IN THE SPIRIT OF RUSS RINGSAK from David Edin, Merchandise Manager
Russ Ringsak was the truck driver and a writer for A Prairie Home Companion, but his involvement with the show goes all the way back to its humble beginnings. Russ was a player on the old Jack’s Auto Repair softball team and then advanced to being a researcher and providing Minnesota notes to Garrison when the show was in New York. And he drove the truck on tours. He usually was involved in choosing and editing the “greetings” section of the show, selecting obscure birthday or celebratory wishes and then picking which would get on the air and which would not. Russ was a blues guitarist and a biker and a former architect, and ahead of his retirement from the show, he had the opportunity to play one of the most famous trucker songs — “Six Days on the Road” — live on the show with Brad Paisley, who recently appeared on the American Revival show.
Russ was a kind man with a generous heart and a big smile. He somehow always managed to get the equipment needed to stage the show to the proper location week after week, through snow, sleet, rain or sunshine. He also managed to somehow arrange his thoughts about his weekly travels into a column that became a favorite on the A Prairie Home Companion website. If you have a chance, you can still read many of his columns here >>>:
And if you get a chance, pick up one of his books: Minnesota Curiosities (featuring obscure facts about Minnesota) or Semi True: Seasons on the Road with A Prairie Home Companion’s Resident Writer and Truck Driver. And so to continue the tradition, here are a few of my own random thoughts from the road.
It’s amazing the thoughts that traveled through my head while driving to Colorado this past week via the highways and byways of Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska — encountering sheets of rain in the dark of night plus wind gusts of up to 50 miles an hour pushing the rental van all over the road and simply trying to follow the lights of the semi ahead of me as we soldiered on state after state. My mind was focused on the project ahead, the show that I have come to love, and how I was looking forward to witnessing another full-on A Prairie Home Companion program, this one called an American Revival. This got me thinking about the division in our country and the importance of shows like A Prairie Home Companion. I often wonder if in today’s environment, we have too many options for entertainment and
activity. It used to be that people would talk about a radio show or a television show around the “watercooler” the next few days, often comparing notes and thoughts about what they heard or saw — shows like I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Dallas, Cheers, Seinfeld, all the way up to the first few seasons of American Idol, where programs easily had viewership numbers north of 20 to 30 million. Chatter among friends and foes focused on whether they liked the show or agreed with all the happenings or goings-on. Somehow, we seem to have gotten so fragmented that shows that appeal to everyone have disappeared, and top programs don’t seem to capture enough audience to seem relevant or generate buzz or pop culture excitement. Both television and radio seem to cater to a smaller, more targeted, more segmented audience, and thus, especially with politics, the broadcasts seem to focus on division. Shows like A Prairie Home Companion probably wouldn’t get made today yet were very successful just a short while ago. Shows like this draw people together. It truly gives one the chance to easily meet new friends since you begin with something in common and a topic you can build upon. Garrison had the right idea in beginning an American Revival — we can only wish for more!
The drive home was a reflection on the show itself, the people I met, and the friends I had the chance to reconnect with. A few dinners with people from past Prairie Home Companion cruises were a great opportunity to get to know each other more and catch up on our lives while having some great conversation and good food. I wish I’d had more time to give so that we could have had a few outside adventures. This group plus our core group of fellow working companions made the travel easy and well worth the trek.
I have been amazed by the number of people who told us that their Saturday ritual as a family was to sit down in front of the radio or hop in their car and listen to a two-hour variety show — many of the younger listeners simply stating that they were initially forced to listen to the radio show or the cassette tape stories but eventually they began to have an affinity for the show. A young man of 25 or so attended the show in Colorado as a tribute to his grandmother who had passed away three months earlier. She made him listen to the show and even picked him up for car trips on Saturday nights. As we spoke after the show, you could tell he was moved and enjoyed Brad Paisley, Elvin Bishop, and the full-cast
sketches. He was happy to share details of his road trips and his love for his grandmother.
I spoke to another lady who had traveled from Virginia and came with a box of tissues, since she said that Prairie Home was the “soundtrack to her life” — she’d been raised hearing the broadcast with her mother and father, often in the backseat of the family Valiant, and then passed that tradition on to her own
daughter. She too came in honor of her mother and told me that she had used all her tissues and sang out in joy during the sing-along.
Meeting people and having them share their stories is so rewarding. I hope to share a few stories of the new friends I made along the way in the newsletter on our social sites. This American Revival gives me hope for our country as it remains strong and full of great people. Here’s to meeting more of you in the
future. So let’s have another American Revival soon (I’ll put a word in with our host)! And then, thanks to and in remembrance of Russ, maybe I’ll make another column post or two.
Russ with the APHC Truck -
Get Books by Russ:
Minnesota Curiosities >>>
Semi True: Seasons on the Road with A Prairie Home Companion's Writer and Truck Driver >>>
After spending countless hours trying to recover my lost Bitcoin following a failed attempt to restore my wallet, I was about to give up. Then, a friend recommended Dexdert Net Recovery, and I’m so glad they did. From the first consultation, it was clear that these guys were not your typical recovery service. They have an in-depth understanding of blockchain and the latest recovery technologies, and they were able to offer me a clear, realistic timeline. They provided a step-by-step plan, gave me constant updates, and most importantly, they successfully recovered my lost Bitcoin. Their professionalism and technical expertise are unparalleled in the industry. If you’re looking for reliable and trustworthy experts in Bitcoin recovery, look no further than Dexdert Net Recovery.
