New season of PBS show "Austin City Limits" to kick off with set from Jack White (UPDATE)

By Sam McDonald

Entertainment Music Television Concerts Jazz (Music Genre)Jack White PBS (tv network)

When it comes to live music on television, "Austin City Limits" is top of the heap. Trailblazing guests, unfussy production and intimate, restrained camera work combined to make this long-running series a broadcast treasure.

The show's 38th season looks like another strong one. Here's who is heading for your living room early next year.

Jan. 5 -- Jack White
Jan. 12 -- Rodrigo y Gabriela
Jan. 19 -- Norah Jones / Kat Edmonson
Jan. 26 -- Bob Mould / Delta Spirit
Feb. 2 -- Tim McGraw
Feb. 9 -- Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros / tUnE-yArDs
Feb. 16 -- Gary Clark Jr. / Alabama Shakes
Feb. 23 -- Esperanza Spalding

The show typically airs 6 p.m. Saturdays on WHRO-TV, Channel 15, however, WHRO hasn't yet posted its January schedule.

[UPDATE 11-27-2012: Heather F. Mazzoni, content officer for WHRO, said the Jack White episode will air Saturday, January 13 at 6 p.m.]

According to what's posted on the station's website, "Austin City Limits" will skip Saturday, Dec. 1, then return to the air Dec. 8 with an episode featuring Steve Miller Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Miller will presumably perform with his long-time keyboardist Joseph Wooten, a former Newport News resident.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will play classic New Orleans jazz with special guests the Del McCoury Band and Jim James of My Morning Jacket.

Here's a press release about the new season of ACL.

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Austin, TX—November 13, 2012—Iconic PBS television series Austin City Limits (ACL) unveils the second half of Season 38 with a line-up that continues to exemplify the show's tradition of “Great Music, No Limits.” Eight brand-new shows begin airing in January 2013 as part of the music series' thirteen-episode season. Book-ended by returning favorites Jack White and Esperanza Spalding, ACL showcases an impressive roster of exciting performers, from talented newcomers to acclaimed legends.

Rock provocateur Jack White kicks things off on January 5, 2013 with a knock-out, full-hour performance. The extended line-up features a number of artists making first-time appearances, among them Austin's own rising star, blues-soul phenomenon Gary Clark Jr., Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, spellbinding jazz-pop vocalist Kat Edmonson, punk rock icon Bob Mould, country superstar Tim McGraw, hard-hitting Southern soulsters Alabama Shakes, indie-folk band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, roots-rockers Delta Spirit and indie sensation tUnE-yArDs. Completing the season are dazzling performances by Norah Jones and a full hour of Esperanza Spalding in the season finale.

“ACL takes pride in our eclectic mix of musical styles,” says Executive Producer Terry Lickona, “and we truly have something for everyone's taste in the second half of our new season – from rock and punk to country, pop, jazz, blues and Latin! Each artist has a unique and original style or sound, which is always our goal.”

It's been a banner year for ACL, which premiered in October with an unforgettable performance by Radiohead in their ACL debut and included new episodes with Bon Iver, Bonnie Raitt, Mavis Staples, Dr. Dog, The Shins, The Civil Wars and Punch Brothers. ACL gives viewers unparalleled access to featured artists in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable performances. The program is taped live before a concert audience from its new home at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. The critically-acclaimed series will continue to broadcast fan-favorite encore episodes through the end of 2012, beginning with Mumford & Sons on November 17. Viewers can tune-in to their local PBS station for episodes; check local listings for times. For the complete episode schedule, visit acltv.com.

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