I watched the livestream of the 50th PHC show in Austin last night. It was amazing! And I marveled at the differences in music, jokes and stories depending on location. Please, would you put together a DVD set of 50th anniversary livestream shows? And many thanks to nugs.net, the livestreaming was well done.
Aren’t there enough pictures of natural magnificence out there already? I suppose. “The world already full of great poems, so why should I write mine?” seems equally valid.
But just as my unimportant doggerel adds to my life, my feeble phone picture puts a zip drive of that place, at that moment—with me in it—in my own pocket, where I re-encounter it, and make little instant return trips.
I love having that tessering trigger to hand when my physical return to the South Rim is unlikely to recur.
Just finished watching the Austin show on Nugs. Fabulous! Almost as good as being there, and I've been to at least a dozen of your shows. I didn't want it to end! Thank you GK and everyone.
Question: what is the blues number Heather belted out in the second half? Man, she sang her heart out for us!
I sat alone at home alone while my wife was away babysitting our new grandson yesterday evening, and launched the Austin live stream at 7:30. I don't seem to know how to say what this show, like the one we attended at the Ryman in Nashville, means, though I keep trying in my head. I'm sure there's chaos and even conflict behind the scenes as these shows take shape. But when the music starts and you and the team take the stage, right through to the end, there is what I can only call "love," the self-giving kind, everywhere. The audience's love for you, and the team, and the work itself. Your team members' for each other and reflected back to the audience that includes me. You are well past entertainment, Mr. Keillor. Work across 50 years has helped to create this holy thing. It's ok with me if your fundamentalist upbringing compels you to make light of it. Just so you know, I know better.
Thanks for the note, Steve. I don't think there's conflict backstage. There sure isn'tt chaos. It's very peaceful, the last hour before showtime. Janis Kaiser the stage manager goes around calling "Half hour' and then "Fifteen minutes" and we sit in our separate spaces and work up a little anxiety as the stagehands eat their supper in the commissary. Elena James was warming up on her fiddle. Rich lloks through his papers. Sam and Kate and Helen sit at their table. It's rather peaceful.
Please know that, as I say this, I very much enjoy your writing and have for years.
But in your comment about people in the Grand Canyon ("Taking pictures of natural magnificence with your cellphone? I don't get it."), you miss the point. While some people "take" pictures (aka snapshots) only for purposes of jogging their memories in the future, others make carefully considered pictures important to them. The camera used doesn't define the quality of the image made. As a retired photographer, I continue to make personal images important to me. I enjoy photographing and sharing. The fact that, at 78, I use the camera in my iPhone (with its convenience and surprisingly good image quality) doesn't diminish the importance to me or the value of the image.
I seem to have missed one or more of the subjects mentioned here. I’ll have to go back and catch up. Thanks for the reminder.
I remember George McGovern as a child, and thinking he should win. He did not of course, and now I want to learn all about him.
I saw the live stream in parts since last evening, so glad you enjoy entertaining us.
I attended your show in Austin last evening. It was glorious.
Thank you so very much for continuing to do what you do.
Thank you. I enjoyed reading every word of this.
I watched the livestream of the 50th PHC show in Austin last night. It was amazing! And I marveled at the differences in music, jokes and stories depending on location. Please, would you put together a DVD set of 50th anniversary livestream shows? And many thanks to nugs.net, the livestreaming was well done.
Aren’t there enough pictures of natural magnificence out there already? I suppose. “The world already full of great poems, so why should I write mine?” seems equally valid.
But just as my unimportant doggerel adds to my life, my feeble phone picture puts a zip drive of that place, at that moment—with me in it—in my own pocket, where I re-encounter it, and make little instant return trips.
I love having that tessering trigger to hand when my physical return to the South Rim is unlikely to recur.
You go right ahead and take pictures, don't mind me.
Just finished watching the Austin show on Nugs. Fabulous! Almost as good as being there, and I've been to at least a dozen of your shows. I didn't want it to end! Thank you GK and everyone.
Question: what is the blues number Heather belted out in the second half? Man, she sang her heart out for us!
Raoul Renaud
Davis, CA
It's just "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" ––– Hank Williams sang it but Hank Masse sings it better.
GK-
I sat alone at home alone while my wife was away babysitting our new grandson yesterday evening, and launched the Austin live stream at 7:30. I don't seem to know how to say what this show, like the one we attended at the Ryman in Nashville, means, though I keep trying in my head. I'm sure there's chaos and even conflict behind the scenes as these shows take shape. But when the music starts and you and the team take the stage, right through to the end, there is what I can only call "love," the self-giving kind, everywhere. The audience's love for you, and the team, and the work itself. Your team members' for each other and reflected back to the audience that includes me. You are well past entertainment, Mr. Keillor. Work across 50 years has helped to create this holy thing. It's ok with me if your fundamentalist upbringing compels you to make light of it. Just so you know, I know better.
Thanks for the note, Steve. I don't think there's conflict backstage. There sure isn'tt chaos. It's very peaceful, the last hour before showtime. Janis Kaiser the stage manager goes around calling "Half hour' and then "Fifteen minutes" and we sit in our separate spaces and work up a little anxiety as the stagehands eat their supper in the commissary. Elena James was warming up on her fiddle. Rich lloks through his papers. Sam and Kate and Helen sit at their table. It's rather peaceful.
Well, I should have known. Thank you for describing what it’s really like ”behind the curtain.” Godspeed Garrison Keillor.
Dude !! Great pic of McGovern visiting long-haired LBJ !! I did several double-takes....but I'm sure it's
him. Many astonished Vietnam war protesters, I'm sure. "Hey, hey LBJ, Get a haircut right away!
Relaxin Rog
Please know that, as I say this, I very much enjoy your writing and have for years.
But in your comment about people in the Grand Canyon ("Taking pictures of natural magnificence with your cellphone? I don't get it."), you miss the point. While some people "take" pictures (aka snapshots) only for purposes of jogging their memories in the future, others make carefully considered pictures important to them. The camera used doesn't define the quality of the image made. As a retired photographer, I continue to make personal images important to me. I enjoy photographing and sharing. The fact that, at 78, I use the camera in my iPhone (with its convenience and surprisingly good image quality) doesn't diminish the importance to me or the value of the image.
Thank you.