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Episode premiere: ACL 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Trisha Yearwood

Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley at the 2023 ACL Hall of Fame. Photo courtesy of Austin City Limits.

Iconic television series Austin City Limits (ACL) closes out Season 49 on Saturday, March 2 with a special installment: Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Trisha Yearwood, celebrating the country superstar and newest inductee Trisha Yearwood with a song-filled salute featuring an all-star slate of guest performers (in order of appearance): Don Henley, Brothers Osborne, Brandy Clark, Ronnie Dunn and Jo Dee Messina. The captivating hour features a memorable induction by Eagles co-founder Don Henley along with vintage highlights from Yearwood’s multiple appearances on the ACL stage. The broadcast premieres Saturday, March 2 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on PBS (check local listings). The special will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, March 3 at 10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits. The show’s official hashtag is #acltv. A monument to music, ACL has showcased iconic performances from legends and innovators in every genre of popular song for a remarkable five decades. October 17, 2024 will mark 50 years since Austin City Limits began with Willie Nelson taping the pilot; the trailblazing series then premiered on PBS in 1975. The revered music institution continues its extraordinary run as the longest-running music television show in history, providing viewers a front-row seat to the best in live performance. Produced by Austin PBS, and recorded live at ACL’s studio home ACL Live in Austin, Texas, the show remains a required stopping point for the finest acts to deliver stellar performances from the venerable ACL stage. This Peabody Award-winning program has earned its place in history and will salute its golden anniversary and incredible legacy with a yearlong celebration featuring archival gems, fan activations, all-star tapings, a PBS special, live concerts and much more.

The Austin City Limits Hall of Fame was established to recognize legendary musicians who have been instrumental in making the music series an institution. Since the inaugural ACL Hall of Fame in 2014 honoring Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan, the music-filled salutes have become fan-favorites. Austin City Limits takes viewers inside the celebration with a pair of deep-dive presentations from this year’s Inductions, recorded live in Austin, Texas on October 26, 2023. The special installments, Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors, salute newly-minted inductees John Prine and Trisha Yearwood with individual hours that showcase each artist’s Hall of Fame tribute, featuring musical tributes, along with extended highlights including induction speeches and vintage clips from the honorees’ multiple appearances on Austin City Limits.

In this special installment, ACL Hall of Fame honoree Trisha Yearwood gets her flowers in an entertaining, memorable salute. A trailblazing artist with a celebrated powerhouse voice and a beloved catalog of hits, the multiple GRAMMY, CMA and ACM Award-winner debuted on Austin City Limits in Season 17 in 1992 on the heels of her breakout self-titled 1991 debut LP. She made two additional headlining appearances in 1996 and 2000, and returned in Season 41 in 2015 as a guest of Don Henley. The hour opens with highlights from Yearwood’s early ACL performances, including her 1992 debut; sprinkled throughout the special are vintage and current interview clips with Yearwood, in addition to a bonus interview with her husband, country superstar Garth Brooks.

Don Henley salutes his longtime friend with a heartfelt induction, saying “I was a fan of Trisha Yearwood the minute I heard her voice coming out of the radio.” After teaming up as collaborators in 1992, the pair hit it off, recounts Henley: “She was small-town Georgia, and I was small-town Texas, and so we had an ingrained mutual understanding and respect.” Henley praises Yearwood’s stellar three-decade-plus run and “exceptional gift as a singer,” noting that the “hallmark of her career has been her unwavering conviction that a well-written song—no matter the style—is the foundation on which a singer stands.”

Accepting the honor, Yearwood is emotional as she shares she grew up watching Austin City Limits and recalls her reaction when she was first asked to appear on the show: “It’s an iconic moment and to actually realize you’re gonna be on that stage standing in front of that skyline—nerves—and what an honor…the thing about Austin City Limits is that you know the music here on this stage is made by real musicians, real artists—it’s all about the music here, and that’s why I’m so honored to be a part of this. And I want to say that whatever you’re doing here in Austin, you can’t ever stop, this is so important for music moving forward!”

