On Wednesday, Moore said: "Is there any better definition of a midlife crisis than learning to play the banjo? "

Moore is actually too busy to have a midlife crisis. While he continues as producer of "Here and Now, " Wisconsin Public Television 's weekly public affairs program, Moore earlier this year launched a weekly music show, the "30 Minute Music Hour, " a great name that was dreamed up by Pat MacDonald, who also happened to be the show 's first guest.

"Only Pat can make a joke in four words, " Moore said.

The show airs Saturday nights at 10:30 on Wisconsin Public Television (WPT), and it leads into the venerable "Austin City Limits. " The Texas program was an inspiration for Moore, whose passion for music includes playing it (he 's "guitarist emeritus " for the Cork n ' Bottle String Band) and writing about it in Isthmus and No Depression, a national magazine devoted to alternative country and American rock 'n ' roll that, alas, published its last bimonthly issue in May. (Moore 's No Depression piece on the 40th anniversary of the Otis Redding plane crash was reprinted in December in the Wisconsin State Journal.)

But as much as Moore admired "Austin City Limits, " he didn 't want "30 Minute Music Hour " to be a clone, and it 's not. The Madison show is more intimate and has no studio audience. Moore wants viewers to feel like they 've been dropped into a privileged seat at a dress rehearsal. He plays the role of stage manager, twice during each half hour stepping on stage to ask the musicians questions about their backgrounds, influences and musical styles.

Pat MacDonald was a natural choice as lead-off guest, and not just because he suggested the show 's name in a correspondence with Moore.

Currently based in Sturgeon Bay, MacDonald spent considerable time in both Madison and Austin. He was a prolific songwriter during his Madison years in the 1970s and early '80s -- penning more than 400 songs -- and married his musical collaborator, Barbara K, at Gates of Heaven in James Madison Park.

Pat and Barbara eventually moved to Austin and formed a band, Timbuk 3, that scored a hit single, "The Future 's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades. " The marriage and the band broke up; Pat moved to Spain and eventually to Door County, where Andy found him for a January 2007 profile in No Depression.

MacDonald 's appearance on "30 Minute Music Hour " went a long way toward convincing Moore he was onto something with the show.

"He just came screaming through the camera, " Moore said of MacDonald.

It remains one of the producer 's favorite episodes, though Moore is reluctant to rank them, as they 've all had their moments. An important early creative decision -- which further distanced the show from "Austin City Limits " -- was to open it up to all musical genres. "30 Minute " has featured pop, alternative country, reggae and hip-hop. The big tent has allowed Moore to target national acts coming through Madison, adding spice to the show 's natural Midwest flavor.

One constant is the energy that is generated by the show being taped in "real time " -- it runs without editing -- and by putting the taping sessions up live on the Internet. The early shows were so well received that what was originally going to be a show only for the Wisconsin Channel -- WPT 's digital channel -- was immediately put on regular WPT, preceding "Austin City Limits. "

It has all been a great rush for Moore, who grew up in Louisville, Ky., and came to the University of Wisconsin on a swimming scholarship. He enjoyed great success as producer of the WPT 's award-winning "WeekEnd " program, a newsmagazine that frequently included music. Moore 's "WeekEnd " director, Steve Doebel, is also handling "30 Minute, " and the producer is quick to praise Doebel 's "heart and flair " and ability to resist "over-directing " the music show.

The twin duties on "Here and Now " and "30 Minute Music Hour " figure to keep Moore fully engaged for some time, but he makes occasional appearances with the Cork n ' Bottle String Band, a much-loved local bluegrass band that had a great six-year run Wednesday nights at Ken 's Bar in Downtown Madison.

In fact, Moore will be singing and picking guitar with Cork n ' Bottle this evening, when the band plays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on the Union Terrace. He 's working on the banjo, he said, but it 's not quite ready for prime time.

Contact Doug Moe at 608-252-6446 or dmoe@madison.com.