Rutherford “Rudy” Witthus
(1914-2011)
Inducted 2005
Rudy Witthus was born in Green Isle Township, Minnesota in 1914. At the age of eight he began playing a seventy-six-key, three-reed concertina. Rudy did not graduate from his country school because by the age of 15 he was already a full-time musician. When he was 20, he played a concertina solo at the 1934 World’s Fair in Chicago. Over the years, Witthus played with many groups including The Silver Knights, Bill’s Hoopee Concertina Band, Jerry’s Bohemian Band, Raus Troubadours, Garnet’s Dance Band, Blue Gordon’s Dance Band, The Guy DeLeo Orchestra, and The Blue Gordon Trio. He also entertained at Minnesota Harvest Orchard in Jordan on Highway 169 for over 25 years. Rudy married in 1937 and had three children. Slivers Dewanz once commented that “Rudy has paid his dues.” This proves to be a very accurate statement, considering his long musical career.
