A Prairie Home Companion

I see that today is the anniversary, in 1979, of the first national broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion on National Public Radio. The show itself started in 1974 by Minnesota Public Radio. I think it must have been carried by other public radio stations before 1979, though, because I remember listening to it on WETA in Washington DC during the three years, 1975 - 1977,  I lived in Northern Virginia in Reston, VA.

In case you don't know, A Prairie Home Companion is a radio variety show. It is modeled on the old radio programs of the early to mid 20th Century. It has a great house band and a large number of famous musicians as guests. It almost always has some comedic radio "drama" segments and always has storytelling section about the mythical hometown of the host, Garrison Keillor, Lake Wobegon. That is always my favorite part.

The music is most often folk or country style but often they throw in big band music or opera or something else to keep you guessing. Once in a while they will have a special show like their annual joke show where most of the show is filled with jokes sent in my listeners. If you've never heard it, you owe it to yourself to tune into a National Public Radio station in your are on Saturday night from 6 - 8 PM and just sit back and listen. You can find a station that carries it at this page. I know you'll enjoy it.