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Austin City Limits announces full Season 48 broadcast schedule

Sheryl Crow performs with Brandi Carlile, Lucius' Jess Wolfe, Brittney Spencer, and the ACL All-Stars during the 8th Annual ACL Hall of Fame Honors, 2022. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Iconic television series Austin City Limits proudly announces the second half of Season 48, with six new episodes that start airing in January 2023 as part of the esteemed program’s fourteen-episode season. ACL returns with a stellar slate of all-new broadcast episodes, showcasing magnetic performances that feature some of today’s most talked-about live acts including recent 2023 Grammy Award nominees Spoon, Maren Morris and The War on Drugs. The program returns on Saturday, January 7 at 7pm CT/8pm ET with a special broadcast, Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Sheryl Crow highlighting new inductee Sheryl Crow and featuring all-star performances; a special companion Hall of Fame hour salutes fellow inductee Joe Ely and will close out Season 48 on February 25. The Peabody Award-winning program, recorded live at ACL’s studio home in Austin, Texas, continues its extraordinary run as the longest-running music television show in history. ACL gives viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance as this American music institution nears its remarkable half-century milestone. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) and full episodes are made available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits following the initial broadcast. 

Since the inaugural ACL Hall of Fame in 2014 honoring Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan, the music-filled salutes have become fan-favorites. For the first time, Austin City Limits takes fans inside the epic celebration with a pair of deep-dive one-hour specials from this year’s Inductions, recorded live in Austin, Texas on October 27, 2022. The special installments, Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors, will bookend the second half of the season and salute newly-minted inductees Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely with individual hours, featuring guest performances showcasing each artist’s Hall of Fame tribute, along with extended highlights including memorable induction speeches and vintage clips from the inductees’ appearances on Austin City Limits. 

The first HOF episode premieres January 7 at 7pm CT/8pm ET, celebrating Sheryl Crow. Music greats Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Brittney Spencer and Lucius’ Jess Wolfe salute the nine-time Grammy Award-winning artist in a must-see hour featuring exclusive ACL collaborative performances. Rounding out Season 48 on February 25 st 7pm CT/8pm ET is a Hall of Fame tribute to Texas legend Joe Ely, Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely, featuring a musical salute from revered Lone Star musicians and Ely’s longtime collaborators in Texas supergroup The Flatlanders, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, along with fellow Texans Rodney Crowell and Marcia Ball. The hour features a memorable induction by renowned Texan author Lawrence Wright along with historic highlights from the influential Ely’s eleven appearances on the ACL stage.

Maren Morris performs on Austin City Limits, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

Season 48 continues in January with a diverse slate spotlighting multiple 2023 Grammy nominees in full-hour performances: One of modern rock’s premier bands, and first-time Grammy nominees, Austin’s own Spoon, return to the ACL stage for their fifth appearance, showcasing their celebrated tenth album, Lucifer On The Sofa, Grammy-nominated for Best Rock Album; multi-platinum, award-winning country star and Texas native Maren Morris makes a highly-anticipated ACL debut in a radiant, career-spanning hour with the hitmaker showcasing gems from her latest Humble Quest, which earned a trio of 2023 Grammy nominations, including Best Country Album; acclaimed rock act The War on Drugs return for their second appearance with selections from the Grammy-nominated I Don’t Live Here Anymore. Legendary alternative rock pioneers Pavement make their first-ever appearance on the series in a career-spanning hour marking their thirtieth anniversary. Rocking soul act Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats return for their second appearance with their latest The Future in an ecstatic live performance; sharing the hour is soulful Nashville singer-songwriter Adia Victoria, making her ACL debut with numbers from her acclaimed A Southern Gothic, a 2022 Americana Music Awards nominee for Album of the Year.

Adrian Quesada performs with Girl Ultra on Austin City Limits, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

A Season 48 highlight is the first solo appearance of multi-hyphenate Adrian Quesada, returning to the ACL stage to bring to life his acclaimed Spanish-language album, Boleros Psicodélicos, a love letter to the psychedelic Latin love songs “baladas” of the sixties and seventies; Quesada performs with a nine-piece band joined by an international line-up of guest vocalists from across the spectrum of contemporary Latin music, including  iLe, Natalia Clavier, Girl Ultra and Clemente Castillo, in a thrilling must-see hour. 

