Original subtitles

Downloaded from YTS.MX

[chimes tinkling]

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

[engine starts]

[engine idling]

[driver speaks indistinctly]

Yeah, this says, go...

Cesar Chavez all the way to Lavaca.

[driver speaks]

Oh, okay, that helps.

39-13, program intro, take one.

Recorded live from the Moody Theater, it's "Austin City Limits."

I'm a little bit nervous.

[chuckles]

That's where we park, right there.

There's the Willie statue.

So it begins.

-[country band playing, crowd cheering] -[man] Yeah!

"Austin City Limits" presents, straight ahead country music

with Austin's own Dale Watson.

-[cheering] -Love you, dancers. Thank you for that.

We're gonna exit outta here.

Take 109.

*

What you doing drinking iced coffee?

-I... -What are you, crazy?

I didn't know it was iced. I got it, and they were like...

-What's your name? -Uh, Brent.

-Brent, I'm Dale. -Nice to meet you, Bill.

-Dale. -David.

-Dale. -Dale.

It doesn't matter, you can call me David, Bill. Doesn't matter.

That's why I tell 'em, when I'm at a restaurant, they ask me my name, I always say "Joe."

* Well, I'm thumbin' along the open road *

* When a voice come over my radio *

* It said, "Baby breaker one-nine" *

* She sounded sweet as apple pie *

-[Watson] Where we at? -* She invited me to drop on by, said, "Baby..." *

Smells like Willie in here. [chuckles]

* 109, 109

* Park it where the sun don't shine *

* Baby, exit 109

* 109, 109, easy to please and easy to find *

* Baby, gotta exit 109

Well, Dale, to start things off,

I know you talked a little bit about it out on the stage,

but I just want to ask you in front of our camera now,

how did it feel?

* Mmmm

* Mm-hmm-hmm

* Well, I slowly drove...

It's really so hard to explain Austin, Texas.

It's the best music town in the world.

I almost wanna cry right now 'cause tonight

people can see what Austin, Texas, is.

It's, uh... it was special.

[sputtering]

[Terry Lickona, announcing] ...here and now begins tonight.

Let's give a big welcome for Austin's own Dale Watson!

[cheering and applause]

I'm a lucky guy, man. I'm lucky just to be able to do what I do for a living and love what I do.

And that's a good note to end on,

because we share that same feeling here, loving what we do.

-Thank you for having me. -Thank you, Dale.

* Exit 109

[cheering and applause]

[Lickona] Good time, Austin, Texas.

Mr. Dale Watson.

[cheers and applause]

[indistinct conversation]

Austin is the greatest place on the planet

to come hear music.

[woman] There's just so many people that come out and support music.

Maybe there's something in the water here.

It's oil wells and barbecue and "Austin City Limits."

I can't imagine Texas without it.

I don't care about being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anymore.

I got invited to play "Austin City Limits."

When I was a kid, I would stay up late and watch it on TV.

It's the last smart music show on American television.

*

"Austin City Limits," it's just a special, intimate place.

I've watched it my whole life.

[man] That show would not work in every place.

It kind of has to be Austin.

People believe that Austin is the best place in the world,

and I think they're right.

-Good night, thank you! -[cheering and applause]

*

[Lickona, announcing] Welcome to "Austin City Limits."

How are you feeling tonight?

During the past 30 years, Terry Lickona has become

something of a household name in Austin and beyond,

producer of "Austin City Limits,"

the longest-running music series in the country,

showcasing popular music legends,

innovators from all genres.

You're coming up on a very, very special season ACL.

As hard as it is to believe, Kathleen,

this is the 40th anniversary of "Austin City Limits,"

as you said, the longest-running music program on American television.

-Wow! -That's a mouthful, but we're proud to say that over and over.

[Kathleen] What do you have in store for the audience,

because, you know, that's 40 years, right?

That's a pretty big anniversary.

-You want me to tell our secrets. -[Kathleen] Yeah, why not?

First of all, nothing is official or set in stone.

It's early in the booking process.

The new season won't begin airing on PBS until October.

But we are inaugurating

an Austin City Limits Hall of Fame,

so that's going to be exciting when we announce that in a few weeks.

Does everybody here know the dates?

It's pending talent confirmations

and availabilities, but May 7

would be a rehearsal day,

and then May 8th would be the actual day of the event/taping.

I am waiting to hear back from Willie Nelson's manager.

I've already reached out to Lyle.

I texted him last week to wish him happy birthday,

as I have on November 1st for like the last 25 years.

I used to call him, but now I just text him.

[woman] I was gonna say, you've been texting for 25 years?

[man] Very early on texting.

-I was one of the first. -[woman] Such a trendsetter.

So, but he texted right back.

And he said pretty much, "Count on me."

And, you know, the idea of having

Willie, Lyle, and Emmylou actually do something,

you know, performing together, would be pretty cool, I think.

It would serve a lot of purposes and be great for the program.

[man] Yeah, absolutely.

So, we'll see if that becomes a reality, but...

You know, Lyle and possibly Emmylou

are apparently available,

and we're waiting to hear on Willie.

Willie, happy to have you here at Austin.

There seems to be a big increase

in the popularity of country-western music.

Can you explain that for us?

Well, it's really not hard to explain.

I think everyone is just finally catching up to country music.

It's been around a long time,

and the young people have discovered it,

and when all that enthusiasm gets behind anything,

it's got to go.

*

Austin was the epitome of liberalism

in the south at that time.

There was just no other place like it.

It was good. It was a small town with a big college.

You got kids who will support the music scene.

Back in the '70s, the social thing to do

was to go out and hear bands.

Rent was 150 bucks a month and pot was $10 an ounce.

[chuckles] Good reason to move there if you're a musician.

* I'm goin' down to Austin, Texas... *

Everyone was groovin' and doin' their thing.

There was a million beautiful girls.

There was lots of smoke, lots of gigs.

Any time after any gig in Austin,

legendary party after the show.

[man] The very first night we got here, we crashed at a friend's house,

and they said, "This new club is just opening called the Armadillo, wanna go?"

Of course we wanted to go.

We walked in and it was just all these people just like us,

and coming from Dallas, you couldn't have the hair touch the top of your ears

without somebody wanting to beat you up.

We just had fun playing, and they let us get away with it.

I got a good dose of Austin in the '70s.

I wish I'd moved here in the '70s, frankly.

And then, right in the middle of all that, Willie came.

* Whiskey river, take my mind

* Don't let her memory talk to me *

About that time, Bill Arhos

was talking about doing

a pilot for this music show.

*

[Arhos] PBS needed more ideas and more programming

from around the country.

*

[man] Bill Arhos talked with me about,

what could we do with this studio space?

Once I saw that studio and the size of it,

I thought, "This would be perfect to do something in music."

Paul Bosner came to me, 'cause he knew I was a musician.

He had been visiting the local venues,

Armadillo World Headquarters.

He read a book called "The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock."

And it chronicled the combination

of country music, rock, long-haired hippies,

rednecks, Lone Star beer, and dope.

Took it to Bill Arhos to see what he thought of the idea.

[Willie Nelson] I've been associated with "Austin City Limits"

since the beginning.

