On Saturday, PBS aired the debut appearance by Yola on the landmark Austin City Limits concert program. Among many of her own hits, the British singer-songwriter also covered “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John.
The 46th season of Austin City Limits began on October 3rd with a tribute to John Prine, featuring highlights from his eight appearances on the show from 1978 through 2018. Also featured on the forthcoming season are Rufus Wainright, Jackie Venson, The Mavericks, and tributes to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Asleep at the Wheel.
Yola’s performance on Austin City Limits is the only one of season 46 filmed before the outbreak of COVID-19 and in front of a studio audience. Watching her set, it’s strange to think that the episode just premiered, as the presence of the live audience makes it feel like the taping happened years ago in some alternate reality.
After introducing Elton John as her “all-time hero,” Yola—born Yolanda Quartey—dives into the title track from John’s 1973 record. With the current state of society so foreign to how it was just seven months ago, the titular refrain takes on added meaning as Yola symbolically says goodbye to the status quo during this performance that came just prior to the collapse of the live concert industry.
Watch Yola perform “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John on Austin City Limits. Her full episode is available now on the PBS website.
Yola – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (Elton John) – Austin City Limits
[Video: AustinCityLimitsTV]