We here at Austin City Limits were saddened to learn that country music legend Ray Price passed away yesterday at the age of 87. The Texas native, whose hits included “Crazy Arms,” “Heartaches By the Number,” “Night Life” (written by his pal Willie Nelson) and the immortal Kris Kristofferson song “For the Good Times,” appeared on ACL three times. Price’s first appearance came in a 1980 songwriters special which was followed by memorable solo appearances in 1981 and 1999.
“I remember Ray as a class act, a true gentlemen,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “He blazed his own trail, gave Willie his first gig, and left an indelible mark on country and pop music.” Our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans.
Watch Ray Price’s 1981 ACL segment below. *Note that only the first 20 minutes will play on this page; to watch the entire 28-minute segment, please click through and watch it at video.pbs.org. Thanks.
The psychedelic folk troupe Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros bring their shared spirit to the ACL stage in their debut appearance on the show. Equipped with infectious melodies, catchy sing-a-longs and a free-spirited frontman, the 12-piece ensemble have gained fans all over the world. With two critically-acclaimed albums and a widespread reputation for energetic performances, the down-home outfit create what NPR calls a “gloriously uplifting ruckus.” The Los Angeles-based group draws inspiration from the communal musical communities that peppered Southern California with positive vibrations during the ’60s and early ’70s. The gang of animated musicians perform their bright music and homespun harmonies on ACL complete with spontaneous dancing, bare feet and bared souls.
“This is a band that loves to make music, pure and simple,” says ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. “They may look and sound like they came straight out of the 60’s, but there is a joy to their music that is infectious – onstage or off. In fact, frontman Alex Ebert had a hard time staying ON our stage during the show, and to everyone’s delight he plunged into the crowd more than once.”
photo by Scott Newton
Next up is the bold, uncompromising music of tUnE-yArDs, performing tracks from the critically-acclaimed opus whokill. The brainchild of indie singer-songwriter Merrill Garbus, tUnE-yArDs have fashioned an expansive sound incorporating layered ukulele, voice, electric bass and drum loops into an eclectic DIY aesthetic. Technology meets primal in the music of Garbus, who The New York Times describes as “somewhere between Aretha Franklin and Yoko Ono.” She showcases her striking sound for her first appearance on the ACL stage. With a bassist and two sax players joining Garbus’ frontline of drums, amplified ukelele and looping technology, tUnE-yArDs put on a show unlike any other.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had an act quite like Merrill Garbus and tUnE-yArDs on ACL,” says Lickona. “But don’t be fooled…just when her music seems to veer off in a strange direction, Merrill brings it all back home with the raw power of her voice and those loopy rhythms.”
If you want to see some of these fine folks in action, ACL’s got ’em when our new episodes return in January. Queens of the Stone Age kick off the second half of Season 39 in the New Year, making their ACL debut on January 4, Neko Case returns on January 11, Sarah Jarosz and The Milk Carton Kids appear on February 1, Kacey Musgraves makes her ACL debut on February 8 and Mavis Staples encores on March 29.
And don’t forget – our own executive producer Terry Lickona is also co-producer of the Grammy telecast, as well as the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Recording Academy, the Grammys’ parent organization. The Grammy Awards broadcast on January 26th – Good luck to Terry and all the nominees!
Widespread Panic has spent time on the ACL stage before, visiting us in Seasons 26 and 31. But we never had a show quite like this. Not only was the Georgia band on a tour celebrating its 25th anniversary, but this Season 37 gem was recorded on St. Patrick’s Day during Austin’s venerable South By Southwest Music Festival. In other words, this episode treats fans to a retrospective show recorded in a party atmosphere. The south’s most resilient jam band performs not only recent material like “Dirty Side Down,” “Up All Night” and the salutatory “May Your Glass Be Filled,” but also reaches deep into its sizeable catalog. Highlights include the choogling “Pigeons,” from its 1991 self-titled second record, the Junior Kimbrough cover “Junior,” from its reputation-solidifying 1994 LP Ain’t Life Grand, and the concert staple “Chilly Water,” from all-the-way-back-in 1988’s debut Space Wrangler. Add a feisty take on Tom Waits’ “Goin’ Out West” to the party and we’ve got a special Widespread Panic show.
Hunting for the right gift for the music fan in your life? We’ve got what you need at our annual Holiday Gift Fair!
This year’s event on Dec. 16th, features special deals on limited edition posters, Austin City Limits T-shirts and much, much more. Vintage posters including Radiohead and Coldplay as well as posters from all artists featured in season 39, 38 and 37 will be on sale. Many of these have extremely limited availability.
The Season 38 DVD and photobook plus other commemorative items will be available for purchase. KLRU-TV, the PBS station that produces Austin City Limits, will also have PBS items for sale so you’re sure to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list!
It’s amazing to think that the loosely defined umbrella “alternative rock” now stretches past the quarter century mark. In celebration of its endurance, this week Austin City Limits presents a veteran of the style and a fast-rising newcomer. Bob Mould pioneered the loud/fast guitar pop style with both his 80s punk band Hüsker Dü and his 90s power pop trio Sugar, while Delta Spirit carves its own path by blending Americana and indie rock. This episode will get your heart pumping and your air guitar flailing.
Joined by longtime bass foil Jason Narducy and Superchunk/Mountain Goats drummer Jon Wurster, Bob Mould wastes no time getting to the point, opening with the bludgeoning power chords of Sugar’s “The Act We Act.” It’s the start of a blazing career retrospective that ranges from the romping Sugary power pop of “Changes” and “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” to the raging power rock of “Star Machine,” the lead-off track from Mould’s highly acclaimed LP Silver Age. Hüsker Dü classics bring down the house, including the nuclear powered folk rock of “Celebrated Summer” and the irresistible hooks of “Makes No Sense at All.” While it’s hard to pick a highlight in a show packed with so many goodies, the epic, elegiac version of the rarely-performed Hüsker gem “Hardly Getting Over It” elevates the episode from simply excellent to truly magnificent.
From the intensity of the veteran we go to the enthusiasm of the newcomers, as Delta Spirit takes the stage. The Brooklyn-based quintet revs the energy up immediately with the rumbling “White Table,” before irrepressible singer Matt Vasquez sparks the crowd into overdrive with the anthemic “Money Saves.” The band brings things back down with “Vivian,” a lovely song about former Austinite Vasquez’s grandmother, performed with his own mama in the audience for a touching moment. Then it’s more palate-cleansing with the lilting, melodic “California,” before bringing the house down with the band’s explosive standard “Trashcan,” probably the only song in the ACL catalog that features a metal trashcan lid as a main instrument.
photo by Scott Newton
More details can be had on the episode page here. Don’t forget to check in with our Facebook and Twitter pages or sign up for our newsletter for more ACL news. Next week: Widespread Panic.
