In celebration of its 50th anniversary season, Austin City Limits aired a special episode on Saturday, May 3 — Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors Garth Brooks.

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“Always try to associate your name with a name greater than your own,” Brooks said. “Being associated with ACL has been one of the greatest assets of my career. I can’t thank Terry and the gang enough for all the years and all the love.”

Austin City Limits executive producer Terry Lickona said they couldn’t tell the story of Austin City Limits without Garth Brooks.

“Garth Gets It”

“Garth gets it,” he said. “He gets what makes Austin City Limits special and why it’s an honor for an artist to step onto that stage and deliver the best performance of their life. And it’s an honor for us to share that stage with artists like Garth, who have so much to offer.”

Brooks merged his stadium-sized show with his Las Vegas residency format to create an intimate hour-long sing-along at Austin City Limits‘ studio home, ACL Live, in Austin, Texas. The broadcast, which will stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits, will also include Brooks sharing stories and memories from his 35 years of performing on Austin City Limits. He made his debut in 1990 on Season 15.

Brooks’ drummer Mike Palmer remembers playing that first Austin City Limits show in 1990 because the program is “so iconic.”

“When we got to play, it was quite a milestone for me for sure,” Palmer said. “It was like, ‘Man, we’re really doing something with this Garth guy.’ I’m grateful, thankful, and blessed to be in music full-time for most of my life. To watch someone perform what they’re playing, how they’re playing it and all that was cool. I’m 60 years old, so growing up, ‘Austin City Limits was the thing to watch.”

Brooks’ wife, Trisha Yearwood, will appear on the Saturday night episode of Austin City Limits, along with Lickona, who will induct Brooks into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. Yearwood joined the ACL Hall of Fame in 2023 alongside John Prine.

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“I think the biggest thing about ACL is we grew up on it,” Yearwood explained. “That Austin skyline on that stage was something we tuned into every week to see our favorite artists and discover new music. ACL was where I first heard John Prine sing and became an instant fan. It wasn’t lost on me that when I was honored to go into the ACL Hall of Fame, I went in with John. I was so humbled to be there that night with his family.”

Brooks is anxious and excited to go into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, too, especially on the show’s 50th anniversary.

“It’s like two-fold for me, right?” Brooks said. “I mean, I’ve been watching this show since I was a kid. To get to be on it is a dream. To get to be now in the Hall of Fame is a dream. And to get to be part of their 50th anniversary – how’s it get better than that? Austin City Limits has always kind of been the ‘real’ meter, right? The realistic kind of ‘gut check.’ ‘Hey – are you an artist that puts the music first?’”

You can stream Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors Garth Brooks on PBS, PBS.org or the PBS App.