On the heels of wrapping tapings for our 49th season, Austin City Limits presented our biggest evening of the year: the Austin City Limits Annual Hall of Fame Honors. For our ninth annual celebration, we were thrilled to induct country superstar Trisha Yearwood and the late, legendary singer/songwriter John Prine. Friends and fans of both artists joined us at the Moody Theater to pay tribute to these music greats, both of whom clocked multiple episodes of the show.
Following remarks from Austin PBS CEO Luis Patiño and longtime ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, the celebration of Trisha Yearwood kicked off the evening. “I was a fan of Trisha Yearwood the minute I heard that voice coming out of the radio,” proclaimed Don Henley, on hand to induct his longtime friend. “You can’t really wear out a CD, but I tried.” Yearwood riposted “To hear this singer talking about my singing is surreal!” She spoke about growing up watching the show: “It’s all about the music here, and that’s why I’m honored to be a part of it.”
Jo Dee Messina was the first of Yearwood’s all-star guests to salute, belting out a rousing, audience-enhanced version of “She’s in Love With the Boy,” her buddy’s chart-topping signature tune. The honoree herself took the stage, asking for a round of applause for Lloyd Maines & the ACL All-Stars, our longtime HOF house band. Yearwood teamed with country great Ronnie Dunn for the beautiful duet “I’ll Carry You Home,” a gospel-soaked anthem which allowed both singer’s powerful voices to soar to the heavens for which the song reaches. Singer/songwriter Brandy Clark gave a moving intro, saying Trisha’s voice is in the lineage of “Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt and Karen Carpenter,” and delivered a stunning rendition of Yearwood’s classic ballad “The Song Remembers When.” Celebrated duo Brothers Osborne hit the stage to rock “Wrong Side of Memphis,” a song chosen for them by Yearwood herself. She returned to thank Clark and the Brothers, as well as her producer and song-picker Garth Fundis. She then brought Henley back up for a poignant performance of their fan-favorite hit “Walkaway Joe,” the duo sounding just as strong and soulful now as they did when they recorded the song in the early nineties. Yearwood and all of her pals then took one final bow together.
When Terry Lickona returned to introduce John Prine, he noted that we intended to induct the songwriter’s songwriter in 2020, but the pandemic intervened. We were finally able to to do it in 2023, sadly two years after he passed; however, It didn’t diminish the joy of tonight’s celebration, as made clear by inductor Ethan Hawke. “To love John Prine and his songs is to be part of one of the greatest conversations in the world,” the actor said. “Say it with me – hello up there!” Prine’s widow Fiona, joined by sons Jack, Tommy, and Jody, accepted the award on the late songwriter’s behalf. “John considered Austin City Limits an important part of his career,” Fiona said. “Getting that call was a thrill every single time.” His youngest son Tommy followed in the tradition by taking center stage and singing “Souvenirs,” his favorite song by his dad. “Miss you, daddy,” he said as left the stage. Playing solo, Philadelphia indie rocker Kurt Vile performed “How Lucky,” a Prine deep cut he was lucky enough to record with its writer, just a few days before New Year’s 2020. Banjo in hand, singer/songwriter Allison Russell performed a moving take on “Storm Windows,” her daughter’s favorite John Prine cut.
Recounting a story of a wild night when Prine met rockabilly wild man Ronnie Hawkins, singer Nathaniel Rateliff joined the party to sing the only slightly sardonic “All the Best.” Singer/songwriter Tyler Childers, who appeared with Prine on his final ACL appearance in 2019, reminded us all of the master’s ability to write a great honky-tonker, singing the wry “Yes, I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You.” Singular singer Valerie June arrived to tell a story about being asked to open for Prine on the The Tree of Forgiveness tour, calling her tourmate “an angel.” Broad hint conveyed, she put her heart and soul into “Angel From Montgomery,” making it a joyful celebration of gospel intensity, to the audience’s delight. June then gathered the extended family around her, with Rateliff, Childers, Russell, Vile, and Tommy Prine each taking a verse on the honoree’s classic song “Paradise.” Appropriately, Tommy sang the last lines solo in tribute to his father, and a big bow from the second half cast brought to a close a memorable ACL Hall of Fame.
Part 1:
She’s in Love With the Boy – Jo Dee Messina
I’ll Carry You Home – Trisha Yearwood and Ronnie Dunn
The Song Remembers When – Brandy Clark
Wrong Side of Memphis – Brothers Osborne
Walkaway Joe – Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley
Part 2:
Souvenirs – Tommy Prine
How Lucky – Kurt Vile
Storm Windows – Allison Russell
All the Best – Nathaniel Rateliff
Yes, I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You – Tyler Childers
Angel From Montgomery – Valerie June
Paradise – cast
Trisha Yearwood – vocals
Jo Dee Messina – vocals
Ronnie Dunn – vocals
Brandy Clark – vocals
T.J. Osborne – vocals, guitar
John Osborne – guitar, vocals
Don Henley – vocals
Tommy Prine – vocals, guitar
Kurt Vile – vocals, guitar
Allison Russell – vocals, banjo
Nathaniel Rateliff – vocals, guitar
Tyler Childers – vocals, guitar
Valerie June – vocals
The ACL All-Stars:
Lloyd Maines – steel guitar, guitar
David Grissom – guitar
Chris Gage – keyboards, accordion
Bill Whitbeck – bass, vocals
Tom Van Schaik – drums
