A singer-songwriter who started as a background vocalist for Michael Jackson and a former Texas State Musician whose name had graced many marquees across the Lone Star State are this year’s inductees into the Austin City Limits (ACL) Hall of Fame, according to a report from CultureMap Austin that was run by Austin ABC affiliate KVUE.
Sheryl Crow and Joe Ely will be honored by the Austin PBS production in the fall.
A multiple Grammy Award winner, Crow was a frequent presence on radio and MTV during the 1990s with her hits “All I Wanna Do” and “Strong Enough.”
Her success continued into the early part of this century, with her 2001 duet with Kid Rock, “Picture,” becoming a go-to karaoke bar favorite for couples.
According to CultureMap Austin, KVUE reported, Crow doesn’t have much in Texas connections nor has spent plenty of time there but has a deep love for ACL.
“Some of my favorite performances have been on that show,” she said, per the report. “I am so humbled to be honored by such an iconic and prestigious program. It is a dream come true for me to be inducted into the ACL Hall of Fame.”
As for West Texas native Ely, CultureMap Austin reported, he’s just a part of the Lone Star music fabric as George Strait and Selena with his songs about honky-tonk living.
According to the report, the singer’s nothing short of a renaissance man since he has written two books and dabbled into acting.
Ely said in the report that since performing on ACL for the first time more than 40 years ago, he has witnessed the program grow from a local program to something greater.
“It’s since become one of the most important live performance shows on television simply because they’ve always maintained the highest quality production and brought in great talent,” he said. “I’m really honored to be part of that history, and I’m humbled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”
According to the ACL website, the Hall of Fame was established in 2014, with its inaugural class consisting of Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Lloyd Maines, Bill Arhos and Darrell K. Royal.
“The Austin City Limits Hall of Fame celebrates the legacy of legendary artists and key individuals who have played a vital part in the pioneering music series remarkable 48 years as a music institution,” Austin PBS said on the website.