I did the first show.

And I'm not sure how many I've done since then,

but 20 or 25, I think, through the years.

* Well, it's a Bloody Mary morning *

* Baby left me without warning sometime in the night *

* So I'm flyin' down to Houston *

* With forgettin' her the nature of my flight *

[Arhos]

We had audiences in back of the stage.

People were sitting on the floor on little carpets.

There were no bad seats in the studio.

It was very intimate.

We had to borrow microphones and such

from the radio station downstairs.

We had our scene shop build up speakers in-house,

with Radio Shack parts that I didn't think were gonna last very long,

and sure enough, Bobbie Nelson on piano,

in the middle of rehearsal, her speaker catches on fire.

[chuckles] Oh, not good.

We were basically the guinea pig.

We didn't know what we were doing.

We were just doing our regular show

and reacting to the audience.

*

[Arhos speaks]

I said, "Hey."

["Bloody Mary Morning" ends]

[woman] It's always cool when we can do stuff that my mom's heard of.

She owned a laundromat when I was growing up,

and I grew up working there, and that PBS channel

was one of the only things that we got in the laundromat.

So my mom always has that on, and she would always be watching

different episodes of "Austin City Limits."

And she would ask me, "Have you heard of this band?"

or "When are you gonna be on this thing?"

Welcome to "Austin City Limits."

And we are streaming live, wherever you're watching.

[all] ACL! ACL! ACL!

It's always a thrill to welcome somebody to the stage for the first time.

How many of you have seen Thao before?

-[cheering] -All right.

You know what to expect. It's gonna be great.

The rest of you are in for a real treat.

The one and only Thao & the Get Down Stay Down!

[cheering]

[Thao] I was very excited.

But it was sort of like this internal excitement.

You know, 'cause when childhood dreams come true,

you wanna stay pretty cool about it,

so I just...

I was like, yeah, it's pretty cool.

[Thao & the Get Down Stay Down playing]

[Thao] That is awesome.

Look at that.

Probably, maybe we could get a T-shirt?

That would be nice.

It's really great font. I wonder what it's called.

* If I bend my youth would it come to me? *

* Oh, love, won't you bite my eye? *

* I miss the sweet garden man *

* Baffle a skeleton dry

* All they wanted was a villain, a villain *

* And all they had was me

* All they wanted was a villain, a villain *

* So then they just took me

* Hold my county line

* Get down on my city floor

* I won't suffer no humans *

* They've been my habit before *

* Oh, how the Earth...

I've seen that person.

Wow!

This is so cool.

[speaks indistinctly]

That's the dude. That's pretty cool.

* 'Cause oh, how we *

* The common, do cry

* Oh oho oho oh...

This is amazing.

* Oh oho oho oh...

* Oh oho oho oh, Oh oho oho oh... *

I hear Alex or somebody.

Guys, hi.

Guys, this is so cool.

Guys, hey. Guys, this is so cool.

-Yes. -Hey, good job.

-How are ya? -Hey, this is cool! It's so cool.

I actually wanted to exclaim when I came through the door,

but I thought I would try to be more professional.

[man] Everyone, this is Jeff Peterson, producer of the show.

-How you doing? Great to meet you. -Welcome.

Thank you so much for having us.

We've been watching you for a while now.

-I've seen you three times. -Oh, thank you so much.

And your album just blew me away,

which was the first exposure, so...

-We're so excited to be here. -[Peterson] Good to have you.

Good. Well, so, the whole idea behind the show

is to make it as much like your show as possible.

-Sure. -So, whatever you normally do,

as far as introing and encore and all of that stuff.

-All right, have fun. -[Thao] Thank you so much.

Hey, when we have time, we should run through "Kindness" again?

Yeah, let's do it.

*

And then right here, you need to start going crazy.

[laughs]

-Oh! -[both laugh]

We have to do it with a straight face.

That was great.

-Do you like it to be that crazy? -No.

Like completely action... [laughs]

Just, you just start banging it.

Yeah, I want you to start hitting your face with it.

*

There we go.

* Hold me hard

[cheering]

* I've been let loose *

* Set me clear

* Of all I do

* Kindness be conceived

* When we wake in the Austin City light *

* There is a concrete stuck between *

* How we breathe

* And why we die

* Why we breathe and why we die *

[cheering]

[Thao] How about that barn burner?!

Hi, Mom.

Did you watch it? [chuckles]

You watched the whole thing?

[chuckles]

Did you like it?

[chuckles]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[speaking Vietnamese]

Did you cry?

A little? Really?

Every time I come back here, it's like kind of surreal

because it looks exactly like it did the last time we did a taping in here.

The city comes to life.

You know, obviously, I can't walk in this room

without having a flood of memories come back

from the 36 years that I've been a part of the show.

I moved here from upstate New York,

where I'm from originally,

and I came to Austin, really, on a whim.

I had heard about the music scene down here.

I had no friends at all in Austin, no job.

$400 or so, but I was 25 or so and naive

and willing to take the gamble.

I came to Austin thinking I'd work in radio,

and I did at the NPR station here, KUT.

So I would do a Saturday morning bluegrass show

and a late Saturday night jazz show.

At the same time that I was working at KUT,

KLRN had decided to start its own local news show,

called "This Week."

And good evening, I'm Terry Lickona.

I do remember Terry from early on.

As a matter of fact, when I was an intern,

he was on talking heads and news programs.

Nostalgia is more popular than ever these days,

especially in music, since the music of the '70s

doesn't seem to be going anywhere in particular.

During the first two years,

I remember being out here in the front.

In fact, you could look at some of the old shows

and probably see an audience shot of me sitting out front with my 'fro.

* Deep within my heart lies a melody *

* A song of old San Antone

Willie Nelson did the pilot for that series,

and we came on in September, did the first taping.

* ...the stars all alone

We had an eight-piece band. It was a very good band, mostly of old-timers.

And mostly old fiddle tunes.

I guess in those days it was more popular than it is now.

* ...by the Alamo

* And rose my rose of San Antone *

It was originally about this music that was going on here.

You know, Jerry Jeff Walker, Asleep at the Wheel,

and B.W. Stevenson and Steve Fromholz.

Just all the wonderful, wonderful songwriters.

* Well, if I needed you

* Would you come to me?

* Would you come to me and ease my pain? *

* If you needed me

* I would come to you

* I'd swim the seas for to ease your pain *

I remember as a seven-year-old watching

the "Austin City Limits" performance in 1976

and how just awe-strucken I was to see my father performing.

I don't think I blinked or looked away for the entire program.

My dad at the time was a traveling gypsy.

So it was a rare moment for me to catch an intimate

sort of performance by him.

* If you needed me

* I would come to you

* I'd swim the seas for to ease your pain *

It's the greatest document of how good Townes Van Zandt was as a performer

is that performance on "Austin City Limits."

[Lickona] For those first few years, I sat out in the audience,

and that might have been the last time,

because I have not had a chance to do that again,

for obvious reasons.

[Lickona, announcing] Recorded live from Austin, Texas,

"Austin City Limits" presents a man and his soul,

the music of Ray Charles,

in concert with the Raelettes and the Ray Charles Orchestra.

