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Live Stream ACL & Antone’s Celebrate the Blues on 4/28 @ 8pm CT

One-of-a-Kind Taping to be Livestreamed for Fans Worldwide on Austin City Limits YouTube Channel; Watch Live on April 28 at 8pm

Legendary Austin club Antone’s celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and Austin City Limits is proud to salute this occasion, along with our own five-decade history of showcasing the blues, with ACL & Antone’s Celebrate the Blues on Monday, April 28. Austin City Limits is also pleased to announce this special taping will be livestreamed in its entirety on the ACLTV YouTube channel. This one-of-a-kind taping swaps Antone’s intimate setting for ACL’s familiar skyline backdrop and offers a murderers’ row of blues all-stars and torchbearers taking the ACL stage at ACL Live at The Moody Theater for this incredible night. Performers include Jimmie Vaughan, Sue Foley, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Charlie Sexton, Big Bill Morganfield, Lil’ Ed Williams, Grace Bowers, Bobby Rush 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, along with Steve Bell, Joe Sublett and more, all under the musical direction of Zach Ernst. Full line-up of guest performers and house band below. 

ACL offers fans worldwide the unique opportunity to watch this special taping live in its entirety on Monday, April 28 at 8pm CT free via the ACLTV YouTube Channel.  The livestream will begin promptly at 8pm CT and will only be available live. The broadcast episode will air on PBS and stream on PBS.org this fall as part of the legendary television series upcoming Season 51.

Austin City Limits presented blues acts on the series dating back to its earliest 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” opened in 1975 as the first live music showcase on the city’s now-famous Sixth Street, and it 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 club founder Clifford Antone; under his guidance, his namesake venue 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 Kingfish. Stay tuned for the broadcast episode, which will air later this year as part of ACL’s upcoming Season 51 on PBS.

“ACL & ANTONE’S CELEBRATE THE BLUES” GUEST PERFORMERS:

  • JIMMIE VAUGHAN
  • SUE FOLEY
  • CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM
  • CHARLIE SEXTON
  • BIG BILL MORGANFIELD
  • LIL’ ED WILLIAMS
  • GRACE BOWERS
  • BOBBY RUSH
  • LURRIE BELL
  • BENNY TURNER
  • KAM FRANKLIN
  • JOHN PRIMER

ALL-STAR HOUSE BAND:

  • ZACH ERNST (MUSICAL DIRECTOR & GUITAR)
  • STEVE BELL (HARMONICA)
  • RODD BLAND (DRUMS) 
  • NICK CONNOLLY (PIANO)
  • JOHN DEAS (B3 ORGAN)
  • LARRY FULCHER (BASS)
  • AL GOMEZ (TRUMPET)
  • MARK “KAZ” KAZANOFF (SAXOPHONE)
  • CHRIS LAYTON (DRUMS)
  • JOHN MILLS (SAXOPHONE)
  • JAY MOELLER (DRUMS)
  • EVE MONSEES (GUITAR)
  • DEREK O’BRIEN (GUITAR)
  • JOE SUBLETT (TENOR SAXOPHONE)

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News Ticket Giveaway Tickets Distributed

Giveaway: ACL & Antone’s Celebrate the Blues

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. Austin City Limits will tape performances celebrating The 50th Anniversary of Antone’s on Monday, April 28th 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 admissionThese 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.


ACL & Antone’s Celebrate the Blues features the following artists:

Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush, a genuine Chitlin’ Circuit star born in Louisiana in 1933, cut his teeth in Chicago in the early ‘50s alongside Little Walter and Muddy Waters. A multiple-Grammy winner, ingenious and provocative stage performer, and a blues ambassador of the highest regard.

Grace Bowers
Grace Bowers is an 18-year-old guitar slinger on a meteoric rise. B.B. King was the first bluesman to blow her mind, and Mississippi John Hurt and T-Bone Walker sealed the deal, setting the course for her to become the most in-demand and celebrated young guitarist today.

Kingfish
At 26-years-old, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has already made his mark as one of the best and most exciting guitarists in the world. The blues is lucky to have him; a young torch carrier whose music flows out of him like a water faucet, bursting at a hundred miles an hour with no end in sight.

Chris Layton
Chris “Whipper” Layton is arguably the most influential blues drummer of all time. Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Layton moved to Austin in 1975 and joined the band Greezy Wheels. He later joined Stevie Ray Vaughan’s band Double Trouble in 1978. After forming successful partnerships with bandmates Tommy Shannon and Reese Wynans, they recorded and performed with Vaughan until his death in 1990. Layton and Shannon later formed supergroups such as the Arc Angels, Storyville, and Grady. Currently, Layton is the drummer for the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

John Primer
After working with Willie Dixon and Junior Wells, John Primer was hired as the guitarist for the last great Muddy Waters Blues Band. His sound is Southside Chicago blues of the highest order. Primer joined Muddy at his last Antone’s appearance, and 40+ years later he continues to hold down the Chicago to Austin connection.

Steve Bell
Nobody plays harmonica like Steve Bell. Raised on the Southside of Chicago by the legendary harp player Carey Bell, Steve has been blowing his horn as long as he’s been alive. Sometimes a freight train, sometimes a mustang, Steve’s harp is perfection.

Lil’ Ed Williams
Lil’ Ed Williams, the small blues man with the big fez and an even bigger slide, was a personal favorite of Clifford Antone ever since he first appeared at the club in 1989. Regarded as Chicago’s finest blues boogie slide player, Williams is an intense player and joyful singer in the
spirit of his uncle, J.B. Hutto.

