We here at Austin City Limits were saddened to learn of the passing of the great Johnny Gimble, Texas swing and C&W fiddler extraordinaire. The Tyler, Texas native and Dripping Springs resident was 88.
Following a stint in the army, Gimble played with Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in the late 40s, appearing on the classic 1950 recording of “Faded Love.” After spending a few years in Waco working as a barber and raising a family, the fiddle virtuoso moved to Nashville and became a first-call session musician. Gimble appeared on recordings by Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Marty Robbins, Ray Price and his longtime musical running buddy Willie Nelson, with whom he toured in the late ‘70s. Gimble was also recruited for Nashville session supergroups the Million Dollar Band (frequent performers on Hee Haw) and the Superpickers, and backed Carrie Underwood at the Grammy Awards in 2007. He also scored a country hit of his own in 1983 with “One Fiddle, Two Fiddle,” featuring Ray Price, and appeared in Clint Eastwood’s film Honkytonk Man as his old boss Bob Wills. His most recent album is 2010’s Ray Benson-produced Celebrating With Friends, recorded in collaboration with the Country Music Hall of Fame. That album also includes performances with his singer/pianist daughter Emily, who makes her ACL debut later this year as a member of Asleep at the Wheel.
Gimble was also a frequent guest on Austin City Limits, appearing numerous times with Willie Nelson, as well as making memorable appearances with the Superpickers in Season 4 and on the Season 6 Mandolin Special, on which he demonstrated his expertise on his other instrument, the electric mandolin. Gimble fronted a double-header episode in Season 5, headlining the first half and leading the Texas Swing Pioneers in the second half.
“Aside from being a Texas Playboy, he was the most renowned Country and Western Swing fiddler – ever!” remarked ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “He played with heart and soul and had an infectious spirit and sense of adventure – in both his music and personality. Before Lloyd Maines set the current record, Johnny played more times on ACL than any other musician. There was a time when everybody wanted Johnny Gimble to play on their show.”
Our condolences go out to his family and friends, of which he had hundreds. May he rest in peace.
Singing and songwriting legend John Prine has been through some trials and tribulations since the last time he visited the Austin City Limits stage in 2005, but he’s come through it all swinging with a hugely acclaimed, top 5 record The Tree of Forgiveness. That album formed the heart of the setlist for his eighth ACL appearance and the longtime Nashvillian graced us with a funny, moving performance.
Before giving us Forgiveness, however, Prine dipped into his debut album for a pair of well-loved classics. Taking the stage with his four-piece band (including guitarist Jason Wilber and bassist David Jacques, last here with Prine in Season 31) to huge applause, the Illinois native opened with the lovely “Six O’Clock News,” from his 1971 self-titled debut. “This song goes out to Bonnie Raitt,” he said as he went into the timeless classic “Angel From Montgomery,” made famous by the singing slide guitarist. Then it was into The Tree of Forgiveness with the sprightly “Knockin’ On Your Screen Door,” the first of seven in a row from the new landmark. “Caravan of Fools” followed, a song co-written with Dan Auerbach and Pat McLaughlin and featuring, as Prine noted, “has more verses than there are original members in the cabinet of the present administration.” He dipped into the more humorous side of his personality for the wry “Egg & Daughter Nite, Lincoln, Nebraska (Crazy Bone),” before dedicating the heartfelt “Boundless Love” to his wife Fiona. “This next song is probably, at least for me, the prettiest song on The Tree of Forgiveness,” he said by way of introduction to “Summer’s End,” a tune that indeed could have competed in the musical equivalent of a beauty pageant. The folky “I Have Met My Love Today” returned to the theme of found love, while “Lonesome Friends of Science” sardonically saluted the dwarf planet Pluto and the Greek god Vulcan – “the only thing Pluto and Vulcan have in common is that they’re both in my song.”
The band then quit the stage, leaving Prine by himself to dig deep into his catalog. He started the solo portion of the set with the passively defiant “Everything is Cool,” from the early 90s’ hit The Missing Years. Then he returned to his first album for its opening cut “Illegal Smile,” which turned into a singalong during the chorus – the audience even sang the final chorus “solo.” Prine climbed the Tree again for “No Ordinary Blue,” a song about a couple’s argument that he wrote with old pal Keith Sykes. Prine then welcomed newcomer Tyler Childers to the stage, duetting on Sweet Revenge’s “Please Don’t Bury Me” and letting the young Kentucky native singer/songwriter do his own “Lady May” alone.
