November 5, 2022 -- Classic Rebroadcast

[dwarnold]

This week on the classic A Prairie Home Companion program, we revisit another one of the earliest shows in the online archives. It’s from the Fitzgerald Theater on November 7, 1998, with Balfa Toujours, Roy Rogers, and Vern Sutton. Also with us, the Royal Academy of Radio Actors (Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Tom Keith) and the Guy’s All-Star Shoe Band.

Highlights include talk about lutefisk and the weather, visits with a few famous celebrities, Guy Noir, Catchup, and Prestige Parents. Roy Rogers picks along to “Down Home Girl,” Balfa Toujours cranks up some Cajun heat on “Bosco Stomp,” and Vern Sutton tackles “In the Garden,” plus the latest News from Lake Wobegon.

www.prairiehome.org/shows/58091.html

[dwarnold]

November 7, 1998

00:00 Logo
00:12 Tishomingo
01:36 It's Been a Big Week in Minnesota ...
04:53 Mean Woman with the Green Eyes
07:52 Applause
08:04 GK Segue
08:55 Famous Celebrities
13:51 Applause-GK Intro Balfa Toujours
14:39 Bosco Stomp
17:55 Applause-Christine Talk
18:19 Balfa Waltz
20:01 Applause-Dirk Powell Intro Next Tune
20:24 Reel De Courville
22:38 Applause-GK Back Announce
23:08 GK Talk about Norsefest/Lutefisk Festival
29:08 Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
32:28 Applause-GK Back Announce
33:01 Rhubarb-Job Interview
36:59 Applause-GK Intro Roy Rogers
37:56 Gertie Ruth
41:50 Applause-GK Talk About Roy/Ramblin' Jack
43:09 My Lost Home in Your Arms
46:32 Applause-GK Segue "Blues in the Schools"
47:46 Down at Josephine's
51:04 Applause-GK Back Announce
51:30 Guy Noir-Jesse Ventura Visits Jimmy's
1:02:40 Applause-Segue to Intermission
1:03:04 Miss Anabelle Lee
1:07:00 Welcome Back to the Second Half/Greetings...
1:10:35 Happy Birthday to Harry Blackmun
1:11:54 The Law is The True Embodiment
1:15:07 Applause-GK Talk with Vern Sutton
1:16:05 Abide with Me/In the Garden
1:20:03 Applause-Thank You Vern Sutton
1:20:32 Prestige Parents
1:23:11 Applause-Intro Roy Rogers
1:23:44 Down Home Girl
1:26:26 Applause
1:26:41 Monologue
1:48:55 Sweet and Lovely
1:51:09 Ketchup
1:53:55 Applause-Final Credits
1:55:44 Hip et Taiau Playoff
1:58:36 Big Applause

[dwarnold]

Balfa Toujours, meaning Balfa Always, is headed by Christine Balfa, the daughter of the great Cajun fiddler Dewey Balfa. Courtney Granger adds to the family affair with his soulful singing and fiddling. Kevin Wimmer, one of the finest fiddlers around, is a founding member of Balfa Toujours. He studied directly with Dewey for many years. When Courtney and Kevin take off on twin fiddle adventures, they can steal your breath away. Add Jean-Jacques Aucoin on accordion and Shane Guidry on bass, and you get the passion and family musical heritage that keeps dancers always on the floor. Along with Balfa Toujours’ beautiful renditions of traditional songs, the band’s original music brings lyrics that are always thoughtful, whether hilarious, or penetratingly sad.

Early on, Roy Rogers discovered his love for the blues and slide guitar and became known for making music that’s “deep and funky.” Born in Redding, California, in 1950, Roy began playing guitar at twelve years of age. A year later, at age 13, he was performing in a rock ’n’ roll band that wore gold lamé jackets and played Little Richard and Chuck Berry tunes. He discovered the great blues players early on, especially when his older brother brought home an album by Robert Johnson. Thus began his love of the blues and slide guitar, which had an immediate effect on Roy, who was indeed named after the King of the Cowboys. Through the years he developed a distinctive style of playing slide guitar — one that is instantly recognizable.


Vern Sutton has collaborated with major musical organizations as a singer, actor, director, and educator. He was a founding member of the Center Opera Company, which became the Minnesota Opera, and composers Dominick Argento, Robert Ward, Conrad Susa, Libby Larsen, and others have written for his voice. For 36 years, he taught at the University of Minnesota School of Music, and for four summers he was artistic director of Opera in the Ozarks. Vern was a guest on the very first broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion.

[jspnrvr]

Thanks for all the hard work, dw. Looks like a good show. Afraid I'll have pass this week. I had my f/u with the surgeon's MA on Wednesday, everything pronounced OK. I'm just tired. You guys take care.

[doctork]

Tuned in and listening as background for multitasking to yet another oldie show from 1998. I remember my surprise when Venture was elected - quite a surprise.

[doctork]

Jay and I saw Ramblin' Jack at Elko in 2020 right before the Great Shutdown. I bought my ticket to see him again again at Elko early nect year. I don't like to miss historic opportunities.

[doctork]

Vern Sutton usually led Choir Practice on the APHC cruises. That was wonderful, except they often occurred at crack=of=dawn hours such as 0900/