•Florian Chmielewski

•Slim Dunlap

•Doug Kodet

•John Koerner

•Lester Schuft

Inducted 2022

Dr. Lester Schuft (dentist) promoted and performed music for many years. Lester was bandleader for old-tyme band The Country Dutchmen, based in Hutchinson, Minnesota, for 62 years. At age 10 he started on drums and by sixth grade got his first trumpet, all the while taking private lessons through eighth grade from Ray Meidl at Browns & Meidl Music Store in New Ulm. Lester started with The Brownton Senior High School Band, sang in the high school choir and quartet, and eventually played trumpet solos at state high school contests. While in the military he performed with The 204th Medical Battalion Army Band, eventually playing “Taps” for military funerals, and in the brass quartet at Peace Lutheran Church on Easter Sundays. While at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, Lester was in Symphony Band and played in and directed their Pep Band for four years- he also started an All-Dental School Band! He taught trumpet to many students with private lessons. Lester even helped others find instruments to play and helped musicians find groups to play with to get their start. Lester sang in The Hutchinson Kiwanis Club Choir and directed & played in The Sweet Hour of Prayer Quartet in Hutchinson. He was on The Stewardship Committee in his church where he promoted music of all types. Over time his musical efforts expanded to television and radio. The Country Dutchmen performed on The Big Joe Polka Show television broadcast from Branson, Missouri, Mollie B. Polka Party on cable television channel RFD, and many times on KEYC-TV’s Bandwagon program from Mankato. On radio, many stations broadcast Lester’s Country Dutchmen show, mainly KDUZ in Hutchinson (for 54 years), KNUJ radio in New Ulm, and KRWC in Buffalo, Minnesota. He hosted his Musician’s Roundup program on KDUZ for 42 years, where he interviewed musicians and presented their music on the air. He was a frequent guest on The Boone & Erickson Show on WCCO radio in Minneapolis. Lester was President of The Minnesota Band Leaders Group under The Minnesota Ballroom Operators Association. He was part owner of the Little Crow and Red Rose record companies, and released dozens of albums and singles by many Minnesota musical acts playing many styles of music: old tyme, rock and roll, and country. Performances with his band took Lester to nine Midwestern states. The Country Dutchmen performed for Hubert Humphrey’s campaign for President, Rudy Boschwitz’s run for the U.S. Senate, The Minneapolis Aquatennial, The St. Paul Winter Carnival, The Minnesota Twins, and The Minnesota North Stars. The group was one of the first polka bands to perform at The Minnesota State Fair in the Beer Garden. Lester’s original song hit “Gasahol Polka” earned him an award from U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Over the years The Country Dutchmen recorded and released almost two dozen albums on LP record vinyl, 8-track tape, cassette tape, and compact disc.