See Willie Nelson, Gary Clark Jr.’s ‘Night Life’ Tribute to B.B. King From ‘ACL’
The second half of Austin City Limits‘ 42nd season resumes with a special New Year’s Eve episode featuring an all-star lineup that includes Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, Mavis Staples and Gary Clark Jr.
In a web exclusive clip cut from the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame New Year’s Eve special, which airs December 31st, Nelson and Clark Jr. pay tribute to blues legend B.B. King with a rousing rendition of “Night Life,” a Nelson-penned track that King later recorded. King was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in October, when the special filmed.
Nelson and Clark Jr.’s version also features members of B.B. King‘s Blues Band alongside Nelson’s longtime harmonica player Mickey Raphael. Nelson also gets into the holiday spirit by adding a little taste of “Jingle Bells” to the end of “Night Life.”
Nelson and King performed “Night Life” together on numerous occasions, including a 1984 concert:
Austin City Limits Hall of Fame New Year’s Eve is hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally and promises more collaborations from this year’s ACL Hall of Fame inductees Raitt and Kristofferson.
ACL‘s 42nd season will continue in 2017 with concerts by Lauryn Hill, Cyndi Lauper, Band of Horses, Margo Price, Alejandro Escovedo and more.