July 2, 2009
Good afternoon from Collegeville,
On July 6th 1974, Garrison Keillor presented the very first radio broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion from the Janet Wallace Auditorium at Macalester College in Saint Paul. Tickets were priced at $1 for adults and 50 cents for children. 12 folks showed up and the total gate came to $8. The crew and the musicians out numbered the audience in the hall. 35 years later, the national audience for APHC is over 4 million.
The inspiration for APHC came to Garrison in March of 1974. He had spent a week in Nashville doing a story on the Grand Ole Opry for The New Yorker magazine. Garrison came back to MPR and pitched the idea of a radio show to Bill Kling, founder of MPR, and in Garrison words “he took it hook, line and sinker – no committee meetings, no exchange of memos, no long discussions, just a plain yes”
This Saturday, in honor of our Independence Day Celebration, Garrison is bringing the show to Avon, Minnesota. Admission is free, thanks in part to a select group of local sponsors. Bursch Travel – American Express, St. Johns Abbey, College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, Gold’n Plump Poultry, Albany Chrysler and Mosquito Yard Guard. Be sure to thank these folks and Garrison for making this free event possible The whole town of Avon is getting ready to entertain you starting at noon. The show is a regular live national broadcast with special guests, The Lake Wobegon Brass Band, The St. John’s Boys Choir, Andra Suchy and many surprise guests. Enjoy the show. The entertainment starts early and the show goes on the air at 5 PM. I hope to see you there.
“We’re just a traveling biscuit band. For Powdermilks we’ll proudly rise and take a stand. Biscuit tunes are what we play. Won’t you try a box today?” Garrison Keillor
Category : General 