Willie Nelson calls ACL, PBS ‘building blocks of humanity’ amid Trump cuts
Willie Nelson calls ACL, PBS ‘building blocks of humanity’ amid Trump cuts
Fresh off the heels of the 50th anniversary of Austin City Limits, the longest-running music television program in history, slashes to funding for public media by the Trump Administration could pose a threat to Austin City Limits, the longest-running music television program in history.
Last Thursday, July 17, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill allowing the administration to take back $9 billion in federal funds, $1.1 billion of which had already been allotted to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The CPB funds public radio stations like PBS and NPR. Austin City Limits, which is owned and funded by Austin PBS, is expected to lose $3 million in funds, long-time executive producer Terry Lickona told Billboard.
Iconic Texas musician Willie Nelson, who is the artist with the most appearances on Austin City Limits, along with “Loser” singer Beck, affirmed the program’s importance in the July 18 Billboard article.
Nelson, who performed on the show’s pilot episode in 1974, told the music publication that “Austin City Limits and PBS were and are an essential part of education, understanding, curiosity and empathy, which are the essentials and building blocks of humanity.”
Beck, who has twice been a guest on the program, said ACL’s importance partly lies in how it documents history. “Austin City Limits is one of the only film and TV outlets that documents great musicians at the peak of their powers,” he told Billboard. “In decades to come, the shows are going to be some of the best documents and snapshots of this era of music. Like the Old Gray Whistle test in England and Canal + in France, the show is our version of those—these music documents are treasures.”
How ‘Austin City Limits’ and PBS are intertwined
In 1974, Austin PBS, KLRN (now called KLRU-TV) program director Bill Arhos, alongside producer Paul Bosner and director Bruce Scafe, came up with the idea for Austin City Limits after PBS called for original programming from stations. Taped in October of that year, the pilot featured Willie Nelson, who was a cornerstone of what ACL’s website calls the “so-called cosmic cowboy scene in Austin.”
In April 2024, a two-hour primetime special aired on PBS to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Austin City Limits, with performances from stars like Chris Stapleton, Leon Bridges and many others. In June, Austin City Council declared June 9 Austin PBS Day in recognition of the station’s “six decade-long commitment to public service, education and cultural programming,” including Austin City Limits.
“Public media is one of our greatest tools for education, civic engagement and cultural preservation,” Councilman José “Chito” Vela, who made the proclamation, said in a press release. “By proclaiming today Austin PBS Day, we are affirming our city’s commitment to protecting and preserving trusted, inclusive programming that enriches the lives of Austinites.”
This week, Lickona called the cuts “a kick in the gut.” At least a quarter of the show’s budget comes from federal funding, he estimates. Additionally, he told Billboard that Season 51 of the show, which is already underway, had a budget of $4 million — meaning they’ll have to make up at least $1 million.
“Nothing lasts 50 years without a lot of struggle and a lot of challenges, financial, political and otherwise,” Lickona, who’s been a part of ACL since 1979, told Billboard. “We will carry on somehow, because too many people depend on Austin City Limits for these 50 years.”
MySA reached out to Austin PBS for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication.