“After a historic kick-off to our new season this Fall, Austin City Limits rolls into the New Year with another round of firsts and favorites,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “For the first time ever, we’ll split our annual Hall of Fame celebration into two full episodes. We’ll showcase a unique Latin music genre that has never been presented on American television, plus some rock, indie and country music favorites – something for every musical palette.”

Season 48 Broadcast Schedule (Second Half):

January 7   Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Sheryl Crow

January 14   Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats/ Adia Victoria

January 21   Adrian Quesada Boleros Psicodélicos

January 28   The War On Drugs

February 4   Pavement

February 11   Maren Morris

February 18   Spoon

February 25   Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely

ACL’s Season 48 premiered in October 2022 with a historic line-up spotlighting an unprecedented number of female artists, including a sterling season opener featuring celebrated singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, currently nominated for seven 2023 Grammy Awards; and many lauded acts topping 2022 Year-End Best Lists, including synth-pop duo Sylvan Esso, indie-folk singer-songwriter Tamara Lindeman (aka The Weather Station) and Americana singer-songwriter Allison Russell. The season featured ACL debuts from breakout artists including Japanese Breakfast and Arlo Parks along with indie-pop duo Lucius. ACL shone a spotlight on Lone Star country with breakout star Parker McCollum and the swan song of veteran Robert Earl Keen capped by ACL Hall of Famer Lyle Lovett making his first appearance in over a decade. Rounding out the first half of Season 48 was the electrifying ACL debut of Cuban funk sensations and newly-minted Grammy nominees Cimafunk and The Tribe.

Watch live on PBS, or stream anytime on PBS.org. The series will continue to air fan-favorite encore episodes through the end of 2022. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding live streams, future tapings and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter and IG. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

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 in its 48th 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.  

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, Workrise, the Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic and AXS Ticketing. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

Austin City Limits Hall of Fame

In 2014, Austin PBS, KLRU-TV — creator and producer of the legendary PBS show Austin City Limits — established the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame to recognize legendary musicians and key individuals who have been instrumental in making television’s longest-running popular music show an institution. Each year a new class of honorees are inducted and celebrated at a live event taped to air on PBS. It is also a historical archive, educational resource and celebration of Austin City Limits —telling the story of the show through photos, a timeline/anthology mural and in the near future, an interactive database of vintage Austin City Limits performances and video footage of interviews, behind-the-scenes and never before seen performances throughout the decades. Honorees to-date include Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Flaco Jiménez, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, B.B. King, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Roy Orbison, Marcia Ball, Ray Charles, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely and Sheryl Crow.
Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by AXS Ticketing, American Honda Motor Company, Netspend Corporation and YETI.

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Featured News

ACL artists collect 2023 Grammy Award nominations

Brandi Carlile on Austin City Limits, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

Grammy season is upon us, as the nominations for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards were announced on Tuesday. We’re proud to see so many of our featured artists and distinguished alumni rack up nominations. Our Season 48 opener Brandi Carlile received seven nods, including Album of the Year for In These Silent Days, Record of the Year, Best Americana Performance and Best American Roots Song for “You and Me On the Rock,” on which she collaborated with fellow 48ers Lucius, and Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for “Broken Horses.” She showcased both nominated songs in her dazzling season premiere along with highlights from the celebrated album, which will encore on your local PBS station next year, check acltv.com for episode schedules.

Maren Morris on Austin City Limits, Oct. 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

We’re thrilled to showcase many of the nominees, including Maren Morris, Spoon and The War on Drugs, in full-hour performances in the second half of our Season 48, which will begin airing early next year, and the complete broadcast line-up will be announced in early December. Country star Maren Morris, who recently taped her first-ever ACL appearance, received a trio of nominations, including Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for “Circles Around This Town” and Best Country Album for Humble Quest. Austin-bred indie rockers Spoon received their first-ever nomination, Best Rock Album, for their acclaimed LP Lucifer On the Sofa. The War On Drugs scored a Best Rock Song nod for “Harmonia’s Dream” from their I Don’t Live Here Anymore.

Cimafunk on Austin City Limits, May 3, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

Current Season 48 standouts garnering accolades include Cuban sensation Cimafunk, who recently debuted on ACL in a performance for the ages, and received his first nomination (but surely not his last) for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album for El Alimento, while genre-defying songstress Allison Russell got nods for Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song for “Prodigal Daughter,” her collaboration with singer/songwriter Aoife O’Donovan. ACL Hall of Famer Lyle Lovett picked up a nomination for Best Americana Performance for “There You Go Again” alongside his pals and fellow AC Hall of Famers Asleep at the Wheel.

