Americana Music Association Lifetime, Trailblazer, and Legacy Award winners, 2023. Top row, L-R: George Fontaine, Sr., Bettye LaVette, Patty Griffin. Bottom row, L-R: the Avett Brothers, Nickel Creek.
Austin City Limits congratulates the winners of last night’s Americana Music Awards, presented, of course, by the Americana Music Association. It was a very special ceremony for some very special artists, including many of our friends from our show. We’ll broadcast highlights from the ceremony on Nov. 25 as part of ACL Presents: Americana 22nd Annual Awards.
Billy Strings, who lit up Season 47 with his clever songs and sizzling guitar, won Artist of the Year for the second year in a row. Singer/songwriter and former Emerging Artist of the Year Tyler Childers won Album of the Year for his top 10 triple album Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? Childers appeared on ACL in Season 44 as a special guest of John Prine, and will return to the stage to pay tribute to his mentor at this year’s ACL Hall of Fame Awards. Song of the Year honors went to longtime ACL veteran Bonnie Raitt’s self-penned tune “Just Like That,” from her LP of the same title. The singer, songwriter, and slide guitarist will perform songs from that album at her fourth ACL taping on Oct. 15.
The Duo/Group of the Year nod went to Nashville soul powerhouses The War and Treaty, who were one of the few performers to tape during our pandemic-afflicted Season 46. Violinist Chauntee Ross and cellist Monique Ross, AKA SistaStrings, took home the Instrumentalist of the Year honors, as well they should have – we can testify to their talents after seeing them perform with both Brandi Carlile’s and Allison Russell’s tapings last year. The Emerging Artist of the Year for 2023 was singer/songwriter S.G. Goodman.
The AMA also presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to singer, songwriter, and ACL frequent flyer Patty Griffin. Fellow ACL pals and folk rockers the Avett Brothers and progressive bluegrass band Nickel Creek both received Trailblazer Awards. Season 48 standout Allison Russell received the Spirit of Americana/Free Speech in Music Award, while the great Bettye LaVette, who visited ACL in Season 34, accepted the Legacy of Americana Award. The evening also included tributes to Seasons 2 and 9 guest Jimmy Buffet, Season 4 performer Tom Waits’ debut album Closing Time, and Season 42 premiere artist Paul Simon’s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon. George Fontaine, Sr., owner and co-founder of New West Records, who have released many ACL episodes on CD and DVD as the Live From Austin TX series, received this year’s Jack Emerson Award.
Congratulations to all the winners! You can catch performances by AMA honorees in this year’s ACL Presents: Americana 22nd Annual Awards on Nov. 25 on your local public television station.
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit perform on Austin City Limits, Sept. 18, 2023. Photo by Scott Newton.
“We’re just overjoyed to be back on Austin City Limits!” said Jason Isbell as he led his band the 400 Unit to their third appearance on the ACL stage. With the acclaimed documentary Running With Our Eyes Closed on Max and his even more loudly hailed new album Weathervanes in the cultural conversation, Isbell is hitting a career high, which makes it the perfect time to host him once again. The new record is filled with expertly crafted, passionately performed songs featuring characters facing hard times, and that’s what the songwriter and the group presented tonight. With every lyric thoughtfully considered and every tune an ear worm, the setlist abounded with future anthems, from the anxiety-ridden “Save the World” (in which the protagonist contemplates raising a child in a world of common school shootings) and the acoustic “Cast Iron Skillet” to the tension-filled “Death Wish” and the rackety opener “When We Were Close,” an ode to a fallen musical comrade. Isbell reached into his bag of deep cuts with the loping anthem “Overseas,” from the 2021 album Reunions, but kept the set Weathervanes-centric – a choice that suited the polished but powerful rock & roll machine the Unit has become. Thanks to the bandleader’s chemistry with guitarist Sadler Vaden, bassist Anna Butterss, keyboardist Denny deBorja, and drummers Chad Gamble and Will Johnson (who last appeared on ACL with Monsters of Folk), “King of Oklahoma” roared, “Miles” blazed, and the Southern rock-frosted “This Ain’t It” burned the way only two dueling guitars can do it. The main set climaxed with a dip into the songwriter’s breakthrough Southeastern via “Flying Over Water,” to mighty applause, before returning for a two-song salvo of certified Isbell classics: the fan-favorite “24 Frames” and the soulful “Cover Me Up.” The audience loved every single second. “This is a good time – I sure do love doing this show!” the artist declared. Right back atcha, Jason, right back atcha.
