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Host Garrison Keillor answers your questions about life, love, writing, authors, and of course, A Prairie Home Companion.

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December 31, 2007 | 2 Comments

Hello,
I am wondering why a contest — and a chance to perform on Prarie Home Companion — for only people in their 20's? We are a trio who has been performing together for a little over 20 years — that should count for something. So, will there ever be a contest for those performing groups in their 50's-ish? I think Mr. Keillor will agree that "life experience" is very desirable — even if we aren't Lutherans.

Sue Jones
The Nightingales

We had several Talent from Towns Under Two Thousand contests, Sue, and as I recall, the youngest contestants always won. Always. Some wonderful 50ish band would come out and do a terrific rendition of an old Charlie Poole or Gid Tanner tune, and then a young woman with long blonde hair would come out and sing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and all the parents and grandparents in the audience would melt and so she won, hands-down. It was embarrassing. I hate to see people in their 50s be shown up by younger people. So we came up with the People In Their Twenties contest. We'll do another one this winter and then think of something else. Maybe we should have a Late Bloomers talent contest. People over 50 who have never ever performed in public before. How about that?

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