Jimmy Webb will share the songs and stories behind his career in Great Performances – Jimmy Webb: American Songwriter, premiering Friday, October 30, 2026, at 9 p.m. Eastern / 8 p.m. Central on PBS. The special will also stream through PBS.org and the PBS app.
Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Ashley Campbell, Shelea and Ryan Shaw join Webb for performances and reflections on his music. Recorded in February, the concert pairs the songwriter’s own stories with interpretations from the guest artists.
The country connections run deep
Webb’s songs include “Wichita Lineman,” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Galveston,” “Highwayman” and “MacArthur Park.” The broadcast also uses archival clips to look back at recordings by Glen Campbell, The Fifth Dimension, Richard Harris, Donna Summer and others.
Ashley Campbell’s participation adds a family connection to a catalog closely associated with her father, Glen Campbell. Gill and Lovett bring their own perspectives to songs that have traveled across artists and generations.
What the guests will perform
The announced program includes Gill performing “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Wichita Lineman,” Lovett performing “If These Walls Could Speak” and “Galveston,” and Ashley Campbell performing “All I Know.”
Webb, Gill, Lovett and Campbell come together for “The Highwayman.” Shelea performs “MacArthur Park,” while Webb and Campbell share “Adios.” Webb also performs and tells stories from his catalog throughout the concert.
The special arrives alongside renewed attention to his career through Yours For the Taking: The Found Songs of Jimmy Webb, a collection of previously unreleased material.
Where to watch
CountryMusicNewsBlog.com readers can visit the official PBS episode page for previews and streaming information. Check your local PBS station for its broadcast schedule.
The official program announcement has additional details. If you know these songs by heart but haven’t spent much time with the man who wrote them, October 30 offers a chance to make that connection.
