The Current

Great Music Lives Here ®
Listener-Supported Music
Donate Now
Coffee Break

9:30 Coffee Break: Mandolin Songs

Guitarist Chris Eldridge, mandolinist Chris Thile and banjoist Noam Pikelny performing as Punch Brothers live in The Current studio
Guitarist Chris Eldridge, mandolinist Chris Thile and banjoist Noam Pikelny performing as Punch Brothers live in The Current studioMPR / Nate Ryan

by Jill Riley and Sean McPherson

June 29, 2015

As reported by the Berkshire (Mass.) Eagle over this past weekend, A Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor revealed plans for easing into retirement from the long-running public radio variety show.

In an email interview with the newspaper, Keillor confirmed that during the 2015-16 season, he'll turn over hosting duties to musician Chris Thile for two weeks and will co-host with Thile for several additional Saturday night shows.

Thile, a mandolin player with such bands as Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers, guest-hosted A Prairie Home Companion for two weekends earlier this year.

Whether or not Thile will fully assume the reins after Keillor's retirement remains to be seen, but it's certainly an honor for Thile — and it also got us thinking about songs that feature mandolin.

So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, let's honor Chris Thile and A Prairie Home Companion: What songs do you want to hear that feature mandolin? Send us your requests.

Songs Played


The Punch Brothers "Movement and Location"
Led Zeppelin "The Battle of Evermore"
The Replacements "I Will Dare"
R.E.M. "Losing my Religion"
Rod Stewart "Maggie May"

Do you deserve a Coffee Break? We at The Current's Morning Show think you do, and we want to bring treats from Morningstar Coffee and Café Latté to your workplace. Let us know why you'd like a Coffee Break.