Brandi Carlile is headed to the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, and the 12th Annual induction ceremony on July 1 at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin is already shaping up to be one of the great nights in the Hall’s history. Bonnie Raitt will do the inducting and perform in tribute, a pairing that carries genuine weight well beyond ceremony.
Carlile has been part of the ACL story for over 15 years. She made her debut in Season 36 in 2010, returned in 2018 for a Season 44 hour built around her landmark sixth studio album ‘By the Way, I Forgive You,’ and headlined the Season 48 premiere in 2022 with material from her acclaimed seventh album ‘In These Silent Days.’ She also presented induction honors for Sheryl Crow at the 2022 ceremony. The relationship runs deep in both directions.
For the July 1 taping, Carlile brings new material from ‘Returning to Myself,’ her first solo album in 4 years, alongside career-spanning favorites. The evening will air as an hour-long broadcast during Season 52 of Austin City Limits, premiering this September on PBS.
Carlile is direct about what the honor means. “Being inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame by one of my absolute heroes, Bonnie Raitt, means everything to me,” she says. “I’m so grateful to have had such a deep and powerful connection to the city of Austin and Austin City Limits all these years.” Raitt, an 13-time Grammy winner and Hall of Fame inductee herself since 2016, matches that energy: “She is truly one of our most respected and impactful artists. I admire her not only for her incredible music, but for standing up for the causes and artists she’s passionate about.”
ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona frames it with characteristic precision. “The moment you hear her voice, you know exactly who it is. She will always have a home here at ACL, and now she takes her well-deserved place in the ACL Hall of Fame.”
The Hall of Fame has built its reputation on moments that transcend the standard tribute format. Past evenings have included Matthew McConaughey inducting Willie Nelson, Ethan Hawke saluting John Prine, Jason Isbell paying tribute to Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson and Buddy Guy sharing the stage in honor of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Garth Brooks delivering a 2-hour set for his own induction. Carlile and Raitt on July 1 belongs in that company. Tickets will be distributed via a public giveaway, with details to be announced.