This week we will be sharing the Legacy of Leon Olsen by playing his music at The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in the museum. Leon Olsen was inducted to the MMHF in 2013, and was on the Board of Directors.

New Ulm Journal newspaper tribute Thursday, October 23, 2025

Inducted 2025

  Marv Nissel started his interest in music in 1947 at the age of nine when his grandfather (William Nissel) and his father (Harold Nissel) were playing with The Christy Hengel Band of Wanda, Minnesota.  Marv began taking concertina lessons from Wenzel Fischer at the age of 13, and played his first dance job in 1953 at the age of 15.  He continued to play until 1961 when he entered the service.

  After his honorable discharge from the army in 1963, Marv bought his first Hengel concertina and moved to New Ulm, Minnesota where he played with various bands such as The Slim Kalz Dance Band, Norm Wilke & The Little Fishermen, Fezz Fritsche & The Goosetown Band, Lester Schuft & The Country Dutchmen, and The Cliff Hermel Polka Party Band. One of Marv’s most impressive honors was his performance for Vice President Hubert Humphrey at his campaign dance in 1968.

  In 1976, Marv began teaching concertina to ten students, which quickly grew to a cadre of over 60. Marv has composed two original songs for the concertina, “The St. George Polka,” and “Nissel’s Hoolerie,” and has also written over 500 arrangements for the concertina. In 1978, Marv and his wife, Carol, formed The Marv Nissel Band, and started traveling throughout the Midwest.  In 1986, Cliff Hermel, owner and operator of the Gibbon Ballroom, joined Marv’s band on drums, as did Marv and Carol’s two daughters, Lori and Jodi.  In 1987, the Minnesota Ballroom Operators Association (MBOA) awarded the band as the No. 1 Variety Band for the State of Minnesota. Between 1981 and 2002, the band won MBOA awards over 11 years for their outstanding contribution to the ballroom music industry.  In 1993, Mike Moldan joined the band.  During the mid-1990’s, the Nissels appeared at over 170 jobs annually and traveled nationally.

   Since 1995, Marv and Carol have had their own weekly radio show on AM-860 KNUJ Radio in New Ulm. In 2005, Marv was inducted into the World Concertina Congress; and in 2024, The Marv Nissel Band released their 28th album entitled Homecoming, which featured Marv on concertina, Carol on keyboard bass and piano, daughter Lori on trumpet, fiddle, and concertina, and both Jim Bartusek and Marv and Carol’s grandson, Chris Ebel, on drums. Marv Nissel is a well-deserved inductee to The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame with over 70 years of both performing and promoting polka music!  He has performed in 21 states, traveled over a million miles, and taught concertina music hundreds of students. His precise style of playing is easily recognized in the polka industry.  At almost every dance job, Marv is requested to play the “Ellen Polka”, a concertina solo usually played in the key of D.  Even though it is much more difficult to play the song in the key of E, Marv chooses to do so, because he thinks that it sounds prettier, and the dancers obviously agree because he is often told, “Nobody plays the Ellen Polka like you do, Marv”.

Inducted 2024

Back in 1971, all that Winthrop, Minnesota native Dan Witucki wanted was a chance to see and hold a concertina. His concertina-playing idols at the time were Jerry Schuft, Peter & Paul Wendinger, and Elmer Scheid. His mother, knowing Dan’s love of the concertina, took him to visit concertina master craftsman Christy Hengel in New Ulm. Christy could sense Dan’s excitement and strong desire to play. Hengel graciously invited Dan to see and hold some of the precious concertinas in his young hands. He introduced Dan to teacher Ambrose Kodet from Mankato, who set him on a chair and put a Patek Concertina on his lap. Ambrose gave Dan some lessons and instruction, and he was sent home with that Concertina and some sheet music. Christy made Dan’s mother an offer they could not refuse: Christy said “Try it, and see if Dan can learn to play. If he can and wants to play more, Dan can buy it. If he doesn’t, return it, and you will be out nothing”. As fate would have it, this truly amazing opportunity was a match made in Heaven, leading Dan to a wonderful career.

While in High School, Band Director Jim Rath put together his first band: The Polka Punks. They won The Future Farmers of America (FFA) talent contest, and proudly represented The State of Minnesota in The National FFA Competition in Kansas City, Kansas. While in High School, Dan also joined Lester Schuft and The Country Dutchmen, with whom Witucki recorded five albums. The Country Dutchmen performed at just about every ballroom from Southern Minnesota to the Twin Citiy area, and at The Minnesota State Fair. While performing at Polka Days at the Gibbon Ballroom, Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Marv Herzog heard Witucki play, and offered him a job touring with Marv’s Bavarian Sound of Frankenmuth Orchestra. Dan recorded six albums with the orchestra during this time.

