This week on A Prairie Home Companion, we're driving our radio herd southbound on the Chisholm trail, to Abilene Christian University in west Texas. With special guests, the hottest fiddler from Cowtown, Elana James, steel guitar and dobro daredevil Cindy Cashdollar, and 'how sweet the sounds' of gospel singer Jearlyn Steele. Also with us, The Royal Academy of Radio Actors; Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Fred Newman, Rich Dworsky and The Guys All-Star Boot Band, and The News from Lake Wobegon. Tune in this week for a live broadcast performance from the Lone Star State.

This week on A Prairie Home Companion, after five thousand people showed up at last week's Street Dance and Meatloaf Supper, our neighbors on Exchange Street pleaded with us to keep a somewhat lower profile. So, this week we're back indoors with legendary singer-songwriter, record producer, and brooding British balladeer, Nick Lowe. Also with us, The Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Tom Keith, The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, and persistent but unconfirmed rumors of a Joke Show segment or two. Join us this Saturday for another live broadcast performance from St. Paul.

This week on A Prairie Home Companion, we begin the new season with a live broadcast performance from the Fitzgerald Theater. With special guests Old Crow Medicine Show, Maria Jette, Butch Thompson, The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band with additional Shoe Horns: Dale Mendenhall, Michael B. Nelson, and Steven Strand, and The Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Tom Keith. Immediately following the broadcast will be our annual Street Dance and Meatloaf Supper on Exchange St., with cash prizes and gifts for contestants in the Best Loon Call, Most Beautiful Baby, Seed Identification, Sweetest Singer (12 & under), and Best Dancer contests. Mrs. Sundberg is making the meatloaf, so bring an appetite, a warm jacket, and comfortable dancing shoes.

This radio show sprang out of a loose community of acoustic musicians who were young and brash, independent, played what they loved, and lived close to the ground. People keep asking what happened to them and the answer is, they're still here, playing and leading the musical life, and this week we're bringing you a one of a kind reunion show we did recently at the Fitzgerald Theater. With very special guests including: Bill Hinkley and Judy Larson, Dakota Dave Hull, Cal Hand, Butch Thompson, Pop Wagner, Vern Sutton, Tom Keith, the Powdermilk Biscuit Band of Adam Granger, Bob Douglas, Mary DuShane, and Dick Rees, singer Becky Riemer Thompson, pianist and current Prairie Home Music Director, Rich Dworsky, mandolinist and composer Peter Ostroushko, and Minnesota's Oldest Old-Time Band, The Brandy Snifters.

This week on A Prairie Home Companion a mix of two shows we did from the Fitzgerald Theater with Stephanie Davis, Becky Schlegel, fiddler Stuart Duncan, and old-time icon Mike Seeger on the Jaw Harp. Martin Sheen makes his singing debut, Nick Lowe sings "Long Limbed Girl", and in Lake Wobegon there's been trouble brewing over the large concrete walleyes on display in the Magandantz's yard. Plus in The Story of Bob, Bob enters the Municipal Art Contest with his sculpture called "The Enormous Chairs." Sit down and take a load off for a special show from St. Paul's radio paradise, The Fitz.

Coming up this week on A Prairie Home Companion, it's a special New York City compilation show, with some of Gotham's go-to guests, including Bronx born comedian Robert Klein, Broadway stars Walter Bobbie, Faith Prince, Kristin Chenoweth and Tony Roberts, and an ode to the MTA with subway conductor Steve Lazaro. Robin and Linda Williams' alter-egos (Marvin and Mavis Smiley) flog their latest recording featuring songs about New York, Dusty and Lefty are in for a more liberal interpretation of their "partner" relationship, and cabaret star Maude Maggart sings "Talk of the Town." Plus the story of Bob the Dancer, all coming up this week.

This week on A Prairie Home Companion, we just can't say goodbye to summer sunshine, so we're bringing you a show from the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont. With Suzy Bogguss, The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, The Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, Fred Newman, and The News from Lake Wobegon. Join us this week for our final grandstand rendezvous before the massive cold fronts descend, and darkness prevails once again on the Northern borders.

This Saturday on A Prairie Home Companion, we'll bring you our deep-fried Friday night show from the Minnesota State Fair grandstand, with special guests Tonic Sol-Fa, and Suzy Bogguss. Plus The Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, Fred Newman, and Tom Keith, Rich Dworsky and The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band—with the Shoe Horns complement, and of course, The News from Lake Wobegon. GK once said "The State Fair is not a way of life, it's a reward for making it through summer. Sort of like ice cream is a reward for eating your broccoli." If you're in the area, come on down to the grandstand this Friday night and get your reward. You've earned it. Otherwise, tune-in Saturday for some Fair fun.

Coming up this week a sampling of shows from Chicago's Ravinia Festival. Jearlyn Steele sings a tribute to Mahalia Jackson, Dusty and Lefty get in the middle of dueling harmonica players, and Peter Ostroushko sits in with the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra. And because no trip to the Windy City is complete without a little blues, Pat Donohue sings the "Suburban Blues" and Ramblin' Jack Elliot sings "Hong Kong Blues." Plus, Suzy Bogguss, Howard Levy, Alice Peacock, The Hopeful Gospel Quartet, and Sam Bush.

This week on A Prairie Home Companion it's a special summertime compilation show about radio, with Studs Terkel, Bob Edwards, and Meryl Streep. Also with us, The Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, Tom Keith, and Fred Newman, the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, the Powdermilk Biscuit Band, and we'll hear the story of how Garrison got started in radio at the University of Minnesota.