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ACL announces 2nd half of Season 46

photo by Scott Newton

Live music beacon Austin City Limits announces the second half of Season 46, with six new installments to begin airing in January 2021 as part of the program’s thirteen-episode season. ACL has featured some of the most iconic performances in live music for over four and a half decades, and continues to bring viewers a stellar slate of broadcast episodes featuring a mix of new performances (taped during the current Covid-19 pandemic without an audience) and installments featuring highlights from ACL favorites, continuing Austin City Limits’ run as the longest-running music television show in history. The program returns on Saturday, January 9 at 8pm CT/9pm ET with an epic hour celebrating the 25th Anniversary of rock superstars Foo Fighters. 

Season 46 returns in January with a must-see hour, Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits, a silver anniversary celebration of the rock superstars, featuring a hit parade of classics from the powerhouse band’s two unforgettable ACL appearances in 2008 and 2014. ACL spotlights one of modern rock’s finest bands, Austin’s own Spoon, with The Best of Spoon, offering a fascinating look at the band’s evolution dating back to their debut on the series in 2003 to the recent present via highlights from the four-time ACL veterans. Blues and soul luminary Ruthie Foster, a 2021 Grammy Award nominee, returns for the first time in nearly two decades. Dynamic husband-and-wife duo The War And Treaty, Americana Music Awards 2019 Emerging Act of the Year, deliver a show-stopping ACL debut. 

A season highlight is the long-awaited debut of ‘70s outlaw country legend Ray Wylie Hubbard, currently enjoying one of the greatest second acts in music, in an epic hour. In a year of profound loss, ACL salutes a pair of Texas icons we lost during 2020, Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver, pioneers of Austin’s cosmic cowboy movement in the mid-1970s, in an hourlong installment featuring historic highlights from the influential troubadours’ multiple appearances on the ACL stage. Season 46 closes out with one of the most-requested episodes in the ACL archive: a vintage hour with the late New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint, performing iconic gems from across his half-century career, originally broadcast over a decade ago during ACL’s Season 35, and remains one of the most enduring, entertaining hours in ACL’s history.

photo by Scott Newton

“In a year like no other, we’re proud that we were able to capture seven brand-new performances for our 46th season,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “As always, they include a mix that’s eclectic, electric and even a touch eccentric. On top of that, we were able to pull some gems out of the ACL goldmine to celebrate some highlights from the past, and honor those who helped to create the ACL legacy.”

Season 46 Broadcast Schedule:

January 2 ACL Hall of Fame: The First 6 Years

January 9 Foo Fighters Rock Austin City Limits

January 16 The War And Treaty | Ruthie Foster

January 23 Ray Wylie Hubbard

January 30 The Best of Spoon

February 6 Texas Icons: Jerry Jeff Walker & Billy Joe Shaver

February 13 Allen Toussaint: New Orleans Legend

A special broadcast, ACL Hall of Fame: The First 6 Years, premieres Saturday, January 2 at 8pm CT/9pm ET. Check local PBS listings for times. Austin City Limits celebrates the first six years of the annual ACL Hall of Fame, from the inaugural induction celebration in 2014 to 2019’s sixth annual ceremony. The 14-song, all-star salute, recorded live in Austin, Texas,  features best–in-class performances and collaborations, many never-before-broadcast, from the annual celebrations in a performance-packed hour. Hall of Fame honorees including Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Bonnie Raitt, Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson perform alongside special guests.

ACL’s Season 46 premiered in October with standout performances from 2021 Grammy nominee Rufus Wainwright, UK country-soul sensation Yola, rock and country trailblazers The Mavericks, acclaimed Austin standout Jackie Venson, salutes to late ACL legends John Prine and Stevie Ray Vaughan, a celebration of 50 years of Asleep at the Wheel and more. The series will continue to broadcast fan-favorite encore episodes through the end of 2020. 

Tune-in, log on, and let ACL be a trusted sidekick for entertainment during these challenging days. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding live streams, future tapings 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.

photo by Scott Newton

About 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 46th 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 KLRU 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, KLRU-TV and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, RigUp, the Austin Convention Center Department and Cirrus Logic. 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

R.I.P. Charley Pride

photo by Scott Newton

The Austin City Limits staff was disheartened to learn over the weekend of the death of trailblazing country music superstar Charley Pride at 86. He died due to complications from the novel coronavirus. 