After a number of years of working in other bands, he decided it was time to start his own band. Dan Witucki and The Music Masters were born and eventually recorded six albums. In 1987, on the road while headed to Branson Missouri, The Music Masters band was involved in a terrible car accident. Dan fractured his third lumbar vertebra, ending the group. Fortunately, his story and career did not end there. Dan was not even fully recovered when The Walt Disney Company contacted him to come to work. This fulfilled a dream for him even though his father, Fred Witucki, always said “I didn’t know what kind of a Mickey Mouse Job you will ever get playing that concertina!”. Since 1990 Witucki still performs in The German Pavilion at Epcot Center at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Because of this, Dan Witucki is perhaps the most-viewed concertina player in America– and the most successful.

During his 50+ years performing with the concertina, Dan has been afforded the opportunity to see and perform in 17 countries and 38 states. He has recorded 28 albums with an untold number of fantastic musicians. Dan is forever grateful to the many people who helped make his career a success. They include, but are not limited to, Dan’s mother Lorraine- who took him to see Christy Hengel, Christy Hengel himself- for taking a chance on the young man and letting him try out his first concertina, Ambrose Kodet- for all the instructions and lessons, and Dan’s Grandmother Marie Kuehn- who bought him that first concertina!

(1939-2022)

Inducted 2018

Johnny Louis Helget, the youngest son of John and Mary Helget, was born in New Ulm, Minnesota. When Johnny was eight, Mary taught him what she knew on a button accordion that she already owned. Johnny’s dad bought Johnny a double-reed concertina when he was 13 and told him that if he learned to play that one, he’d buy him an even better concertina. Soon Johnny had a triple-reed, Pearl King concertina. When Johnny was 15 he worked for a farmer so he could earn enough money to buy his own Hengel Concertina, considered the highest quality instrument ever made. Helget’s purchase was the third concertina built by renowned New Ulm builder Christy Hengel. That same year he got his first job playing his new Hengel Concertina at a tavern in New Ulm for two dollars and “a little brandy”. Johnny had to lay on his back to open up his concertina all the way because the room was packed. He joined the United States National Guard and took his concertina to California with him. While there, Hengel learned a tune from a young Mexican man who played guitar. Johnny arranged the tune into the old-tyme music style, and it became popular as “The New California Polka.” Johnny was known for being entertaining as well as a great musician. He would do somersaults while playing, pull his concertina apart as far as possible, and slide off chairs onto the floor. Because of his antics, Christy made many repairs to Johnny’s concertina over the years. Johnny played ballrooms all over the Upper Midwest in Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Dakota. In Minnesota he was popular at Polka Days in New Ulm during the 1950s and ’60s, George’s Ballroom in New Ulm, The Lakeside Ballroom in Waconia, The Pla-Mor Ballroom in Glencoe, at The Lake Marion Ballroom in Brownton, and at Polka Days in Gibbon from the 1970s through 2000s. A duo with Johnny on concertina and Cliff Hermel on drums was so popular in the Pumpernickel Room at the Gibbon Ballroom that people would stand on tables to watch them roll on the floor while playing “The New California Polka.” Johnny recorded close to a dozen albums, including his first album entitled H & H Polka Nuts featuring Johnny and Cliff’s duo. Behind the scene Johnny’s wife LaVonne did the scheduling, bookwork, and made sandwiches for the band members. Johnny shared his musical talent as a teacher to other musicians, and concertina brothers Peter & Paul Wendinger were some of his students. Johnny composed originals and arranged other polkas, and liked to encourage young concertina players. Johnny’s last album entitled Hell Bent for Helget featured young local concertina musicicians such as Dain Moldan, Nate Fredricksen, Adam Munsterman, Dave Krambeer, Johnny’s grandson Nick Stadick, along with piano player Lisa Moldan. As he got older, he’d ask young musicians to join him while playing longer gigs, and with grandson Nick they traveled to different jobs and senior centers together. Johnny was honored in 2016 by being inducted into the World Concertina Hall of Fame.

