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Special Guests Poet Stephen Dunn calls Billy Collins "one of our best poets," and Collins' success shows that Dunn is far from his only fan. The Best Cigarette, Collins' newly released CD of poetry, sold out in its first pressing. He has a Web site (www.bigsnap.com). His poems have been published in The Paris Review, The New Yorker, American Poetry Review, Harper's, and many other magazines. Collins' 1991 collection, Questions About Angels, was a winner of the National Poetry Series publication prize. His poetry has also been awarded the Bess Hokin Prize, the Frederick Bock Prize, the Oscar Blumenthal Prize, and the Levinson Prize. Collins' sixth book of poetry--Picnic, Lightning--has just been published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. A California native, Tom Hazleton was a student of the late, reknowned Richard Purvis at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral. He has decades of experience playing and teaching the organ, including 14 years spent as organist and associate minister of music at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and the honor of being the last staff organist at San Francisco's Paramount Theater. In 1986, Hazleton was named Organist of the Year by the American Theater Organ Society. He has released more than three dozen recordings, including Great Songs of Gershwin (Allen Organ Company). Tomorrow, at 1:30 and 4 p.m., at the Fitzgerald Theater, Tom Hazleton plays for a Laurel and Hardy silent film and then explores the many stops of the Mighty Wurlitzer with Minnesota Public Radio's Micheal Barone. These appearances mark the opening weekend of the FestivalOrgan exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Bruce Molsky & Big Hoedown is led by Bruce Molsky (fiddle, banjo), who grew up in the New York City and was introduced to southern traditional music at age 11, when his sister gave him a Doc Watson record. He began listening to recordings made in the '40s by John Salyer from Kentucky and then-during his college years-Molsky heard southern traditional music first-hand, as he traveled throughout the South, learning from legendary players such as Tommy Jarrell and Albert Hash. His debut solo CD is Lost Boy (Rounder Records). When Beverly Smith (guitar) was a teenager, she fell in love with the Carter Family and the New Lost City Ramblers. Smith is an accomplished fiddler and dance caller and has opened for Mary Chapin Carpenter and Ten Thousand Maniacs. She was previously heard on A Prairie Home Companion as part of the Heartbeats Rhythm Quartet. Rafe Stafanini (fiddle, banjo) is originally from Italy, but was drawn to the U.S. by his love of old-time music. He moved here in 1983 and a few years later became a founding member of The Wildcats. He teaches fiddle and banjo at music camps and recently released a recording, Old Paint, done with Bob Herring. Rounder Records has just released Bruce Molsky & Big Hoedown, the group's first recording. They perform a concert tomorrow (February 1) at 8 p.m. at the Brady Center on the University of St. Thomas campus. |
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Singer and songwriter Andra Suchy talks about singing duets with Garrison, and her latest album, Little Heart.
Old Sweet Songs: A Prairie Home Companion 1974-1976
Lovingly selected from the earliest archives of A Prairie Home Companion, this heirloom collection represents the music from earliest years of the now legendary show: 1974–1976. With songs and tunes from jazz pianist Butch Thompson, mandolin maestro Peter Ostroushko, Dakota Dave Hull and the first house band, The Powdermilk Biscuit Band (Adam Granger, Bob Douglas and Mary DuShane).
