Bill Etten and the Heritage Band

Bill Etten and the Heritage Band was an American Country-Rock band from Michigan's Upper Peninsula during the 1980's. The band consisted of Bill Etten (vocals), Ed Kangas (drums and vocals), Kevin Mussato (guitar and vocals), Dave Bradbury (guitar and vocals), Steve "Amos" McCoy (guitar), and Jerry Kippola (guitar and steel guitar). The band primarily played weekend gigs at bars, dances, and wedding receptions, and gained fame in the mid-1980s with the single "We Go Green Bay" - a polka tune which, according to Etten, details what many people from the Upper Peninsula do for a weekend away (Prusi).
"We Go Green Bay" was first conceptualized in 1980 by Etten, local film producer Rob Labby, and local movie theater owner Ed Wales. Wales began playing a basic polka tune on the theater's pipe organ, and Etten spontaneously sang some lyrics based on the different things he did each time he went to Green Bay to see the Green Bay Packers play (Etten). The response to the song was overwhelming, so they decided to record the song and release it on a 45 rpm (Etten's father Herb played the accordion on the recording). Released on Jack Pine Records (with jacket artwork done by Etten's son, Nick), the record was sold in outlets all over the Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and eventually found its way into the hands of former Packer player Fuzzy Thurston. Thurston introduced the song to the Packers then-coach Forrest Gregg, who claimed it should be the new Packer Fight Song (Prusi).
A common misconception is that "We Go Green Bay" was written and performed by another Upper Peninsula band, Da Yoopers. Once known as Joe Arkansas, members of Da Yoopers and Bill Etten and the Heritage Band were friends, and often crossed paths gigging around the Upper Midwest, but did not collaborate on "We Go Green Bay" (Etten). "We Go Green Bay" was chosen along with other Packer songs for Just Right Records' CD "Tailgate Tunes", and is also the opening song for a film called "Our Pack", which is all about Packer fans.

REFERENCES:

Etten, B. Personal communication. October, 2007.

Prusi, R. (1986, December 15). 'Going Green Bay' provides great trip for Bill Etten and The Heritage Band. "The Mining Journal."