Six Fat Dutchmen

Six Fat Dutchmen

The Six Fat Dutchmen was a polka band formed around 1932 by Harold Loeffelmacher in New Ulm, Minnesota. The band was known mostly for playing the "Oom-pah" style of polka music that originated from Germany and the German-speaking areas of Czechoslovakia. They were regular performers at the then-famous George’s Ballroom in New Ulm, and were voted Number One Polka Band for seven years in a row by the National Ballroom Operators Association. Compilations of their music continue to be produced and sold, more than 70 years after the band's founding.

Like Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, the band provided the name to its musical genre, "Dutchman Music". [http://www.ethnomusic.ucla.edu/courses/fall/2006/20a/listening_notes_2.html] As might be surmised from the band's name, there were initially six members, but over time it grew to include about a dozen musicians. The band appeared often on a local television station in Mankato, Minnesota, and their popularity grew to the point where they played the Nebraska State Fair for 26 straight years. The Six Fat Dutchmen played the Aragon and Trianon ballrooms in Chicago, broadcasting live on radio station WGN.

They enjoyed a 14 year recording career with RCA Victor, during which they recorded 800 songs. After parting ways with RCA, the band recorded for Dot Records for ten years.

The 1995 compilation CD "The Six Fat Dutchmen's Greatest Hits" earned a 3.5 star rating (out of 5) in Allmusic. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:nflvad3ky8w3] Another compilation, "Greatest Hits Volume 2" was released in 2006. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:t7he4j578way]

Some of their vintage television appearances have made their way to the popular YouTube website. Singer and saxophone player Dick Dale (not the guitarist by the same name) was briefly a member of the Six Fat Dutchmen, before he became a regular on the long-running American television variety series, The Lawrence Welk Show. [http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/FAMOUSIOWANS/601150359]

In 1990, three years after the death of Harold Loeffelmacher, he and his Six Fat Dutchmen were inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. [http://www.mnmusichalloffame.org/inductees.html]

Partial Discography

*6 Fat Dutchmen (RCA Victor LSP-1769) 1958
*On Tour (Dot DLP 25734) 1960s
*Polkas: Greatest Hits! (Dot DLP 25358) 1960s
*Polka's No. 1 Band (Polka City PC-402) 1970s
*Ten Fat Hits! (Pickwick SPC-3083) 1970s
*Greatest Hits (Ross) 1995
*Greatest Hits (Polka City PC-6656) 2002
*Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (Polka City PC-1028) 2006

References

* [http://www.internationalpolka.com/loeffelmacher.htm International Polka Association page for Harold Loeffelmacher]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Harold Loeffelmacher — (March 14, 1905 – January 30, 1987) was an American musician and bandleader.Loeffelmacher is best known for forming the polka band known as the Six Fat Dutchmen. His band was a hard working group of traveling musicians, playing as many as 335… …   Wikipedia

  • New Ulm, Minnesota —   City   Panoramic view of New Ulm …   Wikipedia

  • Polka in Modern Society — Originating in Bohemia in the 1830s, polka music has been a part of American society since people began immigrating from Eastern Europe. This dance music in 2/4 time is often associated with the pre World War II era but is still a dynamic form of …   Wikipedia

  • Dot Records — For other uses, see Dot (disambiguation). Dot Records Parent company Independent (1950 57) Paramount Pictures (1957 74) Gulf+Western (1966 74) Famous Music Group (1968 74) ABC …   Wikipedia

  • Dick Dale (singer) — This article is about the saxophonist singer. For the surf guitarist, see Dick Dale. Dick Dale (born September 14, 1926) is an American singer and musician, best known as a featured singer and saxophone player on the TV variety show The Lawrence… …   Wikipedia

  • List of polka artists — This is a list of polka artists. It includes notable musicians and musical groups that play polka.* Eläkeläiset * Slavko Avsenik * Eddie Blazonczyk, The Versatones * Brave Combo, alternative, two time Grammy Award winner * Tom Brusky * Finntroll… …   Wikipedia

  • George’s Ballroom — George s Ballroom was an American ballroom in New Ulm, Minnesota located on Center Street. It was built in 1947 after World War II and became a hot spot for young couples reuniting after the war. Performers such as Lawrence Welk, The Andrews… …   Wikipedia

  • Territory band — Territory bands were dance bands mdash; circa 1920s–1960s mdash; that crisscrossed specific regions of the country.Gunther Schuller, Chapter 8: Territory Bands (pp. 770–805), The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930–1945 (The History of Jazz …   Wikipedia

  • English language — Language belonging to the Germanic languages branch of the Indo European language family, widely spoken on six continents. The primary language of the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and various Caribbean and Pacific… …   Universalium

  • Australia — /aw strayl yeuh/, n. 1. a continent SE of Asia, between the Indian and the Pacific oceans. 18,438,824; 2,948,366 sq. mi. (7,636,270 sq. km). 2. Commonwealth of, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, consisting of the federated states and… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”