Category: Featured

Giveaway: Kelsea Ballerini

Post author By Lily Angelle
Post date July 5, 2025

*UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. *Austin City Limits will tape a performance by Kelsea Ballerini on Thursday, July 10th at 8 pm at ACL Live at The Moody Theater (310 W. 2nd Street, Willie Nelson Blvd). Austin City Limits Taping Giveaways are presented by AXS Events.

Winners will be chosen at random and a photo ID will be required to pick up tickets. Winners will be notified via email. Duplicate entries for a single taping will be automatically voided. Tickets are not transferable and will be voided if sold. Standing may be required. No photography, recording or cell phone use in the studio. No cameras, computers or recording devices allowed in the venue. While we do our best to accommodate all winners, we cannot guarantee admission. These passes are based on space available therefore you will be filling in spots available on the floor or balcony depending on the tickets that are available when you arrive.

With a revelatory album, an arena-headlining tour, and a 2025 nomination for the CMA Awards’ top honor of Entertainer of the Year, Kelsea Ballerini is having a moment. A beloved artist known for sparkling live performances, the country hitmaker has had a remarkable decade-long run since arriving on the Nashville scene with her 2015 debut album, The First Time. Ballerini had hit singles right out of the gate, becoming the only female country artist to hit #1 with the first three consecutive singles from a debut album. This history-making feat earned her a Best New Artist Grammy nomination. With seven #1 singles and 36 certifications from the RIAA to date, her catalog boasts a string of essential smashes. Ballerini’s fourth album, Subject To Change, arrived in 2022. The gold-certified first single, “Heartfirst,” earned her a Grammy nomination for “Best Country Solo Performance.” She went on to surprise fans five months later with the release of the intimate six-song Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, which resonated with audiences and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album. Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, along with an accompanying short film written and directed by Ballerini, marked the multi-platinum star’s most honest work to date and led to her Saturday Night Live debut, universal acclaim from critics including The New York Times, Variety, Rolling Stone, as well as the honor of gracing the cover of TIME Magazine. Her latest critically acclaimed Patterns, her fifth studio album, debuted in the fall of 2024 and topped the Country Albums chart and reached number four on the Billboard 200. The album found Ballerini purposefully surrounding herself with women, along with producer Alysa Vanderheym, and collaborators Jessie Jo Dillon, Karen Fairchild, and Hillary Lindsey. On the album she enlisted Best New Artist GRAMMY nominee Noah Kahan to appear on the tender and beautifully crafted RIAA certified-Gold, CMA Awards-nominated “Musical Event of the Year” and GRAMMY-nominated “Best Country Duo/Group Performance” – single “Cowboys Cry Too.” Most recently, she wrapped up her 35-date Kelsea Ballerini Live On Tour, performing in arenas across the country. Among dozens of accolades thus far, Ballerini has garnered five GRAMMY nominations, won two ACM Awards, picked up two CMA Awards, took home the iHeartRadio Music Awards honor for Best New Artist, and received multiple career nominations from the ACM Awards, American Music Awards, CMA Awards, CMT Awards and People’s Choice Awards. Ballerini was also inducted as a member of the famed Grand Ole Opry in 2019. At the time, she notably became the Opry’s youngest member in its nearly 100-year history. With these accolades, it is no wonder NPR proclaimed, “Kelsea Ballerini is definitely one of the most influential women in country right now… she’s defining the sound of the genre.”

For entry to Austin City Limits tapings, you agree to abide by the Taping Health & Safety Protocols based on the current COVID-19 Community Risk Stage in effect at the time of the event. By attending the ACL tapings, you agree to the Terms & Conditions.

Tags Season 51

Featured News Ticket Giveaway Tickets Distributed

Giveaway: The Marías

Post author By Lily Angelle
Post date July 1, 2025

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. Austin City Limits will tape a performance by The Marías on Tuesday, July 8th at 8 pm at ACL Live at The Moody Theater (310 W. 2nd Street, Willie Nelson Blvd). Austin City Limits Taping Giveaways are presented by AXS Events.

