Dave Gant Shares Memories, Adoration of Garth Brooks, Importance of Austin City Limits

When Garth Brooks needed to hire a fiddle player in 1992, he found an Oklahoma native just like himself to rosin up his bow and lead the band. More than 30 years later, Dave Gant is still getting the job done –although he ceded most fiddlin' duties to Jimmy Mattingly years ago. He spends most of his time on keyboards.

"Austin City Limits" recently inducted Garth into its Hall of Fame. Like always, Gant was beside him for the coinciding show. Fans can watch it happen this weekend when ACL airs its 50th-anniversary episode featuring Garth and his band. "Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors Garth Brooks" will air at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 3.

In fact, Gant was with Garth every time he played ACL.

"The history is what makes it special," Gant said of "Austin City Limits." "You sit back and watch all these famous acts that have done the show.”

It was crucial to Gant to be with Garth at the monumental ACL anniversary taping, so the musician and his family rescheduled a trip to Portugal so he could be in Austin.

He doesn't regret it.

Gant has always admired Garth's willingness to take a risk. He remembers when the music video for "Thunder Rolls" was dubbed graphic by some organizations and initially met with resistance. Garth didn't back down. VH-1 added the video in high rotation and put domestic violence in the national spotlight.

"I think that a lot of the reason he's still so admired is not only his talent but his intelligence," Gant said. "He's got a good ear for songs and a good ear for songwriters. He's been able to put all that together. And the shows are great. It doesn't matter what happens, the guy never gets bogged down.”

Gant describes the concert affiliated with the ACL 50th anniversary Garth Brooks special as one of the most memorable yet – a mix of Garth's stadium shows and his recent Las Vegas residency. Gant said he and Mattingly played twin fiddles on "Beaches of Cheyenne" as they did on massive stages, but that Garth also leaned into storytelling as he did in smaller rooms.

"Garth is the ringleader of a three-ring circus," Gant said. "We all like each other, and it shows.”

"Austin City Limits" adores Garth, too – hence the honor.

"You can't tell the story of 'Austin City Limits' without Garth Brooks," said ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. "Garth gets it. He gets what makes 'Austin City Limits' special and why it's an honor for an artist to step onto that stage and deliver the best performance of their life. And it's an honor for us to share that stage with artists like Garth, who have so much to offer.”

The broadcast will stream online at pbs.org/austincitylimits and will also include Garth sharing stories and memories from his 35 years of experience performing on "Austin City Limits.”

"To be involved in 'Austin City Limits' – not only their Hall of Fame but on the 50th anniversary – it's like two-fold for me, right?" Garth said. "I mean, I've been watching this show since I was a kid. To get to be on it is a dream. To get to be now in the Hall of Fame is a dream. And to get to be part of their 50th anniversary – how's it get better than that?!"