Category: Hall of Fame

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Hall of Fame Important Feature News

Austin City Limits Announces Newest Hall of Fame Inductee: Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile Hall of Fame

Austin City Limits is proud to announce the newest inductee into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame: 11-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, producer and performer Brandi Carlile. The 12th Annual ACL Hall of Fame will honor Carlile with a celebratory induction and full-set taping on July 1, 2026.

Since its 10th Anniversary in 2024, the Hall of Fame has shifted to spotlight a singular artist each year with an in-depth tribute. Carlile now joins the ranks of the legendary artists who have shaped ACL’s enduring legacy. Tickets to the event will be distributed via a public giveaway; more information will be announced in advance. Fans are encouraged to follow @acltv on Instagram, Facebook and X for updates. 

This special evening will feature music legend Bonnie Raitt, who will induct Carlile and perform in tribute. The Hall of Fame will take place at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas. Performance and induction highlights from this evening will air as an hourlong broadcast during Season 52 of Austin City Limits, premiering this September on PBS, and will be available to stream online and via the PBS App.

“Being inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame by one of my absolute heroes — Bonnie Raitt — means everything to me,” shared Brandi Carlile. “I’m so grateful to have had such a deep and powerful connection to the city of Austin and Austin City Limits all these years — and I cannot wait to hit the Moody stage in July to celebrate this immense honor.”

“I’m thrilled to induct my friend Brandi into the ACL Hall of Fame,” says Bonnie Raitt. “She is truly one of our most respected and impactful artists. I admire her not only for her incredible music, but for standing up for the causes and artists she’s passionate about, all while balancing her wonderful family life. I can’t wait to get to perform together for this show that has meant so much to us both.”

Brandi Carlile, ACL TV Season 48 – Photo by Scott Newton

A trailblazing artist with deep roots at ACL, Brandi Carlile has delivered three standout appearances during her two-decade career. She made her debut in 2010 (Season 36), returned in 2018 for a Season 44 hour anchored by her landmark sixth studio album By the Way, I Forgive You, and headlined the Season 48 premiere in 2022 with highlights from her acclaimed seventh album In These Silent Days.

A frequent presence at the ACL Hall of Fame, Carlile notably handed induction honors for Sheryl Crow in 2022. She now returns to the ACL stage with new gems from Returning to Myself, her first solo album in four years, alongside a selection of career-spanning favorites.

Thirteen-time Grammy Award winner Bonnie Raitt made her ACL debut in 1984 during the first decade of the series in Season 9 and has appeared multiple times across the show’s five decade run. Inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame in 2016, Raitt returned in 2023 on the eve of the series’ 50th Anniversary milestone with a commanding Season 49 performance, showcasing highlights from across her storied  career. 

“When Brandi Carlile first stepped onto the ACL stage more than 15 years ago, it was immediately clear she possessed a rare and singular talent,” says ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. “The moment you hear her voice, you know exactly who it is. She will always have a home here at ACL, and now she takes her well-deserved place in the ACL Hall of Fame. Having Bonnie Raitt there to welcome her into the fold makes the occasion all the more special.”

Established in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame honors artists who have played a defining role in the series’ half-century legacy, celebrating them with unforgettable, one-night-only tributes, carving their name into ACL history. Each induction pairs iconic performances with heartfelt salutes from peers and admirers—memorable moments have included Matthew McConaughey inducting Willie Nelson with Texas reverence and wit, Sean Penn honoring Lyle Lovett in a hilarious and deeply personal tribute, and Ethan Hawke saluting John Prine with poetic grace. Filmmaker Cameron Crowe welcomed My Morning Jacket into the fold, while Jason Isbell paid moving tribute to Lucinda Williams, and Eagles’ Don Henley honored Trisha Yearwood. Guitar great Jimmie Vaughan inducted Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples honored Bonnie Raitt and Chris Isaak saluted Roy Orbison. The Hall of Fame stage has also hosted once-in-a-lifetime performances, including Garth Brooks marathon, two hour masterclass set for his own induction; it has seen Willie Nelson take the stage with Buddy Guy in tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, and presented the Flatlanders as they reunited to celebrate Joe Ely. From all-star collaborations to singular moments of connection, the Hall of Fame has become a cornerstone of ACL’s story, capturing the freewheeling spirit, community, and musical excellence that define the series.

About Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile is an 11-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, producer and performer as well as an Oscar-nominated songwriter and two-time Emmy-winning composer, and was named one of Time magazine’s 2026 Women of the Year. Widely regarded as one of music’s most powerful and respected voices, she has released eight solo studio albums, including her 2025 release Returning To Myself, produced with Andrew Watt, Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon, which debuted in the Top Ten on the all-genre Billboard 200. Her 2026 Grammy-nominated collaboration with Elton John, Who Believes in Angels?, debuted at No. 1 in the U.K. and Top 10 in the U.S. A sought-after collaborator and producer, Carlile has contributed to Grammy-winning projects for Joni Mitchell, Brandy Clark and Tanya Tucker, and collaborated with artists including The Highwomen, Lucius, Alicia Keys, Hozier, Sam Smith, Noah Kahan, Jacob Collier, Pink and Dolly Parton. A No. 1 New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Looking Out Foundation, she has raised more than $9 million for grassroots causes. Her global “The Human Tour” continues with dates across the U.S. and U.K./EU from August through October. She has headlined Austin City Limits three times, with standout appearances in 2010, 2018 and 2022.

About Bonnie Raitt

Bonnie Raitt is a 13-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose singular blend of blues, R&B, rock and pop has defined a remarkable five-decade career. After establishing herself as a revered artist’s artist, she achieved global acclaim with her landmark albums Nick of Time and Luck of the Draw, featuring enduring classics including “Something to Talk About” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” A 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and 2024 Kennedy Center honoree, the slide guitar ace has been recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest guitarists and singers of all time. She remains a vital creative force— her 2022 album Just Like That… topped multiple Billboard charts, and earned countless accolades and three 2023 Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year. Raitt is as known for her lifelong commitment to social activism as she is for her music. She continues to tour extensively worldwide and raises funds for a variety of non-profit organizations at nearly every concert. A cherished member of the ACL Hall of Fame, Raitt has graced the ACL stage across multiple decades, delivering performances that embody the spirit and soul of the series.

Austin City Limits and the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame are produced by Austin PBS.

Austin City Limits: 

A monument to music, Austin City Limits has showcased iconic performances from legends and innovators in every genre of popular song for a remarkable five decades. The series is the flagship of the popular Austin City Limits Music Festival and has earned countless accolades for its quality presentation of live music performances, including a Peabody Award, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame designation and it remains the only TV series awarded the National Medal of Arts. Austin City Limits writes the next chapter in its remarkable 50+ year broadcast run with the upcoming Season 52

.

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Featured Hall of Fame

Cameron Crowe to Induct My Morning Jacket into Austin City Limits Hall of Fame

Cameron Crow filmmaker announcement as special guest at the 11th Annual Hall of Fame

Austin City Limits proudly announces that special guest Cameron Crowe will induct rock legends My Morning Jacket into the 2025 Austin City Limits Hall of Fame on Friday, August 1. The Oscar-winning filmmaker and best-selling author will be on hand to honor his friends as the American originals enter the  Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, joining the esteemed acts inducted since 2014. 

In their return to the ACL stage for the first time in nearly a decade, My Morning Jacket will perform a full set taping for the occasion. In a new first, the show is open to all, and the Hall of Fame will not be a ticketed event. Fans will have the opportunity to win free passes to attend by signing up for a ticket giveaway on acltv.com beginning July 24 through July 29. 