Inducted 2012

Jerry Minar started taking accordion lessons at the age of seven and by the age of 15 he was teaching the accordion at four separate locations. In 1965 Jerry started playing professionally with The Village Concertina Band. Five years later, Jerry joined the Ivan Kahle Band and was a regular for 32 years. During that time six albums were recorded with Jerry playing concertina, piano, and button-box accordion. In 1978 Jerry started a Sunday afternoon show on KTMF radio featuring students and concertina bands on multi-track recordings. This led to his JBM Sound Productions, a recording studio and record label in New Prague, Minnesota where over 400 albums have been recorded. Since 1996 Jerry has been the official Hengel concertina builder. Rights were aquired to build the highest-quality instruments using original maker Christy Hengel’s guidelines, and to date more than 100 New Prague Hengel Concertinas have been produced by Jerry and his associates.

(1939-2015)

Inducted 2011

Johnny Gag was born in New Ulm where he attended Holy Trinity School and graduated from New Ulm High School after which he spent eight years in the United States National Guard. He bought his first concertina, a Pearl Queen Double with 76 keys for $25 from his uncle Norbert Gag, who played with Fezz Fritsche and The Goosetown Band. Johnny entertained on stage for over 50 years with Norm Wilke and The Little Fishermen, The Six Fat Dutchmen, The Katzenjammers and his own Johnny Gag Trio. He performed at nursing homes, Polka Masses, and other special events. He can be heard paying on his eight LP album recordings. Johnny was inducted in the World Concertina Congress Hall of Fame in 2009.

Inducted 2007

Peter and Paul have spent their entire lives growing up together, farming, and entertaining audiences near and far with their Polka Band. In 1962, their father purchased their first concertinas and the boys began taking lessons. Their first paid job was in 1964 for John Deere Day and received $5 for this event. The Wendinger Band made their first recording in 1968 and have over two dozen albums. Over the years, their band has been complemented with a wide variety of musical talents. In 1985 they were honored by receiving the Academy Award for Minnesota Dance Band as the Minnesota Ballroom Operators Association’s Old Tyme Band of the Year. Two years later they were nominated for the 1987 Minnesota Music Awards for their recording Gold Tyme Memories in honor of their parents golden wedding anniversary and who they credit their success to.

Wendinger Band’s website

(1935-2025 )

Inducted 2006

Donnie Klossner attempted to play his father’s button accordion at an early age. He then received a double-reed concertina and took lessons from Ray Miedl, a music teacher and store owner in New Ulm. Donnie gained his experience playing with veteran musicians at bars, dances, and home parties. He played with The Babe Wagner Band from 1955 to 1969, where he learned to arrange music for a complete band as well as for the concertina. After 1969, Klossner and wife Carolyn and others formed The Don Klossner Band, performing for over 16 years. After all of his experience he formed Musik Mit Hertz, a one-man band using midi-electronics calling it “the heart of my one-man band.” Donnie continued to play his European-style music, combined with the music of the Territory Bands he had performed with at various events around Southern Minnesota.

(1922-2012)

Inducted in 1995

Elmer Scheid started playing with his father’s 2-row button concertina as a toy, and by the age of four had learned his first tune. At age eight, he received his very own small concertina, and at age 16 he received a new concertina from his father, which he played for his 50-year music career. Elmer played his first professional dance at age 13 with the John Fritsche Band of New Ulm. He also played with the Six Fat Dutchmen and managed the Babe Wagner Band until he formed his own band in 1951. Elmer recorded for two major labels, Decca and Epic Records, and released dozens of records. The Elmer Scheid Band began playing about 95% of the wedding dances at George’s Ballroom in New Ulm and the Orchid Inn in Sleepy Eye. As the band’s popularity grew, they entertained audiences in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin and throughout Minnesota. Elmer has always been proud of the musicians who entertained with him and considers them the best.

(1917 – 2003)

Inducted in 1993

Bandleader and concertina player Syl Liebl is one of those few who can look back and smile about a remarkable music career. Born in Southern Minnesota and retired since 1984 from leading his well-known band Syl and the Jolly Swiss Boys, he is now content to sell tapes of his music and enjoy phone calls and visits from fans and musicians from all over the United States. The Jolly Swiss Boys played over 8,200 musical engagements with 22 years of radio shows- staging five shows a week as well as selling sponsorships for the programs. The 1960’s and 70’s were the golden years for Syl, when he was based in Southwest Wisconsin. Many times crowds would stand in front of the stage waiting for Syl to arrive and set up. One of the highlights of his band was in 1972 when the Jolly Swiss Boys were awarded the “Best Polka Band in the Land” in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.