[orchestra playing intro]

[Lickona] I became producer in season four.

It was at that point that management made it clear to Bill Arhos

that if he wanted to continue with "Austin City Limits,"

he would have to give up his primary job

as the station's program director.

That was a tough choice for Bill to make,

because his heart and soul were with "Austin City Limits."

So that's how I became the producer.

Didn't know how the cameras worked,

didn't know a thing about lighting.

I only knew what I had seen other people do.

And I knew what I liked.

*

[crowd cheering]

[singing "Busted"]

Yes, I did wanna kind of break the mold

and shake things up a little bit.

Having always been a fan of Ray Charles,

along with most of the world,

I just decided to give it a shot.

And it was initially frustrating,

because when I finally did connect with Ray Charles' manager,

Joe Adams, who was very much old-school,

his reaction was, I remember as if it were yesterday,

he said, "Mr. Charles does not do local access TV programs."

* The county's gonna haul my belongings away *

* 'Cause I'm busted right now *

* Oh, yes, I am

* Well, I went to...

So I had to be a little bit more strategic,

and when I heard that Ray was actually coming to Austin

and playing a show at the Erwin Center,

I basically, you know, talked my way backstage,

and I did get to talk to Ray Charles in his dressing room.

It's a classic, but when the door to his dressing room opened

and I walked in, there was Ray Charles standing in nothing but his bright-red boxers.

* 'Cause I'm busted myself *

Eventually, I'm sure I spit it out,

some words to the effect that I was the producer

of this PBS music show, and it was all about the music.

He sort of cut me off at that point

and told me he was already familiar with the show.

And, yeah, he said he would love to come and do it.

* Whoa, the hell with it

* Yeah

[cheers and applause]

The first Ray Charles show was a big deal.

He was a legend.

And that's all I'm gonna say. [chuckles]

[applause]

[woman] I walked in on a Ray Charles rehearsal

that was closed, and I climbed underneath the bleachers over here.

I thought I was in heaven.

* Sometimes I feel

* I'm born to lose *

-[cheers, applause] -[man] We did a rehearsal,

and after the rehearsal,

he called all the band back there where the crane was.

As soon as he gets everybody there,

he says, "You guys are making me look like crap out there."

[Caldwell] He started to tell them off.

And he was telling them, "I want you to do this,"

and they all looked at each other and...

you know, like this,

and they all tiptoed off the stage

while Ray was telling them off, and he was going at it.

And then when Ray said, "Okay, let's hit it again.

And a-one and a-two..."

Crickets. Complete silence.

Wait-wait-wait a minute now.

And the band just laughed, laughed so hard.

And I was over there underneath the bleachers,

just kind of like...

* Born to lose

* And now I'm losing you *

[Lickona] That was the big catch.

And I see that booking of Ray Charles

in our fifth season as a, uh...

as a definite milestone in the evolution of the show.

* Born to lose

* Yeah, and now

* I'm losing *

* Whoa

* You

[cheers, applause]

* Yeah

* I'm losing you, you, you *

Does everyone have a badge and a lanyard?

Yeah?

Same times as usual for tonight. 7:00 is when these doors will open.

And then 8:00 is for the show.

[woman] No photography tonight of any kind, same as always.

We have really high demand for the floor,

so we need to make sure that we're actually checking tickets.

*

* All it'll take *

* Is just one moment

* And...

[woman] My gosh, my experience

with "Austin City Limits," the television show,

starts when I was a really little kid.

Been watching the show since the '70s.

I grew up in Chicago, so watching PBS up there, and it was always channel 11.

I've been watching this show since I was a little kid.

I've probably been to about 40 tapings.

Probably been to about 20 of them.

We always come down here and wait in line

'cause it's always a super awesome show.

I've grown up watching it my entire life.

And, uh... one of the reasons why I moved to Austin.

* I wanna find you and more

* Where do you...

I always thought the background was real,

until I went to the old studio once and saw a show there.

* Well, how can I find ya?

* Well, I wanna send you and more *

* I wanna tempt you...

[man] There's no fooling the audience, there's no frills.

Here's this band, this is what they sound like,

this is what they look like, period.

* I am alive

* Let me prove it

* Yeah, yeah

* You and I, we're the same *

* Live and die, we're the same *

* You rejoice, I complain

* That you and I we're the same *

* Live or die, we're the same *

* You and I, we're the same *

* Hear my voice, know my name

* You and I

* You and I

[cheering]

"Austin City Limits" started showing me what I wanted,

because blues players never did make it to those shows like that.

[Lickona, announcing] From the Barrel House to the city,

the blues roll on with the legendary Lightnin' Hopkins.

When it comes to Texas music,

which was primarily the focus for ACL back in the day,

there's nobody better than Lightnin' Hopkins.

There were two strings attached

to Lightnin' doing

any kind of a show, not just a TV show.

One was that he liked to be paid up front.

And the other was that he liked to have a bottle of Jack.

* I'm goin' to Louisana *

* I'm gonna get me a mojo hand *

[man] Like a lot of performers of his generation,

Lightnin' wanted cash up front.

And, uh, we didn't have it.

* I'm gonna get me a mojo hand *

[Lickona] Those were two problems because

we typically pay people by check 15 days later,

and it was a Sunday so the liquor stores were closed

and we didn't have a stash of Jack Daniels around.

[Toland] Terry had to go around to everybody on staff

and take whatever money they had.

[Lickona] I don't know where we found that Jack Daniels,

but we did come up with it somehow.

So, by showtime, he was a happy man.

And it shows in the final program.

We captured the true essence of Lightnin' Hopkins

in a way I don't think anyone had ever done,

certainly not in a full performance for TV.

When I started watching "Austin City Limits,"

I saw some things that I'm saying, "Hey, man,

this is where I wanna be."

*

I heard that guitar, and I said, "Who the hell is that?"

You know, and that was Stevie.

I was 12 when I first started trying to play.

Stevie was 8.

I'd put my guitar down, Stevie would pick it up.

That's how we got started.

Then I ran off and went and did stuff,

and we met two or three years later in Austin,

after playing in all these clubs.

That's when Stevie really became Stevie Ray Vaughan, you know.

*

[Lickona] This is where Stevie Ray Vaughan

practically had a meltdown, the first time he did the show.

He would admit it years later, but he was pretty messed up.

[Lickona, announcing] Recorded live from Austin, Texas,

an hour of rhythm and blues, Austin style,

with the guitar magic of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.

[Lickona] He was sweating profusely,

and he kept leaving the stage and coming back.

We didn't know if the show was over or what was going on,

but he was convinced that he was...

that he was losing it and that the show was a wreck.

Frankly, if you look at the show, it's amazing.

There's nobody that burned a hole like Stevie did in the blues.

[imitating guitar lick]

I liked that one.

[man] You can't really play a bar in Texas without getting,

you know, that impulse.

[imitates guitar lick]

I love Stevie Ray Vaughan.

[Lickona ] Now, Stevie Ray Vaughan's

final performance on "Austin City Limits,"

from October 1989.

As a recovering alcoholic, I was, uh...

really happy to see him come back the second time, clean,

and do an amazing show.

