Bonnie Raitt joined Brandi Carlile on the Austin City Limits stage to revisit John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” during Carlile’s induction into the ACL Hall of Fame. The duet brought together Prine’s composition, Raitt’s decades-long history of singing it and Carlile’s recognition by the long-running television institution.
The performance was recorded on July 1, 2026, at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, where Carlile was the sole 2026 inductee into the ACL Hall of Fame. Raitt delivered Carlile’s formal induction before joining her onstage with guitars in hand. Concert footage shows the two musicians sharing verses on the track, offering The Music Man readers a powerful look at multi-generational collaboration in American roots music.
The song dates to John Prine’s self-titled debut album in 1971. Written from the perspective of an older woman confronting the monotony of her daily domestic routine, the lyrics explore quiet frustration and an unfulfilled desire for escape. Prine was in his twenties when he wrote the vivid first-person portrait, whose grounded narrative quickly resonated with other performers in folk and country circles.
Raitt recorded her version of the song for her 1974 album Streetlights, and it has remained a cornerstone of her live catalog for more than five decades. Over the years, she has shared the song with various collaborators, including Carlile in previous live performances. Their Hall of Fame rendition continued that history, with Carlile singing harmony. Carlile and Raitt also joined forces during the ceremony to deliver a spirited rendition of Raitt’s signature blues cover.
Austin City Limits released the five-minute performance video on YouTube on September 11, ahead of the PBS broadcast of Episode 5202 on September 12. The published television broadcast set list included their duet of “Love Me Like a Man” but did not list “Angel From Montgomery,” while Austin City Limits described the online clip as a special bonus video from the ceremony. One viewer wrote, “Congratulations Brandi on your official welcome into the Austin City family. Beautiful duet. Thank you John Prine for all you have bequeathed us.”
The concert marked Carlile’s fourth headline appearance on the program, following tapings in 2010, 2018, and 2022. Raitt entered the ACL Hall of Fame in 2016, while Prine received his induction during an earlier ceremony. All three artists have performed on the program across multiple generations.