The Mississippi native, son of a sharecropper, was the first Black singer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000, and one of only three Black members of the Grand Ole Opry. (The others are pioneer DeFord Bailey and current star Darius Rucker.) After a successful run as a pitcher and outfielder in minor league baseball, Pride was signed to RCA Records after company president Chet Atkins heard his demo tapes and signed him. Pride first hit with the 1966 top 10 country hit “Just Between You and Me,” which inaugurated a string of bestselling smashes (“Kiss An Angel Good Morning,” “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” “Don’t Fight the Feelings of Love,” so many more). Nearly a half-century on, it’s hard to believe that when his first few singles were sent to country radio, no photos were issued, and even harder to believe that some radio stations refused to play his records once his identity became known. Pride broke down barriers and was elevated to the level of stardom his talent deserved. When his career was in full flight, he could lay claim to 30 No. 1 hits on the country charts, and sold more than 25 millions records as RCA’s best-selling country artist. His final performance was on November 11 at the annual CMA Awards show where he received the well-deserved Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Celebrated for his remarkable voice and as a gifted entertainer, Pride made his only appearance on Austin City Limits during Season 6 in 1981. Here he is singing one of hits from that year, the beautiful “Roll On Mississippi.” 

Our hearts go out to his beloved wife Rozene and family. 

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Featured News

Hal Ketchum 1953-2020

photo by Scott Newton

We here at Austin City Limits were saddened to learn of the death of singer/songwriter Hal Ketchum. The American country great died of complications of dementia at age 67.

Hal Ketchum on Austin City Limits, 1992

Though the golden-voiced New York native was best known as one of Nashville’s brightest stars of the nineties, with eleven albums to his name, he was a staple of Texas music clubs before he hit Music City. He nurtured his catalog of tunes for years in Austin listeners’ venues like the Cactus Cafe, with his debut album Threadbare Alibis coming out on Austin’s own Watermelon Records. The combination of being a major country hitmaker (“Small Town Saturday Night,” “Sure Love,” “Past the Point of Rescue,” “Hearts Are Gonna Roll,” “I Know Where Love Lives”) and his Central Texas roots earned him three appearances on ACL, in 1992, 1994 and 1998. 

Ketchum moved back to Texas in 2008 and made his final live appearance at Gruene Hall in 2018. He retired in 2019 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He will be greatly missed.

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Featured News

Congratulations to the 2021 Grammy nominees

photo by Scott Newton

The nominations for the 63rd annual Grammy Awards have been announced, and while we’re happy for all the nominees this year, we’re chuffed for our Austin City Limits alumni who made the list. The Grammy Awards telecast, co-produced by ACL’s own Terry Lickona, will broadcast on January 31, 2021, hosted for the first time by The Daily Show host, Emmy-winner and Grammy-nominated Trevor Noah. 

We’re especially excited for our hometown heroes Black Pumas, who’ve scored nominations for Record of the Year and Best American Roots Performance for their hit “Colors,” as well as a nom for Album of the Year for the deluxe edition of their self-titled debut. We’re also thrilled that our own Ruthie Foster, whose episode airs on January 17, gained a Best Contemporary Blues Album nom, and Rufus Wainwright, whose sensational ACL debut aired back in October, earned a Best Traditional Pop Album nod. Mavis Staples, whose classic Season 38 performance encored two weeks ago, earned a Best American Roots Song nod for her duet with Norah Jones, while John Legend, whose magnificent Season 36 episode with the Roots encored in November, was nominated for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance. The late John Prine, whose memorable hour kicked off our 46th season, got two nods for Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song.  

Brittany Howard, ACL two-timer with her band Alabama Shakes, cleaned up with half a dozen nominations. Pop princess Billie Eilish received four, while country queen Miranda Lambert took three. Beck, Sarah Jarosz, Lucinda Williams and Brandi Carlile each got two nods. Dolly Parton, the late Leonard Cohen, Coldplay, Sturgill Simpson, H.E.R., Eric Church, David Byrne, Wilco, James Taylor, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Vince Gill, Natalia Lafourcade, Bettye LaVette, the Robert Cray Band, Bela Fleck, Michael Kiwanuka and the Steep Canyon Rangers scored one apiece. 

