The Suburbs, 1984. Chan on right
Chandler “Chan”  Poling, born 1957 in Evanston, Illinois, is a Twin Cities-based singer, pianist, and composer best known as the leader of the Minneapolis punk/New Wave band The Suburbs. He has also composed for musical theater and collaborated with various artists, while his work includes notable projects like the musical Glensheen and the band The New Standards.
Early Life and Education
Chan moved to Minnesota in 1961. Poling studied composition at the MacPhail Center for Music and later at the California Institute of the Arts under composer Harold Budd.

Music Career

Poling is best known as the leader of the Minneapolis punk/New Wave band The Suburbs, which he co-founded in 1977. The band gained recognition for their contributions to the “Minneapolis Sound” and released several albums through major labels. In 2005, he formed The New Standards, a jazz trio that interprets a variety of songs.

Musical Theater and Composition

In addition to his work in rock music, Poling has composed for musical theater, including award-winning pieces for Theatre de la Jeune Lune. His notable works include the musical Glensheen and the score for the documentary Iron Range: A People’s History, which won an Emmy Award.

Personal Life

Poling was married to Eleanor Mondale, daughter of former United States Vice President Walter Mondale, until her passing in 2011. He has three children and currently resides in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with his partner Patty Radford-Henderson.

Chan Poling’s website

Pine Island, Minnesota’s Rick Keane played his first paying dance job at age 14 and continued with local bands throughout high school. Trumpeter Rick earned his way through college with his horn too.  Rick has always had an interest in any kind of music; concert band, circus band, dance band, and jazz band. (courtesy Kris & The Riverbend Dutchmen’s facebook page).

The Twin Cities Catholic Chorale regularly perform at The Church of Saint Agnes in the heart of St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood since created by Monsignor Richard J. Schuler in 1956. Their repertore includes Masses written by Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Dvorak, Gounod, Cherubini, Rheinberger, and are performed by a choir of more than 60 singers with orchestral and organ accompaniment.

Twin Cities Catholic Chorale website

The Chatfield Brass Band is an active community band with brass, woodwind and percussion musicians from SE Minnesota. They sponsor the “Music in the Park” summer concert series on Thursday evenings in June and July. The concerts feature the Brass Band and guest musicians, food, refreshments and drawings. The band also performs in area parades and concerts during the year. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings from September to May.

The Chatfield Music Lending Library
The Chatfield Music Lending Library is the only library of its kind in the world today. Created by Jim Perkins in 1973, the library is dedicated to the preservation of our musical heritage. The library has collected over 50,000 pieces of instrumental music – many of which are no longer in print – and they continue to catalog more of the collection. The library is a member of the Southeast Minnesota Library System and lends music to bands and musicians around the world.

(courtesy City of Chatfield’s website)

Chatfield Brass Band website

Chatfield Music Lending Library and Archive website

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

  James Donna, one of the original founding members of The Castaways, will be signing copies of his book LIAR, LIAR: From Garage Band to Rockstars, The Story of Minnesota’s Castaways in the 1960’s. The book tells the amazing story of The Castaways from 1963 to today.