La Crosse Polka Band 2

In a small village in west-central Wisconsin, about 30 miles east of the Mississippi River, a young farm boy grew up surrounded by the rich sounds of old-time folk music. Born in 1965, he would go on to lead the La Crosse Polka Band, carrying forward a family tradition of music-making that dates back to the 1800s. As the youngest of five children, it was common for evenings to be spent in the kitchen, where his father and siblings gathered to play music together keeping their heritage alive, one note at a time.

La Crosse Polka Band beginnings

At the age of 3, his grandfather told everyone that he would be a great musician one day. Being a concertina player himself, Grandpa Herman was correct. At the age of 6, the leader of this La Crosse Polka Band began playing the trumpet. After a couple of years, he joined his dad's band playing the second trumpet. Not being fully satisfied he decided to sneak into his dad's closet and try out the concertina. When his dad was off driving school bus he would practice the concertina.

One Sunday afternoon as the family took their afternoon nap, he took his dad's concertina out of the closet and practiced. When his dad woke up from his nap, the leader of this La Crosse Polka Band played "At the Spring Waltz." From that time on the concertina was never locked in the closet and practicing became a 6-to-8-hour daily routine for him. Sometimes he would go and practice in their barn just to give his family a break.

Although he can read trumpet music, concertina music remained foreign to him. Music has naturally come easy to him which has enabled him to play from the heart and allow him to compose beautiful songs, one being Kayli's Lullaby. Several of his compositions have been recorded and played by many bands in the Midwest.

La Crosse Polka Band configurations

He started his own La Crosse Polka Band in 1985. It started as a six-piece band. As the years passed by, many larger bands decreased to 3–4-piece bands. However, almost 30 years later, he is one of the few band leaders who still maintains a six-piece band. In his words, the credit would go to loyal side musicians who still love to be part of a big band. This La Crosse Polka Band has secured one of the finest names in old time music, playing the traditional "Dutchmen Style" music!