Arkansas folk-rock singer-songwriter Jesse Welles will make his Austin City Limits debut on Season 52, with an exclusive worldwide livestream scheduled for Thursday, October 8, at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the full-set performance for free exclusively on YouTube, capturing a live taping from ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas.
Jesse Welles Livestreams Austin City Limits Debut
Folk-rock artist Jesse Welles is bringing his Arkansas-bred protest songs and acoustic storytelling to the grand stage of public television. Austin City Limits announced an exclusive worldwide livestream of the four-time 2026 GRAMMY nominee’s Season 52 taping, scheduled for Thursday, October 8. Fans around the globe can tune in to the free broadcast at YouTube.com/AustinCityLimitsTV starting at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m.
The livestream grants viewers a real-time look at an hour-long taping before the episode airs on PBS early next year. The full-set performance remains available exclusively during the live broadcast event. Following the television premiere, the full episode will stream on the PBS App, PBS.org, and the official Austin City Limits YouTube channel.
Welles gains fame through viral performances and albums
Welles entered the national consciousness in 2024 by self-filming raw performances beneath power lines in the Arkansas woods using a standard smartphone. Those acoustic sessions sparked a grassroots phenomenon, generating nearly one billion total views and streams across platforms. Viral anthems like “War Isn’t Murder,” “The Poor,” “That Can’t Be Right,” and “United Health” cemented his reputation for addressing contemporary social issues with plainspoken lyrics and rock-and-roll urgency.
That momentum translated into a relentless release schedule. Over a two-year period, Welles recorded eight full-length albums alongside dozens of standalone tracks. That output earned him four 2026 GRAMMY nominations, an Artist of the Year nomination at the 2026 Americana Awards, and the Spirit of Americana Award for Free Speech in 2025. His collaborations include work with Joan Baez, Billy Strings, Mt. Joy, Margo Price, and Sierra Ferrell.
Masks Off Confronts Modern Unrest
Welles’s latest studio album, Masks Off, continues his tradition of direct social commentary paired with introspective songwriting. Produced alongside Eddie Spear—who has worked with Zach Bryan and Sam Barber—the record tackles collective unrest, abuse of power, I.C.E. raids, and modern technopagans.
Alongside new material, the album features studio recordings of fan-favorite protest songs that regular concertgoers encounter on the road. Despite logging more than 280 live shows in a single year, Welles maintains that his daily life and creative process remain grounded. “I’m still living where I was living, I’m still doing what I was doing, and I’m still wearing the same jeans that I was two years ago,” Welles stated. “I’m still putting out music as fast as I can write it. I haven’t changed.”
Frequently Asked Questions About the Austin City Limits Taping
Where can viewers watch the Jesse Welles Austin City Limits livestream?
The exclusive worldwide livestream airs for free on the official Austin City Limits YouTube channel at YouTube.com/AustinCityLimitsTV.
What time does the Jesse Welles ACL livestream start?
The stream begins on Thursday, October 8, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time / 8 p.m. Central Time.
When will the episode air on television?
The recorded hour-long Season 52 episode is scheduled to premiere on PBS stations early next year.
Can fans watch the livestream after the event ends?
No. The full-set performance is available exclusively during the live broadcast event, though full episodes will be accessible on the PBS App, PBS.org, and YouTube after the television premiere.
Related reading