Your Favorite Austin City Limits

The the Tribute to Townes Van Zandt was the best because of the sheer collection of talent on one stage. Guy Clarke, Lyle Lovett, Crystal Gayle and a great many others.

Steve Earle's tribute song, Fort Worth Blues, was so heart felt it had both my wife and I choking up, and when the camera panned right, showed Patty Larkin completely dissolved in tears listening to Earle. You just don't see Music draw emotion more powerfully than that.

Also, got chills watching SRV on ACL, as at several points it seemed he was the instrument and the music was playing him. Haven't seen anything like it before or since.

Also the SRV tribute was awesome, when all the current greats like Buddy Guy, Clapton, Albert King said things like, "we're pretty good" but Stevie was like magic". They were exactly right. Clapton essentially gave it up to Stevie, saying his own playing couldn't come close to SRV's.

Photon46

Pat and Barbara were a hometown band here in Madison Wi. I followed them back when they were Pat McDonald and the Essentials, from the very early days through their trip to howiewood. As the Essentials, they had a hugely talented guitar player and drummer, before splitting off as a duo.

Frankly, I liked the band better than the duo. Although "My future's so bright" and a few other hits were enjoyable, I think the number of song choices they had were limited because it was just the two of them. I think they could have done more great things if they'd kept at least the guitarist and drummer.