Prine and his band returned to the stage and went into “Lake Marie,” a fan favorite from Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings that serves as an anthem as much as a story song. The penultimate song in the set was the final song on Tree, the raucous, oft-hilarious “When I Get to Heaven,” featuring the band on kazoos during the instrumental break. Prine and company finished the set with his classic “Paradise,” another gem from his ‘71 debut, this version enhanced by a returning Tyler Childers. The crowd went crazy, letting Prine know just how much his artistry is loved and appreciated. It was a fitting end to a great set, and we can’t wait for you to see it when Prine’s episode airs this fall as part of ACL’s Season 44.
Austin City Limits proudly presents a Season 44 highlight: a golden hour with celebrated singer-songwriter John Prine. The American original shines in his first ACL appearance since 2005, showcasing beloved classics alongside selections from The Tree of Forgiveness, his first collection of new material in 13 years, and the highest-charting release of his storied five-decade career.
Prine made his ACL debut on Season 3 in 1978 and returns for his eighth appearance during a banner year; he is a first-time nominee for the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was named Artist of the Year for the second consecutive year at the 2018 Americana Honors & Awards. The 72-year old folk hero captivates with his astute songwriting in this career-spanning hour, introducing many of the songs with his unique humor and wit. Prine dazzles with his singular knack for storytelling on subjects as varied as sticking up for the dwarf planet Pluto, and the rituals of egg farmers in Lincoln, Nebraska.
He opens the show climbing The Tree of Forgiveness with his four-piece band, performing seven selections from the acclaimed release, before taking the stage solo for a singalong of his early career highlight “Illegal Smile,” the opening track on his self-titled 1971 debut. Prine is joined by Kentucky native and rising songwriter Tyler Childers, who duets with his mentor on the musical last will and testament “Please Don’t Bury Me” from 1973’s Sweet Revenge. The fan favorite “Lake Marie” showcases Prine’s masterful way with words before he caps the heartfelt set with a pair of gems: new album closer “When I Get to Heaven,” and his classic “Paradise,” the final track on his ‘71 debut. Bouncing back and forth between spoken recitation and joyful singing on “When I Get to Heaven,” the songwriter offers a good-time singalong about leaving this world on a high note. When Prine gets to heaven, he tells the Austin crowd, “I’m gonna get a guitar and start a rock ’n’ roll band/check into a swell hotel/ain’t the afterlife grand?”
photo by Scott Newton
“John Prine is a unicorn,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, “a true original among American songwriters, unlike any other. What better way to celebrate his birthday week and his nomination to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame than to show what he does best – sing the songs he wrote, old and new, to an adoring audience and with his devilish sense of humor very much intact.”
Tune in this weekend for this 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 next week for a brand new episode featuring blue-eyes soul singers Sam Smith and Anderson East.
Austin City Limits (ACL) is proud to announce the newest class of Austin City Limits Hall of Fame inductees, recognizing two beacons of American music: Celebrated country superstar Trisha Yearwood and late songwriting giant John Prine. The ACL Hall of Fame celebrates this stellar pair of pioneering artists with longtime ties to ACL. The 2023 ACL Hall of Fame inductees will be saluted at a star-studded ceremony to be held October 26, 2023 at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. More information about guest performers, presenters and additional guest stars will be announced prior to the event. Musical highlights and inductions from the ceremony will air on PBS in 2024.
The event will be open to the public and tickets will be on sale June 23 at 10am CT at acltv.com/hall-of-fame. Sponsor packages are available now at acltv.com/hall-of-fame. All proceeds benefit Austin PBS.
