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'A Prairie Home Companion' Celebrates 40th Anniversary
July 7, 2014 at 6:02 PM (PT)
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Public radio mainstay "A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION" turned 40 years old on SUNDAY (7/6), and the occasion was commemorated with a three-day festival at MACALESTER COLLEGE in ST. PAUL, where the AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA show's first broadcast was performed in 1974.
Creator and host GARRISON KEILLOR told the MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE's NEAL JUSTIN, "I avoid getting choked up. It’s not in good taste," adding the recollection that at the first show, several audience members walked out because the venue "was too fancy for us. It was a beautiful little concert hall built for classical music, and we were just this little country music show.”
MINNESOTA Governor MARK DAYTON declared SUNDAY "A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION Day" in the state, with almost 40 towns renaming themselves "LAKE WOBEGON" for the day; Sens. AL FRANKEN (D-MN) and AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN) entered a Senate resolution honoring the show as well.

