In 1933, a fresh 18-year old country kid named Ray Stolzenberg launched his band, The Northern Playboys, at a dance in LeRoy, Minnesota. From small community dance halls they went on the road to playing in ballrooms from St. Paul to Cedar Rapids, from Kansas to Chicago for the next 18 years, going practically seven days a week. Stolzenberg, a drummer, had about a thousand arrangements in his music library. He was featured…
Casey was born in Chicago, Illinois on February 25, 1921. At the age of seven, he began concertina lessons whenever he had money. At the age of eleven, Casey played his first wedding, along with his father and brothers, Eddie and John, who were also musicians. When Casey’s father retired, the “Siewierski Brothers” continued without him. The Siewierski Brothers proved to be very versatile, each of them switching instruments during a performance. During the…
Lou Prohut was born in Chicago where he attended local parochial schools and began studying the accordion almost as soon as he learned to walk. His talents led him to an appearance on the famed Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour when he was a mere five years old. After breaking into the professional ranks over radio station WNQX in Yanktown, South Dakota, Lou entered the keen competition of the Horace Heidt show and became…