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit tape Austin City Limits, Sept. 18, 2023. Photos by Scott Newton.
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 LimitsHall of FameHonors 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.
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.
Austin City Limits is excited to announce an additional taping with a ringer to round out our Season 49: On September 25 we present breakout singer-songwriter Noah Kahan in his highly-anticipated ACL debut.
Over the past year, the Vermont singer & songwriter has exploded from his New England roots into the global mainstream and has been touted as one of 2023’s biggest and best new artists. At the core of his music are vulnerable lyrics and an unfiltered yet relatable honesty, as the critically acclaimed artist pens songs straight from the heart and cracks jokes with his signature, self-deprecating sense of humor. Across his three albums and an EP, Kahan has garnered global renown that includes more than two billion streams, a Platinum Certification for his hit single “Stick Season,” and collaborations with the likes of Post Malone, Joy Oladokun, and GRAMMY-nominated artists Julia Michaels and Wesley Schulz of The Lumineers. His widely adored album, Stick Season, is inspired by his New England roots and conveys a vivid representation of what he loves, fears, and struggles with most passionately. Noah has been on his sold-out “Stick Season Tour” across North America since the album’s release last year, selling half-a-million tickets to date and performing in the biggest venues of his career, with newly announced global dates on the horizon. In June, he released an extended version of Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), which has gone on to surpass sales of the original and shows no signs of slowing down. His latest single, “Dial Drunk,” has already amassed millions of streams and a slew of critical acclaim, cementing Noah Kahan as one of the most successful breakout artists of the year.
We’re thrilled to welcome Kahan to the ACL stage. Want to be part of our audience? We will post information on how to get free passes a week in advance of the taping. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for notice of postings. The broadcast episode will air as part of our upcoming Season 49 which premieres this October on PBS.
Charlie Robison on Austin City Limits, 2001. Photo by Scott Newton.
Austin City Limits salutes influential ATX singer/songwriter Charlie Robison, who we lost way too soon, on Sept. 10 at the age of 59. Robison delivered a pair of memorable performances on Austin City Limits, in 1999 and 2001.
Best known around the world as a country singer, the brother of fellow tunesmiths Bruce Robison and Robyn Ludwick rose to regional fame in the 1980s as a member of beloved Austin roots rock bands Two Hoots & a Holler and Chaparral before striking out on his own with 1995’s Bandera, named after the Texas Hill Country town where his family had a ranch for generations.. He signed to Columbia imprint Lucky Dog thereafter, issuing two well-regarded albums with Life of the Party and Step Right Up and hit singles “My Hometown” and NRBQ’s “I Want You Bad.”
Charlie Robison on Austin City Limits, 1999.
Returning to independence, he released four more albums before being forced to retire in 2018, after complications from surgery rendered him unable to sing. Those issues turned out to be temporary, however, as he returned to the stage and touring in 2022.
Charlie Robison on Austin City Limits, 2001.
He is survived by his wife and four children. We extend our sincere condolences for their loss.
Austin City Limits is proud to announce a stellar slate of fall tapings to complete our Season 49, featuring multiple Grammy-winning icons and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legends. On September 24, recent Rock Hall inductees Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo make their ACL debut performing rock gems and highlights from across their near five-decade career. We’re thrilled to welcome a pair of ACL Fest headliners and a highly-anticipated act featured on our namesake festival this October: we present country breakout Brittney Spencer on October 5 in her ACL debut; October 6 brings the first-ever appearance of superstar Alanis Morissette; and on October 12 we’re thrilled to welcome beloved rock giants Foo Fighters back to rock the ACL stage. And finally, on October 15, on the heels of a trio of 2023 Grammy wins, we welcome back an ACL Hall of Fame icon, the legendary Bonnie Raitt, for her first headlining appearance in over a decade, to showcase her triple Grammy-winning album Just Like That… Raitt will also be joined by a special guest, Nashville-based singer-songwriter and guitar virtuoso Sunny War.
Photo by Travis Shinn.