The Marías are the psychedelic-soul lovechild of Puerto Rican-bred, Atlanta-raised María Zardoya and Los Angeles native, Josh Conway. The pair are joined by their closest friends Jesse Perlman on guitar and Edward James on keys. The Marías’ undeniably intuitive musical chemistry is evident in their smooth blend of jazz percussion, hypnotic guitar riffs, smoke-velvet vocals, and nostalgic horn solos. Since the 2021 release of their critically acclaimed debut, Cinema, which paid homage to their early days of writing for film and television, the Marías have earned countless accolades and collaborations with some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Bad Bunny and Tainy. Their highly anticipated follow-up, 2024’s Submarine, represents the next phase of their fascinating sonic journey. Stepping back into the psychedelic indie rock roots that defined their 2017 breakout EP, Superclean, the recent album delivers a sense that you’ve been here before but the geography has evolved. The cinematic swells of their debut have been traded for a sonically matured return to form for an album that Conway calls the “bookend to
their trilogy.” A study in aloneness, the evocative ache of Submarine feels, at times, inescapable, as one is faced with what it means to choose solitude and the pain and beauty so inextricably interwoven within it. It embodies the grief in something as innately human as separation. María’s hypnotic vocals transport listeners to a place of reflection and exploration. The detail that defines their cinematic style off-stage is brought to life during ethereal live performances as the group delivers striking visuals that beautifully complement their dreamy songs, creating an indisputably
unique experience. This bespoke live Submarine show was on full display to rapturous audiences in buzzed-about sets at 2024’s ACL Fest and their recent Coachella appearances. The Marías are currently on a sold-out extended U.S. headlining tour with festival dates including Lollapalooza, Shaky Knees, and All Things Go.

Tags Season 51

Featured Hall of Fame Important Feature Taping Announcement Uncategorized

My Morning Jacket will join Austin City Limits Hall of Fame

Post author By emily
Post date June 11, 2025

Austin City Limits is proud to announce the 11th Annual Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, welcoming a new inductee into its ranks: My Morning Jacket. The ACL veterans and fan-favorites get their flowers, joining the other legendary acts who have been inducted over the past decade. My Morning Jacket will return to the ACL stage on Friday, August 1, 2025, for the first time in nearly a decade, and perform a full set taping for the occasion. The 10th Anniversary ACL Hall of Fame in 2024 marked the first time a single artist was honored with a deep-dive celebration and this year’s Hall of Fame will follow suit. In a new first, the event will be open to all, and the Hall of Fame will not be a ticketed event; instead fans will have the opportunity to win free passes to attend.

ACL is thrilled to welcome My Morning Jacket back to the stage for a victory dance with their induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. The taping will take place at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. The hourlong broadcast episode will air as a season highlight of Austin City Limits’ upcoming Season 51, premiering this October on PBS. More information about the guest induction and the ticket giveaway will be announced prior to the event.

”We are so beyond honored to be included alongside so many of our heroes and favorite legends in the ACL Hall of Fame!” said My Morning Jacket’s Jim James. “We can’t wait to hit that sacred ACL stage again on August 1st and celebrate this great honor with our beautiful fans.”

My Morning Jacket has made a trio of appearances on the series over their 25+ year career, with revelatory performances that have earned the band a place in the ACL canon. They made their series debut in Season 31 (2006) and returned within the course of a decade during Season 34 (2008) and Season 42 (2016). Bandleader Jim James also appeared during that period with Monsters of Folk (S36/2010), and as a guest of Bright Eyes (S30/2005) and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (S37/2011). Additionally, James also taped a solo appearance in 2013 for Season 39.

Widely ranked among the greatest live bands of their generation, My Morning Jacket have long maintained their status as one of the most vital forces in American rock-and-roll. Known for their thrillingly expansive and eclectic sound, the Louisville, KY-bred five-piece – vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, guitarist Carl Broemel, drummer Patrick Hallahan, keyboardist Bo Koster – has influenced an entire era of musicians, largely by staying one step ahead of mainstream pop culture and following their instincts toward endless innovation. For more than 25 years, My Morning Jacket has achieved an incredibly rare feat in the world of modern rock – upholding a long-established cultural legacy while sustaining all the curiosity and creative hunger of their earliest days.

“My Morning Jacket’s debut in 2006 was on the heels of their breakthrough album ‘Z,’ and they shook the rafters in ole Studio 6A,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “Few acts can compare to their ability to take command of the stage – so much so that they appeared three times in ten years! Austin City Limits is proud to welcome them to our Hall of Fame, and I have a feeling the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is next!”

Since its inception in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame has honored legendary artists who have played a pivotal role in the trailblazing music series’ remarkable half-century legacy as a music institution. The inaugural awards honored Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty-five artists at ten previous ceremonies including 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, Alejandro Escovedo, Sheryl Crow, Joe Ely, John Prine and Trisha Yearwood. The 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame in 2025 welcomed Garth Brooks to its ranks.