Since its inception in 2014, the ACL Hall of Fame has honored legendary artists who have played a vital part in the trailblazing music series remarkable nearly half-century as a music institution. The inaugural awards honored Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The ninth class of inductees features two legendary acts: Multiple GRAMMY®, CMA® and ACM® Award-winner Trisha Yearwood debuted on the series in Season 17 in 1992. She went on to make two additional headlining appearances in 1996 and 2000 and returned in Season 41 in 2015 as a guest of Don Henley. The late singer-songwriter John Prine, who passed away in 2020, appeared regularly on ACL throughout his celebrated five-decade career. Prine made his first Austin City Limits appearance in 1978, in the third season of the nascent show, and returned for his eighth and final appearance forty years later in Season 44 in 2018. The influential artist appeared on a Songwriters Special in 1983 alongside peers including Guy Clark and Rodney Crowell, and made headlining appearances in 1988, 1992 and 1996; and in 2002 appeared as a special guest of Bonnie Raitt. Austin City Limits saluted Prine with a posthumous retrospective hour in 2020, which aired as the season premiere of Season 46 and highlighted classic gems from his catalog.
“John Prine and Trisha Yearwood represent both the growth and continuity of ACL’s legacy,” says longtime ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. “John was the consummate songwriter whose body of work on ACL spans decades. Trisha was one of a new breed of women in Country music, and one of the first to recognize ACL’s value and impact. They are foundational artists in ACL’s rich legacy.”
Honorees and their families shared their reactions to joining the ranks of outstanding artists who have been inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame:
Trisha Yearwood: “Appearing on Austin City Limits for the first time in 1992 was a rite of passage for me as an artist. After watching all of my heroes grace that stage, walking onto it myself was a spiritual experience. I am so honored to go into the ACL Hall of Fame, made even sweeter by going in alongside my friend John Prine. Getting to sing with John was one of the highlights of my career, and I’m proud to share the evening honoring his memory.”
Fiona Whelan Prine: “We are delighted and honored that Austin City Limits will induct John into its esteemed Hall of Fame. ACL is an important institution, celebrating the very best of American music and performances. John was always proud to appear on Austin City Limits. This induction would be a proud moment for him to join some of the artists he most admired. It is especially meaningful that he will be inducted alongside his dear friend, and duet partner, Trisha Yearwood.”
About the 2023 Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honorees:
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John Prine:
Called “the Mark Twain of American songwriting” by Rolling Stone, Prine’s singular talent and his ability to write songs about everyday lives and the human condition are revered by generations of songwriters. The Maywood, Illinois native went on to become one of the most highly acclaimed and beloved singer-songwriters in American musical history, with fans ranging from Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Bonnie Raitt to Jason Isbell and Kacey Musgraves. His 1971 self-titled debut arrived already packed with classics including “Sam Stone,” “Paradise,” and “Angel From Montgomery,” and was only the first in a long line of stunning collections of insightful, witty, and heartfelt songs and stories. With nineteen studio albums, the folk hero was a four-time GRAMMY® winner, the recipient of a GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019, the Americana Music Association’s Artist of the Year for consecutive years in 2017, 2018 and 2020, and the recipient of the 2016 PEN New England Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence Award. Prine had a remarkable final act: his final album, 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness, was both his most lauded and successful, debuting in the top 5 on the Billboard 200, earning a pair of GRAMMY® Awards. Prine appeared on Austin City Limits no less than nine times: as a headlining artist in 1978, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2005 and 2018, and 2020’s posthumous retrospective, and on a songwriters special in 1983 and as a special guest of Bonnie Raitt in 2002. Prine passed away in 2020 but leaves behind an extraordinary body of work and his enduring legacy lives on.
Trisha Yearwood:
Following three decades in the spotlight, numerous GRAMMY®, CMA® and ACM® Awards to her name, countless multiplatinum certifications, twelve studio albums and millions of fans entertained, the same passion still motivates and moves Trisha Yearwood. The singer, actress, best-selling author, chef, personality and entrepreneur derives deep fulfillment from simply walking up to a microphone and pouring her heart out by way of a celebrated powerhouse voice. In 2019, she continued that tradition with her first solo full-length since 2007, a collection of Frank Sinatra covers and one original entitled Let’s Be Frank. Later that year, Trisha unveiled her highly anticipated new single, “Every Girl in This Town,” setting the stage for the release of her first full-length country record in over a decade, Every Girl, and nationwide tour. The first single achieved the highest debut and biggest add day of her career. Every Girl: Deluxe, includes a new acoustic re-recording of her 1991 debut album’s lead single “She’s In Love With The Boy.” Trisha made history when the original “She’s In Love With The Boy” vaulted to #1 and cemented her as the first female country artist to have a debut single reach the top of the country charts. It was the first in a series of top 10 hits throughout the nineties, and in 2021 she made history once again when the country evergreen was named “the MOST listened to country song by a Female Artist in the history of Billboard’s Country Airplay Charts.” Every Girl: Deluxe upholds and extends the timeless entertainer’s legacy for a new generation of fans. Adding to that legacy, Yearwood has appeared on Austin City Limits four times – as a headliner in 1992, 1996, and 2000, and returning as a guest of Don Henley in 2015.
