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Special Guests Natalie MacMaster was raised in Troy, Inverness, Nova Scotia. Brought up in a musical family that stressed their Scottish heritage, she first picked up a fiddle at the age of nine. Encouraged by her father and musically influenced by her uncle, Buddy MacMaster, a master of the Cape Breton fiddle, she maintains a busy international touring schedule. MacMaster has opened for Carlos Santana and performed alongside Celtic legends The Chieftains, in a special New York City concert honoring Luciano Pavarotti. She takes great pride in her annual trek to Nashville as an instructor at the Mark O'Connor Fiddle Camp, and likes to fill her "spare" time performing at square dances in Cape Breton. She has released five albums to date. "A Compilation" (Rounder Records) features tracks from her first two independent recordings, "Four on the Floor" and "Road to the Isle." She has also released "Fit As a Fiddle" (Rounder), her first gold record, which sold over 50,000 copies in Canada alone, "No Boundaries" (Rounder), which also earned a gold record, and "My Roots Are Showing" (Rounder), a tip of the hat to the Celtic music that first called to her to pick up the bow. Her latest recording is "In My Hands" (Rounder). In addition to her own recordings, MacMaster can be heard on The Chieftains' most recent album, "Tears of Stone" (RCA Victor). She has also released a CD-ROM, "Natalie Interactive," as well as an instructional video titled, "A Fiddle Lesson." Among the numerous awards she has garnered are the East Coast Music Association's awards for Roots/Traditional Artist, Instrumental Artist of the Year, and Female Artist of the Year. MacMaster will spend New Year's Eve performing on a cruise to South America and Antarctica, along with The Chieftans and Diana Krall. Performing with MacMaster tonight are Tom Roach (drums), John Dymond (bass), Mac Morin (keyboard), Brad Davidge (guitar), and Steve O'Connor (keyboard). Robin & Linda Williams have been frequent guests on A Prairie Home Companion since 1976. They performed on the second and third Prairie Home Companion Reunion Tours and on broadcasts from Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Universal Amphitheater. The Williamses have made numerous television appearances on the Nashville Network's "Fire on the Mountain," "Nashville Now," and "Music City Tonight." Beyond A Prairie Home Companion, the duo has also been heard on other nationwide radio programs, including the "Grand Ole Opry," "Mountain Stage" and NPR's "All Things Considered." With more than a dozen recordings and three musicals to their credit, they are considered to be among the finest songwriters in the folkcountry tradition. Recent albums include "Devil of a Dream" and "Sugar for Sugar" (both on the Sugar Hill label), and "Robin and Linda Williams and Their Fine Group—Live," Sugar Hill's rerelease of Strictly Country Records' "Live in Holland." Robin and Linda's harmonies can also be heard on Mary Chapin Carpenter's album, "Stones in the Road," and on Iris DeMent's recording, "My Life." They recently completed their latest CD, "In the Company of Strangers" (Sugar Hill), which will be released in January. As part of the Hopeful Gospel Quartet, the duo recorded a live album from Carnegie Hall (produced by Chet Atkins, on Sony Records), toured across the United States and Europe, and was featured on PBS' "Austin City Limits." Robin and Linda are joined tonight by Their Fine Group: Kevin Maul (dobro) and Jim Watson (bass).
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An Interview with Heather Masse
In a 2009 interview, Heather Masse tells us about her earliest influences, auditioning in a women's bathroom, and a few memorable moments from A Prairie Home Companion.
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).