ACL is thrilled to welcome My Morning Jacket into the ACL Hall of Fame and to showcase their latest sonic adventure, is. The band recently released is, their first album in nearly four years, and their 10th studio album; the result is perhaps the most masterfully realized work yet from a band fully committed to their belief in music as a conduit for revelation of all kinds. is finds MMJ deviating from their typically self-produced approach by teaming up with 3x Grammy-winner Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen), and represents a newfound willingness to expand the creative process and involve an outside force in shaping MMJ’s restlessly inventive yet nuanced form of psych-rock. New songs such as the sprawling, album-opening epic, “Out In The Open,” the ravishing love song “Time Waited,” (which soared to #1 on AAA radio), and the delightfully warped “Squid Ink” reveal a band whose voracious creative appetite is wholly matched by a deft command of their visionary musicality.

“All these songs came into existence out of an attempt to connect with something beyond the human experiment, which for me is the whole purpose of music – that connection with something larger than us, yet something we are all equally a part of,” says Jim James. is represents another milestone in the band’s ever-evolving body of work, as well as an opportunity to breathe new energy into their historically stunning and hard-driving live performances. James points to the “undeniable force of loving” as the most essential factor in the band’s longevity and unending enchantment with the process of musical creation.

The Marías and Kelsea Ballerini to tape Austin City Limits in July

Post author By emily
Post date June 6, 2025

Austin City Limits is thrilled to announce a pair of July tapings for our Season 51: on July 8 we welcome the acclaimed, genre-blending indie pop band The Marías, making their ACL debut with songs from their sophomore release Submarine; and on July 10 celebrated country artist Kelsea Ballerini takes the ACL stage in her first-ever appearance with songs from her latest album Patterns.

The Marías are the psychedelic-soul lovechild of Puerto Rican-bred, Atlanta-raised María Zardoya and Los Angeles native, Josh Conway. The pair are joined by their closest friends, Jesse Perlman on guitar and Edward James on keys. The Marías’ undeniably intuitive musical chemistry is evident in their smooth blend of jazz percussion, hypnotic guitar riffs, smoke-velvet vocals and nostalgic horn solos. There’s something irresistibly sensual in their dreamlike fusion of jazz, psychedelia, funk and lounge. Since the 2021 release of their critically acclaimed debut, Cinema, which paid homage to their early days of writing for film and television, the Marías have earned countless accolades and collaborations with some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Bad Bunny and Tainy. Their highly anticipated follow-up, Submarine, represents the next phase of their fascinating sonic journey. Stepping back into the psychedelic indie rock roots that defined their 2017 breakout EP, Superclean, the recent album delivers on a feeling of nostalgia, a sense that you’ve been here before but the geography has evolved. The cinematic swells of their debut have been traded for a sonically matured return to form for an album that Josh calls the “bookend to their trilogy.” A study in aloneness, the evocative ache of Submarine feels, at times, inescapable, as one is faced with what it means to choose solitude, and the pain and beauty so inextricably interwoven within it. It embodies the grief in something as innately human as separation. María’s hypnotic vocals transport listeners to a place of solitude and exploration. The detail that defines their cinematic style off-stage is brought to life during ethereal live performances as the group delivers striking visuals that beautifully complement their dreamy songs, creating an indisputably unique and transportive experience. This bespoke live Submarine show was on full display to rapturous audiences in buzzed-about sets at 2024’s ACL Fest and their recent Coachella appearances. The Marías are currently on a sold-out extended U.S. headlining tour with upcoming festival dates including Lollapalooza, Shaky Knees, and All Things Go.

Want to be part of our audience? We will post information on how to get free passes a week in advance of each taping. Follow us on IG and Facebook and X for notice of postings. The broadcast episodes will air this fall on PBS as part of our upcoming Season 51.

Tags Season 51

Coming Soon Featured Important Feature News

Austin City Limits Celebrates 50 Years premieres April 4 on PBS

Post author By emily
Post date March 20, 2025

All-Star Special Featuring Chris Stapleton, Gary Clark Jr., Billy Strings, Leon Bridges, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Indigo Girls, Brandy Clark, Cam, Rufus Wainwright, The Mavericks, Ángela Aguilar, Eve Monsees & Sierra Hull

With Appearances by Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton

Austin City Limits commemorates half a century of unforgettable performances and iconic moments with a two-hour primetime broadcast, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS, on Friday, April 4, 2025, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App (check local listings). Music luminaries and some of the brightest stars in the iconic live music television series five-decade history return to the fabled ACL stage for this landmark anniversary.