Established in 2014, the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame celebrates the legacy of legendary artists and key individuals who have played a vital part in the pioneering music series remarkable nearly half-century as a music institution. The inaugural induction ceremony in 2014 honored Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, program creator Bill Arhos and Darrell Royal. 2015’s second annual ACL Hall of Fame ceremony honored Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez and Townes Van Zandt, along with the original crew of the show’s first season in 1974-75. The 2016 Hall of Fame honored Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt and B.B. King, alongside former ACL executive producer Dick Peterson. 2017’s Hall of Fame honored Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash and The Neville Brothers, and the 50th Anniversary of the Public Broadcasting Act. 2018’s fifth anniversary class featured the inductions of Ray Charles, Marcia Ball and Los Lobos. The 2019 Hall of Fame welcomed Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy and Shawn Colvin to its ranks. The seventh annual Hall of Fame in 2021 welcomed Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo. The eighth annual Hall of Fame in 2022 honored Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely.
Austin City Limits and the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame are produced by Austin PBS. Austin PBS is a non-profit organization providing public television and educational resources to Central Texas as well as producing quality national programming.
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 49th 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.
Austin City Limits was greatly saddened to learn of the death of singer and songwriter John Prine, who died April 7 from complications due to the coronavirus. John Prine’s last Austin City Limits performance is scheduled to broadcast again on PBS on April 18th. Check your local listings or stream it online in its entirety below.
What can we say about John Prine? It’s no secret that he was one of the greatest songwriters to ever pick up a guitar – everyone from Kris Kristofferson (who discovered him) to Elvis Costello to Bonnie Raitt to Johnny Cash to Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters to Bob Dylan would agree. Even film critic Roger Ebert, stumbling upon Prine at a Chicago open mic in 1970 after a movie, lavished rapturous praise on the Illinois mail carrier, shifting his piece that night from covering the film to covering Prine’s set. (It was Prine’s first review.) His work’s plainspoken eloquence, keen intelligence, sly wit, and singalong melodies make lifelong friends with anyone who chances upon them.
We certainly felt he was in the upper echelon of tunesmithing greats. Prine appeared on the show eight times – headlining his own episodes in 1978, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2005 and 2018, joining a songwriters special in 1983, and appearing as a guest of Bonnie Raitt in 2002, duetting on his classic “Angel From Montgomery,” in a performance Raitt called one of the highlights of her career.
Bonnie Raitt and John Prine, Austin City Limits, 2002
We were stunned and thrilled by Prine’s most recent appearance two years ago in Season 44, when he was supporting his wildly acclaimed album Tree of Forgiveness. This was a man who hadn’t lost a step in the progression of his talent over the years, writing songs as smart and funny and powerful as he ever had. Quite simply, he was one of the best.
“This one really hurts, like a dagger to the heart. John Prine was so integral to the essence of Austin City Limits, and few artists graced the ACL stage over the years and decades more than he did,” says executive producer Terry Lickona. “The last time I saw him and his sweet wife Fiona was at this year’s Grammy Awards for his Lifetime Achievement Award, and he was as charming and self-effacing as usual, brushing off all the fuss. He leaves a void that no one else can fill.”
John Prine was one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of American songwriting. He will be missed.
We are really excited to announce that we will live stream the upcoming Jim James Austin City Limits taping on Sunday, May 5 at 8 pm CST. Now our fans everywhere can be part of the evening by watching the taping in its entirety and joining the conversation. Subscribe to our ACL YouTube channel to be sure and get our latest updates and information on other live streaming events. And check out #acltv on Twitter for special behind-the-scenes commentary from our producers in the control room.
