Post to the Host

Comments from the week of 12.31.23

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Dear Garrison,

I am thrilled to know you have some space for the Grateful Dead. I caught your D.C. show in October 2022, and I darn near fell over at your opening remarks when you announced, “We’ve got an opera singer with us tonight who insists we do a Grateful Dead song!” Or something to that effect. The Attics of my Life that ensued (with a string quartet, no less! And then, fast-forward to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in July 2023, and there it was again, sans strings, but just as beautiful. I am sure you are aware of Deadheads following the band around, well, not sure what to call those of us that catch as many of your shows as we can — Keillorites?

Then along comes your Post to the Host on October 4th, 2023, wherein you reflect on the euphoria of Brokedown Palace in a hockey rink in Minnesota in 1970 or so. I was all set to write and tell you about archive.org where you can find a recording of just about any show, but I was scooped on October 9 by a fellow Deadhead pointing out that it must have been 1973. On the off chance that you got the hockey rink part wrong, but the year right (or so), I call your attention to October 10, 1971, Northrop Auditorium:

https://archive.org/details/gd1971-10-19.sbd.miller.114351.flac16. A lovely Brokedown Palacehere as well — and broadcast live on KQRS, apparently.

You are right about the band not always getting their harmonies right, but they did in fact do Brokedown Palace live 218 times (saw three or four of them) and Attics 49 times (didn’t see any). I only got to see the actual Grateful Dead 23 times (hardly any by comparison to other Heads), but one thing about the shows was the “never knowing what you were going to get.” The anticipation was half the fun. When a song flopped (as they did many times in the final years), well, so what. But when a song, or a harmony, or a Jerry guitar lick landed just right, well, euphoria indeed.

Thank you for all that you do. Can’t wait to see your next show, and I promise not to camp in the parking lot.

Chris Cahill

Arlington, Virginia

Usually I edit Posts to a modest length but I didn’t cut a word of yours, Chris, because it carries a tone of fanhood that is beyond what most of us know, which is rather fascinating. I never was a Deadhead, nor a head of any sort, saw them once or twice, but loved that American Beauty LP and played it often, sometimes hoping to inspire writing. Looking forward to doing Attics in Nashville on the 11th, hoping that Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas and Stuart Duncan might join the ladies and me. My hero wasn’t Jerry Garcia, though I did love his acoustic jugband stuff, but rather John Updike and I have a shelf of his later work, unread, that I’m saving for my old age, doling it out, year by year. GK

Garrison,
We have listened to your live broadcasts, attended live shows when we lived in Minnesota, and now listen to shows on your website.
We grew up in a branch of the brethren, called Exclusive, by the time we left. Those still inside will not have anything to do with us.
But … when we got a radio, we discovered your broadcasts.
Left Minnesota a long time ago, lived on a sailboat for many years. Settled in Florida after Russell had a health problem.
Saturday night is still A Prairie Home Companion night for us. Glad all the shows are on your website.
Thanks.
Anne and Russell Symington

Good to meet some fellow Exclusives. The Plymouth Brethren, over their history, have been excluding themselves into small creeks and rivulets, what once was a major river of Protestantism. My parents stayed with the cult to the ends of their lives but their six children, in due course, one by one, left, and it was sad to see. What really extinguished them was the joylessness of their doctrinal righteousness. Orthodoxy didn’t satisfy the soul. GK

GK,

Just like there are Seeing Eye dogs what you saw was a hearing-ear dog. One of the many emotional support-type animals you see on airplanes these days.

Robert Moats

Are you referring to the dog I saw on the New York subway wearing earbuds? I had the impression the buds were for the dog’s benefit, not the owner’s. I should’ve asked. GK

GK,

My husband and I have tickets to the show in Manhattan, Kansas, on January 13th. This will be our twelfth Garrison Keillor performance to attend. We’ve seen shows in Las Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, Boise, Ketchum, Pocatello, and Salt Lake and they were all fabulous! I hope that we will sing Can’t Help Falling in Love during the sing-along. In my opinion, singing that song makes the show just perfect!
Thanks!
Kathleen Morgan

I’ll try to keep that in mind. We used to do a standing, singing intermission at the shows but some people argued that audiences like to have a real intermission, so lately we’ve cut back on the sing-along. We’ll see how well Kansas does on America and the Battle Hymn and make a last-minute decision. GK

GK,

Quibble but indeed more than that to some: your reference to an “ex-Marine” was noted by this Army “Soldier” who admires and respects my fellow service members, who served as Marines. This is what they say about the “ex” qualifier: Because the past Commandant General James Amos took out the confusion and he decreed that all Marines (except for those with Bad Conduct or a Dishonorable Discharge), whether on active duty, retired, or people that have already served in the USMC, to be called Marine. No ex or former Marines, just Marine. I know they appreciate that. Keep up the good work, and fight, Garrison, you are a national treasure.

Charles Turner

That’s fine for General Amos to declare and for Marines to observe, as they please, but for us unmariners it doesn’t make sense. A Marine is someone in the uniform, that’s why it’s capitalized: it isn’t about a feeling of personal identity. Same with “student” — it refers to a person enrolled in a school, not simply a studious person. GK

Dear Mr. Keillor,
I’ve been a big fan of your work since the BBC packaged up APHC into one-hour shows on what was then BBC Radio 7.
I have recently suffered from a period of illness, which has taken me into hospital repeatedly this year. I think I’m coming to the end of it … but time will tell.
Your writing, Substack, and links to old APHC episodes have been really helpful in keeping me entertained, distracted, and vaguely sane over this year.
With kindest regard,
Dr. Matthew T. Piccaver

Glad to hear you’re recovering, Doctor. I’ve wondered what it’s like for a physician to be ill, especially one who happens to specialize in the particular illness and who knows precisely what is happening in his or her own body. I’m ignorant of all that but seem to be in fairly good shape at 81, especially for one whose idea of exercise is getting up out of a chair and going for more coffee. I’m fortunate to have a cousin who’s a physician (retired but still well-informed), which is a handy thing. More people should encourage their children in the direction of the health sciences: it’s much more useful to have a doctor in the family than to have a writer or pianist. GK

Just bought what I hope is the winning Powerball ticket for tonight’s drawing. If I win, my longtime friend and former Grad school roommate are planning a luxury trip to Nashville (from Central Ohio) to see you at the Ryman. Wish me lucky clothes!

Kathleen Dougherty

If you win the Powerball, I should think you and the friend could rent the Queen Mary and take a couple thousand of your closest friends on a cruise to the Caribbean. Count me in, if you do. I’d be happy to wait on table for my keep. GK

I recently read your essay about Methodists and forwarded it to both Methodists I know. Have you perchance given Southern Baptists similar treatment? In which essay collection might such a treatment be found? Thanks.

Bill Schwan

I’m in awe of Southern Baptists, despite whatever odd paths their politics may take, because when I do a show down South and have the audience sing a cappella and include How Great Thou Art or It Is Well with My Soul, the singing breaks my heart, it’s so beautiful. Almost as good as Mennonites. GK

Mr. Keillor,

I am leaving my job as a Professor in Environmental Engineering and one of my goals is to write short stories about growing up in Lackawanna, New York. I have told these stories verbally, mostly after a few drinks, and several people said I should write them as short stories or maybe combine them into a book similar to your work. I joined Master Class and was disappointed to see that you are not an instructor. I do see that you have a YouTube channel, and I am watching the videos. You have brought a great deal of laughter to my life, and I wanted to thank you for that.

Sincerely,
Brian Reed

Good luck with the writing, Mr. Engineer, and don’t waste too much time thinking about writing and hearing other people talk about writing — the rule is: Get it down. And the second rule is: All writing is rewriting — nothing is ever finished. GK

Hi, Garrison.
I haven’t seen or heard you in a long, long time. Ever since that raw deal that came down on public radio.