*

He was completely clean and sober,

off of everything,

and at the top of his game, really.

*

Can't imagine how it could be any better. It was Stevie Ray Vaughan.

None of this is gonna be final.

Right? We're just trying

to come up with the criteria for inducting someone into

the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.

Everybody who appears on the show,

we've always said that it's a bar of excellence.

I think we want to recognize that bar of excellence

right off the bat.

Like, if you've appeared on the show, you're good.

But to be in the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame,

you're exceptional, for whatever reasons.

Who we determine, and whatever criteria we come up with

for this first event is really gonna have a huge impact

on my ability to go after certain key artists and talent

for the show.

[woman] You can almost have the angle of,

here's why we're establishing a Hall of Fame.

Because we have 40 years of amazing performers.

We're celebrating our entire history.

This is our first year. It's different.

Let's just get our names that would lead

to the most excitement for the event itself.

One are the people that you're gonna put

on the top of the poster when you're selling the tickets

for the next Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

Willie's a one. Anybody...?

Townes Van Zandt?

[all] One.

-[man] Doug Sahm. -[all] One.

[man] Marcia Ball.

One. I have to say, for the women.

[man] Yeah, that's true.

[man 2] This is not whether they're getting in or not.

What we're trying to do is balance the racket...

[woman] Yeah, now we need Elton John.

...with the names that would lead to the most excitement

for the event itself.

-Merle. -[all] One.

-Tom Waits. -[all] One.

[woman] Plus.

-Ray? -[all] One.

-Emmylou Harris? -[all] One.

[man] I'm sorry, but Hank Williams Jr.?

[man 2] Yeah, that's the only one I didn't vote for.

-[woman] Who voted for him? -[man] I didn't vote for him.

How does anybody else feel? This could take a while.

[woman] Well, I was gonna say, there was...

If I had one favorite show for every year,

that would be 40 favorite shows.

So it gets tough.

* We met downtown in a barroom *

* Both of us needing a friend

We don't have a bathroom back here in the corner.

The nearest dressing room is pretty far away

and down to another floor.

We're gonna take a short break and come back and do some more music for you,

give the boys a chance to go to the restroom or whatever.

The hearsay goes that a...

shall we say, well-known country music star...

had a call to nature back here in the corner.

Are there any strangers in the house backstage?

-[man] Whoo! -Come on, guys.

And it's on with the show.

[cheering and applause]

Merle Haggard allegedly urinated on the wall,

somewhere back here.

* There's a pair of blue eyes down in Texas *

* Cryin' for me *

* Cryin' for me *

[Lickona] It's not marked.

Somebody had to clean it up, but, you know,

what are you gonna say, Merle, all right?

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

[applause and cheers]

It's a little tight in here, but I have to admit,

some of my most vivid memories

are the times that I would go up to the top of the catwalk.

My best memory of being up here was the time that I came up here

with Willie.

And the show was Roger Miller.

[Lickona] There may be a surprise or two tonight,

so stay with us, and I promise you won't be disappointed.

What's that, hon?

Tell you about the surprise?

[laughter]

That would destroy the fun and the suspense, right?

[Lickona] But Willie wanted to come and see Roger Miller's show

without disrupting anything.

He didn't want to cause a scene by walking into the studio.

But I brought him up these stairs,

and we stood here, basically, right about here.

Willie being Willie, of course, pulled out a joint

and just proceeded to light it up

and stood here enjoying the view and the music.

And the weed.

* Well, I'm moanin' low moanin' high *

* Hair is turning gray

* I don't care if I live or die *

* I can't go on this way *

[Lickona] At some point, Willie was ready to go back down

and Roger invited him up on stage,

and at some point they started dancing on stage.

I'm sure it was Roger's idea. He was a zany guy.

Think it might be the only time we've had

two guys dancing on stage in the history of the show.

Wasn't very well choreographed, but, you know,

it was spontaneous.

[cheers, applause]

And now, Kris Kristofferson.

[cheering, whistling]

It was the year that we were taping a show with Kris Kristofferson.

He was pretty groundbreaking, really, because he was a movie star,

and he was this great songwriter.

* Busted flat in Baton Rouge

* Headin' for the train *

* Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans *

[Lickona] And this place was packed.

I think we had, probably,

750, maybe 800 people packed into the studio.

We might have had a thousand people in here for that show.

I was in the audience

and I was with my girlfriend.

She got up, and as soon as she got on the floor,

all of the lights went out.

-[voice slows, stops] -[static crackles]

And that's when we found out

that we didn't have any emergency lighting.

When we realized that the lights were not going to come back on,

that's when people pulled out their flashlights

and, uh, basically evacuated the studio down the stairs.

They all had Bic lighters and they sang,

* I wanna go home with the armadillo *

[band] * I wanna go home with the armadillo *

I think it was a rat or something

that had chewed through some power lines in the basement.

Nobody got hurt.

The next day, Kris Kristofferson came back and taped his show.

I understand the reason this place blacked out last night

was 'cause of a rat.

One rat. There's a moral there somewhere.

[Lickona] And that got the attention

of the University of Texas fire marshal.

Well, shortly after that,

they visited and did an official fire inspection

and pulled out the fire code,

and our capacity went from 800 to about 400.

That was one of the motivating factors

in deciding to move into a new home.

* Well, life in the country is kinda laid back *

* Ain't nothin' this country girl can't hack *

* Early to rise, early in the sack *

* Thank God I'm a country girl *

Loretta Lynn is an example of a Nashville act

who's the real deal.

Loretta Lynn is a bad ass.

There's just something very real and authentic about her,

and that's timeless.

* Well, I was born a coal miner's daughter *

[cheering, whistling]

* In a cabin

* On a hill in Butcher Holler

Loretta Lynn definitely paved the way for women

to sing raw and honest songs in country music.

Then you go all the way from there to Lucinda Williams.

* I don't want you anymore 'cause you took my joy *

* I don't want you anymore you took my joy *

* You took my joy I want it back *

* You took my joy I want it back *

Her songs are some of the saddest, realest songs I've ever heard.

* Maybe in Slidell I'll find my joy *

* Maybe in Slidell I'll find my joy *

She's got this angle and handle on the good hurt,

and you feel really bad that it's happening to her,

but really glad because then she can bring it to you.

Public television is really the high watermark for me,

'cause it had taste

and funk and, you know, depth.

[cheers]

No, wait. What are we supposed to do here?

Are we just supposed to start?

We're waiting for...

When I say that, I know you could all answer,

but I'm actually talking to these guys.

I've got to give you a proper introduction.

Ready?

We've got to give this lady the proper introduction.

I do wanna say that, this has been a long time coming.

In fact, we've been waiting for about nine years for this moment.

So let's give a traditional "Austin City Limits" welcome

to the great, wonderful Bonnie Raitt.

[loud cheering]

* You came up on me

* Like a landslide

* Once in a while I get taken like that *

* And I like it

[Raitt] I never get nervous when I come here.

So it captures a performance that's much more relaxed

because I know the crew, I know Terry and Gary.

I know everybody's still here.

And they're so open to me creating a show around whatever songs I pick.

They don't tell me what to play.

