“Saturday Night Live” isn’t the only iconic television show that recently hit their 40th anniversary, the famed “Austin City Limits” joins them with a star-studded show.
The 40th anniversary episode, hosted by actor Matthew McConaughey and featuring a duet between Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson, among other performances, aired on Saturday (Feb. 14).
Since “Austin City Limits” made its TV debut in 1974, the PBS music series has gone from celebrating the music of Texas to spotlighting country, folk, blues and rock acts from around the world.
The hour-long finale featured highlights from the inaugural “Austin City Limits Hall of Fame” induction ceremony, held last year, including several musical collaborations.
Harris and Nelson joined together for “Crazy,” while Lyle Lovett and Nelson sang “Funny How Time Slips Away.”
“The return to Studio 6A was a night filled with many emotions,” ACL executive producer Terry Lickona says.
“A lot of history was made on that weathered wood stage … It almost felt like a time warp seeing Willie back up there, and we could feel the spirit of Stevie Ray in the room. There was magic in the air, and it shows!”
“There are other Halls of Fame, but none quite like this,” says Lickona. “Austin City Limits has become a unique American institution in both the worlds of popular music and television. It has such a rich history and legacy that we decided it was time to celebrate and honor the artists and individuals who made it what it is today.”