Anyway … two things: Will you be in Seattle anytime in 2024? And are you supporting RFK Jr.? That sums it up for me. Hope to see you soon.

Russ

1.Hope to be in Seattle in 2024 but don’t have a date yet. 2.No. GK

Reaching out to introduce myself and let you know if you are looking for a makeup artist/hairstylist for your upcoming Ryman Show. I am available and local to Nashville.

Best Wishes,
Sandy Jo

Thanks for the offer but I don’t do makeup and I just run my fingers through my hair on the way to the stage. I’m from the Sixties, kid, and we were suspicious of glossiness and we never got over it. But I’d love to see you work on other people. I’ll bet you’re good. GK

For you, Garrison, from Rich Borofsky, an admirer.

A New Year’s Wish for 2024

Very sweet of you. A kind limerick. How unusual. I was expecting the last line to be “Despite all the things that you do.”

Dear Garrison,

My wife, Jamie, and I first saw you in 2017 in Little Rock. We were still just dating and in college then. We’ve since married and are expecting a baby this summer.

We’ll be at your show at the Ryman next week, and that day happens to be her 25th birthday. I wondered if I could prevail on your generosity to wish her a happy birthday during the show.

No hard feelings if not; we’re just happy to see you touring again, especially in “the pews.”

Best wishes,

Iain Montgomery

How about we sing Can’t Help Falling in Love With You? GK

Hi, Garrison.

Thanks for reminding me that I’m going to turn 70 in a few months … I giggled at both of the rabbi jokes, so I guess that makes me officially a senior!

But you also reminded me of the peculiar but interesting experience of watching those around you under the influence of alcohol (or other mood-altering substances) when you are not. When I was in grad school back in the ’70s, parties usually included a circle of friends passing around the communal joint. I pretended to partake, but just as with earlier attempts to smoke cigarettes, I discovered I had a phobia to inhaling anything; I couldn’t even imagine sucking in bronchodilator medication. So it was entertaining to accompany my friends to the local 7-Eleven as they hunted for munchies; I felt like I had stumbled on another planet where the locals found everything hilarious. (I recall one of these excursions featured looking at a Penthouse magazine and howling with laughter over the letter column. Oh, to have had cell phone cameras back then …)

Wishing you and your family all the best in 2024,
Patricia McCormack

You sort of lost me when you went into the 7-Eleven, my dear, but I salute your reluctance to inhale smoke. I don’t recall that smoking weed made my friends more susceptible to hilarity though; I recall that it led to a great deal of forgettable poetry. Guess I was with the wrong crowd. GK

Dear GK,

I hope you and your family had a wonderful cruise in the Caribbean. In 1976, the Duluth District Dental Society chartered a British West Indies Airlines 707 and flew from Duluth to Port of Spain Trinidad, drinking the plane dry on the way. From Trinidad it was a short hop to the lovely island nation of Tobago where we stayed at a Radisson of all places. I asked one of the local folks, how to pronounce Tobago, was it Toe-BAY-go or Toe-BAH-go? He replied, “It’s Toe-BAY-go, we are Toe-BAY-gans, not Toe-BAH-gans!”

Happy New Year!

Bill Stein

You chartered a 707 and flew to the Caribbean and all you came back with was one pun??? Anyway, we had a fine time down there and I came back with about 5,000 words of a new novel. GK

Have always loved your work, including your post of January 2. Lord help me, my ancestors were from Yorkshire, then built Berkeley Plantation, and had slaves. The guy who built it was struck by lightning looking out a window. Then came the presidents. I wouldn’t be here without any of ’em, so God bless them, I guess?

Hartwell Harrison

Too late to bless them, but bless you, sir. Enjoy your days. GK

Garrison,

I know it makes the Brethren in you tingle when your wife puts her hand on your shoulder but you must have told us a thousand times that she does it. I don’t suppose you will come up with something else.

L. Ritchie

Hastings, Minnesota

She has said the same to me and I shall try to avoid bringing it up again. GK

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