And so one of my favorite, probably, and the fans' favorites, too,

was to be able to have John Prine and I sing "Angel from Montgomery."

* Just give me one thing

* I can hold on to

* To believe in this living

* Is just a

* Hard way to go

[Raitt] It was very, very moving,

so of all the things I've done on this show,

that would be up there with a highlight.

* Is just a

* Hard

* Way

* To

* Go

[cheers and applause]

This is one of those shows that's just still going,

I can still find out about bands,

and, uh...

and I'm lucky enough to be on the show.

* No more will I shop around, baby *

* I know I got the finest thing in town, baby *

* Now, I see all I want to see, baby *

* So bring your love and bring it to me, now, baby *

* Wrap it up

[Howard] I've been pretty lucky.

I just feel really fortunate.

I'm really glad I get to meet people like Bonnie

and get to see like maybe I'll get to be like that one day and keep it going

and have a nice long career, you know.

Feels like I hope I can keep it going,

for at least half as long.

* I got so much I wanna do

* But I ain't got much time so *

* Must be somebody

* Up above

* Saying, come on, baby girl

* You've gotta get back up *

* You've got to hold... *

[Raitt] She's a ferocious singer and a great guitar player.

You know, it's got that perfect mix

of authenticity and freshness.

A lot of people still come up to me and say,

"I found out about you from ACL,"

and we taped that years ago.

So it's still doing its thing, and I still appreciate it.

* Hey, got to... wait!

This is a show about music,

and it's about creating...

a mood and a vibe with your music.

-Or is there... -[man] I don't know how that works.

Should we do an encore for you guys?

I mean, how's... I can't remember from last time.

You can do encores, yeah. Yeah, they'll bring you back.

It's definitely a longer commitment than other television shows.

And you're playing a full set.

What we're gonna do is "She's Not Me."

You'll leave, and then you're gonna come back for...

For "Acid Tongue," which is an acoustic song.

The band won't leave.

Well, this is seamless, the transition,

so there will be no stop,

so I think it's got to happen before.

* It just made me

* Tired

* Let's build ourselves *

* A fire

* Let's build ourselves a fire... *

* Fire

It was a really big deal for my band.

We were very nervous.

[Lickona, announcing] This is not her first time on the ACL stage.

Let's welcome her back.

The one and only Jenny Lewis!

[cheering and applause]

* It's a bad man's world *

* It's a bad man's world *

* It's a bad man's world *

I was definitely terrified

when I heard I was gonna play "Austin City Limits."

I don't really get nervous about shows,

but for some reason, this one, I couldn't sleep last night.

I recall getting here and...

underestimating how nervous I ended up being.

I've honestly been nervous about this for about three months.

It's one thing to get up in one of those talk shows and play a song.

You've got three minutes. It's so regimented.

You can't even play the full song.

And then here's "Austin City Limits,"

where you're an artist, you get up there

and you just do your thing.

It's about music. It's not a little bit of music.

It's not four minutes of music and then talking.

It's not news, the music, it's just music.

You have to kind of stand up there and go,

do these songs live up?

'Cause there's not a whole lot of smoke and mirrors

on the ACL set.

You just have to kind of strip yourself down

to the barest form and sink or swim.

* It's a bad man's world *

* I'm a bad, bad girl *

* It's a bad man's world *

When you're a kid and you're very, very excited about music,

there were very few outlets to see live music on television.

"Austin City Limits" was one of my giant steps

in my career.

Gave me a chance to expose my name all over the world.

[man] I always used to tape it on the VHS.

I remember trying to learn

some of the guitar I would see on the show.

* Rain, rain, rain, rain

* Wanna see that girl again

* Rain, rain, rain

* I'd like to see you again *

[man] I saw Doug Sahm

on "Austin City Limits" from some years ago.

Doug Sahm was a real crazy guy,

but a good guy. [chuckles]

[Francis] He might not even be singing that great of a song,

but it's what he does with the moment

that makes it so riveting.

I can picture most of my favorites,

and I can see them on the show.

* Goodbye...

I really liked Dolly Parton.

She's got such a wonderful spirit in her voice.

When she sings, you can tell she's smiling.

She has my favorite voice ever.

* Bittersweet

* Memories

[woman] When Dolly Parton was here,

I think the performance she gave in rehearsal

was better than the one she did that night.

We pulled our chairs up right to the stage,

and she sang right to us.

* Please, don't you cry *

I was sobbing.

* 'Cause we both know *

* I'm not what *

* You need

* But I

* Will always

* Love you

* Ooh, I

* Will always

* Love you

She just looked at us after she finished

and started laughing, like, "I gotcha."

[crowd cheering]

If you just were looking at it very casually,

you'd think, "Oh, that's just a polite Southern lady."

But you know Dolly Parton doesn't take any fucking shit.

I know you can't put that in the documentary, but...

there's that.

It was really exciting because you'd never know

what's gonna happen.

* Aah!

When the Pixies came back, most people hadn't seen them

the first time they were together.

So that was a revelation, I think, for a lot of people.

* Got me a movie I want you to know *

* Slicin' up eyeballs I want you to know *

* Girlie so groovy I want you to know *

* Don't know about you but I am un chien *

So to see them come back and see the real thing...

is striking.

* With your feet on the air and your head on the ground *

* Try this trick and spin it, yes *

* Well, your head'll collapse if there's nothing in it *

* And you'll ask yourself *

* Where is my mind?

* Where is my mind?

* Where is my mind?

There's a particularly good taping of Leonard Cohen

from about 1989 I'd say.

*

* Everybody knows that the dice are loaded *

Whenever we'd go to my mom's house,

we'd watch it because she's in love with Leonard Cohen.

[Beck] He's a different class.

You know, this kind of great voice that's almost biblical.

* Everybody knows that the good guys lost *

* Everybody knows the fight was fixed *

* The poor stay poor

* The rich get rich

* That's how it goes *

* Everybody knows

Whenever I stumble upon it when I'm watching the tube,

it's always a great joy to see the wonderful music.

I still bump into it now and then.

I don't know anybody's names anymore,

but I never knew a lot of them to begin with.

*

* Oooh...

* La la la la la...

[Toland] Radiohead was a big get for us.

That's somebody we'd been chasing for a long time,

and that seems kind of obvious, they're a huge band, you know,

but they don't make easy-listening music.

*

They just walked out there and said,

"We're gonna do some of the weirdest shit we've ever done,

and you're gonna like it."

I thought it was just a brilliantly paced

and constructed show.

* Please, could you stop the noise *

* I'm trying to get some rest *

* From all the unborn chicken voices *

* In my head

Radiohead, wow.

That was crazy.

*

I think most people who come to see music in a pure way

know it's more than just having a good time.

I think people are seeking something deeper than that.

Thank you so much, Austin.

It's been a real, real pleasure of a lifetime

to be here with you today, thank you so much.

[James] When you're playing "Austin City Limits," it's like

you're playing more of a real show

because the crowd is there and they're engaging with you.

I like it when the crowd's right here, in front of your face

and it's a communal thing.

I want people to feel good when they're at the show

and I want them to leave feeling better than they did

before they came in.

* Yeah, is this climbin' up *

* To the moon?

It's just a matter of making a connection with somebody out there.

