LifeNotes: ‘Austin City Limits’ Founder Bill Arhos Dies

Bill Arhos, former executive producer/president/GM of Austin City Limits, passed away April 11 in Austin, Texas at the age of 80.

Arhos led the show’s production since its start, from 1974-1999, then as president/GM from 1986. He has served on the boards of PBS and the CMA.

Arhos was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, Rice University, in 2007. He was an inaugural inductee to the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2014 alongside Willie Nelson, Darrell Royal, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble.

Austin City Limits is the longest running music series in American television history, now with its own music festival (ACL Music Festival, 2002), and concert venue (ACL Live at the Moody Theater, 2011). The program was created by KLRU and broadcast by PBS for the past 20 years. Since then it has received the institutional Peabody Award, is an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark and the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts.