Randy Newman helped make this year's Austin City Limits Music Festival a success this past weekend. "We still don't know how a 67-year-old turned in our favorite set of this past weekend's Austin City Limits Festival," raves the Houston Press, "but heck if Randy Newman didn't leave us on a musical high ... Newman solo onstage with just his compositions, a smile, and an adoring crowd was one of the most magical things we would see this weekend." Newman stayed on in Austin to record his set for PBS's Austin City Limits, which will air on November 12.

Randy Newman is set to take the stage in Austin's Zilker Park as a headliner at the Austin City Limits Music Festival this weekend. The Austin American-Statesman calls him "a friend to anyone who appreciates impeccably crafted songs." Newman will stay in town for another day to record his performance on PBS's Austin City Limits, which will air for the show's full hour on Saturday, November 12.

Randy Newman will perform before a live studio studio audience at the new ACL Live at The Moody Theater in Austin, Texas, on September 19, recorded for future broadcast on PBS's Austin City Limits upcoming season. The show is giving away a limited number of passes to the taping. Enter to win by this Monday, September 12. Those chosen will receive an e-mail notification from the show with details about the taping and how to get their passes.

Randy Newman, who performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra over the weekend, concludes his Australian tour with two shows with the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House this week. The Age and Sydney Morning Herald laud Newman as "one of the greatest songwriters of the past 50 years," whose "work proves yet again that on the big questions, all too often the artists can illuminate the truth better than the essayists, the journalists and, perhaps less surprisingly, the politicians." His recent appearances on ABC Radio National's The Music Show and 702 ABC Sydney Afternoons are now online.

Randy Newman kicked off his two-week tour of Australia Friday night in a one-night-only performance with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Brisbane. "Everyone is swept along by Newman's charm," reports The Australian. "This was live performance at its best, spontaneous and heartfelt, with one of America's greatest songwriters at the helm." The Brisbane Times gives this "night of perfect tone" five stars. The Age says: "For more than 40 years, his hallowed name has comprised a two-word rebuttal to the clueless cliche that 'Americans don't get irony."

Randy Newman kicks off his two-week tour of Australia tomorrow night in a performance with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Brisbane, followed by two nights with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and two more at the iconic Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony. In the 1970s, Newman's "edgy, narrative-rich songs were part of an explosion of youthful talent bursting from the US west coast," says The Australian. "So much music from the era has been forgotten but Newman is still going strong ... He's long been acknowledged as a master songwriter: critics applaud the musical depth, edge and literary quality of his lyrics."

Randy Newman's recent appearance on Words and Music from Studio A from New York's NPR member station WFUV is now available to stream on NPR Music at NPR.org. Newman performs songs from his latest Nonesuch release, Songbook Vol. 2, and talks with host Claudia Marshall about the project. "He is, simply, one of America's greatest songwriters," Marshall exclaims, "and the hour or so we spent together is among the most enjoyable radio interviews I've ever done." Newman launches his two-week tour of Australia this Friday.

Randy Newman is the guest on Words and Music from Studio A from New York's NPR member station WFUV tonight. Newman performs songs from his new album, Songbook Vol. 2, and talks with host Claudia Marshall about the project, which takes a fresh look at both classic and more recent work in new solo takes on 16 of his celebrated songs. Newman is the subject of a week-long series of articles from Filter, which says of the Songbook albums: "These stripped-down versions expose the complexity of Newman’s piano phrasing and put his lyrics at the forefront."

Randy Newman will perform at the new ACL Live at Austin's Moody Theater on September 19; the show will be recorded for future broadcast on PBS's Austin City Limits, launching its 37th season this fall. American Songwriter gives his new album four-and-a-half stars. "You can hardly make a better case that songs can be the equal of any art form than the classics on display in The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2. The album is essential listening for those who care about American music (not just the popular variety)." The Los Angeles Times says that, "like a Picasso line drawing, he can convey mountains of emotion with the simplest of notes, chords and melodic lines ... In committing the bare bones versions to disc, he's preserved them for the ages, which is where they belong."

Randy Newman is the guest on American Public Media's Dinner Party Download this weekend, the show's 100th episode. The Christian Science Monitor says of Newman's latest album, Songbook Vol. 2: "As a gift to us and the world at large, Newman has recorded his sardonic, hilarious, and often moving repertoire in the studio, solo at the keys ... the next best thing to seeing this unique artist and American treasure live."

Randy Newman played two shows at the Arizona Biltmore this weekend, performing songs from throughout his career, including his latest album, Songbook Vol. 2. "Newman isn't just a songwriter, he's an entertainer," says the Phoenix New Times. "He knows how to tug the heartstrings, knows when to crack a smile, and knows that satire is often the best way to drive a point home." Newman discussed the new album with the Huffington Post, which calls it "wonderful," and with the A.V. Club, which cites his "penchant for deft, multivalent satire." The Irish Times gives the album five stars.

Randy Newman will be the guest on today's episode of Soundcheck from NPR member station WNYC. Newman will talk with host John Schaefer about his 40-plus year career and perform songs from his latest Nonesuch album, Songbook Vol. 2. Newman celebrates Memorial Day weekend ahead with two performances at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, which the Arizona Republic includes among the "shows of the week."