Cameron Crowe: “Thank you to Austin City Limits for the invitation to help honor My Morning Jacket. MMJ has the rarest kind of mastery. Their songs explode with passion and feeling on stage and in the studio. They’ve long been one of my favorite bands. I can’t wait for a chance to see them play again on the ACL stage.”

Jim James: “We are so excited to experience this ACL honor with the great Cameron Crowe! We have long loved his beautiful visions in the art of filmmaking, as well as his wisdom and humor in the world of music journalism. His art and friendship has enriched our lives so much over the years and we are so stoked to share the stage with him!”

One of America’s most iconic music journalists, Cameron Crowe helped define the job by becoming Rolling Stone’s youngest-ever contributor as a fifteen-year-old high school graduate. He went on to profile the likes of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Elton John, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and The Who at the heady height of the album-oriented rock era. 

Crowe became an acclaimed filmmaker writing and/or directing some of the most beloved films of the past forty years, from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Say Anything… and Singles, to Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky and Almost Famous.

Crowe’s long-awaited memoir, The Uncool, will be published by Avid Reader Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, on October 28, 2025.  Hamburgers for the Apocalypse: The Music Journalism of Cameron Crowe, a companion collection of the author’s essential interviews and newly conducted follow-up conversations, will be published in 2026.

The Induction and 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. The series recently celebrated its milestone 50th Anniversary in 2024 with a landmark campaign honoring its legacy and future. The live music beacon is a public media institution that continues to champion artistry, authenticity and music discovery. 

ACL is thrilled to welcome My Morning Jacket into the ACL Hall of Fame and to showcase their latest sonic adventure, is. The Louisville, KY-bred five-piece recently released is, their first album in nearly four years, and their 10th studio album. My Morning Jacket has made a trio of fan-favorite appearances on Austin City Limits 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. 

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 welcomed Garth Brooks to its ranks.

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 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.

Fans can enter a public giveaway to win free passes to be a part of the audience for this historic Hall of Fame taping. Visit us at acltv.com and follow @acltv on IG, Facebook and X for updates. 

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: 

A monument to music, Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for more than 50 years. On October 17, 1974, Willie Nelson taped the pilot episode and the trailblazing series premiered on PBS in 1975. The public media mainstay has showcased iconic performances from legends and innovators in every genre of popular song. The series is the flagship of the popular Austin City Limits Music Festival and has earned countless accolades for its quality presentation of live music performances, including a Peabody Award, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame designation and it remains the only TV series awarded the National Medal of Arts. Austin City Limits writes the next chapter in its remarkable 50+ year broadcast run with the upcoming Season 51.

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Featured Hall of Fame Important Feature Taping Announcement Uncategorized

My Morning Jacket will join Austin City Limits Hall of Fame

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. 

photo by Scott Newton

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. 

photo by Scott Newton

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. 

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Hall of Fame Important Feature New Broadcast News Uncategorized

Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors Garth Brooks premieres May 3

© 8 Ten, Inc.

Austin City Limits caps off its 50th Anniversary celebrations with the broadcast premiere of Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors Garth Brooks Saturday, May 3 @8pm ET/7pm CT (check local listings). After the broadcast, the special will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits for four weeks.

The Country music singer and songwriter brings a stadium-size show to the ACL stage for this landmark occasion, thrilling with fan-favorites and the stories behind his beloved hits in an entertaining, singalong hour recorded live at ACL’s studio home ACL Live in Austin, Texas. 2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of Austin City Limits, which premiered on PBS in 1975. The program celebrates its extraordinary run as the longest-running music series in television history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for a half-century.

A trailblazing artist whose ties to ACL go a long way back, Garth Brooks made his series debut in 1990 during Season 15, on the heels of his breakout 1989 debut album. The hour opens with highlights showcasing Brooks’ distinctive ACL performances over the decades; sprinkled throughout the special is new commentary from Brooks, his wife, country superstar Trisha Yearwood, and longtime ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, who handles induction honors. Brooks holds his cowboy hat to his heart as he accepts the honor with impassioned remarks and sings the program’s praises, saying Austin City Limits’ heartbeat is raw and true. He even cites favorite episodes that inspired his own career from early on. “You can bring all the smoke and mirrors you want, and trust me—I’ve used ‘em all,” laughs Brooks, “but you come here and it’s the real deal.”