Sheryl Crow sings “I Shall Believe” with Brandi Carlile, Brittney Spencer and Lucius’ Jess Wolfe during the 8th annual ACL Hall of Fame induction, Oct. 27, 2022. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Cheers to this year’s esteemed ACL Hall of Fame inductee Sheryl Crow, who returns to the Grammys with a nom for Best American Roots Song for “Forever,” a new song from her acclaimed 2022 documentary Sheryl. Stay tuned for our upcoming ACL Hall of Fame broadcast featuring the nine-time Grammy winner, which airs early next year and features one-of-a-kind collaborations including Sheryl and Brandi Carlile.

Kendrick Lamar performs on Austin City Limits, 2015. Photo by Scott Newton.

Season 48 artists aren’t the only ones who need to clear space on their mantle, however. Season 41 standout Kendrick Lamar collected a whopping eight nominations, including Record, Song and Album of the Year, plus the four Rap categories and Music Video of the Year. ACL four-timer Miranda Lambert garnered four nominations, including Best Country solo performance for “In Her Arms,” a song she first performed on last year’s Season 47 season premiere alongside co-writers Jon Randall and Jack Ingram. Our friend and ACL Hall of Famer Bonnie Raitt also scored four nods, including Song of the Year for “Just Like That” the title track from her acclaimed 2022 album. We here at the house that Willie built, are beyond thrilled to see Willie Nelson earn four nominations, including three in the Country field, proving that, at 89 years young, his career keeps rolling on.

Dolly Parton performs her ACL debut in 2000. Photo by Scott Newton.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, of course. Our prestigious alumni who received multiple nominations include Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Billie Eilish, Coldplay, Rosalía, the Black Keys and Angelique Kidjo, while single nods were had by Buddy Guy, Norah Jones, Elvis Costello, the late Dr. John, Florence + the Machine, and far too many more to list here. We encourage you to check out the full list of nominations is here. Co-produced by ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, the 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will broadcast on Sunday, February 5, on CBS. Good luck to everyone nominated.

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Episode Recap Featured New Broadcast News

Episode premiere: Cimafunk & the Tribe

Cimafunk on Austin City Limits, May 3, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

Austin City Limits fans will be on their feet for a supercharged hour showcasing Afro-Cuban funk sensation Cimafunk. Hailing from Havana Cuba, the celebrated showman and his eight-piece powerhouse band, The Tribe, make a thrilling ACL debut with standouts from Cimafunk’s acclaimed album El Alimento. The new installment rounds out the first half of ACL’s Season 48 and premieres November 12 at 8pm CT/9pm ET. The complete line-up for the full broadcast season will be announced shortly, with new episodes premiering beginning January 7, 2023. The program, recorded live at ACL’s studio home in Austin, Texas, continues its run as the longest-running music television show in history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for 48 years as the music institution nears a remarkable half-century milestone. 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.

In a remarkable ACL debut, Cimafunk & The Tribe deliver an electric, unique blend of high-energy funk, Caribbean rhythms and Afrobeat. Cimafunk and his band are earning raves for their incredible live performances tearing up stages across the globe. The freewheeling set explodes with a spectacular James Brown-influenced rhythm for the blazing “Relajao,” with Cimafunk flexing his dazzling vocals and radiant starpower alongside dance moves from percussionists Big Happy and Machete, a finger-busting bass solo from Caramelo, horns (and backing vocals) from Hilaria and Katy Cacao, and a merciless groove from drummer Dr. Zapa. “Put your hands up!” Cimafunk exclaims as he introduces “Funk Aspirin,” the band’s collaboration with funk legend George Clinton which opens 2021’s widely-hailed El Alimento. “Never forget,” the sweat-soaked Cimafunk laughs as the set reaches a fever pitch, “Shake that booty!” They close with “Me Voy,” the 2018 hit that made Cimafunk a household name in Cuba, bringing lucky audience members onstage and taking the groove to the next level.

“Cimafunk’s ACL debut was breathtaking,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona “He barely took a breath himself, and for that matter neither did the crowd, which was too busy dancing and screaming themselves. It was one of those rare shows where the performer and audience literally came together as one.”

“Austin is starting to feel like home away from home, and I wanted to bring the energy to Austin City Limits,” says Cimafunk. “It got really funky and sweaty in there with a lot of groove!”

