(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.

(1939-2012)

Inducted 2005

Lowell Lundstrom, born in Minneapolis, moved with his family to South Dakota when he was six years old. When Lowell was in the eighth grade he asked his Dad to teach him to play guitar. At 13 he sat in with dance bands playing for free, just so he could learn to play. At 14 he started his own country band The Rhythmairs, but began playing rock & roll when it became popular. This led to winning second prize out of 92 contestants in a Horace Heidt Talent Show. Lowell was given a radio program on a local station in South Dakota. When he first met his wife Connie and she sang gospel songs, it struck a place in Lowell’s heart. Lowell, Connie, and family spread their gospel message through radio, television, books, gospel songs, dozens of record albums, and Marriage Seminars- all on an international level. In 1996, Lowell and Connie started the Celebration Church in the Minneapolis area.

Inducted 2005

Gene Tomaszewski grew up on St. Croix Street in Roseville, Minnesota and as a young boy was always interested in music. He played the accordion and then tried the banjo. In third grade he finally settled with the clarinet, and in eighth grade Gene studied under Al Damm, who was First Chair clarinetist for the Minneapolis Symphony. The orginal Jolly Brothers Band included Joe, Gene, and Fred Tomaszewski plus other great musicians. The Jolly Brothers recorded ten albums, and from 1969 to 1971 performed for KSTP-TV’s The Polka Beat Show, which aired on Saturday afternoons in the Twin Cities.

(1928- )

Inducted 2004

Les Fields of Rochester, Minnesota was born in Cresco, Iowa, a town near the Turkey River. His musical history began at the age of five, playing a drum in the kindergarten rhythm band. Piano lessons in the third grade held his interest for only a year until the coronet took over in the fourth grade. Les played with orchestras from Lanesboro and Rochester, including the Mayo Clinic’s 22-piece big band, The Notochords. An event in 1968 changed his life: when someone forgot to hire a band for a Rochester Bank’s Christmas party, Les was called and he rounded up six top-notch musicians to play. That band was the debut of the Turkey River All Stars. Les Fields has gone on to be called “The Godfather of Jazz” in his hometown of Rochester.

Inducted 2005

Ron grew up in Alexandria, Minnesota and spent much of his time in Fargo while his father’s band performed at the Fargo Ballroom. Ron moved to San Francisco in the 1960s and was influenced by folk music and purchased his first banjo. After a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, Ron moved to Minneapolis and founded or co-founded seven different bluegrass bands. In 1973 and 1974, Ron hosted a three-day Bluegrass Festival on a 40-acre farm in Eagan. With the popularity of bluegrass music, Ron and Bob Loy decided to start a bluegrass publication with membership in a club or association. Eventually, the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old Time Music Association mailing list was born. Rob continued to write a monthly column for the magazine for many years. Ron still performs with The Platte Valley Boys bluegrass band, formed in 1975.