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Episode Recap New Broadcast News

Episode Premiere: Grammy-Nominated Singer-Songwriters Maggie Rogers & Gracie Abrams

Austin City Limits has all the feels in a heartfelt new installment showcasing two gifted singer-songwriters: Maggie Rogers and Gracie Abrams. Both artists create honest, personal music and prioritize connection with the audience, encouraging listeners to feel all the feelings. In her second appearance on ACL, Grammy-nominated Rogers shines with gems from Don’t Forget Me; she’s followed by 2024 Grammy Best New Artist nominee Abrams making her program debut with standouts from her chart-topping The Secret of Us. The hourlong episode premieres Saturday, October 12 @8pm ET/7pm CT. 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 marks the 50th Anniversary of the revered music de 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.

Producer/songwriter/performer Maggie Rogers made her Austin City Limits debut in Season 45 with songs from 2019’s Heard It In a Past Life and returns as a must-see live act amid her first arena tour. Rogers takes viewers on a journey of her cinematic songs, featuring highlights from her third LP Don’t Forget Me, a road trip album written from the perspective of someone leaving home for the first time. Accompanied by a six-piece band, Rogers has her foot on the gas for the raw emotion of the opener “So Sick Of Dreaming,” a lovestruck kiss-off with a spoken-word interlude to an ex-partner. “This song is a love song,” smiles Rogers in the intro to her 2019 hit “Love You For A Long Time.” She dances ecstatically across the stage and inspires a genuine connection with her audience, as the adoring Austin crowd sings along passionately. She reaches back to her 2020 sophomore release Surrender for “Anywhere With You,” and closes out the exuberant set awash in good vibes for this year’s big-hearted title track “Don’t Forget Me.”

Los Angeles native Gracie Abrams was handpicked by Taylor Swift to open on select dates of her blockbuster Eras Tour, and rejoins Swift on the final leg of that tour this fall, in addition to playing her own sold-out headlining tour. The 25-year-old Abrams has amassed a devoted fanbase of ecstatic fans who chant her name and sing-along to every word of her emotionally intimate lyrics. In her ACL debut, Abrams performs with her latest album The Secret Of Us as the centerpiece. She opens a captivating set with a trio of songs from the album, including fan-favorite single “Risk,” and “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” as the stoked crowd screams out every lyric. Abrams revisits the 2020 EP that started her meteoric rise for the tender ballad “Friend.” She wears her heart on her sleeve and engages with fans by waving and mouthing messages mid-song. Abrams has struck a chord with vulnerable tunes that speak of modern love, songs with millions of streams that resonate with a new generation.

“Maggie Rogers and Gracie Abrams are part of a new generation of women songwriters who share their stories in powerful, intimate ways, and these stories come to life in this special hour,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “They are both also powerful performers who take command of the stage and their audience. It’s an emotional experience for everyone.”

Maggie Rogers episode setlist:

So Sick Of Dreaming

The Kill

Love You For A Long Time

Anywhere With You

Don’t Forget Me

Gracie Abrams episode setlist:

Risk

Blowing Smoke

I Love You, I’m Sorry

Friend

Let It Happen

Free Now

Categories
Live Stream News Special event

ACL to Livestream Willie Nelson & Family and Asleep at the Wheel

Austin City Limits is thrilled to announce we will stream performances by Willie Nelson & Family and Asleep at the Wheel live from Austin City Limits’ 50th Birthday Bash on October 17, 2024.

The worldwide livestream will be available on aclturns50.com and Austin City Limits TV’s YouTube channel beginning at 7pm CT on Thursday, October 17, 2024 – the 50th anniversary to the day that Willie Nelson taped the pilot taping of Austin City Limits. After a record eighteen ACL appearances, Willie Nelson will return for an outdoor celebration on the lawn of Austin’s Long Center, performing in front of the city skyline that has inspired the show’s trademark set for decades. Also performing are longtime ACL favorites Asleep at the Wheel, who not only appeared in the very first episode of ACL’s first regular season in 1976, but were featured in ten more episodes over the next five decades. Both artists are members of the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. The stream will only be available live, and performance highlights will air on PBS and stream on the PBS App in 2025. The live stream is presented by the Austin City Limits 50th Anniversary sponsors: Central Texas Chevy Dealers, Tito’s and Visit Austin.


ACL is proud to partner with Armadillo World Headquarters (AWHQ), which recently relaunched as a purpose-driven brand supporting Austin artists, to serve as the official Watch Party partner for the event. AWHQ will livestream the show at multiple venues across the city, including the newly opened Armadillo Forever space at the South Congress Hotel, Pershing and Deep Eddy Cabaret. As a legendary venue in Austin’s music history, Armadillo World Headquarters was instrumental in establishing the city’s reputation as a live music hub and was a home to hundreds of performers, including Willie Nelson and Austin’s own Asleep at the Wheel, who closed out the venue’s final show December 31, 1980. More details on Watch Parties and how to attend can be found here.

