Garrison Keillor Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

Garrison Keillor is an American author, storyteller, and radio legend, best known for creating the iconic radio show A Prairie Home Companion.

Garrison Keillor — born Gary Edward Keillor on August 7, 1942 — rose from modest Midwestern roots to become one of America’s most beloved radio storytellers. Over decades, he built a career spanning radio, writing, performance, and publishing, amassing an estimated net worth of around US$5 million.  His personal journey has included three marriages, and he is currently married to violinist Jenny Lind Nilsson, with whom he shares a daughter. 

Quick Facts

From Small-Town Beginnings to National Radio Stardom

Garrison Keillor’s story begins in Anoka, Minnesota — a quiet suburb with modest surroundings. Born as the third of six children to John Philip and Grace Ruth Keillor, he grew up in a household rooted in the conservative Plymouth Brethren faith, with Scottish and English ancestry on his maternal and paternal sides. 

As a student at the University of Minnesota, where he graduated with a BA in English in 1966, he began working at the student radio station — a formative experience that fused his love of words, culture and broadcasting.  It was during this time that he adopted “Garrison” as his pen name, a name that would become synonymous with a uniquely American storytelling tradition. 

The turning point came in 1974, when Keillor launched the now-legendary radio show A Prairie Home Companion. What began as a modest variety show evolved into a cultural phenomenon — blending humor, music, monologues and storytelling rooted in Midwestern values. 

Defining moments in Garrison Keillor’s journey include:

• Launching A Prairie Home Companion in 1974, which would eventually become a national staple. 

• Publishing beloved Lake Wobegon stories, creating a fictional small-town universe that resonated deeply with listeners and readers. 

• Expanding his voice into print, anthologies, and film — including acting in the movie version of his show. 

The Core Pillars of Garrison Keillor’s Wealth

Rather than relying on a single income stream, Keillor’s financial success stems from a diversified creative and entrepreneurial career:

• Radio & Syndication: Hosting and creating A Prairie Home Companion brought widespread recognition, consistent royalties, and syndication earnings across the country.

• Book sales & Literary Works: His numerous novels and story collections — often centered on the fictional town of Lake Wobegon — generated royalties over decades, forming a steady revenue stream. 

• Appearances, Performances & Legacy Projects: Live performances, re-broadcasts, anthologies, and even a movie adaptation of his work contributed to continued income beyond his active hosting years. 

Garrison Keillor Relationships & Personal Life

Beyond the mic and the page, Keillor’s personal life has woven through multiple marriages, relationships, and family ties — each reflecting a different chapter of his life.

Key insights into Garrison Keillor’s relationships and personal life:

• He married Mary Guntzel in 1965; they divorced in 1976. Together they had a son, Jason. 

• In 1985, he married Ulla Skaerved — a former high-school exchange student he reconnected with at a reunion. That marriage ended in divorce around 1990. 

• Since 1995, Keillor has been married to Jenny Lind Nilsson, a classical violinist. The couple has a daughter, Maia Grace Keillor. 

• Between his first and second marriages, he was romantically linked to a producer from A Prairie Home Companion. 

Keillor’s personal life has, at times, attracted public scrutiny — especially around his shifting relationships. But through it all, he’s maintained a stable family life with his current wife and daughter. 

A Life Beyond Fame: Assets, Passions & Interests

Beyond career success, Garrison Keillor leads a lifestyle that reflects both passion and purpose, including:

• A love for literature and the written word, manifested in his many novels, short stories, anthologies, and contributions to print media. 

• A bookstore venture: He opened an independent bookstore in St. Paul called Common Good Books, reflecting his commitment to community and the literary world. 

• Voice acting and creative projects beyond radio — including acting in films and contributing voice work to campaigns and productions.

• A deep connection to place and culture — his storytelling draws heavily on Midwestern sensibilities, small-town life, and a nostalgic yet critical view of American identity.

Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis

Below is a rough breakdown of the core components contributing to Garrison Keillor’s estimated net worth. Because public financial disclosures are limited, these should be viewed as approximate, aggregated from publicly available sources.

It is worth noting that some sources (less authoritative) suggest lower valuations (e.g., ~US$1.5 million) depending on what assets are counted. The most commonly cited and widely referenced figure remains $5 million.

Changes in net worth over time likely reflect a combination of ongoing royalties, reduced income after retiring from regular radio hosting, and ongoing revenue from books and legacy projects.

Public Image, Legacy & Influence

Garrison Keillor’s name evokes something distinct — a voice that relaxed millions of listeners every week, painting pictures of small-town America with gentle humor, warmth, and sometimes wistful nostalgia. His creation of the fictional town Lake Wobegon has had a lasting cultural impact, influencing countless writers and humorists drawn to the subtle, character-driven style he championed. 

Colleagues and fans often describe him as a bridge between generations — someone who could bring Midwestern treacle, dry humor, literary sensibility, and an authentic voice to the airwaves. His influence goes beyond radio: his books, anthologies, and public appearances helped shape a distinct tradition of American storytelling rooted in empathy, community, and a love for everyday life. 

At the same time, his public image is complicated. After allegations of inappropriate behavior emerged, his relationship with major platforms changed, and parts of his legacy have been viewed through a more critical lens.  Even so, many fans and cultural commentators continue to recognize the significance of his contributions to radio, literature, and American cultural memory.

Conclusion

From a modest upbringing in Anoka, Minnesota to national acclaim, Garrison Keillor’s journey speaks to the enduring power of storytelling. Born on August 7, 1942, with modest beginnings and a love for language, he created a legacy anchored in warmth, humor, and deep human insight. His estimated net worth — around US$5 million — reflects a lifetime of work across radio, literature, and creative ventures.

Throughout his personal life, his relationships evolved, and he has shared decades with his wife Jenny Lind Nilsson and their daughter. His personal life, creative output, and business acumen all form part of a rich tapestry demonstrative of slow — but steady — cultural impact.

Whether through a crackling radio speaker or the pages of a book, Keillor’s voice continues to echo. His birthday — August 7 — marks not just the birth of a man, but the beginning of a storyteller whose tales transcend time and place.