Cimafunk & The Tribe

LA PAPA

SALVAJE

SE ACABO

BEAT CON FLOW

APRETADO

RELAJAO

FUNK ASPIRIN

ME VOY

Watch live on PBS, or stream anytime. The complete line-up for the full 14-week season, including seven new episodes to air beginning January 2023, will be announced at a later date.  The series will continue to air fan-favorite encore episodes through the end of 2022. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding episode schedules, future tapings and select live stream updates or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter and IG. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

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 in its 48th 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.  

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, Workrise, the Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic and AXS Ticketing. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

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Episode Recap Featured News

Episode premiere: Lyle Lovett & His Large Band

Lyle Lovett & His Large Band perform on Austin City Limits, Aug. 24, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

Austin City Limits presents a season highlight and homecoming: the long-awaited return of celebrated singer-songwriter and bandleader Lyle Lovett, joined by his iconic Large Band, making his first appearance in over a decade with songs from his first new album in 10 years, 12th of June. One of music’s most vibrant and iconic performers, the Grammy Award-winning Lovett is accompanied by his 16-piece band for an entertaining hour of new songs and extraordinary musicianship. The new installment premieres November 5 at 8pm CT/9pm ET as part of ACL’s Season 48. The program, recorded live at ACL’s studio home in Austin, Texas, continues its run as the longest-running music television show in history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance for 48 years as the music institution nears a remarkable half-century milestone. 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.  The show’s official hashtag is #acltv.

Lyle Lovett made his first headlining appearance on Austin City Limits during Season 12 in 1987 with songs from his landmark self-titled debut, and has since been featured on ACL more times than any artist, save for one Willie Nelson. This beloved performer and ACL Hall of Famer returns for a remarkable seventeenth appearance, with his recent album 12th of June as the centerpiece. The Texas hero is accompanied by his impeccably dressed Large Band for a radiant 10-song set showcasing new gems. Lovett shares the love and joy of home life with his trademark wry humor on new numbers such as “Pants Is Overrated” and the bluesy stroll “Pig Meat Man,” which Lovett explains he wrote for his 5-year-old son “who is a vegetarian except he loves bacon.” Lovett’s longtime backing singer Francine Reed, who recently retired from the road, returns for the occasion and joins Lovett center stage for a gorgeous rendition of the Nat King Cole classic “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You?” He welcomes friend and frequent touring partner Chris Isaak for a pair of songs, including a lively duet on Roy Orbison’s “Dream Baby.” Lovett celebrates life’s joys with his wife and children with the tender title track “12th of June” and closes with the barrelhouse piano-led “On A Winter’s Morning,” which revels in the simple magic of being alive.

“Lyle has always been a big part of the ACL family – in more ways than one,” said executive producer Terry Lickona. “He was there when ACL had barely hit its first 10 years, and even before his career took off. It’s been a joy to capture his music as we both grew and evolved, and it’s obvious that we both still have lots more new music to offer to the world!”

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band setlist:

ARE WE DANCING

PANTS IS OVERRATED

GEE BABY, AIN’T I GOOD TO YOU?

HER LOVING MAN

MIRRORED MAN’S LAMENT (with Chris Isaak)

DREAM BABY (with Chris Isaak)

THE MOCKING ONES

12TH OF JUNE

PIG MEAT MAN

ON A WINTER’S MORNING

Season 48 Broadcast Line-up (first half of season)

October 1 Brandi Carlile

October 8 Japanese Breakfast/Arlo Parks

October 15 Sylvan Esso/Lucius

October 22 Allison Russell/The Weather Station

October 29 Parker McCollum/Robert Earl Keen

November 5 Lyle Lovett and His Large Band

November 12 Cimafunk and The Tribe

Watch live, stream anytime, The complete line-up for the full 14-week season, including seven new episodes to air beginning January 2023, will be announced at a later date.  Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding live streams, future tapings and episode schedules or by following ACL on Facebook, Twitter and IG. Fans can also browse the ACL YouTube channel for exclusive songs, behind-the-scenes videos and full-length artist interviews.

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 in its 48th 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.  

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, Workrise, the Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic and AXS Ticketing. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

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Featured News Taping Recap

Taping recap: Maren Morris

Maren Morris on Austin City Limits, Oct. 31, 2022. Photo by Scott Newton.

