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Austin City Limits is the longest running musical showcase in the history of television and it still captivates audiences forty years after its debut on the air From Willie Nelsons legendary pilot show and his fourteen magical episodes running through the years to Season to mythical performances of BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughn to repeat appearances from Chet Atkins Bonnie Raitt and Ray Charles and recent shows with Mumford Sons Arcade Fire and The Decemberists the show has defined popular roots music and indie rock This is why country rocker Miranda Lambert -- relatively unknown when she taped a show almost a decade ago -- gushed to the studio audience Now I know I have arrived Austin City Limits A History tells this remarkable storyWith unprecedented access behind the scenes at the tapings of shows with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Mos Def Wilco and many more author Tracey Laird tells the story of this landmark musical showcase whose history spans dramatic changes in the world of television the expansion of digital media and the ways in which we experience music Beginning as a simple weekly broadcast it is today a multifaceted brand in contemporary popular music existing simultaneously as a program available for streaming a presence on Twitter and other social media a major music festival and a state-of-the-art performance venue Laird explores the ways in which the shows evolution has driven and been driven by both that of Austin as the Live Music Capital of the World and of US public media as a major player in the dissemination and sponsorship of music and culture Engagingly written and packed with anecdotes and insights from everyone from the shows producers and production staff to the musicians themselves Austin City Limits A History gives us the best seat in the house for this illuminating look at a singular presence in American popular music Timed to publish with the airing of Austin City Limits -- the th anniversary celebratory broadcast featuring an all-star lineup of musicians including the Foo Fighters Willie Nelson Sheryl Crow and others -- here is a book for all fans of this beloved music institution.