Bill Callahan "Sky Blue Sky" | ACL 7th Annual Hall of Fame Honors

Bill Callahan (with Wilco's Nels Cline) pays tribute to 2021 ACL Hall of Fame inductees Wilco during the 7th Annual Hall of Fame Honors. Premieres January 8, 2022 on PBS. Watch live or stream later at pbs.org/austincitylimits
About the Special
Celebrate the 2021 ACL Hall of Fame inductees as Alejandro Escovedo, Lucinda Williams and Wilco are honored. Guest performers include Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Rosanne Cash and Sheila E.
About Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. Now in its 47th Season, the program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Austin City Limits is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic KLRU Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.
Austin City Limits is produced by Austin PBS, KLRU-TV and funding is provided in part by Dell Technologies, Workrise, the Austin Convention Center Department and Cirrus Logic. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.

[@jesusuk]

Clearly most of these commenters know nothing of the beauty of Bill Callahan. I'm sure the band appreciated this.

[@creativesharts]

Bill brings his own beautiful style to the song. I hate it when artists do covers that sound exactly like the original. Tweedy will be proud.

[@danieljohnmcginn]

I think Nels Cline sitting there playing with Bill is proof that the band gets it and approves of Mr. Callahan making the song his own.

[@lisagaytan4409]

Bill Callahan could do an entire album of Wilco covers and I would not mind one bit.

[@ash8298]

Based on that cover, my guess is you would put the record on and almost immediately forget about it

[@jonathans4984]

@@ash8298 ah man, check out bill's other stuff. Can understand why this cover wouldn't land with some (I thought it was okay). Most Smog albums of his are great, but I would recommend the song Jim Cain by him. He's on par with Jeff for me in terms of lyrics.

[@IbrahimDashtiMusic]

I’m always glad receiving positive comments from my lovely fans❤. It’s actually my pleasure bringing you sweet melody’s, may the good lord bless you. Have you been to any of my concerts?

[@faz-io]

dress sexy at my funeral because i just died reading the comments here

[@creativesharts]

Bill Callahan is a genius

[@ash8298]

The guy can't sing at all huh? His guitar playing is beginner level too.

[@stevewhite8178]

Lovely

[@freaktose]

I was at this show and it was wonderful. When Bill showed up with Nels… time stopped.

[@tomf6832]

This man is a national treasure

[@Blakeano]

Me costó mucho encontrar las claves originales de esta maravillosa canción. Bill la llevó a su galaxia para paladear palabra por palabra, y casi nada, con Cline de camarada. uff Bill, qué músico más extraño y adorable!

[@jakeah1175]

Love the Callahan growl and amazing facial expressions needed to get that sweet tone out

[@steviiiii]

I could listen to a full concert with this intensity and energy. Is this indicative of Bill Callahan..? I must say - I do not know his work but am now a fan.

[@javakidnyc1]

many places to start (25 years of albums as Smog and his own name). Suggest "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle" as a place to start.

[@faz-io]

Smog - A River Ain’t Too Much To Love is the best starting point imho - and then you can either go backwards into Red Apple Falls / Knock Knock or forward into his work under his own name

[@ash8298]

He has the intensity and energy of a dead moth.

[@jonathans4984]

Check out his stuff under the name Smog and then the album Sometimes I Wish I Were An Eagle. Masterful songwriter!

[@banjothebandit]

Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest from 2019 was when I got into him. Really good more recent album.

[@pgbear]

This is hypnotic. Loved it!

[@angelawood2200]

Lovely.

[@johnsmith-we8zd]

Perfect.

[@sarahmurray5146]

Loved that!

[@TheJimohio]

Amazing version

[@sarahmurray5146]

Just breathe out every time I hear Bills voice.

[@whiskeyryan]

What a compliment to Jeff Tweedy

[@jasper_north]

I looked and listened and and and... wow

[@ash8298]

Same, then fell asleep a minute in.

[@jasper_north]

@@ash8298 hahahaahahha

[@rome8180]

This comment section makes me sad for humanity. A bunch of close-minded losers here. I would have expected better from Wilco fans. I guarantee you most of you would like Smog if you actually listened to them.

[@Eman-e9u9e]

love you Bill!

[@bluehealers]

Stunning.

[@sarahmurray5146]

Love Bill. He and Nels and Matt Kinsey could really..you know..

[@thomasminarchickjr.7355]

It’s strange being old enough that the music you grew up with is heavily featured. Then again, ACL had GBV and lots of other non-country or roots artists. The show just gets better. The Doug Sahm and SDQ episodes are my favorites

[@steviiiii]

who are ACL GBV or SDQ..?

[@steviiiii]

aha Austin City Limits - !!

[@TheRichieC78]

When is Bill getting his honours!

[@ash8298]

When he learns how to sing and write a great song.

[@matthewswanson4181]

@@ash8298 Have yo never heard " Cold Blooded Old Times" and " Dress Sexy at My Funeral" just for those 2 songs he deserves every award going !!!!

[@caseytins]

@@ash8298 Ignorant comment. Bill is a better writer than Jeff will ever be. Educate yourself.

[@donkeywhistler]

i feel like this is Smog , Howe Gelb and Lambchopand Wilco all mashed up into one perf

[@pablomatiasvidal]

Mirá que te quiero Bill pero la melodía es sagrada!

[@guillermobrugo6848]

Quiso enfatizar en el poder de la letra, creo yo. Bill es enorme.

[@IronJohn755]

Folks, it's okay to not like something. I love Wilco, I like a lot of Bill Callahan's stuff, and I found this hard to listen to. Everyone gets to choose whether to expend the effort to acquire an "acquired taste."

[@rjwile]

Welp

[@kidsmoked]

😭 😭 😭

[@arlofleenor1838]

no

[@sandramerriman6044]

Struggled through 3 minutes and finally turned it off to go listen to Jeff sing Sky Blue Sky how it should be sung.

[@arlofleenor1838]

lol okay sure bud

[@JackieTreehoorn]

Wow, such a polarized extreme between comments! The Wilco fans who wanted to hear a great song, & the Bill whoever fans praising his “genius.” Considering the # of views, appears Bill is an acquired taste. I would describe him as a Willy Nelson interpretive type, w/o the talent or fan bass

[@kidsmoked]

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

[@gnargnargnarify]

Yikes absolutely terrible

[@arlofleenor1838]

how

[@caseytins]

Explain. And get back to me afterwards. Tweedy is half of the writer that Bill is.

[@natebanchiere3843]

Not good

[@patrickoakes8014]

thanks for commenting twice

[@natebanchiere3843]

Not good

[@caseytins]

Explain