Grammy-winning and reigning CMA and ACM Awards Duo of the Year Brothers Osborne make their first-ever appearance on the ACL stage to open the musical salute. “You always hear that you don’t want to meet your heroes, and Trisha is absolutely the exception to that,” says T.J. Osborne, joining brother John for a blazing rendition of “Wrong Side of Memphis,” the opening salvo of Yearwood’s 1992 Hearts In Armor. Newly-minted 2024 Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brandy Clark takes the stage, hailing Trisha “the Mount Rushmore of singers,” before rendering a stunning rendition of the title track from Yearwood’s 1993 The Song Remembers When, which Yearwood hand-picked for Clark to perform. At the song’s close Yearwood appears onstage to thank Clark, telling the audience, “In my dreams I heard Brandy singing that song.” Trisha is joined by country great Ronnie Dunn, whom she calls “the best singer in the world,” and the pair take the audience to church with a gorgeous duet on her “I’ll Carry You Home,” from 2019’s Every Girl, a beautiful showcase for both singers as they powerfully trade verses on the soaring gospel-tinged anthem. Country star Jo Dee Messina steps up to the mic, grinning, “Austin City Limits is the stage where all the cool people play and she is the coolest,” then brings the crowd to its feet with an irresistible rendition of the song that started it all, Trisha’s signature “She’s In Love With the Boy,” the lead single from Yearwood’s 1991 debut album, which rocketed to #1 and established her as the first female country artist to have a debut single reach the top of the country charts. In a poignant close, Don Henley returns and joins Yearwood to reprise their fan-favorite, early ‘90s chart-topping collaboration, “Walkaway Joe,” for a luminous end.

The musical performers are accompanied by the ACL All-Stars house band, led by original ACL Hall of Fame inductee, renowned steel guitarist and musical director Lloyd Maines, and featuring guitarist David Grissom, keyboardist Chris Gage, bassist Bill Whitbeck and drummer Tom Van Schaik.

“Back in the early ‘90s, Trisha Yearwood was one of the first of the new wave of female Country superstars who took the ACL stage,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “It helped to open the door to the next generation of women in Country music, and her powerful voice and presence continue to inspire today.”

A companion HOF installment premiered in January 2024 toasting the late singer-songwriter John Prine. Actor Ethan Hawke inducted the beloved icon posthumously as music greats Tyler Childers, Valerie June, Tommy Prine, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell and Kurt Vile saluted the celebrated artist in a moving hour featuring exclusive ACL intimate tributes alongside highlights from Prine’s eight appearances on the ACL stage. 

Austin City Limits 9th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Trisha Yearwood (in order of appearance):

Archive (1992): “Like We’ve Never Had a Broken Heart”

Archive (1996): “XXX’s and OOO’s”

Archive (1996): “Walkaway Joe”

Brothers Osborne “Wrong Side of Memphis”

Brandy Clark “The Song Remembers When”

Ronnie Dunn & Trisha Yearwood “I’ll Carry You Home”

Jo Dee Messina “She’s In Love With the Boy”

Don Henley & Trisha Yearwood “Walkaway Joe”

ACL’s Season 49 premiered in October 2023 with a diverse slate featuring ACL debuts from breakout artists including folk-pop singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, indie-pop trio MUNA, rap star Lil Yachty and rising singer-songwriters Brittney Spencer and Sudan Archives. Highlights included newly-minted 2024 Grammy-winners, Jason Isbell and his band The 400 Unit in their third appearance, and bluegrass star Molly Tuttle and her band Golden Highway making their ACL debut. Returning favorites included rock superstars Foo Fighters in an epic hour, ACL Hall of Fame icon Bonnie Raitt for the first time in a decade, country standout Margo Price, indie favorite Jenny Lewis, and the long-awaited comeback, after nearly four decades, of country icon Tanya Tucker. The slate featured deep-dive hours spotlighting first-ever appearances by alternative rock superstar Alanis Morissette, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legends Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo and Latin music powerhouse Jorge Drexler in an all-Spanish language hour. Season 49 featured an unprecedented season premiere with guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela joined by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. The first tapings of ACL’s milestone Season 50 were recently announced and include returning favorites, Austin hometown hero Gary Clark Jr., celebrated singer Brittany Howard, Colombian superstar Juanes and Austin’s own Black Pumas. 

