Mollie “B” Busta-Lange
Inducted 2022
Mollie “B” Busta-Lange is a multi-instrumentalist and award-winning vocalist who hosts The Mollie B Polka Party television show on cable channel RFD-TV. Through hard work and dedication, Mollie now performs nationwide to a live audience as well as on other television productions and movie screen. Today she is most often performing with the band SqueezeBox, but does occasionally serve as a guest artist with other bands. Mollie has performed on over 40 recordings and has shared her many God-given talents in over 30 states and 11 countries- inspiring young musicians and fans with her love for music. Originally from Spring Grove, Minnesota, Mollie has been performing music all her life, starting her career performing with her father’s Jim Busta Band when she was only a child. Growing up, music always filled the Busta household in small-town Minnesota; between The Jim Busta Band’s rehearsals and from the records being spun at home. Mollie started singing in the band at age three and joined on piano when she was eight years old. Mollie became Jim’s second trumpet player when she was 11 years old, soon adding saxophone, clarinet, trombone, and button accordion. Following the example of a few other polka artists (namely Steve Moran and Laurie Solberg), Mollie also learned to play piano and trumpet simultaneously. She quickly assigned herself as the band’s Co-Manager, Emcee, and Music Arranger. During her high school years, Mollie not only was in the school’s two choirs and three bands, Mollie arranged songs for the bands and choirs, even finding time to create her own original compositions. Mollie also served as the Student Director for her high school band rehearsals and concerts, as well as the choreographer of the show choir and cheerleading/dance team! The school Band Director also allowed Mollie to play multiple instruments in the bands: trumpet, mellophone, tuba, and euphonium. Mollie was very active in the local community theater in Spring Grove and performed in seven musical productions, from lead roles to chorus member and choreographer. Mollie went on to continue to develop her love of music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. There she performed in Luther’s touring ensembles: four different choirs, the jazz band, and the concert band. Mollie finished her studies for her Bachelor of Arts in Music (trumpet and voice), while also completing the programs to receive a Minor in Management. Following graduation from college, Mollie taught vocal and band lessons, and began chamber ensembles and show choirs in Lanesboro, Minnesota. While Mollie taught in Lanesboro, she began her own private voice/piano/dance studio. Mollie then attended St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona, and received a Master of Arts in Instruction. While Mollie found herself in the classroom as a student and a teacher, she continued her performing career. From 1997-2003 she performed not only with The Jim Busta Band, but also with Wisconsin’s Karl and The Country Dutchmen. With Karl she performed at The American Folk Arts Festival in Bangor, Maine, and at The National Library of Congress & The Kennedy Center of Performing Arts in Washington D.C. In 2005, Mollie joined Ted Lange’s band The Bratwurst Boys, based out of Ridgeville Corners, Ohio. In 2007, two-time Grammy-nominee Ted & Mollie changed the band name to SqueezeBox. The group showcases Mollie’s versatility on several instruments, as well as her talented vocals. In the fall of 2007, Mollie joined Karl and The Country Dutchmen representing The State of Wisconsin in an artist exchange program with the Prefecture of Chiba, Japan. The eight musicians/dancers from Wisconsin performed together at an elementary school, a middle school, a high school, and at a college- introducing the Japanese people to polka music. Over the next four years, Mollie and Ted grew their musical presence and established themselves in the polka industry. In 2011, after performing and developing their personal connection for four years, Mollie and Ted were married! They made an agreement with RFD-TV to create The Mollie B Polka Party television show. Mollie serves as the host and as Co-Creative Director & Co-Producer along with Ted. During their first year alone, they filmed 70 different bands and created 56 complete episodes for The Mollie B Polka Party. Mollie has filmed over a dozen annual Mollie B Christmas Specials at the RFD-TV & Jim Stafford Theaters in Branson, Missouri as well as at The CAL Center in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. While filming the annual specials Mollie performs, directs, writes, produces, choreographs, and hosts- during two-hour LIVE performances! Mollie’s Christmas Special casts have featured up to 36 renowned musicians and artists in front of audiences with up to 1300 attendees. After the launch of the television show, SqueezeBox continued performing over 100 engagements annually in over 20 states. Following success in television, Mollie B & Ted broadcast The Mollie B Polka Party Radio Show on Sirius XM’s Rural Radio Channel from 2013 through 2021. In 2018, Mollie received “the call of a lifetime”, and was sought out by actor/director Clint Eastwood & movie producer Tim Moore to appear in Warner Bros. movie The Mule. SqueezeBox appeared as Mollie B & Her Band in the movie. Mollie plays piano and trumpet, sings, has one line, and dances with Clint Eastwood! Mollie & Ted co-wrote the song they performed, “A Day to Say Thank You”, as a tribute to all the veterans that have served. Mollie wrote the instrumental part & chorus and Ted wrote the verses. Also in 2018, Mollie was the youngest person ever to be inducted into The International Polka Hall of Fame and had a US Flag flown in her honor by The United States Air Force during a mission in the Middle East. In 2020, Mollie & Ted began their YouTube channel with weekly Tuesday night performances, gaining 20,000+ subscribers and over six million views. For several years, Mollie visited schools around the United States as a guest to lead workshops on polka; introducing the students to the music, instruments, and dancing. A lifetime polka music promoter, she had polka dancing classes in the basement of her parent’s house as a child and invited her friends to music events. Mollie even acted as a Booking Agent, contacting many music festivals to see if The Jim Busta Band could perform. She has since transitioned into an influencer & advisor by helping to enhance festivals with her ideas. Mollie promotes events heavily on her television & radio shows, from the stage, and on social media. Mollie has won the award for Favorite Female Vocalist numerous times, from both The United States Polka Association and The International Polka Association. She has won multiple awards from The Polka America Corporation for her polka recordings with Ted. Mollie won The 2013 Polka Promoter of the Year award from The Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame, and was inducted into The Iowa Polka Hall of Fame in 2015. Always cheerful, polite, and energetic, she could never be called a Diva… so Mollie B is truly The Reigning Queen of Polka Music.