Email:(DexdertNetPro@mail.com)
Telegram:(@Dexdertprorecovery)
HOW TO HIRE A HACKER TO RECOVERY STOLEN BITCOIN. CONSULT A CERTIFIED CRYPTO RECOVERY EXPERT FASTFUND RECOVERY.
I lost my bitcoin to fake blockchain impostors on Facebook, they contacted me as blockchain official support and I fell stupidly for their mischievous act, this made them gain access into my blockchain wallet account, whereby 9.0938 BTC was stolen from my wallet in total. I was dumbfounded because this was all my savings I banked up on, waiting for bitcoin rate to improve. Then my cousin recommended me to an expert, I researched online and found the Professional Funds Recovery Expert Fastfund Recovery
I wrote directly to the specialist explaining my loss. Hence, they helped me recover my bitcoin within few days. They launched the recovery program, and the culprits were identified as well, all thanks to their expertise. I hope I have been able to help someone as well. Reach out to the recovery specialist to recover you lost funds from any form of online scam.
G/mail; Fastfundrecovery8(@) g mail dot com.
W/app; 1.8.0.7…{500}…7.5.5.4
Good day everyone, my name is Arlene Glover, and I’m reaching out from Paris. My husband and I have always been cautious with our investments, and for years, we’ve run a joint business together. A couple of months ago, we decided to explore cryptocurrency as an investment option and came across a platform that appeared legitimate with promising reviews. We invested a significant portion of our savings, totaling $178,000 in Bitcoin. Initially, everything seemed fine, and we even saw some returns, encouraging us to invest more. However, things took a turn when the platform began demanding additional payments to unlock more funds or access our profits. Eventually, we realized it was a scam, and all our money had disappeared, leaving us frustrated and helpless. During this difficult time, I came across a post about Asset Rescue Specialist , a company that claimed to recover lost or stolen funds, including those from fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms. After reading positive reviews, I decided to reach out to them, providing all the necessary information. To our surprise, within just 48 hours, Asset Rescue Specialist had managed to recover our entire investment. We were in complete shock and incredibly relieved, grateful for their professionalism and expertise. Now, we are sharing our experience to recommend Asset Rescue Specialist to anyone who has fallen victim to similar scams. If you’ve been defrauded by a fake cryptocurrency platform or any other fraudulent activity, we strongly encourage you to contact them. Their team is efficient, reliable, and dedicated to helping people get their hard-earned money back.Contact Email; assetrescuespecialist@qualityservice(.)com Or WhatsApp,+ 1 9 0 3 5 5 9 1 7 3 3
Regards,
Arlene Glover.
How Do l Get My Money From Amazon Lost Recovery masters
The Lost Recovery Masters is a team of experienced Amazon Recovery Experts currently collecting funds back to all Amazon s,c,a,m victims. Anyone that has fallen prey to these fake online imposters and bogus investments Schemes contact Lost Recovery Masters and explain your situation; They will assist you in all Amazon s,c,a,m,s retrieval funds, bitcoin wallets reclaiming, investment s,c,a,m, mobile mass surveillance, and cyber – attacks. Reach out to them through their:
Call/Whatsapp : +44(7-5-3-7-1-0-5-9-2-1)
Email: Support@lostrecoverymasters.com
Website: https://lostrecoverymasters.com/
I thought I’d lost $41,000 forever! My account was suddenly locked, and desperate calls to customer service went unanswered. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. I had worked so hard to save that money, and to see it disappear without any explanation was devastating. Each day that passed without a resolution made it feel like my funds were gone for good. At first, I tried everything I could think of to get help. I called customer service repeatedly, but every time, I was met with empty promises and no real answers. The more I called, the more frustrated I became. Every unreturned call and unsatisfactory response only deepened my sense of dread. I feared that I might never see my money again. But I refused to give up. I knew I had to keep searching for a solution, no matter how impossible it seemed. That’s when I found CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN. After reading reviews and hearing about their expertise in financial recovery, I decided to reach out. The idea of a professional recovery service seemed like my last hope, and I was desperate to try anything that could help. From the very first interaction, the team at CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN impressed me. They were not only professional and responsive but also genuinely understanding of my situation. They took my case seriously and assured me they would do everything they could to help recover my funds. They quickly assessed my case, formulated a strategy, and began working on a solution right away. The experts at CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN were incredibly efficient and kept me updated at every step of the process. Their dedication and persistence were evident. They took the time to explain the entire recovery process to me, which gave me confidence that I was in good hands. It wasn’t just about recovering my money—it was about restoring my trust in the financial system, which had been shaken by this experience. Within just a few days, they had successfully recovered my $41,000. The relief I felt when I saw my account unlocked and my funds returned was indescribable. What had seemed impossible just a week earlier was made possible thanks to the professionalism, knowledge, and expertise of CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN. I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and commitment. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, I highly recommend contacting CRANIX ETHICAL SOLUTIONS HAVEN. They gave me back my peace of mind and showed me that no situation is hopeless when you have the right experts by your side.
WHATSAPP: +44 7460 622730
EMAIL: cranixethicalsolutionshaven{@}post{.}com OR info{@}cranixethicalsolutionshaven{.}info
WEBSITE: https : //cranixethicalsolutionshaven.info