ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2015 A Celebration of The Best in Americana Music

Nashville, TN and Austin, TX—November 19, 2015--Austin City Limits (ACL) heads to Nashville for a special broadcast featuring performance highlights from this year’s Americana Honors & Awards, which was made possible thanks to underwriting from Nissan and the Tennessee Department of Tourism. ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2015 premieres November 21st on PBS and delivers sparkling performances that represent the genre’s diversity and excellence. The music-filled special features many of the night's Lifetime Achievement Honorees, award-winners, next-generation stars and icons who helped define the genre; among them: Don Henley, Los Lobos, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Ann Womack, Shakey Graves, Keb’ Mo’, Jason Isbell, Rhiannon Giddens, Robert Randolph and John Hiatt. The hour-long program airs November 21st on PBS at 8pm CT/9pm ET. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time here immediately following the initial broadcast. The show's official hashtag is #acltv.

“The Americana Honors & Awards showcases one of the biggest and brightest lineups of talent seen all year,” raves NPR. Recorded live at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium in September, The Americana Music Association's 14th Annual Honors & Awards ceremony is a best in show reflecting the spirit of Americana: American roots music that incorporates elements of country, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues.

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Hosted by Americana kingpin Jim Lauderdale, the show opens with steel guitar sensation Robert Randolph joining with two legendary gospel groups, The Fairfield Four and the McCrary Sisters, for a rousing rendition of “Rock My Soul.” Highlights include show-stopping performances by the night’s Artist of the Year nominees: Rhiannon Giddens showcases her powerful vocals in a stunning performance of “Waterboy” from her Album of the Year-nominatedTomorrow Is My Turn. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Jason Isbell, who captured top honors at last year’s awards, offers the anthemic title track of his new album, Something More Than Free. Country queen Lee Ann Womack performs from her critically-acclaimed The Way I'm Livin', also nominated for Album of the Year.  

Another of the night’s top nominees, Emerging Artist of the Year winner Shakey Graves, is joined by Esmé Patterson for a playful duet of his nominated single "Dearly Departed." Duo/group nominees The Lone Bellow, an indie-folk trio, make their first appearance, singing their standout “Then Came the Morning.”  

In true Americana style, the broadcast is loaded with musical moments and collaborations from the music’s forebears, including ovation-worthy turns from musical legend Don Henley, awarded a Lifetime Achievement Honor, performing from his acclaimed new album Cass County, and veteran singer-songwriter and Song of the Year nominee John Hiatt. Bluegrass master Ricky Skaggs—the night’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree for Instrumentalist—performs with his wife and collaborator Sharon White alongside fellow legend Ry Cooder; and Americana icon Buddy Miller and celebrated guitarist and songwriter Marc Ribot present a stripped-down acoustic version of the Hank Williams classic “Cold, Cold Heart.”  

Blues titan Keb’ Mo’ pays a heartfelt tribute to the night’s President’s Award Honoree B.B. King, with a soulful interpretation of one of the late legend’s signature songs, “How Blue Can You Get,” (alongside King’s beloved guitar Lucille). The night’s Lifetime Achievement Award honorees for Performance, East L.A. stalwarts Los Lobos, validate their honor with a blistering, show-closing rendition of their classic “Will the Wolf Survive.”

Throughout the broadcast, performers are backed by an all-star house band—led by Buddy Miller—and featuring legendary musicians: Dominic Davis, Chad Cromwell, Fats Kaplin, Ian Fitchuk, the McCrary Sisters and Little Feat founding member Bill Payne.

“This event is a musical celebration that brings together the finest musicians in the world, with legendary acts and the next generation of stars,” says Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association, adding “it’s about great songs and the appreciation for the authentic sound of American roots music.”
The show was co-produced by High Five Entertainment and its President Martin Fischer and ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona.

The complete line-up for the full 14-week season of Austin City Limits, including seven new episodes to air beginning January 2016, will be announced shortly.  Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding future tapings, episode schedules and live stream updates.

Episode Setlist
Robert Randolph f. The Fairfield Four and the McCrary Sisters "Rock My Soul"
Don Henley "Praying for Rain"
Rhiannon Giddens f. Hubby Jenkins "Waterboy"
Jason Isbell "Something More Than Free”
Lee Ann Womack "Don't Listen to the Wind"
Shakey Graves with Esmé Patterson "Dearly Departed"
John Hiatt "Long Time Comin’"
The Lone Bellow "Then Came the Morning"
Keb’ Mo’ "How Blue Can You Get"
Ry Cooder, Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White "Over in the Glory Land"
Buddy Miller with Marc Ribot "Cold, Cold Heart"
Los Lobos "Will the Wolf Survive"