KGSR Rebrands As ‘Austin City Limits Radio’
• Emmis Austin Radio Triple A KGSR/Austin has been reborn as Austin City Limits Radio, the result of a multi-year licensing agreement with Austin City Limits Enterprises, LLC. The newly rebranded station “offers a bold genre-jumping playlist based on the Austin City Limits brand’s legendary aesthetic,” featuring a wide array of artists ranging from Willie Nelson to Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran to Kacey Musgraves, and Radiohead to Gary Clark Jr.
Austin City Limits Radio officially launches at 5pm CT today and will air on 93.3 FM, 97.1 FM, and at ACL-Radio.com, and will kick-off with a live broadcast from Austin’s Arlyn Studios. Austin Mayor Steve Adler will do the honors and ceremonially flip the switch for the changeover. The first song to play on Austin City Limits Radio will be “Whiskey River,” the first song performed by Willie Nelson on the pilot episode of Austin City Limits in 1974.
Tom Gimbel, GM of Austin City Limits, commented, “The Austin City Limits brand has been built on integrity and a commitment to showcasing the very best in music — whether to our weekly public television audience, at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, or at a concert at ACL Live at The Moody Theater. It’s exciting to see ACL take this very natural next step by extending into radio. To partner with another of Austin’s great music beacons in KGSR, one with a 28-year history in the market, is an incredible opportunity to enrich our local airwaves and serve the Austin community.”
Emily Parker, PD of Austin City Limits Radio 93.3 and 97.1 KGSR commented, “The concept of basing a radio format on the rich history of the ACL TV show, the tastemakers at ACL Festival and ACL Live, and the curators of KGSR’s iconic radio station are what allowed us to develop this one-of-a-kind authentic Austin brand. The premise of Austin City Limits Radio is one that reflects how people actually listen to music in the on-demand digital age. There will be no format limits. Just as our audience’s personal playlists may include everything from Alternative to Pop, Country to Hip Hop, and everything in between, so will the music mix we craft on ACL Radio.”
Scott Gillmore, SVP/Market Manager of Emmis Austin Radio (and the original GM of KGSR when it debuted in 1990), notes, “This unprecedented and innovative licensing agreement with a local radio station brand and a national, even international brand like Austin City Limits is groundbreaking. It just makes sense. KGSR and Austin City Limitsare two of the most beloved music brands in Austin. Just as Austin has grown and evolved, so has Austin City Limits— and now KGSR will join in that evolution. We will be playing music and serving the Austin community in new ways with new partners. We couldn’t be more excited!” Austin City Limits Radio will continue to produce KGSR’s signature events, including Blues On The Green™, Unplugged At The Grove™ and live broadcasts from South By Southwest™ and The Austin City Limits Music Festival™.
• On Saturday, September 8, at noon CT, Austin City Limits Radio 93.3 and 97.1 KGSR will air its inaugural live performance from The Dell Music Lounge — a four-song acoustic set from Leon Bridges.