In a pop culture world defined by its perpetual changes, the partnership of singer songwriter Pat Benatar and producer-musician Neil Giraldo has been a potent, steadfast union that has soared to the top of the charts and into fans’ hearts on their own terms. Her staggering vocals and take-no-prisoners attitude, along with his trailblazing artistry as a guitarist, producer and songwriter, forged the undeniable chemistry and unique sound that created eternal rock hits including “We Belong,” “Invincible,” “Love Is A Battlefield,” “Promises In The Dark,” “We Live For Love,” “Heartbreaker” and “Hell Is For Children.” Their stunning achievements are a testament to their vision. Together, Benatar and Giraldo have created two multi-platinum, five platinum and three gold albums, as well as 19 Top 40 hits. They have sold over 36 million records worldwide and have won an unprecedented four consecutive GRAMMY® awards. They have also been feted with three American Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award, a 2008 induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, and capped off 2022 with a Rock & Roll Hall of Fameinduction.
Photo by Jimmy Fontaine.
Recently named one of Rolling Stone’s “Future 25,” and the only country artist to make the list, Brittney Spencer is known for her free spirit and standout ability to mold life, truth, and wild imagination into songs. “Her unerring honesty and empathy are a big part of what makes her music so appealing,” raves Rolling Stone. With her debut album forthcoming from Elektra Records, the Baltimore native has earned praise from The New York Times and Vanity Fair to name a few, and she’s appeared on CBS Mornings with Anthony Mason, as well as performed on NBC’s Today Show, The Late Show (After Dark), the CMA Awards, ACM Awards and more. Spencer was featured as part of Victoria’s Secret Global “UNDEFINABLE” campaign, and she appeared in Amazon’s “For Love & Country” Documentary. Deemed a “one to watch” by PEOPLE Magazine, Spencer has shared stages with Jason Isbell, The Highwomen, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, Bobby Weir, and Maren Morris to name a few. She’s also performed the National Anthem at The 148th Kentucky Derby, the Preakness in 2022 alongside Megan Thee Stallion and Lauryn Hill, and the 2023 NFL Draft. As an outspoken advocate for her community and the planet, Brittney is an active supporter of many causes, including Habitat for Humanity, the Women’s March, CARE, and more. Spencer first-appeared on the ACL stage in 2022, at the 8th Annual ACL Hall of Fame Celebration, performing a sparkling rendition of Sheryl Crow’s “My Favorite Mistake,” to salute the music great’s ACL Hall of Fame induction. We’re thrilled to welcome her back for her headlining debut.
Photo by Dennys Ilic.
Since 1995, Alanis Morissette has been one of the most influential singer-songwriter-musicians in contemporary music. Her deeply expressive music and performances have earned vast critical praise and seven Grammy awards. Morissette’s landmark 1995 debut, Jagged Little Pill was followed by nine more eclectic and acclaimed albums. She has contributed musically to theatrical releases and has acted on the big and small screen. Outside of entertainment, she is an avid supporter of female empowerment, as well as spiritual, psychological and physical wellness. In 2001, Alanis was awarded the Global Tolerance Award by the Friends of the United Nations for her contributions to promoting tolerance through the arts. In 2016, Alanis launched Conversation with Alanis Morissette, a monthly podcast that features conversations with a variety of revered authors, doctors, educators, and therapists, covering a wide range of psychosocial topics extending from spirituality to developmentalism to art. On December 5, 2019, “JAGGED LITTLE PILL” the musical made its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City. The show was nominated for fifteen Tony Awards and won two Tony Awards at the 2021 ceremony. In July of 2020, Alanis released her ninth studio album, Such Pretty Forks In The Road, to rave reviews. In August of 2021, Alanis kicked off her sold out world tour celebrating 25 years of Jagged Little Pill. The tour became the #1 female-fronted tour and also one of the Top Worldwide Tours of 2021. Alanis also stars in the Fox sitcom, “The Great North,” which just wrapped its third season, and has been picked up for a fourth season. Most recently, Alanis was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Since the 1995 release of their self-titled first album, no other band has carried the torch for rock & roll like Foo Fighters. Throughout the steady ascent to their indisputable status as the last great American rock band, they’ve raised stadiums, arenas and festival fields of voices in song with anthems like “This Is A Call,” “Everlong,” “Monkey Wrench,” “My Hero,” “Learn To Fly,” “All My Life,” “Times Like These,” “Best Of You,” “The