Zach Ernst
Zach Ernst became Clifford Antone’s protégé as a student in his blues history class at the University of Texas 2005. He first appeared on Austin City Limits in 2011 as guitarist for Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears and The Relatives. Zach Ernst became Antone’s talent buyer when the current club opened at the end of 2015, and co-produced the forthcoming Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues boxed set.


Lurrie Bell
Son of Chicago blues star Carey Bell and brother to Steve, Lurrie Bell grew up playing with Eddy Clearwater, Big Walter Horton, Eddie Taylor and Koko Taylor. He was raised by Chicago Blues royalty and, as he grew older, became just that.

Nick Connolly
Nick Connolly is perhaps the most trusted keys player in Austin, and a cornerstone of the scene. He was a Cobra and a Fabulous Thunderbird, and has ably backed the likes of Denny Freeman, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Barbara Lynn and countless others for decades.

The Texas Horns
Mark ‘Kaz” Kazanoff, John Mills and Al Gomez make up the Texas Horns. Based in Austin and San Antonio, they’ve played with hundreds of artists including Marcia Ball, Earl King, Jimmie Vaughan, and Delbert McClinton. They bring the sound and spirit of Doug Sahm’s Last Real
Texas Blues Band wherever they go.

Jay Moeller
One of “Clifford’s Kids,” Jay grew up at Antone’s watching and playing with people like James Cotton, Albert Collins, Luther Tucker, Earl King, and Kim Wilson. He spent countless hours at
Clifford’s side and grew up to be one of Austin’s most in-demand blues drummers, often collaborating with his brother Johnny and his lifelong friend Gary Clark Jr.

Jimmie Vaughan
No one has kept the spirit of Antone’s alive quite like Jimmie Vaughan. When he moved to Austin in 1969 he’d already been in Dallas’ most successful rock band, played gigs as Freddiie King Jr., and opened for Jimi Hendrix. Jimmie (often with the Fabulous Thunderbirds) backed up
everyone who came through the door, and he also played guitar on many of the most important Antone’s Records recordings alongside the likes of Lou Ann Barton and Albert Collins. He is a cultural touchstone and world-class ambassador for Texas music.

Benny Turner
The younger brother of Freddie King, Benny Turner was the bassist in his band for years. Benny moved to Chicago in the ‘50s and is living blues history, an integral part of the Texas and Chicago blues connection.

Jon Deas
A longtime Gary Clark Jr. associate, Jon Deas is one of Austin’s premier keyboard players and a funky, Grammy-winning talent.

Sue Foley
Seconds into hearing Sue Foley’s demo tape, Clifford Antone called her and invited her to Austin. Her first weekend at Antone’s, Sue met and played with Albert Collins, the start of a decades long relationship that saw Sue develop into a stone-cold Canadian killer. She is a 2025 Grammy nominee for her album One Guitar Woman.

Kam Franklin
Houston native Kam Franklin started singing gospel at age five, and is best known for her work with the Suffers. With the Antone’s crew, she pays tribute to seminal figures like Barbara Lynn and Miss Lavelle White like only the best can, because she is.

Charlie Sexton
Charlie Sexton learned from the best: W.C. Clark and Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan. A guitarist and producer of the highest order, he has collaborated with everyone from David Bowie and Bob Dylan to Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen.

Big Bill Morganfield
The son of Muddy Waters, Big Bill Morganfield grew up learning from Pinetop Perkins, Bob Stroger, Willie Smith and more. When Big Bill was sent to this planet he inherited a legacy, and has given his life to keeping the family name alive and well. He was a scene-stealer in the 2024
Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.

Rodd Bland
The son of Bobby “Blue” Bland and Godson of B.B. King, Rodd Bland drummed for his father’s band for many years. He is a top Memphis player and another of the second-generation musicians dedicated to preserving the family name and passing on the lessons – and the music – he’s learned to a new generation.

Larry Fulcher
Larry Fulcher moved to Austin in ‘92 and entered the Antone’s fold thanks to Cobras saxophonist Joe Sublett. He met Derek O’Brien and found himself on the Antone’s stage for countless nights, eventually teaming up with Ruthie Foster and Taj Mahal and winning multiple Grammys in the process.

Joe Sublett
“Smokin’” Joe Sublett moved to Austin in ‘76, joined the Cobras and defined the sound of Austin in the process, but you’ve heard him with the Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and hundreds of others. Sublett was in Antone’s house band during the club’s 10-year anniversary, backing up icons like Albert Collins and Otis Rush. He currently tours with Taj Mahal & the Phantom Blues Band.

Derek O’Brien
Denny Freeman said much of what’s happened in Austin musically couldn’t have happened without Derek O’Brien. There is perhaps no one more important to the continuation of Antone’s than Derek O’Brien. A producer on most Antone’s Records sessions, house band guitarist for way more than ten-thousand hours, and the de-facto bandleader in any room.


Eve Monsees
Eve Monsees has appeared on Austin City Limits several times along with her childhood friend Gary Clark Jr., with whom she started performing at Antone’s in the late 90s when they were both teenagers. She is currently the co-owner of Antone’s Record Shop.


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.

Categories
Hall of Fame Important Feature New Broadcast News Uncategorized

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

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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News Ticket Giveaway Tickets Distributed

Giveaway: Charley Crockett

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. Austin City Limits will tape a performance by Charley Crockett on Tuesday, April 1st 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 admissionThese 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.


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.”


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.

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Coming Soon Featured Important Feature News

Austin City Limits Celebrates 50 Years premieres April 4 on PBS

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

Categories
Featured News Taping Announcement Uncategorized

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

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