Myron Muehlbauer

Myron Muehlbauer

Inducted 2025

  Like a lot of musicians, Myron started out playing music in grade school. At New Ulm Cathedral High School, he was the Student Band Director. Trumpet was his instrument, but he also learned clarinet and tenor saxophone at that time. While still in high school, Myron started playing with his father’s family band, Boots and His Buddies, and eventually branched out to play with other area polka bands. He then added alto saxophone, flugelhorn, and arranging to his lineup of talents.

  Out of high school, Myron attended Willmar Vocational School and worked with Ziegler Inc. for 47 years, all while averaging nearly 60 music jobs annually over a 50+ year period.

  Myron met the “other” Myron- a clarinet and tenor man- Myron Wolf (inducted into The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 2017). These two “Myrons” became long time friends while performing in several bands together, where they specialized in two things: #1- playing “Hoolerie”, and #2- lightheartedly teasing the band’s leaders! Myron & Myron performed together in Erwin Suess & The Hoolerie Dutchmen, Cactus & The Jolly Brewers, Harvey Becker and The Riverside Dutchmen, The Ivan Kahle Band, The Wayne Ripke Band, The Jolly Huntsman, Gordy Prochaska & The Little Fishermen, Kris Keltgen & The Riverbend Dutchmen, and Lester Schuft & The Country Dutchmen. The two even had a song named after them titled “When Myrons Play The Hoolerie”, which was featured as the lead track on one of Cactus & The Jolly Brewers’ recordings. The song was arranged by Arnie Chechalski to the tune of the song “When Otto Plays a Polka”, with the words changed to describe them playing Hoolerie.

  Currently, Myron regularly plays with Kris Keltgen & The Riverside Dutchmen, Adam and The Jolly Jammers, Chuck Thiel & The Jolly Ramblers, and during the Oktoberfest season he performs with The Jolly Huntsmen. Myron still works with many other groups, and helps out-of-state bands when they’re in the area, such as Becky & The Ivanhoe Dutchmen and The Wayne Ripke Band from Iowa, or with Ray Dorschner & The Rainbow Valley Dutchmen from Wisconsin.

  A true music historian, Myron has kept a log of his playing history from his beginnings as a musician; first in a book, and later converted to computer on a spreadsheet. He can sort by dates, bands, locations, etc., detailing exact numbers and facts about his performances. A total of 62 different bands show up on the list over the span of 52 years! When asked why he performed with so many bands, he just says jokingly, “It just shows that I can’t seem to hold a job very long!” By the end of 2024, Myron Muehlbauer has played 3,034 band jobs. He performed with some bands only a few times, many bands upward to 100 times, five bands over 200 times, one band over 300 times, and one band Myron has performed with over 400 times. (Care to guess which band that was?) Myron played the KEYC-TV Bandwagon show in Mankato 108 times and at The Minnesota State Fairgrounds 49 times. In what city has Myron performed the most, you might ask? Glencoe, Minnesota- 193 times! There are only five days in the year that he has never played- December 14th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, and January 11th. Somebody may want clarification on that and ask, “But- what about Leap Years????” Well, it’s only happened once, but Myron has that day covered- he played February 29th, 2004 with Ray Sands & The Polka Dots in Cannon Falls, Minnesota!

  Myron has recorded 35 times with 14 different bands, on vinyl LP records, cassettes, CD’s, and recently via flashdrive.

  In July of 2024 Myron was presented with a certificate award from the International Polka Association for his 52 years of service in music.

  Myron would like to thank the crowds, bands, and fellow musicians for their support and friendship on what has been a wonderful  part of his life- playing music- and he’s not done yet!