See Bonnie Raitt’s Smoky ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ From ‘ACL’ Special
Austin City Limits‘ 42nd season resumes Saturday night with a special New Year’s Eve episode boasting 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, Raitt and Clark Jr. celebrate B.B. King by performing the blues legend’s staple “The Thrill Is Gone.”
“This one’s for him,” Raitt said of King before the smoky, horn-laced rendition, which featured support from B.B. King‘s Blues Band.
In a previously unveiled clip, Clark Jr. and Nelson teamed for their own King tribute on the cut “Night Life.”
King and Raitt were inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in October alongside fellow 2016 honoree Kristofferson.
Austin City Limits Hall of Fame New Year’s Eve is hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally and also features ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Taj Mahal and country singer Rodney Crowell.
ACL‘s 42nd season picks back up in 2017 with concerts by Lauryn Hill (January 7th), Cyndi Lauper (January 14th), Margo Price (January 21st), Band of Horses (January 28th) and Alejandro Escovedo (February 14th), who recruited R.E.M.’s Peter Buck for the performance.
“The secret to becoming the longest-running music series in television history is to capture one-of-a-kind performances from legendary artists and newcomers alike, and share them with an audience of diehard music fans everywhere,” executive producer Terry Lickona said in a statement. “As usual, Season 42 wraps up with a little something for everybody, from megastars and legends to indie originals, and with a nod to our rich past.”