Season 51 • Episode 13
LatestNewly minted two-time 2026 Grammy Award-winner and R&B innovator Leon Thomas delivers a magnetic hour showcasing songs from his Album of the Year-nominated MUTT. Dubbed "R&B's hottest rock star," the Best New Artist nominee shines on the ACL stage.
Now the longest-running music series in American television history, ACL showcases popular music legends and innovators from every genre.
Production
That warm, unpolished 1970s public TV aesthetic.
Direction
Letting artists breathe—no frantic cuts, just performance.
Creator
Bill Arhos
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Willie Nelson's 1975 pilot episode nearly didn't air; PBS executives thought country music was too regional.
ACL became accidental anthropology—capturing artists before stadiums, before Auto-Tune, before they knew they were being archived.
US