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS, the capstone of the groundbreaking series golden jubilee celebrations, pays tribute to this historic milestone and features dazzling new performances, heartfelt artist interviews, legendary artists and exclusive rarely-seen vintage footage from ACL’s extensive archives, highlighting iconic moments that have defined the show and shaped culture.

The program features themed highlights from ACL’s expansive show archives, each culminating with an original performance or artist interview. Segments will look back on defining moments and appearances in the show’s storied history, as well as performance milestones.

Relive unforgettable moments in ACL history through a time capsule of clips featuring Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Tom Waits, Ray Charles, Nancy Griffith, Emmylou Harris, Townes Van Zandt, The Chicks, Tracy Chapman and Lauryn Hill; forecast ACL’s future via recent appearances including Kacey Musgraves, Foo Fighters, Olivia Rodrigo, Jon Batiste, Brandi Carlile, Billie Eilish, H.E.R., Noah Kahan and Jelly Roll.

The performances, created exclusively for AUSTIN CITY LIMITS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS, include choice collaborations, and one-of-a-kind offerings from an all-star slate of music’s finest, many making a return to the ACL stage. The broadcast line-up features (in order of appearance): Chris Stapleton, The Mavericks, Leon Bridges, Indigo Girls, Brandy Clark, Cam, Ángela Aguilar, Shawn Colvin, Lyle Lovett, Billy Strings featuring Sierra Hull, Rufus Wainwright and Gary Clark Jr. joined by Eve Monsees; the special is co-hosted by Austin-based actors Jared and Genevieve Padalecki. All acts were captured live at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin.

Country superstar and multi-Grammy Award winner Chris Stapleton honors ACL Hall of Fame icon and pilot star Willie Nelson with a powerful performance of Nelson’s classic “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.”

ACL’s renowned songwriter circles, a series’ hallmark in the ‘80s and ‘90s, get reprised by a trio of storyteller songwriting greats: folk rock duo Indigo Girls (who appeared on an all-female circle in 1992) return to lead an intimate round-robin with celebrated singer-songwriter Brandy Clark and multi-platinum country artist Cam. The artists first trade off songs, then verses on the Girls’ classic anthem “Closer To Fine.”

Contemporary artists who’ve carved their name in ACL history return for the occasion: Grammy Award-winning next-generation bluegrass star Billy Strings, one of music’s most popular live acts, celebrates ACL’s legacy of presenting American roots music via a captivating performance with mandolin virtuoso Sierra Hull; Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Leon Bridges, a Lone Star original, delivers a fan-favorite; Rufus Wainwright, an artist who made history with the show’s first taping minus a live audience due to the pandemic, returns backed by a string section for a towering ACL performance; Rock and country trailblazers and renowned party-starters The Mavericks perform a sparkling number, amplified by a horn section, that has the audience on their feet.

ACL’s long-standing history of showcasing Latin acts – dating back to season one – is celebrated with thrilling footage featuring superstars Juanes, Rosalía, Cimafunk and many more, topped by a stunning debut performance by Latin Grammy and Grammy-nominated breakout star Ángela Aguilar, joined by Mexico’s legendary showmen Trio Los Panchos.

ACL celebrates its Hall of Fame honorees—artists who have been instrumental in making the series into the music institution it is today—with highlights from the music-filled induction salutes featuring Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson and more, capped by an original performance from ACL Hall of Fame greats Lyle Lovett and Shawn Colvin.

In a salute to ACL Hall of Fame inductee Stevie Ray Vaughan’s iconic Austin City Limits appearances (1984/1989), Grammy-winning guitar great Gary Clark Jr. and blues guitar ace Eve Monsees team up to thrill with a two-song knockout of the Texas six-string giant’s classics.

Longtime Austin City Limits devotees and supporters Jared and Genevieve Padalecki (Gilmore Girls, Supernatural, Walker), host the celebratory evening, sharing anecdotes on ACL tapings they’ve personally attended as music fans.

“The entire history of Austin City Limits has been about music legacy and music discovery,” said executive producer Terry Lickona, who in turn marks his 48th year with the program. “It’s about original, authentic music from every genre, anywhere and everywhere. An eclectic music program like ours couldn’t exist anywhere else but PBS, thanks to a half-century of support for public media.”

