180gm vinyl LP pressing, includes digital download. Jerry Lee Lewis took black rhythm & blues, white gospel and other funky Mississippi sounds and turned them into rock 'n' roll. He almost never made it to Austin City Limits. He cancelled one appearance, and only weeks before this recording on October 17, 1983, his wife died in a freak swimming pool accident at their home. But he did make it, and what we have here is one of the most amazing performances ever to go down on the ACL stage. Throughout the day he was a perfect gentleman, showing up on time and acting very graciously to one and all, but once he hit the stage, all hell broke loose. "Rock and Roll's the thing and Jerry Lee's the King..." or so said an English fan once upon a time somewhere. Elvis fans might dispute that title, but nobody else in the history of popular music would dare call himself "The Killer." Of all the legends who came out of Sun Records in the 1950s - Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison - no one would have bet the last one standing would be the pill-popping, whiskey-guzzling, gunwaving hellion from Ferriday, LA except The Killer, of course. - Terry Lickona, producer Austin City Limits.
Waylon Jennings' volume in the Austin City Limits series Live from Austin, TX, recorded in 1989, was his second appearance on the program. Before the Jennings fanatics get all bent out of shape because this was during his MCA period -- hold on a moment: this gig, with its 17 tracks, is a stunner. Jennings was sober, and with MCA, but he hadn't left his band or his attitude for top-notch live shows in mothballs. And for those who still doubt, remember that Jennings' last record, 2000's Never Say Die: Live was a monster. The tunes from Live from Austin, TX, however, are a mix of old and new; Jennings ranges freely back and forth across his long, sometimes confusing, and always varied career. There's the burning opener "I'm a Ramblin' Man," followed by "Rainy Day Woman," which slips into Sammy Johns' "America," then stomps into a couple of Bob McDill's classics as defined by Jennings: "I May Be Used (But I Ain't Used Up)" and the beautiful "Amanda." The staunch professionalism and raw immediacy of the Jennings band makes its frontman stand ten feet tall in front of an adoring television audience. When he begins his own fine version of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee," the crowd goes nuts and Jennings gives them everything he's got. Finally, Jennings launches into one of his own with "Trouble Man," a freewheeling country-rocker. But he also offers fine versions of other originals, like "Good 'Ol Boys," "Bob Wills Is Still the King," a wild and ornery "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," "Good Hearted Woman," and an anthemic "I've Always Been Crazy." Yes, "Luckenbach, Texas" is here just before the lights go off, but Jennings takes it out on the wild side with a stomping rocker, Rodney Crowell's "I Ain't Living Long This Way." Jennings pushes the band and they shove back and he loves it. It's quite a finish to an amazing concert, and a necessary addition for every serious Jennings fan's library. Those who have owned bootlegs of this for years will be gratified that the real thing has much better sound. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi