'Austin City Limits' 50th Anniversary Special Low on Star Power, But Not on Great Performances

by Julian Spivey

Photo: PBS/Austin City Limits

 
“Austin City Limits,” the longtime PBS music series, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a two-hour special that premiered on Friday, April 4. The special featured artists from many different genres who have performed on the ‘ACL’ stage.
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The special was interspersed with great clips of all the legendary musicians who performed at the Austin, Texas venue, as well as some history of the show and what it meant to musicians of today and the past.

The special was hosted by actors, Austin natives and couple, Jared and Genevieve Padalecki. It featured performances from Chris Stapleton, The Mavericks, Gary Clark Jr., Leon Bridges, Rufus Wainwright, Indigo Girls, Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, Brandy Clark and more.

There was a surprising lack of star power on the telecast, which was taped in late November 2024, given the names of performers who have appeared on the show over the decades.

Willie Nelson, who appeared on the first episode of “Austin City Limits,” taped on Oct. 17, 1974, would’ve been an obvious choice, but didn’t appear. The special did show an abbreviated version of his “On the Road Again,” which he performed at the most recent ACL Fest last year – a performance the telecast should’ve shown in full. The evening opened with Chris Stapleton doing a terrific cover of Nelson’s “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.”

Ten years ago, “Austin City Limits” established a Hall of Fame for performers who have appeared on or had a lasting impact on the series. Among the living members of the ‘ACL’ Hall of Fame, only Lovett and Colvin appeared on the program. It would’ve been nice for others like Garth Brooks, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, Wilco, Los Lobos, Rosanne Cash, and more to have appeared.
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But enough about what didn’t appear on the special.

Among my favorite performances on the special were The Mavericks, a group that combines so many wonderful styles of music, performing their hit “All You Ever Do is Bring Me Down,” Leon Bridges performing “Beyond,” and Lovett performing his beautiful “12th of June,” though it seemed like he was struggling to perform due to what I assume was illness.

Perhaps the best segment of the ‘ACL’ 50th anniversary special was the “In the Round” song swap that featured the Indigo Girls, Brandy Clark and Cam. The Indigo Girls began the segment with their song “Share the Moon.” Clark stunned with her Grammy-nominated “Dear Insecurity,” Cam performed her terrific “Burning House,” and the Indigo Girls were joined by Clark and Cam for their biggest hit, “Closer to Fine.”

One of the most famous and popular acts to ever perform on “Austin City Limits” was blues-rocker Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Vaughan was tributed by one of the great blues-rockers of today, Gary Clark Jr., with his friend and old schoolmate Eve Monsees, with “Pride & Joy,” a fitting way to end the special.

“Austin City Limits” is probably the most successful show in television history solely focused on musical performance. Its 50th anniversary is also a reminder of just how important PBS is when showcasing the arts – something we all should remind ourselves of in an era where some people and politicians are looking to bring public broadcast television (and radio) to an end to save a buck. Here’s hoping there’s no end to “Austin City Limits.”