Ray Wylie Hubbard Brings ‘Snake Farm’ to ‘Austin City Limits’ [Exclusive Video]

In October, outlaw country icon Ray Wylie Hubbard made his Austin City Limits headlining debut, and on Saturday (Jan. 23), fans will get to see the performance during a new episode of the long-running television program. Ahead of the episode's premiere, however, Hubbard's performance of his classic song "Snake Farm" is premiering exclusively on The Boot.

"Snake Farm" comes early in Hubbard's nine-song ACL set. The title track of his 2006 album sits between "Rabbit," another Snake Farm track, and "Drunken Poet's Dream," a Hayes Carll co-write that both artists recorded in the late 2000s. "Desperate Man," which Hubbard co-wrote with Eric Church for the latter's 2018 album of the same name, comes near the end of the set.

Hubbard's big Austin City Limits moment took place in a mostly empty studio, as no fans were allowed to attend the taping due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, the singer-songwriter and his band -- including Hubbard's son Lucas on guitar, his longtime drummer Kyle Schneider and Austin, Texas, musicians Bukka Allen (keys) and Gurf Morlix (bass) -- still gave it their all for the audience who will soon watch their set from home.

"There’s no good excuse for why it took Ray Wylie to finally make his debut on Austin City Limits after 46 years," says ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona, "but like a fine whiskey, some things just keep getting better with age. Ray Wylie is in his prime right now, and also like a fine whiskey, there’s no better antidote to a year-long pandemic!"

Hubbard's Austin City Limits debut episode premieres at 9PM ET on PBS stations nationwide; the episode will then be available to stream online beginning at 10AM ET on Sunday (Jan. 24). Find broadcast details for your area at PBS.org.

Now in its 46th season, ACL recently featured the War and Treaty and, in early February, will broadcast a "Texas Icons" tribute to Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver.