A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

The Boys of the Lough

The Irish Times described the Boys of the Lough's music as "full of guts and technical brilliance." Since they formed in 1967, the band has done dozens of tours, to the U.S. and worldwide, all the while keeping the centuries-old music of Ireland and Scotland close to its roots. The Boys are Dave Richardson (mandolin, cittern, concertina, button accordion), from Northumberland; Cathal McConnell (flute, whistles), from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland; Kevin Henderson (fiddle), from the Shetland Islands; Brendan Begley (button accordion), from the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry; and Garry O'Briain (guitar), who calls County Clare home. Midwinter Live is their latest recording.

Jake Speed and the Freddies

Folk, bluegrass, ragtime band Jake Speed and the Freddies first got together eight years ago, busking on the streets of Cincinnati. They still hold to this tenet: "If you ain't good enough for the street corner, what are you good for?" Their traditionalist approach to the old-timey style has won them the respect of listeners and critics alike. Their honors include four Cincinnati Entertainment Awards and a couple of CAMMYs (Cincinnati Area Music Awards). The band is Jake Speed (guitar, harmonica, kazoo, washboard), "Kentucky" Graham Hentschel (tenor guitar), Justin Todhunter (mandolin), and Chris Werner (bass). A new album, World Come Clean, was just released.

Andra Suchy

Andra Suchy spent her childhood on a farm near Mandan, North Dakota, the daughter of two talented singers. By the time she was in grade school, she was traveling around, doing concerts and festivals with her family. These days, she sings with several groups in the Twin Cities area — including the all-girl trio The Dollys. She also works as a back-up singer and as a jingle singer on commercials for White Castle, Target, and more. Andra's solo CD is called Patchwork Story.

Guy's All-Star Shoe Band

The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band is led by A Prairie Home Companion music director Richard Dworsky. A keyboard master with an arsenal of ideas, he has worked with artists from Al Jarreau to Kristin Chenoweth to the Hopeful Gospel Quartet. His latest CD is So Near and Dear to Me (Prairie Home Productions).

Chet Atkins called Pat Donohue (guitar) one of the greatest finger pickers in the world today. And he writes songs too — recorded by Suzy Bogguss, Kenny Rogers and others. Freewayman (Bluesky Records) is the most recent of Pat's nine albums.

Gary Raynor (bass) has performed with the Count Basie band, Sammy Davis Jr. — with whom he toured for several years — and the Minnesota Klezmer Band. He teaches jazz bass at the McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul.

Peter Johnson (percussion) has played klezmer music with Doc Severinsen and jazz with Dave Brubeck. He was a drummer for The Manhattan Transfer and for Gene Pitney. He has toured the world, but he always comes back to home base: Saint Paul.

Andy Stein (violin, saxophone) definitely has far-flung musical leanings. He collaborated with Garrison Keillor to create the opera Mr. and Mrs. Olson, and he has performed with artists such as Itzhak Perlman, Eric Clapton, Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan.

Venue: Music Hall

Music Hall has been the center of Cincinnati's cultural life for 130 years. Completed in 1878 for the Cincinnati May Festival, today Music Hall is also home to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Opera. Designed by the noted Cincinnati architectural firm of Hannaford and Procter, the building is a masterpiece of High Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. It is actually three buildings under one roof and for many years served as the city's "convention center," hosting industrial expositions, sporting events and even the 1880 Democratic National Convention. Music Hall owes its existence to Rueben Springer, a millionaire music lover, who recognized the need for a place to present musical events and expositions. He matched the $125,000 raised by the citizens of Cincinnati, including $3,000 from school children, to construct the hall. In 1895, the main auditorium was redesigned with two balconies and a fully equipped proscenium stage and orchestra pit. The artwork in the domed center of the ceiling dates from this era. The painting by Arthur Thomas depicts an Allegory of the Arts. The most extensive renovation of the hall took place in 1969, spearheaded by J. Ralph Corbett and the Corbett Foundation. One of the most magnificent features of the auditorium was added at this time — the grand chandelier with its thousands of hand-cut crystals. Music Hall was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974.