is in the middle of taping shows for its 45th season, which will begin airing on PBS stations across the country in October.
The eclectic mix of musicians invited each year to perform for the public television series prompted KUT listener Dana Harada to ask our
How are musicians selected to record an ACL Live taping? Do they get paid?
Harada watched the program for years growing up in the Chicago area. Since moving to Austin in 2012, she鈥檚 also attended many of the tapings at the , where the show has been produced since 2011.
鈥淚 brought all of my programs from all the past ACL Live recordings that I鈥檝e been to,鈥� she said, pulling a stack from her bag at the theater in downtown Austin. 鈥淭he most recent one was Arctic Monkeys ... Wild Child, St. Vincent, Paul Simon, Heartless Bastards, Sam Smith, Spoon and Jenny Lewis.鈥�
She was about to add to that list , a New Orleans band getting ready for a taping that night.
After a sound check, the group鈥檚 lead guitarist, Zack Feinberg, said he also grew up watching ACL on his local PBS station in New York. Though The Revivalists have played primetime TV 鈥� with performances on The Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, Ellen and Conan 鈥� he said ACL is a much bigger deal.
鈥淲e played at Emo鈥檚 in Austin two years ago and it was a great show 鈥� and I remember somebody saying, 鈥楾he ACL guys were here and they loved it,'" he said. "And we were like, 'Oh, hell yeah!鈥欌��
The person most responsible for choosing musicians for the show is Terry Lickona, who鈥檚 been either a producer or the executive producer for ACL for 42 years.
Lickona said there鈥檚 no easy answer to Harada's question.
RELATED |
鈥淚 think our philosophy evolved over the years when it comes to the booking process," he said. "When the show started, it was literally a showcase for Austin music, and then it became a showcase for Texas music and then regional music.鈥�
Lickona started producing for ACL shortly after its pilot program, featuring Willie Nelson, aired in 1974. The show鈥檚 music choices have been changing ever since, he said.
鈥淭here was a time when we considered ourselves more country than any other genre and then we decided we were more American and that expanded our definition of what the music was," he said. "And then we were into indie sounds, independent music 鈥� no matter what genre. But we came to the point that anything goes if it鈥檚 good and if it鈥檚 original."
are broadcast each season. Lickona said putting together a lineup entails finding the right balance of genres, while also working to include Austin musicians. ACL producers also look out for established musicians who have released new albums, are on tour or have won a recent Grammy.
According to Lickona, PBS determines the pay for musicians who perform for ACL.
鈥淚鈥檓 almost embarrassed to admit how little it is,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about $500 for the artist, and it really doesn鈥檛 matter who it is 鈥� whether it鈥檚 Kendrick Lamar or Brandi Carlile or whoever.鈥�
For first-timers like Feinberg, though, playing ACL is pretty much its own reward.
RELATED |
鈥淚t鈥檚 obviously huge for us,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s any music fan can attest, this is a revered program. I鈥檝e grown up watching it. There are so many iconic, classic performances on it 鈥� from , Willie Nelson and some of my favorite newer artists.鈥�
ACL says it's always looking for new acts to showcase and encourages musicians to submit their work. Tickets to the tapings are free: the for the next show is usually posted online a week in advance, but seats are limited and awarded randomly.
The ACL is scheduled to air this fall.
Got a tip? Email Joseph at jleahy@kut.org. Follow Joseph on Twitter .
_
Copyright 2020 KUT 90.5. To see more, visit . 9(MDAxODQzOTgwMDEyMTcyNjI4MTAxYWQyMw004))
