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Featured News

B.B. King 1925-2015

Austin City Limits is saddened to learn of the passing of B.B. King. Not only did the King of the Blues visit Studio 6A for two classic performances in 1983 and 1996 (the latter recorded on his 70th birthday), but the man born Riley B. King made a massive contribution to American culture. The blues would not have been the same without BB’s hits: “Three O’Clock Blues,” “Sweet Little Angel,” “How Blue Can You Get,” “Nobody Loves Me But My Mother,” “Paying the Cost to Be the Boss,” “Playing With My Friends,” the titanic hit “The Thrill is Gone.” The world will be a sadder place without the creator of those classics in it.

“B.B. King personified blues music for the whole world,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, “but when he first appeared on Austin City Limits in 1983 it was rare for a blues artist to command a full hour on national television. He was larger than life, but a gentle man with a kind soul and big heart. His ACL performance ranks as one of my personal favorites, and I was never more proud than when he somehow slipped ‘Austin City Limits’ into the lyric of his classic rendition of Willie Nelson’s ‘Night Life.’ We’ve lost a giant.”

May he rest in peace.

 

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Featured News

Austinites: Austin City Limits/KLRU Holiday Gift Fair Monday Dec. 16, 5-7PM

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!

Austin City Limits/KLRU Holiday Gift Fair

Mon. Dec. 16 from 5-7 p.m
Studio 6A (corner of Guadalupe and Dean Keeton Streets).

We’ll have performances by local DJs to get everyone in the holiday mood

If you’re not in Austin, check out our online shop to get ACL items in time for the holidays.

 

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News

Austinites: Austin City Limits/KLRU Holiday Gift Fair Monday 12/10, 5-7pm

Austinites! We will have our annual holiday sale on Monday, December 10th. Get yourself to KLRU’s Studio 6A (map), and knock out your holiday shopping!

Here’s the skinny:

Austin City Limits/KLRU Holiday Gift Fair
Mon. Dec. 10 from 5-7 p.m in Studio 6A (corner of Guadalupe and Dean Keeton Streets).
Limited edition posters, t-shirts, and more all $5-$20!
There will be live acoustic performances to get everyone in the holiday mood!
Music schedule:
5:00pm Santiago Dietche
5:40pm Lauren Burton
6:20pm Willy McGee
Santiago Dietche is a folk singer born and raised in Austin, Texas. His music has been described as ramble-folk, trying to fit in as much information into each line as possible while maintaining somewhat basic structures. His influences range from Nick Drake to Conor Oberst to Damien Rice, staying true to the platform of acoustic guitar and vocals. His EP, Built Simple is currently available at raincollectors.bandcamp.com for a pay-what-you-want price. 
You can follow Santiago on Twitter @spiritussanti
Lauren Burton is a Kentucky-born singer/songwriter who started playing music when she was 14. She moved to Austin, Texas at the age of 16. You might have seen her performing in her band, Lauren and the Black List, which lasted for 2 years. Her current project is an indie-pop project called Darlings, which takes influence from Regina Spektor, Girls, and David Bazan. Lauren is hard at work on a new EP.
Willy McGee is an Austin native musician who grew up surrounded by good families.  He spent a few years traveling and has played music in many places with very interesting people.  He now lives in Austin, home sweet home. You can check out Willy’s music at willymcgee.bandcamp.com and follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/willyandthesurroundings
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News

Austin: Special post-ACL Fest after-after show broadcasts

Calling all Austinites! We know that this weekend is already laden with music, what with the Austin City Limits Music Festival kicking off Friday and the various after shows that will follow after the park closes. But we want to keep you up even later! Musical goodies will be happening on your TV screen late into Friday and Saturday nights. That’s right, this weekend we’ll be airing our latest additions to Season 38 multiple times from Friday to Sunday. It’s like we’re having our own kind of festival, only it’s in your living room, late at night, and there will be no annoying foot traffic! You’ll have six chances to catch Bon Iver’s and Radiohead’s debut performances on KLRU. Check it out!

Friday, Oct 12th:
10PM – Radiohead

Saturday, Oct 13th:
2AM – Radiohead
4AM – Radiohead
7PM – Bon Iver

Sunday, Oct 14th:
1AM – Bon Iver
3AM – Bon Iver

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ACL Lessons From the Show Featured News

Austin PBS announces Austin City Limits: Lessons From the Show

The talent and passion showcased on Austin City Limits is now bringing learning opportunities, along with much-needed arts education, to students around the country through PBS LearningMedia. 

Introducing “Season 1” of Austin PBS’s newest education collection. Austin City Limits: Lessons From The Show takes video clips from recent ACL episodes and connects them to classroom learning, with lessons that ask students to critically analyze aspects of on-stage performances. The educational activities include prompts around literary readings, vocabulary, musical composition, geography and more. There are currently 10 different artist-specific sections, covering a wide range of genres and musical eras: Rosalía, The Raconteurs, Willie Nelson, John Legend and The Roots, August Greene, Alessia Cara, Brandi Carlile, Billie Eilish, H.E.R. and The Pretenders.

About PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia is a free, direct access library of ready-to-teach curriculum aligned to national and state standards and it’s relied on by thousands of educators every school week, with enthusiastic use here in Central Texas. National use of local Austin PBS LearningMedia resources accessed last month in April nearly tripled from March, directly after unveiling Austin City Limits: Lessons From The Show!

It’s not just for teachers though — parents and caregivers alike will find a variety of subjects for every grade level expertly curated with engaging content to enhance children’s learning inside and outside the classroom. 

Take a look at the entire Season 1 collection for grades K-12 at pbs.org/learn and see how the magical moments captured on the ACL stage are now inspiring kids and teachers far beyond the city limits. 

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Featured News

Austin City Limits wins a Peabody Award

We are thrilled to announced that Austin City Limits has won a prestigious Peabody Award. To quote the Peabody website:

“Austin City Limits receives a rare Institutional Peabody Award. Thirty-seven seasons on air make it the world’s longest running live music television program.  Concerts by the likes of Coldplay, Widespread Panic and Randy Newman made 2011 a banner year for the Lone Star State’s music showcase.”

The mission of the Peabody Awards is “to recognize the most outstanding achievements in electronic media, including radio, television and cable” and has one criteria: excellence. The receipt of this award puts us not only next to our PBS and NPR peers, but also shoulder-to-shoulder with CNN, ABC, HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central and broadcasters around the world. Seriously, folks, check out the winners list – we’re in great company and proud to be there

Thanks to the University of Georgia, who curate the Peabodys, for this most excellent award, and to everyone – artists, producers, crew, behind-the-scenes folks and, of course, the fans – who make ACL the consistently remarkable show that it is.