6/2/88-One farewell is not enough for New York-based Keillor

VICTOR STREDICKE June 2, 1988 – New York City is sitting quite well with Garrison Keillor, thank you.
Based on “rehearsals” at Middlebury College in New York, it seems likely that Keillor, famous for extolling life in Lake Wobegon, Minn., will discuss his New York digs in “The Second Annual Farewell Performace” of “A Prairie Home Companion,” broadcast at 8 p.m.

Saturday on KUOW, 94.9 mHz.

Associated Press quotes Keillor as saying he plans an annual “farewell performance” each June.

Keillor had been host of the Minnesota-based “A Prairie Home Companion” for 13 years (eight years broadcast in Seattle), but he ended the series last June 13, to move to his new wife’s native Denmark. Reruns air at 10 a.m. Sundays on KUOW.

He remained in Denmark only a few months, however, and has set up residence in New York City.

Keillor told his college audience he would see pictures of the U.S.A. and “I would miss my hometown. It’s become a paradise ever since I’ve moved away.”

In Lake Wobegon (“the little town that time forgot”), Keillor once recalled a schoolteacher so intellectual that he once visited New York, and liked it.

The Norwegian bachelor farmers in Lake Wobegon must have shaken their collective heads over coffee at the Chatterbox Cafe, but it should be little surprise to fans of Keillor, a frequent writer in The New Yorker.

Musical performers on this farewell performance include Chet Atkins, Leo Kottke, Butch Thompson and Robin and Linda Williams. An episode of “Buster the Show Dog” is scheduled.

Pilot-training series

Rick Van Cise, Newsradio 71 reporter, presents a 15-part series titled “Jet Jockeys,” beginning Monday, with different installments at 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. each weekday on KIRO, 710 kHz.

Van Cise spent two weeks in the pilot survival training program at Whidbey Island Naval Air Base, talking to pilots who have flown missions from Grenada to the Persian Gulf.

Making the news himself

Greg Tantum, program director, and KING-AM parted company this week. Tantum had guided the station from its newspaper-of-the-air phase into its “news-talk” mode, usually from behind the scenes. His flash with familiarity was when J Michael Kenyon referred to him as “the esteemed program director” before Kenyon flew the KING coop.

Tantum had judiciously pleaded “give us time” through a series of low ratings periods.

Bob Gallucci, KING-AM-FM station manager, said “the spoken word format, newstalk 1090 will continue.

“I’ll take my time to find the right replacement,” Gallucci said.

Twisting the dial

Patti Payne’s “Popcorn Picks,” brief audience reviews of local motion pictures – previously a TV feature – is now a feature on KOMO Radio. Tomorrow’s broadcast times are 9:40 a.m. and 1:20 and 6:40 p.m., with roughly similar times on Saturday.

A series of past Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival concerts will air each Friday at 8 p.m. on KING-FM, 98.1 mHz., until the opening of the festival in August.

“I-91,” the Tacoma noncommercial top-40 station, KVTI, 90.9 mHz., became a 24-hour station this week. “C-89,” the Seattle noncommercial dance-music station, KNHC, 89.5 mHz., will go 24 hours sometime this month.

Sunday hydroplane-race broadcasts begin this weekend on KWYZ, 1230 kHz. Everett. Final heat of the Budweiser Regatta, in Miami, will be at 1 p.m., with eight additional American Powerboat Association races at similar times (adjusted for city of origin.)