Watch new episodes live, stream online, or download the PBS App. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding upcoming Season 50 tapings, live streams 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. 

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 half-century as a music institution. The Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty-five artists at eight previous ceremonies including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, Marcia Ball, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, Shawn Colvin, Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo. The eighth annual HOF welcomed Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely to its ranks.

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. ACL celebrates 50 years as an American music institution in 2024.  

Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, 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, Sheryl Crow, John Prine and Trisha Yearwood.

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Featured Hall of Fame News

JOHN PRINE AND TRISHA YEARWOOD JOIN ACL HALL OF FAME

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:

‘

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.

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Episode Recap Featured Hall of Fame New Broadcast News

Episode premiere: ACL Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely

Joe Ely rocks his ACL Hall of Fame induction in 2022. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Iconic television series Austin City Limits closes out Season 48 with a special installment, Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely, celebrating the Texas music legend and new inductee with a song-filled salute from revered Lone Star musicians and Ely’s longtime collaborators, Texas all-stars The Flatlanders, with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, alongside fellow Texans Rodney Crowell and Marcia Ball. The hour features a memorable induction by renowned Texas author Lawrence Wright along with historic highlights from the influential Ely’s eleven appearances on the ACL stage. The hour-long broadcast premieres Saturday, February 25 at 8pm ET/7pm CT on PBS. Check local PBS listings for times. The special will be available to music fans everywhere to stream online beginning Sunday, February 26 at 10am ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits. 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 provides 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.

In this special installment, ACL Hall of Fame honoree Joe Ely gets his flowers in a magical, memorable salute. A trailblazing artist with longtime ties to Austin City Limits, Ely has made eleven appearances on the series beginning with his 1980 ACL debut in Season 5 and the hour features vintage ACL clips showcasing his distinctive performances across the decades. From the moment he debuted in the 1970s, Ely has mixed a rock-and-roll sensibility with hardcore honky tonkin’ and become one of the most recognized and respected artists to hail from the Lone Star state. Growing up on the vast and empty plains of West Texas, his legend was forged onstage with relentlessly riveting live performances, hammered out over thousands of shows and countless touring miles from Lubbock to London and back again the long way around. Over his remarkable five-decade-plus career, he’s been at the forefront of Outlaw Country, Alt-Country, Texas Country and Americana, and has been recognized as one of the best songwriters of his generation. He has been embraced as a kindred spirit by artists as diverse as The Clash, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen. 

Renowned author Lawrence Wright salutes Ely with a heartfelt and hilarious induction, recounting joining Ely on a trip to Lubbock, where Ely was raised and first started playing music more than 50 years ago. In response to the Texas Panhandle’s flat desolation, Wright recalled, Ely told him that “I think all the emptiness made me want to fill it up.” Wright fondly recalls Joe taking him to Buddy Holly’s gravesite in Lubbock where Ely had taken The Clash many decades prior to pay tribute to the legend. “The driving beat of a Joe Ely anthem tells us right away where he’s coming from,” explains Wright. “He’s a honky-tonk poet, an outlaw country minstrel, a corrido balladeer, a rocker with a broken heart, all these traditions experienced, captured, and transformed into his own distinctive style.” 

The musical tribute kicks off with Austin piano legend and ACL Hall of Famer Marcia Ball taking the stage to perform Ely’s song “Fingernails,” a rollicking Jerry Lee Lewis-style number that Ball jokes “he wrote just for me, whether he knew it or not.” The ACL house band features longtime Joe Ely Band members Lloyd Maines (pedal steel), David Grissom (guitar), Davis McLarty (drums) and Jimmy Pettit (bass) along with Chris Gage (keyboards), Bill Whitbeck (bass) and Tom Van Schaik (percussion). Country great Rodney Crowell delivers a revved-up “Cool Rockin’ Loretta,” ad-libbing an entertaining testimony to Ely’s talents: “This is where I have to testify. It was Guy Clark who put me on to Joe, he said, ‘Hey man, there’s this guy from up in the Panhandle who ran away to join the circus and write songs about Indian cowboys and he can rock it all night long.’ The time has come for the man to be sworn into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.”