We’d also like to give special shout-outs in the coveted Producer of the Year category: to nominee and ACL three-timer Dan Auerbach and Dave Cobb, who hasn’t performed on ACL but has produced a ridiculous number of artists who have. It’s also a wonderful day in the PBS neighborhood as public television legend Fred Rogers is celebrated for Best Historical Album for It’s Such a Good Feeling: The Best of Mr. Rogers. Congratulations to all. 

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Important Feature News Uncategorized

Austin City Limits 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

We are excited to share the official Austin City Limits Holiday Gift Guide! We’ve selected a handful of gifts from shop.acltv.com sure to please all the music-lovers and ACL fans on your list. Scroll down for our favorite stocking stuffers too!

For the New Austinite: ACL Black and Tan Snap Back Trucker Hat

Welcome to Austin! Barton Springs…check…South Congress…check…The Greenbelt…check… You’ve checked out the spots that make Austin, Austin. Now look the part in your new ACL Black & Tan Mesh Flat Bill Snapback Hat. You’ll be fitting in here in ATX in no time.

For the Cool Kid: Pink Toddler Tee with Dark Pink ACL Logo

Your kid will be the envy of all the preschoolers when she shows up showing off her pink ACL toddler tee. Who wants to be a princess when you can be a rock star?

For the Vintage Aficionado: Sky Blue Unisex Tee with ACL logo and vintage TV + VHS tapes

Remember the good ole days of VHS tapes and bulky TVs? We sure do – we’ve been around for 46 years! Wear this tee and bask in the nostalgia of it all.

For those you love: Austin City Limits face mask (black)

Who knew a mask would end up being THE trendy accessory of 2020? Stay safe in style with our ACL-branded black mask. Whether you buy ours or not, please take precautions to stay safe. We love and miss y’all and can’t wait to see you soon!

For the Trailblazer: ACL Red Paisley Bandana

Austin has many wonderful hiking trails – so you’re probably going to need to take along some bandanas for your hikes. It may be cooler now, but in the summer these things are a lifesaver – we recommend soaking it in ice water and wrapping it around your neck before you hit the greenbelt. Your dog would look very stylish sporting one of these too – so maybe grab two while you’re at it.

For the Trendsetter: Jackie Venson Taping Poster

If you’ve lived in Austin for a while, you’ve probably heard the buzz – Jackie Venson is on her way. Hopefully you caught her sensational national TV debut right here on Austin City Limits. If you were as blown away as we were, we’re sure you’ll want to grab this VERY limited edition poster that Jackie herself helped design. Peruse our collection of commemorative taping posters while you’re there – you never know what gems you’ll find…

For the Minimalist: Vintage black women’s boxy tee with ACL logo and Black Unisex Tee with white ACL logo

Do you live in Austin? Do you even have an ACL tee yet? If not, this is the perfect starter tee. You literally cannot go wrong with this classic. Choose from a black unisex tee and a women’s boxy tee for your fit of choice. Once you put it on, like magic you’ll start seeing it everywhere.

For the Historian: “A Song for You: The Austin City Limits Story” DVD

Want to win the ACL category at pub trivia? Just watch this documentary to get all the inside scoop and behind-the-scenes stories – while also catching incredible performances by some of the most amazing musicians to ever grace the ACL stage.

Some of our favorite stocking stuffers:

Austin City Limits holiday ornament

ACL Koozie

ACL Sticker Pack

Studio 6A Motel Keychain

Die Cut ACL Logo Sticker

Happy holidays from all of us at Austin City Limits! Wishing you and yours a healthy, happy and music-filled holiday season. ✨✨✨

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Featured News Taping Cancelled

Sturgill Simpson ACL taping postponed

Due to ongoing concerns related to COVID-19, Sturgill Simpson’s taping for Austin City Limits Season 46 originally scheduled for December 8 is postponed. We hope to reschedule Sturgill’s taping in 2021 for our Season 47.

We are thankful for all our wonderful artists, fans and supporters and wish y’all a safe and healthy Thanksgiving.