Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen Duet on ‘This Old Porch’ on ‘Austin City Limits’

Since 2014, when Austin City Limits celebrated the 40th anniversary of its pilot episode, the long-running public television series has inducted influential musicians, songwriters, and others into its Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. On Saturday, December 28th, a special episode of the series will take a look at highlights from this year’s gala celebration, which honored 2019 inductees Lyle Lovett, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Guy.

Hosted by Robert Earl Keen, the special features collaborative performances from Jackson Browne and Shawn Colvin, Shemekia Copeland and Buddy Guy, and Edie Brickell with Lyle Lovett and the Large Band. Actor and filmmaker Sean Penn inducts Lovett into the Hall of Fame, while Browne inducts Colvin, and blues rocker Jimmie Vaughan does the honors for Guy. Also appearing in the episode are Willis Alan Ramsey, Sarah Jarosz, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, with musicians Steuart Smith, Larry Klein and others providing accompaniment.

In a web exclusive, Keen joins Lovett for a poignant performance of “This Old Porch,” a quintessential glimpse into the more quaint and bygone aspects of Lone Star State culture. Written by Keen with Lovett, the song first appeared on Lovett’s groundbreaking 1986 debut album, which was one of the LPs issued during the time Steve Earle jokingly referred to as Nashville and country music’s “great credibility scare,” predating the arrival of the Americana music movement by nearly a decade.

Recorded live in Austin last October, the sixth annual Austin City Limits Hall of Fame special airs Saturday, December 28th, at 8:00 p.m. ET on PBS. It will be available to stream online beginning December 29th at10 a.m. ET on PBS.org.