Categories
Uncategorized

Grammy-Winner Leon Thomas to Make Austin City Limits Debut; Performance to Livestream for Fans

AUSTIN, TX—October 29, 2025–Austin City Limits (ACL) is thrilled to announce a worldwide livestream featuring Grammy-winning songwriter and chart-topping R&B innovator Leon Thomas in his full-set ACL debut on Sunday, November 2. Thomas takes the ACL stage riding a wave of acclaim, with his smash hit “Mutt” landing in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 this week and just days after dropping the brand-new EP PHOLKS. Billboard raves, “PHOLKS deepens and expands the now-signature blend of funk, soul and classic rock that Thomas honed across MUTT.” 

The breakout artist has dominated 2025, earning Best New Artist at the BET Awards, Billboard’s Breakthrough of the Year Award, and his first two MTV Video Music Award nominations. Thomas also launches his headlining Mutts Don’t Heel Tour on October 30th with sold-out dates across the U.S., Europe and Australia. 

Fans around the world can experience this highly anticipated ACL taping live in its entirety from the iconic Austin City Limits stage in Austin, Texas. The performance will stream free and live at YouTube.com/AustinCityLimitsTV and YouTube.com/leonthomasmusic, beginning promptly at 9pm ET/8pm CT on Sunday, November 2. The hour-long stream will be available only in real time. The broadcast episode of this performance will air as a full hour on PBS early next year and stream nationwide at pbs.org/austincitylimits and on the PBS App as part of Austin City Limits’ acclaimed Season 51.

Recently dubbed “R&B’s hottest ‘rock star’” by Billboard, Leon Thomas is a Grammy-winning artist, producer, and actor from Brooklyn who seamlessly fuses R&B, soul, and rock with fearless creativity. After signing to Ty Dolla $ign’s EZMNY Records in 2022, he released his debut album Electric Dusk (2023), featuring collaborations with Victoria Monét and Benny the Butcher,  and earned a 2024 Grammy for his work on SZA’s smash single “Snooze.” 

Thomas’ 2024 breakout sophomore album MUTT, fueled by live instrumentation and dizzying riffs, was named Billboard’s No. 1 R&B Album of the Year. Its Platinum-certified title track topped multiple charts and surpassed more than 315 million streams, while standout singles “Far Fetched” and “Vibes Don’t Lie” solidified his status as a defining voice in modern R&B. 

In 2025, Thomas expanded his sonic universe with MUTT Deluxe: HEEL, a genre-bending extension featuring guest spots from Kehlani, Big Sean, and Halle. Exploring themes of singlehood, connection, and self-exposure with tightly crafted compositions and distinct creative clarity, the project led to standout performances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and a viral NPR Tiny Desk set. 

Categories
Uncategorized

Queens of the Stone Age to Return to ACL TV for Final Season 51 Taping

Austin City Limits is proud to announce the final taping of Season 51: rock superstars Queens of the Stone Age return for the first time in over a decade on November 18. The celebrated band takes the ACL stage to showcase their remarkable new work, Alive in the Catacombs—conceived and recorded in the ancient tombs beneath Paris—for what promises to be one of the most unique and unforgettable tapings in ACL’s 50-plus-year history. 

Queens of the Stone Age—Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore—continue to defy boundaries and expectations. Three decades into a groundbreaking career, the band ventured underground for Alive in the Catacombs, an innovative album-and-film pairing that reimagines their famously heavy catalog in an otherworldly setting. Recorded beneath Paris in centuries-old crypts, the project serves as both séance and statement—summoning everything that has made QOTSA a singular force in modern rock. 

In a musical landscape dominated by conformity and speed, QOTSA persist in carving out space for nuance, mystery, and soul. That creative balance has powered the band’s music since their beloved 1998 self-titled debut—a breath of fresh rock’n’roll air at a time when pop and boy bands ruled the airwaves. Their trailblazing discography includes the acclaimed Rated R (2000), the Grammy-nominated Songs for the Deaf (2003), the chart-topping …Like Clockwork (2013), the Mark Ronson-produced Villains (2017) and the international No. 1 In Times New Roman (2023). Known for their electrifying live performances, QOTSA have long held a reputation as one of the most powerhouse bands on earth. 

Frontman Josh Homme—formerly the lead guitarist in Palm Springs stoner-rock pioneers Kyuss—has also fueled numerous acclaimed side projects, including The Desert Sessions, Eagles of Death Metal and Them Crooked Vultures (with Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones). 

QOTSA are currently on a limited run of tour dates in support of Alive in the Catacombs, bringing that immersive Paris experience to audiences for the first time. “If you’re ever going to be haunted, surrounded by several million dead people is the place,” Homme reflects. “I’ve never felt so welcome in my life.”

ACL is thrilled to welcome Queens of the Stone Age back to the stage for this intimate and historic performance. Details on how to win free passes will be announced one week prior to the taping—follow ACLTV on IG and Facebook and X for updates. The hourlong broadcast episode will air and stream early next year on PBS as the finale of Austin City Limits’ current Season 51. Stream previous seasons online or on your connected TV with the free PBS App

Categories
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. 

