Chris Thile's new gig .. the host for Prairie Home Companion Radio Show. Thile has taken over this iconic role from the legendary Garrison Keillor, creator & host of PHC who recently retired after a long stint since 1974.
Most of us PHC diehard fans were a bit nervous when we heard the rumors that Keillor was leaving the show, and not sure who was going to be able to step into Keillor's shoes. But after many wonderfully successful guest host appearances on the show, Chris was the obvious choice to steer the radio show into the future with bringing along a younger fan base as well. Chris brings along his extraordinary musicianship, quirky upbeat personality which has currently brought a new vitality to the show.
Christopher Scott "Chris" Thile is an American virtuoso, mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and radio personality, best known for his work in the progressive acoustic trio, Nickel Creek and the aocustic folk/progessive bluerass quintet, Punch Brothers, the name was inspired by the Mark Twain story Punch Brothers.
For Punch Brother's fan's the wonderful news is that they have been chosen as the new house band for PHC!
Regarding how this all has transpired, Chris reflects on the first time he performed on PHC:
"My life has always been intertwined with the show. Some of my very earliest memories are being in our living room, listening to the show when I was two years old, and Garrison's voice emanating from the radio in the corner. At that age it was kind of unclear to me whether that might actually be my dad's voice just coming through the radio instead of from his body. Not that they sound similar, but just sort of this warm, authoritative, male voice."
Keillor had written Chris a limerick the very first time he appeared at age 15 on the show.
"Here once was a fellow maned Thile. Played mandolin wild and freely. He played for the town, while riding around on a bicycle doing a wheelie!"
Amazing, that year's later this talented, young man would become Garrison Keillor's new host!
I became a fan of Chris Thile when he was a member of the group Nickel Creek. What I have enjoyed about Thile's musical style is that he is able to meld genres of music. Though he is a mandolin player, he doesn't allow himself to get locked into the stereotypical "bluegrass" label. His style morphs jazz, rock, classical, and bluegrass into an extremely unique sound.
During a Mother Jones Magazine interview, C. Taylor Crother's states; "On top of all their revelry, what the Punch Brothers and Chris Thile are doing musically blows the pants off most of their contemporaries. Thile and the Brothers have bridged classical and bluegrass traditions, melding them with pop infused songwriting, and have come up with a sound both experimental and tightly woven".
Chris is scheduled to release a new album with Brad Mehldau, entitled Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau, coming January 27 on Nonesuch Records.
Good luck to Chris on his new hosting gig for PHC, and for his new album release.
