After 42 years, Garrison Keillor is stepping down as host of A Prairie Home Companion. In an interview with CBS’s Jane Pauley, Keillor said he made the decision so he could focus on his passion, writing. Replacing him is Chris Thile, who first made his appearance on the show in 1996. Thile is a talented Grammy-winning mandolinist and is a member of the folk/bluegrass band The Punch Brothers.
Keillor will host A Prairie Home Companion one last time on Saturday, July 2. The show’s new host will make his debut this fall, on October 15. A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor featured many different shows. Notables being Guy Noir, Private Eye, and The News from Lake Wobegon, “Where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.”