Categories
News Taping Recap Uncategorized

Taping Recap: Chris Stapleton

On the eve of Weekend 1 of Austin City Limits Music Festival, Chris Stapleton returned to the Austin City Limits stage for the first time since his debut in 2018 as part of Season 43. Also headlining both Fridays of ACL Festival, Stapleton’s precursor performance at The Moody Theater made for an intimate evening that set it apart from the festival weekend that would ensue.

Joined by wife Morgane Stapleton and a talented six-piece backing band (including Mickey Raphael, member of Willie Nelson’s Family Band since 1973), Stapleton powered through career highlights including “White Horse,” “You Should Probably Leave,” “Cold,” and “Tennessee Whiskey” to cap the evening.

Chris Stapleton performs on Austin City Limits, 2024
Chris Stapleton performs on Austin City Limits, 2024
Chris Stapleton performs on Austin City Limits, 2024
Chris Stapleton performs on Austin City Limits, 2024
Chris Stapleton performs on Austin City Limits, October 3, 2024. Photos by Scott Newton.

Listen to the set list from the Austin City Limits taping below:

BAND CREDITS:

Chris Stapleton – Guitar, Lead Vocals

Morgane Stapleton – Vocals, Percussion

J.T. Cure – Bass, Band Leader

Derek Mixon – Drums

Mike LoPinto – Guitar

Paul Franklin – Pedal Steel Guitar

Lee Pardini – Piano, B3

Mickey Raphael – Harmonica

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News Ticket Giveaway Tickets Distributed

Giveaway: The Avett Brothers

UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed. Austin City Limits will tape a performance by The Avett Brothers on Sunday, October 13th 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.


Since the start of their massive US tour of nearly 50 dates this spring, summer and fall, The Avett Brothers have remained tireless and gleefully unpredictable in their music, live set and beyond. They released The Avett Brothers, their first new album in five years, while introducing a band of muppet-like puppet creatures called “The Avetts,” which they brought to life alongside the team at Jim Henson’s company. They also appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CBS Saturday Morning and NPR’s All Things Considered, and announced that their musical Swept Away will soon open at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre, with tickets on-sale now and performances beginning October 29th. 

On the heels of playing Forest Hills Stadium in NYC, and LA’s SoFi Stadium with Luke Combs, The Avett Brothers are on the road for dozens of more shows across the country from now through November. Find the list of upcoming dates below and tickets at theavettbrothers.com/tour, featuring support from Melissa Etheridge, G. Love & Special Sauce, Trampled by Turtles, Sammy Rae & The Friends, Houndmouth and Jamestown Revival.


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
Episode Recap New Broadcast News

Austin’s Own Gary Clark Jr. and Black Pumas On Austin City Limits Season 50

Austin, TX—October 4, 2024—As Austin City Limits (ACL) celebrates its Season 50, the program is proud to spotlight a pair of acclaimed Austin acts for the occasion. Four-time Grammy Award winner Gary Clark Jr. performs highlights from his powerful LP JPEG RAW and eight-time Grammy-nominated Black Pumas sparkle with selections from their Chronicles of a Diamond in a thrilling hour of next-generation rock and soul. The new episode premieres Saturday, October 5 @8pm ET/7pm CT. 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 marks the 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.

Ever since Austin City Limits taped its pilot episode in 1974 (featuring the one and only Willie Nelson), a hallmark of the series has always been the strong connection between performer and audience. This week’s installment highlights that relationship as a pair of sensational live acts demonstrate the communal experience with concertgoers and viewers. Austin hometown six-string hero Gary Clark Jr., who made his ACL debut in 2013, has often mentioned how, as a kid, he watched his heroes (like Stevie Ray Vaughan), on old episodes of the series. Clark Jr. now returns for his fourth appearance with selections from his latest studio album, JPEG RAW. The record signals the advent of an expansive sonic era in his musical journey, and finds the revered axeman exploring new sounds and textures from West Africa to the Mississippi Delta, classic ‘70s funk and soul, ‘90s R&B and elements of jazz and hip-hop. Clark Jr. opens the magnetic set with the powerful call to action “Maktub,” singing the urgent lyrics “We gotta move…time for a new revolution,” accompanied by his blazing guitar. The standout “What About The Children,” an album duet with Stevie Wonder, is both a funk stunner as Clark Jr. flexes his falsetto, and a family affair, as he is joined by his three sisters on celestial backing vocals. The epic set-closer “Habits,” a nine-minute opus, is a showcase for his honest, open-hearted songwriting, elevated by a passionate guitar solo for an electrifying close.

Gary Clark Jr. on Austin City Limits, 2024. Photo by Scott Newton.
Black Pumas on Austin City Limits, 2024. Photo by Scott Newton.
Black Pumas on Austin City Limits, 2024. Photo by Scott Newton.

