Re: Chris Thile Begins a New Era with APM Radio
Originally Posted by
Brian Harris
This is a music-lover's show now....
We should be a bit realistic: it's UNrealistic to expect the new show to have as broad an appeal as A Prairie Home Companion. Whatever we may think about Garrison Keillor as a performer (or about his personality and off-mic behavior), he succeeded in creating a sort of "alternate universe" for APHC fans. I used to get the Wireless catalog of Lake Woebegone etc. gear -- clothing, books, recordings, chachkies. Not that I bought any, but it was clear that the old show had a real merchandising side.
Live From Here has its own personality -- probably one that we, as "music heads," prefer to Guy Noir and Dusty & Lefty. We've heard all the "News From Lake Woebegone" we probably need to for our lifetimes. But there was a significant segment of APHC listeners who just sat through the music -- other than the parodies and comedy songs -- and waited for the skits and monologues. And at these, it was hard to beat Keillor and his writers and actors.
What worries me is that there may be some attrition along the public radio path ahead. There are a lot of good public radio music programs –– I hold up Mountain Stage as a fine example. A Prairie Home Companion was close to unique, for better or worse, and it attracted a really strong following. We shouldn't be confident that Live From Here will be as successful.
I know we all have been waiting most of our lives for a national show featuring a star mandolin player. Well, we have one, but national media success is hard to achieve, even on public radio. Let's hope.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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