• Nashville Bluegrass Band - photo by Senor McGuire

    Meant To Be Blue

    This week: an August look back to November 2010, with a rebroadcast from the St. Augustine Amphitheater in St. Augustine, Florida. The Nashville Bluegrass Band pick a little on Buddy Miller's "Little Darlin'," Jacksonville native JJ Grey shows off his soulful side on "Lochloosa," and Andra Suchy joins Garrison and the band for a Florida-centric take on "Sloop John B." Plus, Guy Noir heads south to visit his friend Slats Moran, a word from Monback Brothers Trash Hauling and Storage, and in Lake Wobegon, newly widowed Becky Beckman keeps a final promise to her husband Bradley by taking his place on an annual deer-hunting trip.

  • Jorma Kaukonen - photo by Scotty Hall

    No Need for Saving

    This week: a June 2008 rebroadcast from the Blossom Center for the Performing Arts in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Freewheeling guitarist Jorma Kaukonen plays "Embryonic Journey," folk trio The Wailin' Jennys sing "Prairie Town," and our friends Robin and Linda Williams join Garrison on "Twilight." Plus, Guy Noir takes a summer job at the ballpark; a word from Bebopareebop Rhubarb Pie; and in Lake Wobegon, an old hermit moves into the Inqvists' house and plants a magnificent garden.

  • Sarah Jarosz

    Lost In The Spin

    This week, we're trying to beat the summer heat with a cool spring repeat from back in April of 2011 at The Town Hall in New York City. Sarah Jarosz sings "Come Around," Tom Rush plays "Drivin' Wheel," Shai Wosner performs Schubert's "Impromptu Op. 90 No. 2," and Sutton Foster and Colin Donnell stop by for "You're the Top" from Anything Goes. Plus: tales of getting around NYC by subway and by bicycle, and in Lake Wobegon, Lyle watches over a tundra swan that has decided to be a dog.

  • Taj Mahal

    Standin' On The Corner

    This week: we're looking back to June 2002 and a broadcast from the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Blues maestro Taj Mahal plays "Queen Bee," Western songwriter Stephanie Davis sings "June is Bustin' Out All Over," and showbiz soprano Marni Nixon joins Garrison on "Wouldn't it be Loverly." Plus, Guy Noir tracks down a missing screenplay; multi-instrumentalists Peter Ostroushko and Greg Leisz sit in with Rich Dworsky and The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band; and in Lake Wobegon, Sally Emmett gets married on the condition that it involves no Lutheranism whatsoever.

  • Chanticleer

    All'opra, All'opra!

    This week: our summer rebroadcasts continue, with a show originally from the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California back in January 2013. Chanticleer perform "I Laid Me Down to Slumber" and Sara Watkins sings "Take it With Me." Plus, Dusty and Lefty wrangle with lawless Silicon Valley desperadoes, thoughts on the perils of being a tall person, and there's a terrible flu going around Lake Wobegon.

  • Väsen

    Reser Västerut

    We're kicking off our summer rebroadcasts with a show originally from September 2013 at The Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Väsen demonstrate proper nyckelharpa technique on "Kludd'n." Chic Gamine bring the big harmonies on "Motions." Chris Thile shows off his classical chops on a few violin sonatas and partitas - yes, you read that right, it's Bach on the mandolin - and joins the boys from Sweden on "Flippen." Plus, Guy Noir tracks down a counterfeiter named Louie LeVahn; a word from Bebopareebop Rhubarb Pie; and in Lake Wobegon, the high school students take the ACT exam.

  • JD McPherson

    All Done But the Deed

    This week: it's back to where it all began, Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, for our Second Annual 40th Anniversary Live Broadcast and 4th of July Season Finale. There's great American music with JD McPherson, rock-solid rambles from Joe Newberry, and roof-raising soul from Jearlyn and Jevetta Steele. Butch Thompson adds his quintessential piano and clarinet, Tjärnblom rounds things out with a celebration of Minnesota's Scandinavian heritage, and the Macalester College Pipe Band brings some Celtic spirit. Also: a crush of characters from Tim Russell and Sue Scott, and sound effects man Fred Newman sparks fireworks and rockets; music director Rich Dworsky and the band (Bernie Dresel, Larry Kohut, Richard Kriehn, and Chris Siebold) serve up sweltering slices; and the News from Lake Wobegon, with the tried and true traditions of Independence Day in the tiny town. Light the sparklers, spin the pinwheels, and we'll see you on the airwaves for one more live broadcast before we load up and hit the road for our exciting summer tour.

  • Sarah Jarosz

    All But Gone

    This week: our penultimate live broadcast of the season, from the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Sarah Jarosz joins us with her arsenal of instruments for songs and duets with the host, and she'll be back with us in late July for our big cross-country tour. Rachel Manke is traveling light with her ukulele, and Peter Rowan adds some Old School bluegrass straight from the Big Mon tradition. Sara Bareilles and Nadia DiGiallonardo team up to belt Broadway melodies out into the Berkshires, and radio drama abounds with The Royal Academy of Radio Actors - Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and sound effects man Fred Newman. Rich Dworsky and the crisp quartet of Richard Kriehn, Jonathan Dresel, Larry Kohut and Chris Siebold will deliver summer stuff for the live broadcast, and work on remaining hydrated for the big non-broadcast sing-along that always follows our Tanglewood show. Add the mid-summer happenings in Lake Wobegon and it's all right there on your local public radio station this Saturday evening. Tune in.

  • John Fullbright - Photo by Vicki Farmer

    Ever Changing, Ever Moving

    This week's live broadcast comes to you from the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois, where you'll find some of the most wonderfully elaborate picnic spreads east of the Mississippi. Singer John Fullbright heads north from Oklahoma with his finely crafted songs of simple pleasures and resilience in the face of hard times. Guitarist Elvin Bishop returns to deliver a Windy City tempest of electric blues along with picker Bob Welsh. And violinist Rachel Barton Pine joins us to represent Ravinia's distinguished classical side. Plus: a few scripts and summer scenes featuring our Royal Academy of Radio Acting (Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Fred Newman), and Howard Levy, the Harmonica King of Chicago, sits in with music director and pianist Rich Dworsky and this week's heavy hitters, the North Side Motivators - Tom Hipskind, Larry Kohut, Richard Kriehn, and Chris Siebold. Throw in an update on the latest News from Lake Wobegon and it's entirely possible you could find worse ways to spend two hours on a Saturday evening.

  • Caleb Klauder Country Band featuring Reeb Willms

    Fine, Fresh, Clean Climate

    We're putting the pedal down and cranking all the way from the Empire State to the Evergreen State in just a few days for this week's live broadcast from the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Washington. We'll have some steadfast, fog-filtered and rain-washed honky-tonk dancehall music from the Caleb Klauder Country Band featuring Reeb Willms. Plus: The folk musicians of Skolkis bring a taste of Scandinavia to the Mediterranean of America, and a few percussive dance steps and old-time Appalachian tunes from Squirrel Butter. The Royal Academy of Radio Actors - Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Fred Newman - will show off their full range of laid-back Pacific Northwest characters and Sasquatch mating calls, pianist and music director Rich Dworsky is molding The Barolo Boys (Bernie Dresel, Richard Kriehn, Chris Siebold, and Larry Steen) into a first-class unit befitting the region's motley musical pedigree, and The Host has been running down rumors and reports for the News from Lake Wobegon. With a little luck and a lot of Duct Tape, our trusty satellite transmitter will maintain its precarious perch on top of Mount Rainier and we'll see you on the airwaves Saturday evening.