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Episode Recap Featured Hall of Fame New Broadcast

Welcome Shawn Colvin, Buddy Guy and Lyle Lovett to the ACL Hall of Fame Dec. 28

Austin City Limits celebrates its newest class of Hall of Fame inductees: blues great Buddy Guy, and acclaimed singer-songwriters Shawn Colvin and Lyle Lovett, with a special broadcast featuring best-in-class performances and collaborations from the Austin City Limits 6th Annual Hall of Fame Honors. Recorded live in Austin, TX on October 24, 2019 at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater, this all-star salute features music luminaries and special guests sharing the stage for one epic night, honoring three beacons of American music who have played an instrumental role in making the iconic series a music institution. Performers include (in order of appearance): Jackson Browne, Sarah Jarosz, Jimmie Vaughan, Shemekia Copeland, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Willis Alan Ramsey and Edie Brickell joined by special guest, Oscar-winning actor, filmmaker and best-selling author Sean Penn, with the evening hosted by Robert Earl Keen.

The hour-long broadcast is sponsored by AXS and American Airlines with additional support from Cousins Properties Incorporated, Keller Williams, Stratus Properties and Texas Monthly. The broadcast airs Saturday, December 28 at 8pm ET on PBS. Check local PBS listings for times.

Master of ceremonies, Texas troubadour Robert Earl Keen, opens the hour introducing the legendary Jackson Browne to salute the night’s first honoree, Shawn Colvin. In a heartfelt induction speech, Browne praises Colvin for songs that “get in your head and influence your way of looking at the world” before joining his friend for an acoustic rendition of the title track from her 2006 album These Four Walls. Colvin performs a spellbinding take on her GRAMMY® Award-winning smash “Sunny Came Home” from her landmark 1996 album A Few Small Repairs, accompanied by standout Sarah Jarosz on mandolin and harmony. Fellow honoree Lyle Lovett shows his appreciation by joining Colvin for a gorgeous spin on early gem “Diamond in the Rough,” from her 1989 debut Steady On, as the two Texas singer-songwriters share the stage, with Jarosz and world-class musicians Larry Klein (bass) and Steuart Smith (guitar).

Guitar hero Jimmie Vaughan inducts living legend Buddy Guy, calling him “his musical hero and mentor.” Vaughan fondly recalls how as kids he and his brother Stevie discovered the Chicago bluesman’s recordings on Chess Records and loved how Guy “played so mean.” The 83-year old showman accepts the honor with his signature wit, proclaiming “Better late than never,” then proceeds to light up the stage with a trio of classics. Vaughan joins Guy and his four-piece band for an electrifying take on his signature “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues”; acclaimed blues singer Shemekia Copeland steps onstage for a playful, swaggering duet on “Cognac” from Guy’s 2019 GRAMMY® Award-winning album The Blues Is Alive And Well; next-generation blues phenom, 20-year-old Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, joins forces with Vaughan and Copeland in a musical salute as Guy thrills the crowd with his show-stopping anthem “Skin Deep.”

photo by Gary Miller

Finally, Sean Penn takes the stage to induct longtime friend Lyle Lovett. Calling Lovett a “humble maestro,” and “the storytelling heir to Faulkner, Rogers and Twain,” Penn humorously characterizes the Texan’s arrival on the LA music scene in the early ‘90s: “ Was he Buddy Holly reborn? Hank Williams evolved? Benny Goodman on acid? And where oh where did he get his hair?”  Lovett accepts the honor, recounting his long musical kinship with Austin City Limits, from watching the program since it’s 1975 debut to having the distinction of appearing on the program more than any artist second to Willie Nelson. Lovett welcomes a key early influence, seminal Texas singer-songwriter Willis Alan Ramsey, for a solo version of Lovett’s beloved “If I Had A Boat,” from his 1987 breakthrough Pontiac.  Singer-songwriter Edie Brickell sparkles on the tart ballad “I Loved You Yesterday,” joined by Lovett’s trademark Large Band.  Lovett steps up to the microphone for the finale, backed by the 13-piece Large Band and joined by the night’s performers and fellow honorees, closing the hour with a Texas-sized smile and a spirited take on the Lone Star classic “That’s Right, You’re Not From Texas (But Texas Wants You Anyway).”