Ely steps out front for the spirited, guitar-driven classic “All Just to Get to You,” from his landmark 1995 album Letter to Laredo. For this special occasion Ely is joined by his longtime Flatlanders bandmates Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock for a rare trio appearance. Hancock good-naturedly recalls the time Ely “got thrown out of his own show,” before the trio trade verses on the rockin’ “I Had My Hopes Up High” — the first song on Ely’s very first record in 1977 and the song that kicked off his 1980 ACL debut. “Joe isn’t just a knocked out rocker,” explains Gilmore, “He’s also got this amazingly beautiful sweet side.” Hancock calls the Ely-penned gem “Because Of The Wind,” “One of the most beautiful West Texas songs you’ll ever hear,” as the trio launch into the exquisite acoustic number. Gilmore sums up the essence of Ely, saying, “There’s nobody that loves the music and loves his audience more than Joe Ely.” The finale, at Ely’s request, features a Woody Guthrie song the Flatlanders have often performed, “Goin’ Down the Road (Ain’t Gonna Be Treated This Way).” The stars come out in the Texas sky as Crowell and Ball join in, with everybody taking a verse to bring the luminous hour to a close.

“There are Texas legends, then there is Joe Ely,” said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “He belongs in a class all his own. He personifies a whole era of Texas music, and there’s no more perfect candidate for the ACL Hall of Fame, considering his impact across the board.”

The Flatlanders perform at member Joe Ely’s ACL Hall of Fame induction. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Joe Ely setlist: 

Marcia Ball “Fingernails” 

Rodney Crowell “Cool Rockin’ Loretta” 

Joe Ely “All Just To Get To You”

Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore “I Had My Hopes Up High” 

Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, Jimmie Dale Gilmore “Because Of the Wind” 

Joe Ely & All-Star Finale “Goin Down That Old Dusty Road” 

Fellow newly-minted Hall of Fame inductee Sheryl Crow was celebrated with a companion Hall of Fame tribute that kicked off the second half of ACL’s Season 48 in January 2023 and featured music greats Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Brittney Spencer and Lucius’ Jess Wolfe saluting the Grammy Award-winning artist. Season 48 premiered in October 2022 with a historic line-up spotlighting an unprecedented number of female artists, including a sterling season opener featuring singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, who recently earned a trio of 2023 Grammys. Season 48 also showcased many highly-praised acts who topped 2022 Year-End Best Lists, including electronic duo Sylvan Esso, Americana singer-songwriter Allison Russell and indie pop duo Lucius. Other highlights were ACL debuts from breakout artists including Japanese Breakfast, Arlo Parks and Cuban funk sensations Cimafunk and The Tribe along with deep-dive hours spotlighting acclaimed rock act The War on Drugs, country superstar Maren Morris and legendary alternative rock pioneers Pavement. The first tapings of ACL’s Season 49 have been announced and include acclaimed singer-songwriter Margo Price and indie-pop band MUNA. 

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 Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty artists at seven previous ceremonies including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, Marcia Ball, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, Shawn Colvin. The seventh annual Hall of Fame in 2021 welcomed Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo to its ranks. 

Watch live on PBS, or stream anytime on PBS.org. Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding upcoming Season 49 tapings, live streams 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 New Broadcast News

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.

Categories
Featured Hall of Fame News

ACL Hall of Fame 2022 adds new talent for next week’s ceremony

Austin City Limits proudly announces additional guest performers for the 2022 ACL Hall of Fame Inductions & Celebration on October 27. Acclaimed act Lucius and country legend Rodney Crowell will join the previously announced line-up of music luminaries slated to perform: Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Brittney Spencer, Marcia Ball, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. We regret to announce that Mavis Staples will no longer be appearing at this event due to unforeseen circumstances. The all-star line-up will salute a pair of American originals—superstar singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow and legendary Texas music pioneer Joe Ely—with one-of-a-kind music performances and tributes as they are inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame. The star-studded ceremony takes place on Thursday, October 27th, 2022 at ACL’s studio home, ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Musical highlights and inductions from the celebration will air as a special Austin City Limits on January 7, 2023 on PBS.  