“Always try to associate your name with a name greater than your own,” says Brooks.  “Being associated with ACL has been one of the greatest assets of my career.  I can’t thank Terry and the gang enough for all the years and all the love.” 

“You can’t tell the story of Austin City Limits without Garth Brooks,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “Garth gets it. He gets what makes Austin City Limits special, and why it’s an honor for an artist to step onto that stage and deliver the best performance of their life. And it’s an honor for us to share that stage with artists like Garth, who have so much to offer.”

Since its inception in 2014, the ACL Hall of Fame has honored legendary artists who have played a pivotal role in the pioneering music series’ outstanding half-century as a music institution. The inaugural awards in 2014 honored Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Garth Brooks has multiple Austin City Limits performances under his belt; he made his series debut in 1990 and returned a decade later to both open and close ACL’s milestone Season 25 with two hourlong episodes. 

Brooks returned to ACL in 2021 for a memorable pair of intimate, non-broadcast events to close Studio 6A on the University of Texas campus, the fabled soundstage where the program first started recording in 1974. Brooks carved his name into ACL’s history with the final performances in the historic studio that was the show’s home from 1974 to 2010, before a move to downtown Austin. The singular artist performed the special benefit shows solo acoustic to a sold-out audience of 200 fans per night.

The Austin City Limits Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty artists at nine 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, Alejandro Escovedo, Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely. The ninth annual Hall of Fame in 2023 welcomed John Prine and Trisha Yearwood to its ranks.

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Hall of Fame News Taping Recap

Taping Recap: ACL 10th Annual Hall of Fame 2024

On the precipice of ACL’s 50th anniversary, folks filed into Austin City Limits’ studio home ACL Live at The Moody Theater on September 5 to witness Garth Brooks’ induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, thus kicking off 50th anniversary celebrations with a hoot and holler heard round our great state. We knew the 10th Anniversary Austin City Limits Annual Hall of Fame Honors was going to be special, but nothing could have prepared us for a night the Austin American-Statesman declared a “raucous hoedown,” evoking the spirit of old Austin drawn from late nights at honky tonks, sharing beers with friends and strangers.

For the first time in the decade-long history of the ACL Hall of Fame, only one inductee was honored, making it all the more special of a celebration. Established in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame recognizes legendary musicians and key individuals who have been instrumental in making television’s longest-running popular music show an institution. The ACL HoF is a historical archive, educational resource and celebration of ACL and the Austin spirit, capturing milestones in the history of the show and celebrating the performers who have graced its iconic stage. A longtime friend of the show, Brooks made his ACL debut in 1990 during Season 15 at the beginning of his career, and anchored ACL’s 25th Anniversary broadcast season with a pair of appearances in 2000 (and closing down Studio 6A on the UT campus before ACL moved its studio downtown), and made his celebrated return almost a quarter of a century later to the ACL stage, something he and executive producer Terry Lickona spoke of doing way back in Season 25. 

Following remarks from Chet Garner of The Daytripper and Austin PBS CEO Luis Patiño, a video tribute took guests on a journey through Brooks’ past Austin City Limits appearances. Next, executive producer Terry Lickona took the stage to present Brooks with the award of the evening. Overwhelmed with emotion, Garth stood back from the award podium for a beat, taking in the unending cheers from the studio audience. Joking about putting his award next to wife Trisha’s Yearwood’s (Yearwood was inducted in 2023), Brooks gave a rollicking acceptance speech before posing with the studio audience behind him for a crowd selfie. 