“Austin City Limits 6th Annual Hall of Fame Honors setlist:

Shawn Colvin & Jackson Browne “These Four Walls”

Shawn Colvin & Sarah Jarosz “Sunny Came Home”

Shawn Colvin with Larry Klein, Steuart Smith, Sarah Jarosz, and Lyle Lovett “Diamond in the Rough”

Buddy Guy & Jimmie Vaughan “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues”

Buddy Guy & Shemekia Copeland “Cognac”

Buddy Guy, Jimmy Vaughan, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Shemekia Copeland “Skin Deep”

Willis Alan Ramsey with The Large Band “If I Had a Boat”

Edie Brickell with The Large Band “I Loved You Yesterday”

Finale: Lyle Lovett & The Large Band with all guests “That’s Right, You’re Not From Texas (But Texas Wants You Anyway)”

Tune in December 28 for this special episode, and, as always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area. Go to the episode page for more info, and don’t forget to click over to our Facebook, Twitter and newsletter pages for more ACL info. Join us on January 4 for a brand new episode featuring two of indie rock’s finest singer/songwriters: Sharon Van Etten and Lucy Dacus. 

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Featured News

Watch the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame interview with Terry Lickona

When we announced the collaboration between Austin City Limits and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s Library & Archives last month, the cameras didn’t quit rolling once the press conference was concluded. Immediately afterward our own Terry Lickona was the subject of a Rock Hall Legend interview, conducted by Dr. Lauren Onkey and featuring Terry’s take on some of the significant tapings of the last 38 years. Check it out.

The history of Austin City Limits from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.

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News

Watch Gary Clark Jr.’s ACL taping – streamed live on Nov. 30

Austin’s own rising star, rock ‘n’ soul phenomenon Gary Clark Jr. makes his highly-anticipated return to ACL this week, and we’re pleased to announce that the taping will be live-streamed in the U.S. on Friday, November 30th at 8pm Central Time. Fans can log-on to ACL’s YouTube Channel and will have the opportunity to watch the guitar slinger perform live direct from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. The live-stream will webcast the taping in its entirety and the broadcast episode will air February 16th, 2013 on PBS stations as part of ACL’s Season 38.

Gary Clark Jr. has been tearing up Austin stages since he was a teenager, and the twenty-eight year old singer-guitarist recently made a name for himself across the globe with the release of his critically acclaimed major-label debut Blak and Blu. Entertainment Weekly raves, “Every generation has its chosen one and right now, this is Clark’s time.” Austin American Statesman says, “The kid used to be a local secret. Then the rest of the world caught on.” The New York Times hails Clark as “a guitarist of deep magnetism and tremendous feel,” while Billboard calls him a “game-changer” and Spin agrees: “There truly is nobody else like him around.” Known for his blistering live performances, Clark has been on a sold-out U.S. tour flaunting his six-string chops and thrilling audiences with his bold mix of blues, rock, soul and funk.

Clark made his auspicious ACL debut back in Season 33 as part of the Tribute to Bluesman Jimmy Reed, with Jimmie Vaughan and Omar Dykes, impressing his fellow musicians and ACL’s viewers. On November 30th, he takes the Austin City Limits stage to show what he can do with his own music.

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News

Watch Esperanza Spalding’s ACL taping stream live on Dec. 2

If you liked Friday night’s live stream with Gary Clark Jr., come back this Sunday December 2 as Grammy-winning artist Esperanza Spalding makes her return to ACL, as we’re pleased to announce that her taping will be live-streamed in the U.S. at 8pm Central Time. Fans can log-on to ACL’s YouTube Channel to experience the jazz/soul singer/composer/bassist perform live direct from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. The live-stream will webcast the taping in its entirety and the broadcast episode will air February 23rd, 2013 on PBS stations as the full-hour season finale of ACL’s Season 38.

Esperanza Spalding made her ACL debut back in Season 35, performing tracks from her 2008 breakthrough Esperanza, and wowing an audience largely unfamiliar with her music. Her appearance continues to be one of the most popular ACL encore episodes. She has since gone on to capture the attention of audiences around the globe, leading to her stunning 2011 Grammy win, becoming the first jazz artist to win the Grammy for Best New Artist. Spalding’s dynamic relationship with her acoustic double bass has cemented her presence in musical history as a modern jazz virtuoso with “a light, fizzy, optimistic drive that’s in her melodic bass playing and her elastic, small-voiced singing” [The New York Times].

