(CelebrityAccess News Service) — SBC Communications Inc. will now serve as the title sponsor for the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, TX, as well as underwrite the legendary PBS-TV Show "Austin City Limits". The festival takes place September 19-21 on eight stages with over 130 bands.
“We are extremely excited to have SBC on board for the festival and the series. With their help we will be able to bring this Festival to Austin for the next five years,” said Bill Stapleton, principal at Capital Sports & Entertainment (CSE). “We see a number of parallels between SBC and the ACL brand. I look forward to a bright future together.”
“SBC has a long history of keeping the Central Texas community connected, from the phone line to high-speed DSL Internet,” said Scott Helbing, senior vice president, SBC consumer marketing. “We look forward to bringing new services to the ACL Festival that demonstrate Austin’s leadership in music, culture and communications technology, and championing Austin music to the world.”
"SBC is a long-standing supporter of public television at KLRU," said Mary Beth Rogers, KLRU's former CEO and current vice-chair of the KLRU Board of Directors. "We're thrilled that our friends at SBC are going to be the lead sponsor for the Austin City Limits Festival, as well as, the 29th Season of Austin City Limits on PBS, which debuts in October,"
In addition, beginning with the 30th season of Austin City Limits on PBS, CSE will now be co-producing the show along with long time partner KLRU-TV. “To be associated with such an icon, as the Austin City Limits television show, is truly an honor. CSE is looking forward to enhancing the brand of ACL and working together for years to come,” said Stapleton.
The ACL lineup this year includes: R.E.M., Al Green, Liz Phair, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Rosanne Cash, Jack Johnson, Dwight Yoakam, String Cheese Incident, Beth Orton, Lucinda Williams, Pat Green, Spoon, Patty Griffin, Steve Winwood, The Mavericks, Shawn Colvin, Steve Earle, Kings of Leon, Robert Earl Keen, Bright Eyes, Jay Farrar, The Polyphonic Spree, Old 97’s, Los Lobos, Abra Moore, Nickel Creek, Mavis Staples, Ween, Ben Kweller, G. Love &Special Sauce, Robert Randolph, Galactic, O.A.R., The Shins, Yo La Tengo, Asleep at the Wheel, Hank Williams III, The Dandy Warhols, Tift Merritt, North Mississippi All Stars, Howie Day, Cody Chesnutt, Spearhead, The Gourds, Craig Ross, Cowgirl Sue, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Café Tcvba, Drive By Truckers, The Pierces, Jane Bond, Yonder Mtn. String Band, Jeff Klein, John Eddie, Leftover Salmon, Los Lonely Boys, Pauline Reese, Rebirth Brass Band, Richard Buckner, Ruthie Foster, Terri Hendrix, Julieta Venegas, Wayne Hancock, Beaver Nelson, Doyle Bramhall, Durdens, Ian Moore, Josh Ritter, Keller Williams, Kermit Ruffins, Kevin McKinney, Midlake, Patrice Pike, Reckless Kelly, Topaz, and many others.
This year’s event will feature eight stages of live music around the park, art exhibits, food from Austin’s favorite restaurants and a children’s area. Stage sponsors to date include grocery chain H-E-B., Heineken, Cingular Wireless, Austin Ventures, BMI, Jackson Walker, Capital Metro and Blackstone Winery. –by Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