Brooks kicked off the night with unrivaled energy in what would turn out to be a career-spanning stadium-worthy performance, clocking in at over two hours. Playing a medley of songs that influenced his roots and served as a music lesson for the audience, including “Unchained Melody” and “Hallelujah,” Brooks warmed the audience up before his incredible 9-piece band joined him onstage for “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).” “We’re gonna have fun tonight,” laughed Brooks as he and his band tore through hit after hit, including crowd favorites “Two Piña Coladas,” and “Thunder Rolls.” 

Brooks picked up a stack of papers with previously submitted audience requests written on them. He theatrically called out the requesters, asked them to stand, and interacted with them in a heartfelt way before playing requests; “Unanswered Prayers,” “It’s Your Song,” and more. When Brooks reached the last request, he read it animatedly, “Garth, I love you but…. can you bring out Trisha?” The audience was out of their seats, cheering, at that point. Trisha Yearwood joined her husband and now fellow ACL Hall of Fame icon onstage for an acoustic version of their “In Another’s Eyes” and a rousing solo rendition of her fan-favorite “She’s in Love With a Boy.”

At that point the studio audience was probably wondering if it could get any better than that. Brooks took a pause to introduce his longtime band, calling out backing vocalist Robert Bailey Jr. A little lively back and forth revealed Bailey Jr. had appeared in the legendary movie Animal House (as a member of Otis Day & The Knights), and led to Bailey Jr. performing a roof-rattling cover of the movie’s iconic “Shout!” joined by the band. Brooks then paid moving tribute to the night’s other man of the hour, longtime ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, dedicating “The Dance,” to him and describing Lickona as “the beating heart of the show.” From there, the grand finale had everyone out of their seats, clapping, dancing in a joyous crowd-singalong. Brooks brought the house down with his biggest hit, “Friends in Low Places,” ending the unforgettable night on a perfect note with his Austin friends. Before exiting the stage, Brooks and band bowed and waved to the audience. It almost seemed like Brooks would have stayed onstage all night, taking requests. That’s how much he loves his fans. 

Highlights from Brooks’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony will air as a special hourlong Austin City Limits broadcast in early 2025 to celebrate the program’s golden anniversary Season 50. 

The series’ anniversary season launches on PBS on September 28, 2024 with a season premiere featuring an hour with Kacey Musgraves.

© 8 Ten, Inc.
© 8 Ten, Inc.
© 8 Ten, Inc.
© 8 Ten, Inc.
© 8 Ten, Inc.

Garth Brooks performs at 10th Annual ACL Hall of Fame, 2024. Photos courtesy of © 8 Ten, Inc.

SETLIST:

“Don’t Close Your Eyes”

“Three Wooden Crosses”

“Night Moves”

“Unchained Melody/Hallelujah/Girl Crush/perfect”

“Much Too Young to Feel This Damn Old”

“Two of a Kind”

“Beaches of Cheyenne”

“Two Pina Coladas”

“The River”

“Turn the Page”

“Thunder Rolls”

Request Songs:

“Unanswered Prayers”

“It’s Your Song”

“We Shall Be Free”

“In Another’s Eyes” (w/Trisha Yearwood)

“She’s in Love With the Boy” (w/ Trisha Yearwood)

“Calling Baton Rouge”

“Shout” (performed by Robert Bailey)

“The Dance”

“Piano Man”

“You Never Even Called Me by My Name”

“Friends in Low Places”

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Featured Hall of Fame News

Austin City Limits kicks off 50th anniversary celebration with Garth Brooks

Iconic music series Austin City Limits (ACL) kicks off the 50th Anniversary celebrations by welcoming a new Austin City Limits Hall of Fame honoree into its ranks for this milestone: Garth Brooks. For the first time in the decade-long history of the ACL Hall of Fame, only one inductee will be honored at this epic 10th Anniversary Hall of Fame celebration taking place on September 5, 2024, at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Brooks and his band will perform for the occasion. Brooks anchored ACL’s 25th Anniversary broadcast season with a pair of appearances and returns now for the Hall of Fame salute to launch the trailblazing television series’ record-making 50th season. Musical highlights and Brooks’ induction from the Hall of Fame ceremony will air as a special hourlong broadcast of Austin City Limits as a highlight of the program’s golden anniversary Season 50 which premieres on September 28, 2024, on PBS. 

