After being broadcast live here on NPT in October, an abridged hour-long version of the 2011 Americana Awards and Honors show from the Ryman Auditorium will air nationally as a special epsiode of Austin City Limits. ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2011 will air on NPT in Austin City Limits‘ regular Wednesday night timeslot, November 23 at 11:00 p.m. Viewers throughout the nation should check the listings or call their local PBS station to see when Austin City Limits airs in their area.
Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris, Gregg Allman, Alison Krauss, The Avett Brothers and The Civil Wars (clip below) are just a few of the artists appearing on ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival, sponsored by Nissan. Called “the best awards show in the world” by Paste Magazine, the show features special performances from the genres’ established and rising stars. Hosted by Jim Lauderdale, with an all-star house band led by Americana favorite Buddy Miller, the show runs the gamut of Americana music. It opens with a moving performance of “I’ll Fly Away,” in tribute to the 10th anniversary of the O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, with Harris, Krauss and others, and closes with an uplifting finale spotlighting the legendary Allman. In between are performances by Lauderdale, Miller, Plant and The Band of Joy, Candi Staton, The Avett Brothers, Lucinda Williams, The Civil Wars, Elizabeth Cook, Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Lea Mayfield, and Amos Lee. Most were backed by Miller’s ace sidemen, featuring Don Was, Greg Leisz, the McCrary Sisters, along with John Deaderick and brothers Cody and Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars.
Performance Rundown:
- Emmylou Harris Alison Krauss Buddy Miller, Jerry Douglas and Don Was /I’ll Fly Away, “O’Brother” Tribute Performance
- The Avett Brothers / The Once And Future Carpenter
- Lucinda Williams / Blessed
- Amos Lee / Cup of Sorrow
- Elizabeth Cook / El Camino
- The Civil Wars / Barton Hollow
- Justin Townes Earle / Harlem River Blues
- Jessica Lea Mayfield / For Today
- Buddy Miller / Gasoline And Matches
- Candi Staton / Heart On A String
- Jim Lauderdale / Life By Numbers
- Robert Plant / Monkey
- Gregg Allman / Melissa
The show was filmed by High Five Entertainment and co-produced by its president Martin Fischer and Austin City Limits executive producer Terry Lickona. For more on the show, photos, and clips, visit the Austin City Limits website.
Check out this fantastic clip of The Civil Wars:
The Civil Wars “Barton Hollow” from Austin City Limits on Vimeo.