[1] Keillor eventually began to parody MPR's then-classical playlist by playing pop music.
Efforts by classical music purists to remove The Morning Program from the MPR network continued until the mid-1980s, however.
[2] The program was best known for offering an eclectic selection of recorded music, ersatz "commercials" for fantastic products, and interviews with imaginary characters.
The program also eventually featured live in-studio performances by local and nationally known musicians.
Keillor's success with his new live Saturday radio program A Prairie Home Companion, and a desire to spend more time with his writing career, led him to leave The Morning Program in 1983, whereupon Dale Connelly joined Jim Ed Poole as co-host.