“To be part of anything Austin City Limits is and always has been an honor,” Brooks said. “I am humbled and grateful to not only be a part of the 50th Anniversary, but to be inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame is over the top.”

The event is open to the public and a limited number of tickets will be on sale August 2 at acltv.com/hall-of-fame via AXS ticketing. Sponsor packages are available now. This event will be a phone-free experience. Upon arrival at the venue, tickets will be scanned and all phones will be secured in Yondr cases that will be unlocked at the end of the event. Austin City Limits 10th Annual Hall of Fame Honors is produced by Austin PBS and proceeds benefit the public television station. 

2024 marks the 50th Anniversary of the live music beacon Austin City Limits, which taped its debut pilot episode on October 17, 1974; the pioneering series then premiered on PBS in 1975. ACL celebrates its remarkable legacy with a yearlong celebration through 2025. Since its inception in 2014, the ACL Hall of Fame has honored legendary artists who have played a pivotal role in the trailblazing music series’ outstanding half-century as a music institution. The inaugural awards in 2014 honored Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Garth Brooks has longtime ties to ACL, with three legendary Austin City Limits performances. He first appeared on the program in 1990, during Season 15, at the beginning of his career. The celebrated artist returned a decade later to both open and close ACL’s milestone Season 25 with two hourlong episodes.

Brooks returned to ACL in 2021 for a memorable pair of intimate, non-broadcast events to close Studio 6A on the University of Texas campus, the fabled soundstage where the program first started recording in 1974. Brooks carved his name into ACL’s history with the final performances in the historic studio that was the show’s home from 1974 to 2010, before a move to downtown Austin. The singular artist performed the special benefit shows solo acoustic to a sold-out audience of 200 fans per night, as a fundraiser for Austin PBS, sharing stories, taking song requests, and answering questions from the audience.  

“Garth is a special friend—there’s no one else quite like him,” said longtime ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “He never forgets his roots, or the people who were there for him in those early days. He hit the ACL stage just as his career was taking off, kicked off our 25th anniversary season, and now almost 25 years later, it’s our turn to honor him.”

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 half-century as a music institution. The Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty artists at nine 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, Alejandro Escovedo, Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely. The ninth annual Hall of Fame in 2023 welcomed John Prine and Trisha Yearwood to its ranks.

About Garth Brooks:

Garth Brooks just opened his brand new bar on Lower Broadway in Nashville, Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk. The opening was celebrated with a Dive Bar concert on Black Friday that streamed exclusively on Amazon. He also just released a new boxed set, “The Limited Series,” which is the third and final in the series and contains Garth’s 14th studio album, Time Traveler. The boxed set is on sale exclusively at Bass Pro Shops. Garth has returned to radio with the SEVENS Radio Network on TuneIn. So far, the announced stations include The BIG 615 with Storme Warren, Tailgate Radio with Maria Taylor and The Garth Channel. He currently has a residency, Garth Brooks/Plus ONE at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. 2023 completely sold out, dates for 2024 are currently on sale. In 2022, Garth completed the three and a half year long Stadium Tour. It drew an average of more than 95 thousand people in each city it played and was seen by a cumulative audience of nearly three-million people. The tour ended that September when Garth played the fifth sold-out concert at Dublin, Ireland’s Croke Park. The five concerts were seen by over 400-thousand people. Garth has received every accolade you can bestow on an artist. Garth has received The Kennedy Center Honor, the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, seven CMA Entertainer of the Year honors and nine Diamond Awards. He remains the #1-selling solo artist in U.S. history, certified by the RIAA with 162 million album sales.​

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 launching its 50th 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 2024-2025.