Black Pumas return to the ACL stage for their second appearance with highlights from their acclaimed sophomore release Chronicles of a Diamond. The psychedelic soul act, led by vocalist Eric Burton and guitarist Adrian Quesada, and an ace six-piece band, are known for their transcendent live shows which Burton refers to as “electric church.” Opening with the 2024 Grammy-nominated “More Than A Love Song,” a blissed-out marvel enhanced by their backing singers sublime vocals, Burton invites the rapt crowd to sing-along on the soaring “We’ll fly together” refrain. Pumas reach back to their star-making 2019 debut for the breakout hit “Colors,” a soulful anthem that spoke to fans across the globe, pairing it with the chorus of the soul classic “You’re All I Need to Get By.” Burton contemplates the romance of rock music while pointing out the perils on the hypnotic “Rock and Roll,” as Quesada’s guitar wails, for a spellbinding close.

“Beyond being the ‘Live Music Capital of the World,’ Austin has long been a launchpad for fresh, new music that has gone on to national acclaim, world stages, and many Grammy awards,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “Gary took the guitar to new heights with his unique stylings, and Black Pumas fused a myriad of sounds, styles and genres into a powerhouse live show.”

Gary Clark Jr. setlist:

Maktub

This Is Who We Are

What About the Children

Habits

Black Pumas setlist:

More Than A Love Song

Ice Cream (Pay Phone)

Colors/You’re All I Need to Get By

Rock and Roll

Season 50 Broadcast Line-Up (second half of season to be announced separately):

September 28 Kacey Musgraves

October 5 Gary Clark Jr. | Black Pumas

October 12 Maggie Rogers | Gracie Abrams

October 19 Jacob Collier | Nickel Creek

October 26 Brittany Howard

November 2 Jelly Roll | The War And Treaty

November 9 Chris Stapleton

November 16Juanes

2024 marks the 50th Anniversary of Austin City Limits, which taped its debut pilot episode with Willie Nelson on October 17, 1974; the pioneering series then premiered on PBS in 1975. That now legendary debut became the cornerstone for 50 years of groundbreaking, award-winning music television. ACL is proud to announce that Willie Nelson will return on the 50th anniversary of the pilot taping to commemorate Austin City Limits’ remarkable half-century milestone with a Texas-sized outdoor concert on October 17, 2024, at Austin’s Long Center. The performance will be taped; musical highlights will air as a special hourlong broadcast of Austin City Limits to air in early 2025 as a season highlight of the program’s golden anniversary Season 50.

Watch new episodes live, stream online, or download the PBS App. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding upcoming Season 50 tapings, live streams and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter, IG and TikTok. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

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News Ticket Giveaway Tickets Distributed

Giveaway: Norah Jones

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

Winners will be chosen at random and a photo ID will be required to pick up tickets. Winners will be notified via email. Duplicate entries for a single taping will be automatically voided. Tickets are not transferable and will be voided if sold. Standing may be required. No photography, recording or cell phone use in the studio. No cameras, computers or recording devices allowed in the venue. While we do our best to accommodate all winners, we cannot guarantee 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.


9-time GRAMMY winning singer, songwriter, and pianist Norah Jones has released her ninth solo studio album Visions, a collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Leon Michels, as well as the official video for the song “Paradise” directed by Joelle Grace Taylor which celebrates the rollercoaster of life. Visions is a vibrant and joyful 12-song set that is the yang to the yin that was Pick Me Up Off The Floor, Jones’ last album of new original songs which was released early in the pandemic lockdown of 2020 and foreshadowed many of the dark emotions of that period.

Norah Jones first emerged on the world stage with the 2002 release of Come Away With Me, her self-described “moody little record” that introduced a singular new voice and grew into a global phenomenon, sweeping the 2003 GRAMMY Awards including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. Since then, Jones has become a nine-time GRAMMY-winner, sold 53 million albums, and her songs have been streamed 11 billion times worldwide. She has released a series of critically acclaimed and commercially successful solo albums—Feels Like Home (2004), Not Too Late (2007), The Fall (2009), Little Broken Hearts (2012), Day Breaks (2016), Pick Me Up Off The Floor (2020), the live album ‘Til We Meet Again (2021), her holiday album I Dream Of Christmas (2021), and Visions (2024)—as well as albums with her collective bands The Little Willies, El Madmo, and Puss N Boots featuring Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper. The 2010 compilation …Featuring Norah Jones showcased her incredible versatility by collecting her collaborations with artists as diverse as Willie Nelson, Foo Fighters, Outkast, and Herbie Hancock. In 2022, Jones launched her podcast Norah Jones Is Playing Along which features candid conversations and impromptu musical collaborations with some of her favorite musicians.


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.