Pretender,” “Walk,” “These Days,” “The Sky Is A Neighborhood,” “Shame Shame” and more. Foo Fighters’ 15-GRAMMY-Award-winning catalogue includes The Colour and the Shape, There Is Nothing Left To Lose, One By One, In Your Honor, Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace, Wasting Light, Sonic Highways, Concrete and Gold and Medicine at Midnight. Following a year of staggering losses, personal introspection and bittersweet remembrances, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers returned triumphantly with But Here We Are, released June 2, 2023 on Roswell Records/RCA Records. A brutally honest and emotionally raw response to everything Foo Fighters have endured in recent years, But Here We Are is a testament to the healing powers of music, friendship and family. Courageous, damaged, unflinchingly authentic and “driven by a fresh sense of pathos and urgency” (The New York Times), But Here We Are opens with the Alternative/Rock radio #1 “Rescued,” the first of 10 songs that run the emotional gamut from rage and sorrow to serenity and acceptance, and myriad points in between — including “a gruff, melodic rocker with bittersweet hooks” (Stereogum) in the form of “Under You,” the “totally unexpected foray into shoegaze and dream-pop territory” (Uproxx) that is “Show Me How,” the 10-minute epic “The Teacher,” and more. Produced by Greg Kurstin and Foo Fighters, But Here We Are is in nearly equal measure the 11th Foo Fighters album and the first chapter of the band’s new life. Sonically channelling the naiveté of Foo Fighters’ 1995 debut, informed by decades of maturity and depth, But Here We Are is the sound of brothers finding refuge in the music that brought them together in the first place 28 years ago, a process that was as therapeutic as it was about a continuation of life.
Photo by Shervin Lainez.
Bonnie Raitt returns for her fourth headlining appearance on the ACL stage. The American original first-appeared in Season 9 in 1984, returned in 2002 and 2012, and performed on the series’ 40th anniversary special in 2014. In 2016, Raitt was inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame by Mavis Staples, with musical salutes from Willie Nelson and Taj Mahal. Raitt is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose unique style blends blues, R&B, rock, and pop. After 20 years as a cult favorite, she broke through to the top in the early 90s with her GRAMMY-award-winning albums, Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw, which featured hits, “Something To Talk About” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me” among others. The thirteen-time GRAMMY winner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and Rolling Stone named the slide guitar ace one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and one of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time.”
2023 kicked off with Raitt earning three GRAMMY™ Awards at the 65th Annual ceremony; Song Of The Year and Best American Roots Song for the title track of her most recent album “Just Like That…”, and Best Americana Performance for “Made Up Mind.” Raitt was as well acknowledged for the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award she was honored with the year prior. Raitt has been on tour for most of 2023 with stops in the U.S., Australia, the UK, Ireland, and an upcoming coast-to-coast tour of Canada. View all concert dates here. 2022 was an incredible year for Raitt with a 75-date headlining U.S. tour; the release of her critically acclaimed 21st album ‘Just Like That…,’ on her independent label, Redwing Records; receiving the Icon Award at the 2022 Billboard Women In Music Awards and seeing her breakthrough album, ‘Nick of Time’ added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. ‘Just Like That…’ was #1 on six Billboard charts the week of release and was perched at #1 on the Americana Radio Album Chart for ten consecutive weeks. The album’s first single, “Made Up Mind” remained in the top three spots on the Americana Radio Singles Chart for 17 weeks.
As known for her lifelong commitment to social activism as she is for her music, Raitt has long been involved with the environmental movement, performing concerts around oil, nuclear power, mining, water, and forest protection since the mid-‘70s. She was a founding member of MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy), which produced the historic concerts, album, and movie NO NUKES, and continues to work on safe energy issues in addition to environmental protection, social justice, and human rights, as well as creator’s rights and music education.
We’re thrilled to welcome these music greats to the ACL stage. Want to be part of our audience? We will post information on how to get free passes a week in advance of the taping. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for notice of postings. The broadcast episodes will air on PBS as part of our upcoming Season 49.