While it hasn’t happened often enough to become a tradition, Austin City Limits does have precedent for Halloween shows. Both Joe Ely and Widespread Panic recorded memorable shows in front of crowds full of costumes. So we were tickled to welcome country star Maren Morris for her debut taping that just happened to fall on All Hallow’s Eve. The Arlington, Texas-born singer/songwriter is riding a new career high with the acclaim following her third major label album Humble Quest, and she seemed happy to showcase it in front of a colorful ACL crowd. 

“This is a huge honor to be playing this – I grew up watching this,” noted Morris. “I’m not gonna cry – we’re just gonna do this.” With that, she and the band kicked into “Circles Around This Town,” the first hit from Humble Quest. She and the band upped the vibe going into “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” engaging the audience to clap along during the breakdown. Garnering enthusiastic screams from the audience, an a cappella intro from Morris, bassist Annie Clement, backup singer Rachel Beauregard and guitarist Bennett Lewis signaled “80s Mercedes,” kicking the performance into high gear with its good time power rock. Acknowledging both the holiday and her roots growing up in Arlington, Texas, Morris also mentioned that this taping was one of her two last shows for the year, “and I’m glad we can close it out in Texas.” Drummer Christian Paschall then hit the backbeat for “Humble Quest,” an atmospheric rocker that serves as the title track for the new record, before the band went into the luminous ballad “Background Music.” Keyboardist Jaime Portee, guitarist Eric Montgomery and Lewis then kicked up dust with a collage-like intro that led into the powerhouse “Nervous,” to huge applause. 

Shifting gears once again, Morris showcased her vocal chemistry with Clement and Beauregard on “I Could Use a Love Song.” After that wry downer, Morris shifted into party mode with the good-natured, pop-flavored celebration of “Tall Guys,” written by the 5’1” singer to make her 6’3” husband laugh. The pregnant Clements then put down her axe to join Morris at the front of the stage for the close-harmony ballad “Hummingbird,” dedicated by Morris to Clements’ unborn son, “because he’s onstage with us every night.” The easygoing folk rock of “Detour” followed, completing a trilogy of songs from Humble Quest. “Alright, Austin,” Morris declared, “let’s pick this up a little bit” – in particular by revisiting her major label debut Hero for the classic-rocking hit “Rich,” a clear crowd favorite. The band went back to Humble Quest for the final time this evening with “Good Friends.” “This is really a dream come true,” Morris said. “I’ll come back any time y’all invite me.” Then it was time for “The Bones,” Morris’ smash #1 country ode to the foundational secret to lasting love that got the biggest round of applause of the night. 

The cheers continued as Morris ended the show with her gospel-flavored rocker “My Church,” a fan favorite anthem that brought the audience to its feet, clapping and singing along – even singing part of the chorus by themselves. Morris left the stage to a huge standing ovation as the band played her off.  It was a sensational ACL debut, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it airs early next year as part of our Season 48 on your local PBS station. 

Maren Morris tapes Austin City Limits, October 31, 2022. Photos by Scott Newton.
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Featured News

Jerry Lee Lewis R.I.P.

Jerry Lee Lewis performs on Austin City Limits in 1984. Photo by Scott Newton.

The last man standing of the original wave of rock & roll pioneers, Jerry Lee Lewis died on Oct. 28 at the age of 87. 

The man nicknamed the Killer practically needs no introduction. Wielding his Pumping Piano like a weapon, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins and the other inventors of rock & roll in the 1950s. The Louisiana native’s hits “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Breathless,” “High School Confidential,” and, of course, “Great Balls of Fire” remain indelible parts of the American musical landscape over half a century after their original release.

The scandal of his marriage to his thirteen-year-old cousin in 1957 may have derailed his career for a while, but he made his comeback in the country music arena, wracking up hits like “She Even Woke Me Up to Say Goodbye,” “Middle Age Crazy,” “Thirty Nine and Holding,” and “What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me).” A chaos agent who resisted playing it safe, Lewis may have been persistently dogged by personal and professional troubles throughout his long career, but he remained a respected elder statesman, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and just this year entered the Country Music Hall of Fame this year. His final album was The Boys From Ferriday, a collection of gospel songs played and sung with his cousin Jimmy Swaggert.  

Lewis taped a single episode of Austin City Limits during Season 9, broadcasting in 1984 – an episode now considered a classic, receiving a commercial release on New West Records in 2007. Years later, ACL producer Terry Lickona offered him another taping, but the Killer demurred, saying he “could never do another show better than the first one.” See for yourself in this excerpt, featuring Lewis’ biggest hit: “Great Balls of Fire.”