The Chris Thile-hosted successor of A Prairie Home Companion is no more. On Tuesday (June 16), American Public Media Group announced that Live From Here has been canceled, its production halted amid a COVID-19-related decline in funding.

Live From Here's cancellation is part of the layoffs of 28 American Public Media Group employees, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. The group comprises Minnesota Public Radio, American Public Media and Southern California Public Radio; in addition to Live From Here the podcast The Hilarious World of Depression, hosted by John Moe, has also been canceled.

“While this news fills me with sadness, I understand the decision,” Thile says in a series of tweets about the cancellation. "My extraordinary teammates and I conceived of Live From Here as a celebration of live, collaborative audible art, and there’s just no telling when it could be that again.”

Per APMG's official statement, the cancellations and layoffs are due to declines in revenue related to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The global pandemic is making live events and other mass gatherings largely impossible, and forcing both corporate sponsors and individual donors to close their wallets due to their own budget issues.

“Eliminating jobs was an agonizing decision. We are saying goodbye to talented and dedicated colleagues," the statement says, in part. "We are grateful for their energy, their skills and the passion they’ve brought to our organization, and we are doing everything we can to support our departing colleagues in this challenging environment."

Thile has hosted Live From Here since 2016. The show, formerly known as A Prairie Home Companion, was hosted by Garrison Keillor from 1974 until 2016, which Keillor handpicked Thile to replace him as host. The show's name was changed in December of 2017, following allegations of misconduct against Keillor.

Both Live From Here and A Prairie Home Companion were major platforms for folk, roots, Americana, bluegrass and country musicians. Thile himself is a mandolin player and member of Nickel Creek and the Punch Brothers.

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