Spalding’s highly-anticipated return to ACL has her performing songs from her latest release, Radio Music Society. The album represents a celebratory vision of the artists who helped cultivate and inspire Spalding’s career throughout the years. Radio Music Society has received high praise from critics, who hail the album’s “journey through soul, gospel, balladry and big-band swing” [The Times] and “torchy swaggers, world-jazzy guitar grooves propelling smoky saxes, and political songs with only a Hammond organ for company” [The Guardian].

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News

Want to be in an ACLTV Behind the Scenes video?

Are you a fan of our Behind the Scenes videos? You know, those clips we post that show what really goes on during an ACL TV taping – like this and this. Those are made by our fantastic videographer Jonathan Jackson, and he has a slightly different idea for our next show. For this Friday’s taping with Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, we want to show our viewers what a taping looks like from YOUR perspective – as a member of our passionate and enthusiastic audience. For this piece we want to showcase someone who’s been a fan of ACL for a long time, someone who could even share memories from the original studio back at KLRU. And of course, being a big fan of Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell is essential!

If this sounds like you, and you’re willing to get here at 6:30pm this Friday, be videotaped and share some great stories about ACLTV, then email us at acl(at)klru.org and tell us why you think you’re the right person for the job. Be prepared to bring someone equally as passionate for the evening because If we pick you, we’ll give you two passes to the taping and fifteen minutes of fame. Email us by Thursday at 10am Central time to be considered!

 

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News Taping Recap

Vintage Trouble’s high energy rock & soul

We’re always happy to give space to up-and-coming artists, so we were thrilled to host the ACL debut of Vintage Trouble. The L.A. quartet has honed its fiery live show on tours with the Who and AC/DC, and the band brought the full measure of its live prowess to its high-energy rock/soul, winning over not only our studio crowd, but also the online contingent of Troublemakers from all over the world who watched their heroes via our livestream.

Following handshakes all around, the socially-conscious ballad “Not Alright By,” from the debut The Bomb Shelter Sessions, gently began the show. Then VT went straight into the blazing “Blues Hand Me Down,” impeccably dressed singer Ty Taylor engaging in his trademark spin before commanding the microphone and exhorting the crowd to dance and scream. The band shifted to the 70s-soul styled “Doin’ What You Were Doin’,” losing no momentum and engaging the audience to help sing one of the highlights from their latest album 1 Hopeful Rd. The come-on “Total Strangers” jumped into James Brown territory, aided by an infectious “na-na” chorus, a rocking guitar riff courtesy axeslinger Nalle Colt and plenty of audience participation. The fans also sang part of “Another Man’s Words,” a beautiful ballad also from the new record. The band then dipped back into its past with “Nancy Lee,” Bomb’s bluesy tale of Taylor’s father meeting his mother. The blues was also at the heart of “Angel City, California,” as filtered through the classic rock & roll stylings of forebears like the Faces and featuring one of Taylor’s most skillful performances.

Everything up to then, however, was just a warm-up for “Run Like the River.” Rolling all of VT’s soul, rock, blues and gospel influences into one monster anthem, the band revved up both themselves and the crowd, who got a visit from Taylor on both the floor and the balcony. After that extended expression of joy, for which VT was rewarded with a roar, Taylor and company mellowed the mood with the easygoing “Nobody Told Me” – at least until the end, when gospel call-and-response came to the fore and Taylor moved himself to tears. The band then indulged in some juke joint blues, deliberately invoking the 50s for the hip-shaking, frontman-spinning “Before the Tear Drops.”

Taylor took time out to thank both the ACL staff and the crowd, demanding big cheers for both. Then it was into another steaming slice of James Brown-style R&B with the shimmying “Strike Your Light,” which, of course, required some serious audience participation (and another visit from Taylor). After that, the band could do little else but bring us back down to earth via the soul ballad “Run Outta You,” Taylor letting his passion spill and Colt punctuating it with an elegiac extended solo, after which he tossed his axe away as if it was pointless to continue and left through the audience. The rest of the band kept going, Taylor coaxing yet more call-and-response from the crowd, before first bassist Rick Barrio Dill and then Taylor wormed through the people, leaving drummer Richard Danielson to finish the song alone. And that was the end, even though by the sound of the audience’s cheers they didn’t want Vintage Trouble to go. It was an amazing show, and we can’t wait for you to see it when it broadcasts next spring as part of our Season 41 on your local PBS station.