Categories
Uncategorized

Giveaway: Cam

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. Austin City Limits will tape a performance from Cam on Monday, June 2nd 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.


In 2025, multi-platinum, GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter Cam’s voice resonates louder than ever, contributing songwriting, production, and backing vocals to Beyoncé’s genre-shattering album COWBOY CARTER. Her significant involvement on COWBOY CARTER secured Cam her first GRAMMY win as a songwriter for Album of The Year,

In addition to her big year with Beyonce, she was also a featured artist and songwriter on 070 Shake’s new album PETRICHOR (released late 2024) and is now preparing for the release of her new body of work with RCA Records in 2025.

Prolific and adored, Cam stepped into the spotlight in a big way with her critically acclaimed full-length debut, Untamed. The record not only bowed in the Top 15 of the Billboard Top 200 and registered at #2 on the Top Country Albums Chart, but it also yielded her the breakthrough smash “Burning House.” It went triple-platinum, notched GRAMMY®, ACM, and CMA award nominations, and remains one of the best-selling country songs by a female solo artist since its release.      

For her critically acclaimed sophomore release, The Otherside, she once again enlisted producers Tyler Johnson (Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus, SZA) and Jeff Bhasker (Kanye West, Alicia Keys). The record featured the international Jolene-in-reverse hit “Diane,” the undeniable jam “Till There’s Nothing Left,” plus songwriting from Avicii, Harry Styles, Jack Antonoff, and Sam Smith. In addition to penning five songs for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album (“American Requiem,” “Protector,” “Daughter,” “Tyrant,” “Amen”), Cam has also lent her songwriting to superstars like Miley Cyrus, Diplo, and Sam Smith. 

She has consistently sold out shows across the globe, cementing her status as an international powerhouse on stage. From the coveted sunset slot at Stagecoach to top venues across five continents, in recent years, she has been one of the few country acts to play Lollapalooza, ACL Fest, and Outside Lands while also supporting acts like Harry Styles, George Strait, Sam Smith, Loretta Lynn, the Indigo Girls, Eric Church, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. 

A vivid storyteller, clever wordsmith, and committed visionary, fans have only just begun to scratch the surface of Cam’s many facets. As she bravely steps into her next era, she’s welcoming everyone into a space that’s inclusive, invigorating, and inspiring.


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.

Categories
Uncategorized

Latin Rock Superstar Juanes Thrills in Epic Austin City Limits Hour

Austin City Limits is thrilled to welcome back Colombian superstar Juanes for the first time in over a decade in an arena-worthy, hourlong performance. The Latin rock icon delivers an irresistible, career-spanning, all Spanish-language set featuring selections from his acclaimed album Vida Cotidiana, his 10th studio album and a career highpoint. The new Season 50 episode premieres Saturday, November 16 @8pm ET/7pm CT as part of Austin City Limits anniversary Season 50. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) and full episodes are made available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the initial broadcast. 2024 kicked off the yearlong 50th Anniversary of the revered music institution, which continues 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 an incredible half-century.

Juanes on Austin City Limits. Photo by Scott Newton.

An electrifying guitarist and gifted songwriter, with a staggering 30 million albums sold worldwide, Juanes is one of the most innovative and popular figures in contemporary Latin music. In 2023 alone, he received his fourth GRAMMY and 25th LATIN GRAMMY award, extending his remarkable run as the Latin Recording Academy’s most decorated solo artist of all time. He made his ACL debut in 2005 and returned in 2013 to launch the season premiere; now Juanes returns for ACL’s landmark Season 50. He performs songs from Vida Cotidiana (Everyday Life), his first album of original material in four years—arguably his most personal, with the global icon reflecting on topics ranging from love, marriage, family and societal concerns. Bearded, tattooed, and ready to rock in a sleeveless black denim jacket, the charismatic entertainer performs hits and favorites from across his two-decade career. Backed by his stellar five-piece band, he thrills with highlights from Vida Cotidiana including set-opener “Gris,” “Amores Prohibidos” and the call and response powered “A Dios Le Pido.” Juanes unearths gems from his catalog, showcasing the blues rock cumbia of “Mala Gente” and crowd-pleasers including “La Camisa Negra,” “Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor,” “Fotografia” and  “Me Anamora,” proving his bona fides as one of today’s most soulful practitioners of sterling Latin pop-rock.

“Austin City Limits has showcased Spanish-language music since Flaco Jiménez performed in our very first season, but Juanes helped to pave the way for a new generation of Latin music superstars,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “As Latin music truly became a global phenomenon, singers, songwriters and musicians from the Latin diaspora worldwide have found their way to the ACL stage, but Juanes still represents the best of the best!”

Episode setlist: 

Gris

Mala Gente 

Amores Prohibidos

Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor 

Fotografia 

Es Por Ti 

Es Tarde 

Mas

Ojalá

La Paga 

La Camisa Negra 

A Dios Le Pido

Me Enamora