It's everything. The crowd is everything.

[Nelson] The fans show up and like what we do.

It's what keeps us out here.

It's like a dialogue between you and the audience.

When they're grooving, then you feel like,

"Okay, this is working," then you groove even better.

They're counting on us for something, we're counting on them for something.

It's a 50-50 relationship.

The best show is just like, "Waaaah!"

And you see the people in the crowd like, "Waaaah!"

And everybody's just gone.

Anybody who is a performer has that desire

to interact with the audience and create that energy.

* Yeah!

I don't know, it's just got this magic to it.

-[beep] -[Lickona, announcing] Recorded live from Austin, Texas,

it's "Austin City Limits."

Every single year, we never knew if we were gonna be funded.

It's tough out there in public television land.

[Lickona, announcing] This year celebrating our tenth anniversary

of showcasing great music.

Reach five years,

we thought, well, maybe we can make ten.

We just hoped that, every time we had an anniversary,

that that would somehow give us more status.

* When loving turns to parting

* I'm always the first to leave *

* 'Cause when it comes to heartaches *

* I'd rather give than to receive *

"Austin City Limits" started out as a showcase

for primarily Austin music.

Soon after that, it evolved into more of a country music show.

[Peterson] We went through a period where we really

leaned on Nashville country acts.

I think we got carried away there.

I think we all agree to that.

There were people sniping at us for being Nashville City Limits.

I realized we had to turn away from Nashville.

Not to mention Nashville music, at some point,

really began to suck.

It was just not worth booking

most of what was coming out of Nashville.

[show theme playing]

[Lickona, announcing] Recorded live from Austin, Texas,

"Austin City Limits" celebrates 25 years of American music.

So that's when we kind of started leaning indie.

So what does "indie" mean?

Just about whatever you want it to mean.

We've all been watching this show since we were...

Well, before we were born. None of us are 25 yet.

[laughter]

[Lickona] Wilco represented this new direction,

this turning of the corner

when it came to focusing on and showcasing indie music acts.

In my mind and others, that also reflected

what "Austin City Limits" was going through at that point and time.

* When you're back in your old neighborhood *

[cheering]

* Cigarettes taste so good

* Just so misunderstood

* We're so misunderstood *

* Something there that you can't find *

* You look honest when you tell a lie *

* You hurt her but you don't know why *

* You love her but you don't know why *

[Lickona] They just seemed like the right band

playing the right music at the right time

that helped us realize who we were.

* I know you got a God-shaped hole *

* You're bleedin' out your heart full of soul *

* You're so misunderstood *

* You're so misunderstood *

* I'd like to thank you all for nothing *

* I'd like to thank you all for nothing at all *

* I'd like to thank you all for nothing *

* Nothing, nothing, nothing

* Nothing, nothing

* Nothing, nothing, nothing

-* Nothing, nothing -[rhythmic clapping]

* Nothing, nothing

* Nothing, nothing

* Nothing at all

[cheering and applause]

It's obviously very thrilling to be on the show so many times

and to be welcomed back so many times.

Been a real honor playing at "Austin City Limits."

-Thanks a lot. -Thank you very much.

At that point, I think it went

from Austin and Texas and regional

to anything goes.

[Florence and The Machine] * Happiness

* Hit her

* Like a bullet

* In the back

That decision saved the show and led to everything

that's gone on to give it new life.

* One, two, three, Austin!

* Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father *

* Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers *

* Leave all your love and your loving behind *

* You can't carry it with you if you wanna survive *

* The dog days are over

* The dog days are done

* Can you hear the horses

* 'Cause here they... *

-[audience] * Come! -Come!

[man] "Austin City Limits"

has really spread farther

than, I imagine, maybe anybody expected it to.

It's now even like a brand,

and there's this magnificent building that they built.

In a sweet way, I guess, it felt kind of inevitable.

The Moody Theater's just such a special venue.

This is the new one, so it's fun.

People are so excited about this new location.

You got the Willie statue.

You never know if you're gonna see somebody

who you've never heard of before who's gonna just blow up

and become the next big thing, or it may be someone

that you're just super-excited about seeing.

To me, it just kind of defines the city.

Pure Austin is what this is.

Thank you, good night!

It was necessary, it was absolutely necessary to move.

I don't dispute that at all.

[Lickona, announcing] And now the final performance

in ACL's original home after 36 years.

Once we had started down the road

on our way to a new home,

the question was, who would that be?

What would be the last show?

* This old porch is like

* A big old red-and-white Hereford bull *

* Standing under a mesquite tree *

* Out in Agua Dulce and he just keeps on... *

I started watching "Austin City Limits" when I was still in high school.

A few years later, when I started coming to Austin,

I came to as many tapings as I could.

So I got to know everybody personally.

Lyle's certainly not a stranger here,

but at the rate we're going, if the band gets any larger,

we're gonna have to build a bigger stage

or find a bigger studio.

Let's welcome him back to "Austin City Limits."

Ladies and gentlemen, Lyle Lovett and His Large Band.

Lyle has been such an important part of our history

and our evolution as we have been for his music.

* And if I had a boat

* I'd go out on the ocean *

* And if I had a pony

* I'd ride him on my boat *

* And we could all together

* Go out on the ocean

* I said me upon my pony

* On my boat

You know, it might have taken me ten seconds

to think that it would be, should be Lyle Lovett.

-You okay? -Yeah.

[man] I hated to leave this place.

I mean, it was...

You know, my whole entire life, I mean...

Gotta understand I was, what, 19 years old

when I started working here.

[indistinct conversation]

Just want to wish you guys good luck.

-[man] Thanks so much. -Have a good show.

Yeah, just get the good parts.

[Lickona, announcing] About a year ago,

I first started thinking and people started asking,

"Who's gonna play the last show at 'Austin City Limits'?"

There's no better way to end an era

than celebrating the past, present and future all at once.

Please welcome our good friend, the one and only Lyle Lovett.

[cheers and applause]

We'd like to do one more song

to close out "Austin City Limits"

at its Studio 6A.

And we would love it if you guys would leave your posts

and join us on stage.

[cheering and applause]

[man] There were a lot of special memories.

Many, many years of special memories

that were formed in this room.

You can just feel the history in there.

There's just something about that room, you know.

It's just a special place.

* Closing time

* Unplug those people

* Send them home

* It's closing time *

Here's to another 36 years, 36 seasons,

of "Austin City Limits."

* Tonight's all that's left behind *

* Well, you take your part and I'll take my mine *

* And go on home

* It's closing time *

[cheering]

At the time, I wasn't one of those that was...

I don't want to use the word "devastated," that's melodramatic,

but there were people who thought we were really losing something

by leaving the space.

[dissonant rock riff playing]

"Austin City Limits" is about the artists

and the audience.

And to me, that wasn't really gonna change.

[rock riff playing]

So we're still in Austin, Texas.

We still have a bunch of music fans.

It's just in a different room.

So the key elements are still in place.

[rock riff playing]

A lot of times, you get on TV,

and, uh...

you know, there's a lot of direction given to a band.

"You gotta stand here,

and they're gonna have these camera angles,"

and they'll make you play the same song 20 times

before you actually film it.

