Drive Time

Willie Nelson, at a 1994 Austin City Limits, joins old friends on ACL this week. I could have run a picture of Mick Jagger, ya know.

Lucinda Williams had just walked off the Austin City Limits stage after rehearsal for the evening's taping. Producer Terry Lickona was waiting with a grin on his face, and presented Lucinda with a photograph of herself playing on the Drag in the mid-Seventies that had been retrieved from the ACL archives. Recounting the presentation of the photograph during the taping later that evening, Williams commented about playing on the streets: "And that's where it all started."

That was my personal inside look at ACL, but viewers will get their own insight into the national series in KLRU: Behind the Scenes (8/6, 8pm) with Brit songwriter Billy Bragg. Both Bragg's Austin City Limits performance and the station's new "Public Square" initiative will be highlighted, as well as internal changes and developments. As I read up on August programming, Williams' comment echoed in my head. KLRU existed before Austin City Limits started about 24 years ago, but the relationship between the two is a lot like Lucinda and the Drag — in a way, it's where it got started.

Getting started and staying alive is an ongoing effort, though, and that's the reason for the station's seasonal fundraisers. The KLRU August Membership Drive (8/13, 8pm, KLRU) begins next Thursday and will continue through August 30. Why support it? Because the quality of programming is well worth it. [Note: My editor Louis Black is on the KLRU Board of Directors. I always forget this until someone nudges me about possible conflict of interest.]

When the drive begins on the 13th, it will bring with it a variety of programs illustrating the station's broad appeal, but you needn't wait until then for a taste of it. Oh sure, regular readers of this column know I go ga-ga over the amount of Celtic programming on KLRU, but let's talk about the hot show on PBS, Antiques Roadshow (Mondays, 8pm).

Antiques Roadshow travels from town to town across America, inviting people to bring in those family heirlooms and that weird vase dear Aunt Milly left in the will to be appraised by a panel of arthouse collectors and antique experts. AR's season starts officially in January, but I am a latecomer to its rather addicting presentation, which includes knowledgable commentary by experts from auction houses such as Sotheby's, Christie's, and Butterfield & Butterfield. AR has not passed up Texas, either — they traveled down to San Antonio in their 1997 season, assessing dueling pistols, old dolls, and a pocket watch that may have belonged to Pancho Villa. While on location, host Chris Jussell usually provides a little flavor with visits to local historical sites of interest; in San Antonio, they visited the Riverwalk, the Spanish Governor's Mansion, and, of course, the Alamo. On August 17, Antiques Roadshow's best-of segment serves nicely as an introduction to the series.

(With all respect to the fine folks at KLRU, I have to tease them about the press release for the membership drive, which contained the most dreaded of PBS typos: The final paragraph noted that KLRU is a member of the Pubic Broadcasting Service.)

On this week's Austin City Limits (8/8, 7pm) in a songwriters special, it's old home week for some of the original cosmic cowboys who will weave more contemporary magic with their music. Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Billy Joe Shaver are joined by country chanteuse Kimmie Rhodes for an evening of laid-back pickin' and singing.

Ballykissangel (8/9, 8pm) is the other program I get queries about from friends who have found themselves hooked on the adventures of Father Mac. This quirky mystery series is set in Ireland and the fans of the show I know are as rabid about it as Simpsons fans.

Mystery fans (who probably keep their televisions permanently set between KLRU and A&E) will want to know that the Membership Drive commences with, naturally enough, Mystery! (8/13, 8:05). Patricia Routledge of Keeping Up Appearances stars in the title role of the miniseries "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates." This week's show is followed by an episode of Keeping Up Appearances (8/13, 9:40pm), Routledge fans will want to know.

"Frank Sinatra: The Very Good Years" is featured on Great Performances (8/14, 8:05; repeats 8/15, 6pm), and culls the best songs from some 13 television specials of his. Italian-Americans II: A Beautiful Song (8/14, 10:05) follows, a continuation of the series that celebrates Italian culture in American life. More musical performances are on tap for Saturday with James Taylor Live in Concert (8/15, 8pm; repeats 8/19, 9:30pm), Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters (8/15, 9:50pm), and Sheryl Crow and Gillian Welch featured on Sessions at West 54th (8/15, midnight).

You didn't think I'd miss the chance to beat the bódhran for anything that vaguely smelled Celtic, did you? I missed Gael Force (8/16, 6pm) the last time it showed, but set my VCR a couple of weeks ago when I saw it playing again. It's followed by Riverdance: Live From New York City (8/16, 8pm), an updated version of BillWhelan's incredibly popular stage show of Irish dance that now includes the immigrant experience.

You realize this barely taps into August programming, that there are two more weeks of shows not to be missed. Hetty Wainthropp investigates further on Mystery! (8/20, 8pm); the Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon 1998 (8/22, 6pm) replays their most recent tour highlights; The American Experience (8/23, 6pm) follows the life and political career of Lyndon Baines Johnson; and Chicano! History of the Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement (8/31, 10pm) traces 10 years of its rocky and often painful efforts.

Entertainment, history, dance, pop culture, business, music, politics ... KLRU's programming is worth your support. That, after all, is where it starts.