Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the Austin City Limits stage, presenting as Johnny Blue Skies, Mr. Sturgill Simpson.
Austin City Limits has been an integral piece of country music ever since a then little-known-artist named Willie Nelson helped launch the program by headlining the pilot episode on October 17th, 1974. Willie had been plugging away for well over a decade at that point but had grown frustrated with the stagnant and stifling Nashville industry, so he decided to pack it up and head south to Austin, Texas, where he created his iconic 1975 album Red Headed Stranger and became a larger than life figure in the Outlaw Country movement.
Whether ACL should be credited with Willie’s success or vice versa, I don’t know, but what is undeniable is that the two will forever be intertwined. He’s graced their stage more times than any other artist (18) and has his own statue outside The Moody Theater, where today’s episodes are filmed. This year will mark the 50th anniversary of Willie’s pilot episode, so ACL is pulling out all the stops and doing everything they can to make this season one that will never be forgotten.
Austin City Limits Season 50
Performers on this season include Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, The Avett Brothers, The War & Treaty, Gary Clark Jr., Maggie Rogers, and none other than Sturgill Simpson, who’s one-hour performance is airing this Saturday, February 8th at 8pm ET, 7pm CT.
You can watch on your local PBS Station and they’re available to stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits immediately following the broadcast.
It’s been nearly a decade since Sturgill last graced the ACL stage after making his debut in 2015, shortly after releasing Metamodern Sounds In Country Music. To say there’s been a whole lot of excitement and buzz about his triumphant return as Johnny Blue Skies following his incredible Passage Du Desir album this year would be an understatement and when it was announced that he’d be recording an ACL taping it seemed everyone knew it was going to be special and began counting down the days until they could hear it.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wait any longer to get a taste of what this performance was like because Whiskey Riff has an exclusive first listen for you, thanks to our friends at Austin City Limits.
Sturgill played 10 songs during his set but he specifically set one aside to honor the man who kicked off ACL in the first place.
A Nod To Willie Nelson
“I’d Have To Be Crazy” was the final song on Sturgill’s debut record High Top Mountain but it was originally written by “cosmic cowboy” and Poet Laureate of Texas Steve Fromholz and made famous by, you guessed it, Willie Nelson on his 1976 album The Sound in Your Mind.
Before launching the band head-first into an absolutely killer rendition, Stu said:
“Since this is the 50th season and the gentleman that started to record this show is ending it tonight, here’s one for him that I think they might have played that first night, I don’t know, I’m not sure, but it’s a pretty Texas song so we’re gonna play it.”
Without further ado, here’s your exclusive first listen of Sturgill on Austin City Limits, airing this Saturday, February 8th.
COME ON WITH IT
I think I speak for everyone with ears when I say the man sounds freaking great. He and the boys have put in so much work on the Why Not? Tour (frequently playing over 3 hours) that at this point they’re basically one brain on stage, thinking the same thoughts and letting the music flow freely through them. I can’t wait for you guys to hear this entire performance because truly I believe it’ll be one of those that’s looked back reverently for generations.
Be sure to tune in this Saturday when the full-performance airs or stream it immediately afterward.
Man, is it nice to have Sturgill Simpson back or what?
Sturgill Simpson ACL Setlist
Jupiter’s Faerie
Welcome To Earth (Pollywog)
It Ain’t All Flowers
Best Clockmaker On Mars
I Don’t Mind
All Said And Done
A Good Look
One For The Road
I’d Have To Be Crazy
Railroad Of Sin
How about some “Scooter Blues” to get us to Saturday?