You know what I mean, so this is a...

there's a naturalness and a...

and a spontaneous thing that can happen on this show.

I came into the Austin city limits.

I came into the city limits of Austin.

All by myself.

I didn't have any friends.

And I was feeling most alone.

Feeling like I didn't have any...

anybody in this world.

And I came to this place tonight.

And I think I found some friends.

[cheering]

'Cause sometimes...

your problems get all tied up around in a knot.

Your problems...

they get too much to handle.

They get all tangled up and...

Your problems get all around your neck and around your head.

Sometimes you just need a friend...

to take you in their arms

and tell you it's all gonna be all right.

* Will you take me in your arms tonight? *

[cheering]

* Will you tell me it's all gonna be all right? *

It's a very-- for a TV show,

it seems like the audience is very, uh...

they're open, but they're also, there's a lot of energy.

You're getting a lot back from them.

He's got an amazing new album out.

He'll be back in October for the ACL festival.

And we're proud to say we've got him right here tonight.

So let's make him feel welcome.

-Beck! -[cheering and applause]

Say four, three, two, one!

Four, three, two, one!

* Destination little up the road *

* From the habitations and the towns we know *

* Place we saw the lights turned low *

* Jigsaw jazz to the get-fresh flow *

* Pulling out jives and jamboree handouts *

* Two turntables and a microphone *

* Bottles and cans and just clap your hands *

* Just clap your hands

* Where it's at! *

* Two turntables and a microphone *

-* Where it's at! * -Come on!

* I got two turntables and a microphone *

Oh, God.

Yeah.

Bring it down.

* Whee-hoo!

[audience] * Whee-hoo!

-* Whoo-hoo! -[audience] * Whoo-hoo!

-* Whoo-hoo! -[audience] * Whoo-hoo!

Thank you.

[loud cheering, whistling]

So we are going to actually rehearse all of this stuff...

-Interesting. -...which will be a luxury.

And, you know, Willie's manager, Mark Rothbaum,

has committed Willie to the idea of coming down here to rehearse

on Saturday, parking the bus at about noon,

and basically, as he put it,

just make it Austin City Limits Day

and Willie will be here to do what we need him to do,

and when we don't need him, he can go back to the bus, take a nap.

Now, if this all goes according to plan,

this is not going to be a really long, drawn-out evening.

Of course, it could be a clusterfuck,

but we have enough people

to deal with anything.

[tuner playing piano notes]

This way.

[woman] We're following you, Terry.

Run!

How are you? Good to see you.

[indistinct conversation]

You should be inducted in this first one.

Yeah, how come you're not getting something?

I'm still alive. I don't know.

Well, wait a minute!

No, now, don't take that the wrong way.

Wow! Ouch!

* Ba-dum-dum Cut that camera.

[Lickona, announcing] Tonight we celebrate the history of "Austin City Limits,"

40th anniversary, by honoring the man who started it all.

Along with his sidekick Trigger, please welcome

the one and only Willie Nelson!

-Applause, applause, applause. -[man] This is the opening of the show?

-Yeah. -[Lickona] I'm looking at the prompter.

The big black, black prompter.

And does it look like I'm, you know,

staring into the camera?

Does it look natural enough?

It's as natural as it can look.

It's as natural as it can look.

I'm going to talk to McConaughey when he comes in

and, hopefully, convince him to just memorize

or wing this very first intro part.

And then just go straight into Willie.

[band playing "Whiskey River" intro]

* Whiskey river...

[band stops, resumes]

To have done the last show in Studio 6A

a few years ago and to come back here tonight,

to be part of the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame,

I just felt like I was back at "Austin City Limits."

* I saw the light

* No more darkness, no more night *

* Now I'm so happy *

* No sorrow in sight

* Praise the Lord

* I saw the light

There's just those two lines there.

I'll go up high on "praise the Lord."

Let's just do it one more time.

* I saw the light...

Handhelds are gonna get

wherever there's individuals of people at the tables,

over their shoulders, whatever it is, that kind of thing.

[Lickona] Be on the lookout for any...

-[man] Celebs? -Celebrity faces.

[man] It's ten of. I think you guys need to go out

and secure your spots.

[Lickona, announcing] The 2014 "Austin City Limits

Hall of Fame" special,

honoring the artists and others who've inspired

the longest-running music show on American television today.

-Pick him up, Michael. -All right, everybody, good evening.

It feels so good to be back on this stage.

[man] Come on back, Michael. Thank you.

-Next up on the stage... -[man] Pick him up, Jay.

...he is the most recent Academy Award-winner,

our friend, Matthew McConaughey.

[man] This is your take.

31, 32. Retake.

[McConaughey] Thank you.

[man] Oh, who walked in front of the shot?

He's been called Saint Willie.

[audience chuckles]

[chuckles] There's a ten-foot statue of him

in the middle of downtown Austin

on a street called Willie Nelson Boulevard.

[cheering and applause]

He's an icon, an inspiration to many.

Will everyone please join me as we salute

the one and only Red Headed Stranger.

[cheering, whistling]

* Well, I've been a lot of places in my life and times *

* I've sung a lot of songs and I made some bad rhymes *

* Acted out my life on stages

* With 10,000 people watching

* Now we're alone and I am singing my song for you *

* And I know your image of me is what I hope to be *

* I've treated you unkindly but, darling, can't you see *

[Lickona] I don't really have a strong sense

of personal accomplishment

about what I do or what I have done

or my contribution or this, that and the other thing.

But I think that's an attitude that really pervades

the rest of the staff, too.

I mean, part of it is, this is our job.

This has been our job since we were all in our 20s,

and we've been doing it for years and decades.

So it just seems like the thing we do, you know?

So, I guess what credit I take

is, uh, I feel something to be shared with everybody else,

with the rest of the team, because they deserve it.

I used to wonder what you thought about this kid

from New York coming in

and basically taking over the show after a year or two.

[Lickona] I had quite a 'fro.

[Arhos, laughing] You did.

It wasn't easy at first, I have to tell you that.

When I took over the booking, I had no experience

booking talent for anything.

I was learning by the skin of my teeth,

basically, learning on the job.

But no matter how good my instincts were,

or how fast a learner I was,

I never could have done my job if you weren't out there

to keep it going all of those years.

* Listen to the melody

* For my love is in there hiding *

[Lickona] Don't you think it would be hard to start a show like "Austin City Limits" today?

I mean, just because of the environment out there,

the way the world is, it's a different place.

[Nelson] * And when my life is over *

* Remember when we were together *

* And we were alone and I was singing my song for you *

* We were alone and I was singing my song *

* For you

[cheers, applause]

KUTX, 98.9. Laurie Gallardo here.

As you may have heard, the founder of "Austin City Limits,"

Bill Arhos, passed away recently.

This afternoon at three o'clock there will be a celebration

of the life of Bill Arhos

at ACL Live at the Moody Theater.

You know, it's hard to define anyone's legacy,

especially in a few words.

Someone who you knew and worked with side by side,

day by day, for not just years but decades.

Although there were a lot of other people involved

in the idea behind "Austin City Limits,"

Bill is the one who made it happen.

*

Bill Arhos, you can't categorize him.

