas author Lawrence Wright along with historic highlights from the influential Ely’s eleven appearances on the ACL stage. The hour-long broadcast premieres Saturday, February 25 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on PBS. Check local PBS listings for times. The special will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, February 26 at 10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits. The Peabody Award-winning program, recorded live at ACL’s studio home in Austin, Texas, continues its extraordinary run as the longest-running music television show in history. ACL provides viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance as this American music institution nears its remarkable half-century milestone. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) and full episodes are made available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits following the initial broadcast.

In this special installment, ACL Hall of Fame honoree Joe Ely gets his flowers in a magical, memorable salute. A trailblazing artist with longtime ties to Austin City Limits, Ely has made eleven appearances on the series beginning with his 1980 ACL debut in Season 5 and the hour features vintage ACL clips showcasing his distinctive performances across the decades. From the moment he debuted in the 1970s, Ely has mixed a rock-and-roll sensibility with hardcore honky tonkin’ and become one of the most recognized and respected artists to hail from the Lone Star state. Growing up on the vast and empty plains of West Texas, his legend was forged onstage with relentlessly riveting live performances, hammered out over thousands of shows and countless touring miles from Lubbock to London and back again the long way around. Over his remarkable five-decade-plus career, he’s been at the forefront of Outlaw Country, Alt-Country, Texas Country and Americana, and has been recognized as one of the best songwriters of his generation. He has been embraced as a kindred spirit by artists as diverse as The Clash, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. 

Renowned author Lawrence Wright salutes Ely with a heartfelt and hilarious induction, recounting joining Ely on a trip to Lubbock, where Ely was raised and first started playing music more than 50 years ago. In response to the Texas Panhandle’s flat desolation, Wright recalled, Ely told him that “I think all the emptiness made me want to fill it up.” Wright fondly recalls Joe taking him to Buddy Holly’s gravesite in Lubbock where Ely had taken The Clash many decades prior to pay tribute to the legend. “The driving beat of a Joe Ely anthem tells us right away where he’s coming from,” explains Wright. “He’s a honky-tonk poet, an outlaw country minstrel, a corrido balladeer, a rocker with a broken heart, all these traditions experienced, captured, and transformed into his own distinctive style.” 

The musical tribute kicks off with Austin piano legend and ACL Hall of Famer Marcia Ball taking the stage to perform Ely’s song “Fingernails,” a rollicking Jerry Lee Lewis-style number that Ball jokes “he wrote just for me, whether he knew it or not.” The ACL house band features longtime Joe Ely Band members Lloyd Maines (pedal steel), David Grissom (guitar), Davis McLarty (drums) and Jimmy Pettit (bass) along with Chris Gage (keyboards), Bill Whitbeck (bass) and Tom Van Schaik (percussion). Country great Rodney Crowell delivers a revved-up “Cool Rockin’ Loretta,” ad-libbing an entertaining testimony to Ely’s talents: “This is where I have to testify. It was Guy Clark who put me on to Joe, he said, ‘Hey man, there’s this guy from up in the Panhandle who ran away to join the circus and write songs about Indian cowboys and he can rock it all night long.’ The time has come for the man to be sworn into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.”

Ely steps out front for the spirited, guitar-driven classic “All Just to Get to You,” from his landmark 1995 album Letter to Laredo. For this special occasion Ely is joined by his longtime Flatlanders bandmates Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock for a rare trio appearance. Hancock good-naturedly recalls the time Ely “got thrown out of his own show,” before the trio trade verses on the rockin’ “I Had My Hopes Up High” — the first song on Ely’s very first record in 1977 and the song that kicked off his 1980 ACL debut. “Joe isn’t just a knocked out rocker,” explains Gilmore, “He’s also got this amazingly beautiful sweet side.” Hancock calls the Ely-penned gem “Because Of The Wind,” “One of the most beautiful West Texas songs you’ll ever hear,” as the trio launch into the exquisite acoustic number. Gilmore sums up the essence of Ely, saying, “There’s nobody that loves the music and loves his audience more than Joe Ely.” The finale, at Ely’s request, features a Woody Guthrie song the Flatlanders have often performed, “Goin’ Down the Road (Ain’t Gonna Be Treated This Way).” The stars come out in the Texas sky as Crowell and Ball join in, with everybody taking a verse to bring the luminous hour to a close.

“There are Texas legends, then there is Joe Ely,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “He belongs in a class all his own. He personifies a whole era of Texas music, and there’s no more perfect candidate for the ACL Hall of Fame, considering his impact across the board.”

The Flatlanders perform at member Joe Ely’s ACL Hall of Fame induction. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely setlist: 

Marcia Ball “Fingernails” 

Rodney Crowell “Cool Rockin’ Loretta” 

Joe Ely “All Just To Get To You”

Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore “I Had My Hopes Up High” 

Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore “Because Of the Wind” 

Joe Ely & All-Star Finale “Goin Down That Old Dusty Road” 

Fellow newly-minted Hall of Fame inductee Sheryl Crow was celebrated with a companion Hall of Fame tribute that kicked off the second half of ACL’s Season 48 in January 2023 and featured music greats Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Brittney Spencer and Lucius’ Jess Wolfe saluting the Grammy Award-winning artist. Season 48 premiered in October 2022 with a historic line-up spotlighting an unprecedented number of female artists, including a sterling season opener featuring singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, who recently earned a trio of 2023 Grammys. Season 48 also showcased many highly-praised acts who topped 2022 Year-End Best Lists, including electronic duo Sylvan Esso, Americana singer-songwriter Allison Russell and indie pop duo Lucius. Other highlights were ACL debuts from breakout artists including Japanese Breakfast, Arlo Parks and Cuban funk sensations Cimafunk and The Tribe along with deep-dive hours spotlighting acclaimed rock act The War on Drugs, country superstar Maren Morris and legendary alternative rock pioneers Pavement. The first tapings of ACL’s Season 49 have been announced and include acclaimed singer-songwriter Margo Price and indie-pop band MUNA

Established in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame celebrates the legacy of legendary artists and key individuals who have played a vital part in the pioneering music series remarkable nearly half-century as a music institution. The Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty artists at seven previous ceremonies including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, Marcia Ball, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, Shawn Colvin. The seventh annual Hall of Fame in 2021 welcomed Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo to its ranks. 

Watch live on PBS, or stream anytime on PBS.org. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding upcoming Season 49 tapings, live streams and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter and IG. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. Now in its 48th Season, the program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic Austin PBS Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.  

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, Workrise, the Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic and AXS Ticketing. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

Austin City Limits Hall of Fame

In 2014, Austin PBS, KLRU-TV — creator and producer of the legendary PBS show Austin City Limits — established the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame to recognize legendary musicians and key individuals who have been instrumental in making television’s longest-running popular music show an institution. Each year a new class of honorees are inducted and celebrated at a live event taped to air on PBS. It is also a historical archive, educational resource and celebration of Austin City Limits —telling the story of the show through photos, a timeline/anthology mural and in the near future, an interactive database of vintage Austin City Limits performances and video footage of interviews, behind-the-scenes and never before seen performances throughout the decades. Honorees to-date include Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Flaco Jiménez, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, B.B. King, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Roy Orbison, Marcia Ball, Ray Charles, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely and Sheryl Crow.

Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by AXS Ticketing, American Honda Motor Company, Netspend Corporation and YETI.