AUSTIN CITY LIMITS Season 52 to Premiere with Carlos Vives on PBS

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS kicks off its landmark 52nd season on Friday, September 4, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS with the ACL debut of Colombian superstar Carlos Vives and his 11-piece band, La Provincia. One of the most influential and enduring artists in Latin music, the two-time Grammy Award winner and 18-time Latin Grammy Award winner performs a high-energy, career-spanning hour entirely in Spanish, celebrating the Colombian roots and contemporary sounds that made him a global icon. The episode marks the beginning of ACL's expanded Season 52, the first season in the series' more than 50-year history to spotlight every artist in a dedicated hour episode. AUSTIN CITY LIMITS airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings) with full episodes available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS app.

A defining force in Latin music for more than three decades, with over 20 million albums sold, Vives draws from traditional Colombian vallenato to create something unique. He famously dubbed this distinctive modern tropical sound 'El rock de mi pueblo' ('The rock of my people'), helping the spirit and rich musical heritage of vallenato transcend borders, languages and cultures. His ACL debut reflects that musical journey, featuring beloved hits spanning his celebrated career, including the 'tropi-pop' classic 'La Tierra del Olvido,' an anthem for his homeland and one of the most celebrated songs in his catalog, 'Fruta Fresca,' the breakout hit that helped propel Vives to international stardom, and 'La Bicicleta,' his 2016 global smash with fellow Colombian superstar Shakira.

The episode also features a special performance of a recent highlight, 'Buscando el Mar,' with Vives joined by fellow Santa Marta native and La Provincia member Bombón Zawady, who steps in to sing the vocals originally performed by Dominican superstar Juan Luis Guerra.

'We launched this song with the maestro Juan Luis Guerra,' says Vives, before reflecting on the cultural history woven into Colombia's music. 'All the craziness we've experienced as a country is reflected in our music, in cumbias, in vallenatos.'

'Vallenato is the country music from Colombia,' Vives explains on stage, drawing a parallel between the musical traditions of Texas and his native Colombia, noting the shared cultural connection to rural life and storytelling. 'From the people who work with cows, with bulls and horses, from people who work in the countryside. That's where vallenato music is born, they tell stories, they tell history.'

Throughout the lively hour-long performance, Vives and his band, La Provincia, shift effortlessly through generations of his music. The set features highlights from his acclaimed mid-1990s catalog alongside songs from his most recent album, El Último Disco Vol. 1, showcasing his evolution as an artist who has continually reinvented Colombian music without losing sight of his roots. The band's distinctive sound reflects the pan-regional influences of accordion, alegre drums and gaita, creating the vibrant musical fusion that has defined Vives' groundbreaking career.

'Latin music has been part of the legacy of AUSTIN CITY LIMITS since Day One, but Carlos Vives is a timeless icon who has forever changed the Latin music landscape,' said ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. 'He has deep connections to his Colombian roots, mixing traditional folk sounds with modern rock and pop. His live performances are the stuff of legend, and ACL captures it all.'

'Every community has music that tells its story,' said Michael E. Tang, Director, PBS Plus. 'For Vives, that's vallenato, and AUSTIN CITY LIMITS brings it to audiences across the country. That's what public media is built to do.'

Episode Setlist

'Volví A Nacer'

'La Bicicleta'

'Tuyo y Nada Más'

Medley Clásicos: 'Hamaca,' 'Gota'

'Pa' Mayté'

'Buscando el Mar'

'La Tierra del Olvido'

'Fruta Fresca'

'Robarte Un Beso'

Carlos Vives' appearance launches an expanded Season 52 comprised of eighteen episodes, five more than previous seasons. This historic expansion gives every featured artist a full hour to showcase their music and tell their story, offering viewers more complete performances than ever before.

Following Vives, the season features an extraordinary lineup spanning genres and generations, including 11-time Grammy Award winner Brandi Carlile's 12th Annual AUSTIN CITY LIMITS Hall of Fame induction with special guest Bonnie Raitt; three-time Grammy Award-winning bluegrass superstar Billy Strings; Grammy Award-winning R&B trailblazer Miguel; rising British singer-songwriter Sienna Spiro; three-time Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum artist Olivia Rodrigo; Grammy-nominated R&B artist Ari Lennox; acclaimed Alabama country-rock group The Red Clay Strays; Austin breakout singer-songwriter-guitarist Ty Myers; and Colombian-American global Latin pop star Sebastián Yatra.

Filmed before a live audience at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin, the Season 52 premiere captures the energy and intimacy that have made AUSTIN CITY LIMITS a cultural institution for more than five decades. Vives' performance marks a milestone for the series as it continues its long tradition of showcasing the breadth of Latin music alongside the best artists across the musical spectrum.

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS Season 52 premieres Friday, September 4, 2026 at 10 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS. Full episodes are available to stream at PBS.org and the PBS app, which is available on iOS, Apple TV, Android mobile and tablets, Android/Google TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV and tablets, Comcast, Samsung Smart TV, VIZIO and LG Smart TVs.

About AUSTIN CITY LIMITS

A monument to music, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS has showcased iconic performances from legends and innovators across every genre of popular song for more than five decades. The series is the flagship of the Austin City Limits Music Festival and has earned countless accolades for its unrivaled presentation of live music, including a Peabody Award, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame designation and the National Medal of Arts — the only television series ever to receive the honor.

About PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 56 million viewers on YouTube, and 10 million followers on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS's broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org.

Photo Credit: Pooneh Ghana

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