There's no pigeonhole for Bill Arhos.

God love him. He's, uh...

one of a kind.

[woman] Bill imbued a sense of honor, integrity,

a passion for music.

And this is his baby, you know.

This whole thing, he was in it from the beginning

until the moment he left.

* When the evening

* The evening sun goes down

* You're gonna find me in Austin *

[cheering]

* Somewhere hanging around

Austin City Limits.

* The night life

* It ain't no good life, people *

* But it's my life, yeah *

Looking back, it was just an incredible partnership

that endured and thrived for 25 years,

and a friendship that endured until the day he died.

* Dreamin' about their old used-to-be *

* The night life

* Yes, it ain't no good life, people *

* Oh, but it's *

* My life

[cheering and applause]

So go to the top,

edit underneath it, that box says "Hello Reddit!

My name is Terry Lickona."

[Lickona] I don't get hit up with a lot

of heavy philosophical type questions

about the future of the show.

Frankly, I spend more time thinking about that

than probably most other people do,

people who watch the show or who just take it for granted

that it's always gonna be there.

"Do you think Austin is a separate entity from the rest of Texas?"

Yes, and I wish Austin would secede from the state of Texas

and become a city-state like in the days of ancient Greece.

I'm only half joking.

I think there are people who, who are beginning to wonder

how much longer I'm gonna stay at this.

"Seriously, when will the show's producers change

so that it can last another 40 years?"

It's a question that's inevitable,

or it's just a matter of time before there will be change.

Well, I'm the oldest, dude.

My other producers are in their 40s,

50s or 30s, so I think it will be a while

before there is a major turnover

unless I get hit by a bus.

That being said, I really, really wish

that we could produce more than just 13 episodes a year,

and if we did, we might want to bring

another producer or two on board.

And I hope someday it comes to that.

The response was, "Are you scared?"

And my response was, "Aren't we all?"

I know you're not that excited to see me,

but you're excited to be here tonight for what's coming up.

-[cheers, whistling] -Now we're talkin'.

This is taping for our 41st season of "Austin City Limits."

-[cheering] -Last year we celebrated...

Yeah, how about that?

We celebrated our 40th anniversary last year.

[cheers, whistles]

We just keep on going. Why quit now?

From what I've seen, it's just greats on that stage.

So I step up, it's like it's time to be great or time to go home.

Every time Gary sets foot on the stage,

whether it's this stage or the original stage

back up in Studio 6A,

it really feels like he's coming home,

in more ways than one.

This is his home.

[Clark] Terry asked me one day, and it will...

it will stick with me forever.

He's like, "When are you gonna do my show?"

I was like, "I'm ready right now."

*

"Austin City Limits" has stood the test of time

because somebody is curating this music.

All those guys down there that do the show

have a deep love for the music and that shows.

That's why the show's lasted so long,

and I think that's why it's so special.

[man] Someone had the idea that they should

put this old stage in the middle of a TV studio

in Austin, Texas,

and invite all of the coolest musicians to come and play,

and it inspired generations of people.

* Give it up, now

* Play it cool

I can't tell you how many hours I've pissed away on YouTube

watching old ACL shows.

There's so much history and tradition

and heroic influence.

It's pretty overwhelming.

That show has a soul about it

that comes through when you watch it.

It's like this thing,

something you can't describe, and I think that's why

it's been around for 40 years now

and will probably be around for another 40 years.

[Lewis] It's just a necessity.

I can't imagine a world without it.

[Francis] We enjoyed

our performance there.

It was some years ago,

so I don't want to be so forward as to suggest

that it is overdue that we would be asked to come back.

But, uh...

I don't think that anybody in the band would have a problem with that.

* Hey!

* Give it up now

* Play it cool

I'm really glad to see it

still doing well

and getting better all the time.

So congratulations to "Austin City Limits."

* All the rules that you use... *

It's hard for me to imagine that "Austin City Limits"

could not exist in some way, shape or form

with a whole new cast of people behind the scenes pulling strings

and a whole new cast out on the stage, wherever that stage may be.

* Give it up give it up, give it *

[Clark] I love y'all, Austin, more than you'll ever know.

For real.

*

[man] One day, Willie's secretary at the time said,

"You know, they're looking for a photographer over at 'Austin City Limits'."

She dialed Terry and set up an appointment for me to go talk to him.

Showed him the pictures I've been taking, and he had the slides in the window.

"These are great, they're much better than our stuff."

That's how I got the job.

I started at KLRU in January of 1981.

I started as an intern in 1978.

I started on the show 14 years ago.

Growing up, I would watch the show, gosh, since I'm a toddler.

There's a photo of me watching Merle Haggard

in front of the television set.

I was just fascinated by the show.

I thought the visuals were incredible.

So, I became a camera operator.

* Home, is where I want to be

* Pick me up and turn me 'round *

* I feel numb

* Born with a weak heart

* Guess I must be having fun

* The less we say about it, the better *

* Make it up as we go along

* Feet on the ground

* Head in the sky

* It's okay I know nothing's wrong *

* Nothing, oh

* I got plenty of time

I started at the end of season seven

as a sophomore in college.

I was just a production assistant.

I'm proud to say that I started at $1.65 an hour.

* And you're standing here beside me... *

My first show was January of 1990 and it was Garth Brooks.

* ...the passing of time

I walked in the front door in 1993

and never looked back, I love this place.

* Always for love cover up and say good night *

* Say good night

I've been working with ACL for 33 years.

Three and a half years.

Since 2012.

1987.

Five years, as of like right now.

This is the 27th year for me.

I started at season 30, so this is about my 10th or 11th season.

This is my 11th or 12th season.

I interned for KLRU in '89, so I've been at it awhile.

Jeff Peterson, who was my intern supervisor,

said, "Hey, there's this opening at KLRU

for a production coordinator."

I never thought I'd be here this long.

[laughs] But I love "Austin City Limits."

Terry hired me to be the assistant to the producer.

That was in 1981.

We both learned as we went, with Terry as our mentor.

We made a good team, no question about it.

I had some regret leaving my dream job for sure.

It's not my dream job anymore, it's somebody else's dream job.

It's a dream come true, I think it's the best job in the world.

I'm really glad to be here.

I'm real grateful.

That's how I feel about "Austin City Limits."

And it's how I feel about the people who work on "Austin City Limits."

They're awesome.

I'll keep running till they run out of steam.

I'm good for another 26, I guess.

[cheering and applause]

-[man] Thank you! -* 'Cause tonight *

* Be right by your side

-* Deep -[chorus] * Deep in the heart

[chorus] * Of Texas

[cheering]

* Reminds me of

* The one I love

* Deep in the heart of Texas

I want everybody in the house to sing.

* Deep in the heart

* Of Texas

Now, I know y'all so proud to be in...

* Deep in the heart of Texas

Aww, you sound so good, could you say it one more time?

* Deep in the heart of Texas

I want y'all to know that I love everybody...

* Deep in the heart of Texas *

* Been so many places in my life and time *

* Sung a lot of songs and I made some bad rhymes *

* Acted out my life on stages *

* With 10,000 people watching

* Now we're alone and I am singing my song for you **