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS broadcast setlist:

Chris Stapleton: “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”

The Mavericks: “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down”

Leon Bridges: “Beyond”

Songwriters Circle:

Indigo Girls: “Share the Moon”

Brandy Clark: “Dear Insecurity”

Cam: “Burning House”

Indigo Girls w/Brandy Clark & Cam: “Closer to Fine”

Ángela Aguilar: “Piensa En Mi”

Ángela Aguilar with Trio Los Panchos: “Todo Una Vida”

Shawn Colvin with Lyle Lovett: “The Facts About Jimmy”

Lyle Lovett: “12th of June”

Billy Strings with Sierra Hull: “Soldier’s Joy” (instrumental)

Billy Strings with Sierra Hull: “Midnight on the Stormy Deep”

Rufus Wainwright: “Going to a Town”

Rufus Wainwright: “Hallelujah”

Gary Clark Jr. with Eve Monsees: “Dirty Pool”

Gary Clark Jr. with Eve Monsees: “Pride and Joy”

Funding for AUSTIN CITY LIMITS CELEBRATES 50 YEARS is provided in part by

Tags Season 50, TV broadcast

Charley Crockett, ACL & Antone’s Celebrate the Blues, Waxahatchee and Thee Sacred Souls to Kick Off ACL’s 51st Season

Post author By emily
Post date March 13, 2025

Austin City Limits is ready to write the next chapter in its remarkable 50+ year broadcast run with the announcement of the initial tapings of Season 51: country maverick Charley Crockett returns to the ACL stage for his second appearance on April 1 to preview his new release Lonesome Drifter; ACL will celebrate 50 years of the blues and legendary Austin blues club Antone’s own 50th anniversary with a special taping “ACL & Antone’s Celebrate the Blues” on April 28, featuring an all-star line-up of blues standouts; on May 19, breakout singer-songwriter Waxahatchee makes her highly-anticipated ACL debut in support of her Grammy-nominated album Tigers Blood; and modern soul act Thee Sacred Souls take the ACL stage in their debut appearance on May 28 with highlights from their latest Got A Story To Tell.

Texas troubadour Charley Crockett made a sensational ACL debut in Season 47 in 2021 and we’re thrilled to welcome him back to our stage with his highly-anticipated new album Lonesome Drifter. After a decade of touring and more than a dozen independent albums under his belt, Lonesome Drifter marks his first for a major label, and will be released by Island Records on March 14. Hailing from the Texas bordertown of San Benito, Crockett has been on a helluva ride, tapping into a rebellious strain of country and defying the odds with a diehard work ethic; grinding from obscurity to garnering millions of streams and headlining some of the country’s most renowned venues, including the Greek Theater, Red Rocks and the Ryman. He capped 2024 with his first Grammy nomination for his acclaimed album $10 Cowboy. Lonesome Drifter was co-produced by Crockett and Shooter Jennings, and recorded at the legendary Sunset Sounds Studios in LA. “If you can hang on as long as I have, you’ll have some good stories to tell,” grins Crockett. Lonesome Drifter arrives with the single and title track, a slow-burning rocker that finds him telling the tale of a vagabond traveler. “I started writing the song back when I was still playing in subways in New York,” he recalls. “While I was waiting for the next train, I wrote songs. A few years later, I was in California working on the ganja farms, and I came up with the ‘Lonesome Drifter’ section…The burden of becoming a troubadour is you’re standing in a position that gives you a clear perspective of the struggles of humans.” Crockett tips his hat to his Texas roots on the album with a pair of choice covers: “Jamestown Ferry,” made famous by Tanya Tucker, along with George Strait’s country classic “Amarillo by Morning.”

Legendary Austin club Antone’s celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and Austin City Limits is proud to salute this milestone, along with our own history of showcasing blues music, with a special taping featuring a stellar slate of blues all-stars taking the ACL stage. Performers will include Jimmie Vaughan, Sue Foley, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Charlie Sexton, Big Bill Morganfield, Lil’ Ed Williams, Grace Bowers, Bobby Rush, Kam Franklin, John Primer, Benny Turner and Lurrie Bell. These blues all-stars will be backed by an incredible 14-piece house band featuring legendary players, including ACL Hall of Famer Chris Layton, Steve Bell, Joe Sublett, Rodd Bland, Jon Deas, Nick Connolly, Larry Fulcher, Derek O’Brien, Jay Moeller, Eve Monsees and The Texas Horns, all under the musical direction of Zach Ernst.

