A Prairie Home Companion for July 4, 2015
Description
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.