All-star guests will handle induction honors on this epic night: Americana great and six-time Grammy Award winner Brandi Carlile will induct nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow and perform in tribute along with celebrated songwriter Jason Isbell, power vocalists Lucius and country breakout Brittney Spencer. Texas music legend Joe Ely will be inducted by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright along with a musical salute featuring revered Lone Star musicians: Ely’s longtime collaborators in Texas supergroup The Flatlanders, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, will salute the pioneer; joining the musical tribute are country music trailblazer Rodney Crowell and blues legend and ACL Hall of Famer Marcia Ball. Inductees Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely will perform at the celebration. 

ACL Hall of Famer, renowned steel guitarist and producer Lloyd Maines, returns as Music Director, leading the ACL All-Stars house band featuring guitarist David Grissom, keyboardist Chris Gage, bassist Bill Whitbeck and drummer Tom Van Schaik.

The event is open to the public and a limited number of tickets are on sale at acltv.com/hall-of-fame.  Sponsor packages are available now at acltv.com/hall-of-fame. All proceeds benefit Austin PBS.

The eighth class of inductees features two iconic acts: Celebrated singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow has made two classic hourlong appearances on ACL in her remarkable three-decade career, starting with her debut on Season 22 in 1997 and returning in 2004. She also co-hosted ACL’s 40th anniversary special in 2014, the same year the Hall of Fame was established. An icon of Texas music, Joe Ely has made 11 appearances on ACL: including as a headliner five times beginning with his 1980 ACL debut in Season 5; also joining Los Super 7 in 1999, Texas supergroup The Flatlanders in 2002, and a Songwriters Special with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt and Guy Clark in 2008. The influential artist has made guest appearances with multiple acts, including Kevin Welch in 1992, Ryan Bingham in 2009 and joined Steve Earle and the Dukes in 2019 for a tribute to Guy Clark.

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 Hall of Fame has inducted over twenty artists at seven previous ceremonies including Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, Flaco Jiménez, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, B.B. King, Roy Orbison, Rosanne Cash, The Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, Marcia Ball, Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Guy, Shawn Colvin. The seventh annual Hall of Fame in 2021 welcomed Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Alejandro Escovedo to its ranks. 

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 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 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.

Categories
Featured Hall of Fame News Taping Recap Uncategorized

Taping recap: ACL 7th Annual Hall of Fame Honors

Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Following last year’s pandemic-related pre-emption, we were beyond thrilled for the return of our biggest event/party of the season: the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Inductions & Celebration Presented by PNC Bank. We were proud to induct three longtime ACL favorites, all trailblazing artists who have all appeared on the show multiple times: renowned alt-country band Wilco, Austin rock icon Alejandro Escovedo, and the truly legendary singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams. Joined by a diverse and impressive line-up of musicians paying tribute to these fantastic figures, we had a grand time celebrating some of our favorite performers on our favorite night of the year. We were also excited to announce the formal unveiling of PNC Plaza at ACL Live as part of the ceremony. Our new partner PNC Bank has made a five-year commitment as the Official Bank of Austin City Limits.