ACL featured blues acts on the series dating back to its early seasons, providing the first television exposure for many including Lightnin’ Hopkins, Gatemouth Brown, Miss Lavelle White, B.B. King, W.C. Clark, Elizabeth Cotten and Ruth Brown. ACL is thrilled to celebrate a kindred long-running music institution that has played an instrumental role in Austin’s reign as “the live music capital of the world.” Antone’s “Home of the Blues” was founded by the late Clifford Antone in 1975 as the first live music venue on the city’s now-famous Sixth Street, and quickly became a home away from home for a Mount Rushmore of blues musicians including Muddy Waters, Albert King, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Dixon and B.B. King – as well as a broader tapestry of American roots music. The force behind all this was Clifford Antone, and under his guidance, his namesake club emerged as one of the most important blues joints and stages in the country. Throughout the venue’s remarkable five-decade run, Antone’s continued to define the present and shape the future of blues music, bolstering the careers of internationally-renowned artists including The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Doug Sahm, Charlie Sexton, Angela Strehli, Lou Ann Barton and many more. It remains a vital presence in the live music scene, with its legacy and influence carried forward by the next generation of trailblazing artists including Gary Clark Jr., Kam Franklin, Jackie Venson, Eve Monsees and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.

ACL is proud to welcome Katie Crutchfield, the indie musician who performs as Waxahatchee (the name of a creek she grew up near in Alabama). She’s been releasing albums as Waxahatchee since 2012 and recently scored a career high with Tigers Blood, which earned a 2025 Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album. Recorded at Sonic Ranch in the Texas bordertown of Tornillo with producer Brad Cook, the Kansas City-based Crutchfield wrote most of the songs on the album during a self-described “hot hand spell” while on tour in 2022. Tigers Blood features her most potent songwriting to date and includes the breakout single “Right Back To It,” a lo-fi gem that features southern indie-rock ace MJ Lenderman on harmony vocals and guitar, nominated for Song of the Year at the 2024 Americana Music Awards. Album highlights include the spellbinding opener “3 Sisters”; “365,” a powerful meditation on co-dependency and addiction; and “Bored,” a blazing number on diverging friendships in your 30s. Tigers Blood is Waxahatchee’s first release in four years since 2020’s acclaimed Saint Cloud, a pandemic era standout and turning point that found Crutchfield steering away from indie rock and leaning into Americana and roots music, a sound with deep ties to her southern upbringing. The road-tested artist is touring throughout 2025, including a special Luck Ranch show on March 14 with one of her primary influences, Lucinda Williams. Waxahatchee will also join Willie Nelson on his 2025 Outlaw Music Festival.

It’s been a tremendous couple of years for fast-rising Southern California sweet soul trio Thee Sacred Souls. Their sophomore release Got A Story To Tell (Daptone Records) features 12 original tracks that further cement the band’s status as masters of modern soul. The follow-up to their breakout 2022 self-titled debut, the album was recorded at Penrose Recorders in Riverside, CA, with producer and Daptones Records co-founder Gabriel Roth at the helm. Got A Story To Tell reflects the band’s artistic growth and deep connection to the soul tradition that inspires them. Richly layered with strings, smooth guitar, piano, congas, and horns, the album creates an immersive soundscape, unfolding like a novella filled with evocative tales of love, struggle, and triumph. NPR praises their “satin vocals and vintage melodies;” The LA Times raves, “One of the top acts in contemporary soul revival music. Thee Sacred Souls count fans among older enthusiasts of 1960s-style sweet soul as well as Gen Z listeners who vibe with the group’s grooving messages of romanticism, introspection, and empowerment.” Written by Thee Sacred Souls founding members Alejandro Garcia, Salvador Samano, and Josh Lane, the trio found inspiration in Brazilian legend Arthur Verocai, the Delfonics, Jamaican rocksteady and Motown siren Mary Wells. It’s a soaring statement of exquisite craftsmanship from a young band whose own story grows bigger by the day. Millions of monthly listeners on Spotify. In just two years, an ever-growing list of celebrity fans including SZA, Alicia Keys, Leon Bridges, and Kylie Jenner, and festival debuts at Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Newport Folk and Lollapalooza; the band make their Coachella debut this spring.

We’re thrilled to welcome these stellar acts 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 each taping on our website. Follow us on socials – Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for taping announcements and latest episode news, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for even more. The broadcast episodes will air on PBS this fall as part of our upcoming Season 51, stream previous seasons online or on your connected TV with the PBS App.