I noticed recently that Prairie Home Companion hasn't been showing up on Sunday afternoon. I wanted to check-in -- is that a permanent schedule change?- Jack Tolbert
This is correct. With Garrison Keillor retiring and Chris Thile taking the reins, A Prairie Home Companion will continue to be the only live music and variety show aired nationwide Saturday nights 5-7 PM but will not be repeated on Sundays.
This year will be a transitional one as Thile reworks the program while hosting a 30-week season, including live broadcasts, produced shows, and repeats. The program will become more music intensive in accordance with Thile's background. Thursday, Thile introduced the new house band in this video (it includes Sarah Jarosz who performed at the Sangamon Auditorium during the 2014-2015 season and has family ties in Springfield):
American Public Media, the program's producer and distributor, plans the new season to begin October 15, with live shows announced for that date along with October 22 and 29, November 19, December 3 and 10. In total, this season will feature 13 live shows in addition to repeats of past shows hosted by Keillor.
Thile expresses his vision for A Prairie Home Companion, “The template Garrison created is infinite in its capacity to surprise, delight, and comfort, and is as malleable as it is sturdy. Being able to explore what can be done with it on a weekly basis is as thrilling a prospect as I can possibly imagine.”
Get a better sense of Thile in this appearance on Chicago Tonight:
