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‘Prairie Home Companion’ coming to Benedict tent

Staff report
Garrison Keillor and sound effects master Fred Newman of "Prairie Home Companion."
Courtesy photo |

Garrison Keillor’s iconic radio program “Prairie Home Companion” is staging a live show at the Benedict Music Tent this summer.

The Aspen Music Festival and School, in conjunction with Belly Up Aspen, is hosting a tour stop of the show — which has been running for 41 years — on Aug. 24. Tickets are on sale now.

The local program, not taped for air, is part of its “The America the Beautiful Tour 2015.” It’s expected to run two and a half hours, starting at 7 p.m.



The show features the sweet harmony of Keillor and Sarah Jarosz; pianist Richard Dworsky; sound effects master Fred Newman; The Radio Rhubarb Band with Richard Kriehn; guitarist Chris Siebold; and perennial audience favorites Guy Noir, private eye; news from Lake Wobegon; an audience chorale; poetry declamation and many other “Prairie Home” classics.

Launched in St. Paul in 1974, the program now boasts some 4 million listeners on more than 600 public radio stations. Keillor has been honored with a Grammy, ACE and George Foster Peabody awards, the National Humanities Medal and election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His many books include “Lake Wobegon Days,” “The Book of Guys, Pilgrims: A Wobegon Romance” and “Guy Noir and the Straight Skinny.” He is the host of the daily program The Writer’s Almanac and the editor of several anthologies of poetry. In 2006, Keillor played himself in the movie adaptation of his show, directed by Robert Altman.




He also will be in Aspen in June, speaking at Aspen Words’ annual summer benefit June 24.

Tickets are $45 and $85 and are now on sale online at http://www.aspenmusicfestival.com, by phone at 970-925-9042, and at the Harris Concert Hall and Wheeler Opera House box offices.