Willie Nelson’s career has taken him all over the place, and most recently, landed him in the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.
Fellow Texan and Nelson friend Matthew McConaughey had the honor of inducting the star Saturday night.
“There would be no Austin City Limits without Willie Nelson,” said the actor.
Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett shared the stage with the music great, joining in on the songs “On the Road Again” and “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.”
Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, longtime show producer Bill Arhos and former University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal were also inducted.
Royal’s “pickin’ parties” with guitar songwriters at his Austin home was the inspiration behind Austin City Limits.
The country great was the first performer on the show, which started in 1974 and is now the longest-running television music program in the United States.
Watch his performance, here:
Blues rockers Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne Shepherd joined Nelson to close the night with a rendition of “Texas Flood.”
The induction ceremony was held at the show’s original soundstage at the University of Texas at Austin, instead of the new 2,000-seat downtown venue where the shows started taping a few years ago.
Damn you #WillieNelson – you're so good!
"I need to be somewhere with room to breathe I need a heart that don't need you"
— SB (@texpatsabroad) April 27, 2014
Cowboys ain't easy to love & they're harder to hold. They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold. #willienelson #pandoraonpoint
— Kurston Felkins (@kurstonnn) April 25, 2014
You are always on my mind #WillieNelson
— Tyler Myers (@TechnoTyTy) April 24, 2014
Austin City Limits is one of the reasons why Austin has become known as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” Originally created to showcase some of the music of Texas, including Texas blues, progressive country, Tejano music, western swing and rock ‘n’ roll, the show now features national and international artists that play a wide range of music, such as alternative rock, jam band, jazz, and folk music.
The show will air its 40th season starting in the fall.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