Alejandro Escovedo. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Following welcomes from Austin PBS acting CEO Lori Bolding and ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, it was time to induct the first honoree: Austin’s own Alejandro Escovedo. Legendary rock writer, producer and longtime Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye did the honors. Kaye spoke of his long friendship with Escovedo, and what makes his eclectic, expansive body of work important not only to the industry, but to the world. Escovedo accepted his award in a stunning, sparkling lime-green jacket, and spoke of the influence of his wife Nancy Rankin, his Mexican family, especially his older brother, jazz great Pete Escovedo, and of his journey through music, as well as his gratitude to ACL for giving a platform to showcase his musical theater piece By the Hand of the Father in 2002. Joined by his niece, the incomparable Sheila E., behind the drum kit of the Austin All-Stars Band and his veteran backing singers and string section, Escovedo opened the music salute with “Algo Azul,” a song from his most recent album The Crossing, bringing out Alex Ruiz, frontman for Austin Latin-rock band Del Castillo and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez’s band Chingon, for an all-Spanish version of the song La Cruzada. Escovedo then welcomed another old pal, John Doe, co-founder of legendary Los Angeles punk band X, to sing the rocking story song “Sally Was a Cop,” from the 2012 album Big Station, amplified by a burning solo from house band leader Lloyd Maines on pedal steel. Escovedo finished his victory lap with a titanic take on “Put You Down,” his 1996 rock anthem with which he opened his 2006 ACL appearance. Guitars raged, the string section seared, and the audience response was deafening. 

Lucinda Williams with Rosanne Cash. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

The only way to follow that was by inducting another icon, which meant it was time to honor the singer/songwriter all other singer/songwriters bow down to: Lucinda Williams. One of her best-known disciples, Jason Isbell, inducted her into the HOF, explaining how Williams made a map for other songwriters, including himself, to follow. “This will fit real nicely next to my Grammys,” she commented wryly as she accepted her award. She praised Austin for helping give her her start, as well as Terry Lickona and the ACL staff. Isbell then took the stage to sing Williams’ beautiful “I Envy the Wind,” from her Grammy-nominated 2002 LP Essence. Williams joined her friend Rosanne Cash onstage to perform a moving version of the beguiling New Orleans tribute “Crescent City” from the Louisiana native’s groundbreaking 1988 self-titled LP, capped by a standing ovation from the crowd. Country rock star Margo Price joined Williams, presenting her hero with flowers and a heartfelt thanks for the example she sets. Along with the All-Stars, Price and Williams tore into “Changed the Locks,” the withering blues rocker also from 1988’s Lucinda Williams. After the two singers-in-arms left the stage, steel guitarist and house bandleader Lloyd Maines – the first musician to be inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame – introduced the ace ACL All-Stars Band: guitarist David Grissom, bassist Bill Whitbeck, drummer Tom Van Schiak and keyboardist Chris Gage. 

Wilco. Photo courtesy Austin City Limits.

Following an intermission, it was time to induct Wilco. Rosanne Cash welcomed her friends into the Hall with a speech touching on their “musical alchemy that’s just the thing if you want to spark a revolution in your audience.” Her words earned her hugs from all six members (leader Jeff Tweedy, bassist John Stirratt, guitarist Nels Cline, keyboardists Pat Sansone and Mikael Jorgenson, drummer Glenn Kotche), while Tweedy gave a speech thanking not only ACL but all the bands that gave them inspiration along the way. Wilco then picked up their instruments to do what they do best, opening their segment with Summerteeth’s rocking “A Shot in the Arm.” The band exited the stage with the exception of guitarist Nels Cline remaining to accompany their friend Bill Callahan on lap steel. The low-fi great sang “Sky Blue Sky” in his deep baritone, with Cline coloring the proceedings with keening steel lines. Legendary Texas singer/songwriter Terry Allen took the stage solo, for a stately piano performance of “One Sunday Morning.” Wilco returned to the stage joined by Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner, along with Lloyd Maines (who played on Wilco’s 1995 debut A.M.) for “Jesus, Etc.,” the pop charmer from 2002’s landmark Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

“We’d like to invite everybody back on the stage,” said Tweedy, bringing the all-star cast out for a stellar reading of “California Stars.” Escovedo, Cash, Isbell, Allen, Sheila E., Price, Callahan, Kaye, Zauner, Doe, Maines, and the string players joined in on Wilco’s early career highlight for a powerhouse closer. It was a great way to end the show, and stay tuned for highlights on Austin City Limits 7th Annual Hall of Fame Honors when it airs January 8 on PBS.

ACL 7th Annual Hall of Fame Honors. Photos courtesy Austin City Limits.