HISTORY OF THE BRUEGGEN FAMILY POLKA BANDS

The Brueggen Family is a rather generic term for the family of musicians who
live (or lived) in the Cashton, WI area.  It all started with Herman Brueggen
who formed an "old time" orchestra by the name of Herman and the Jolly
Dutchmen.  His descendants not only played in his orchestra, but started their
own groups as time went on.  This website is dedicated to those musical
Brueggen's and to the music they play (or played).  The website intends to
honor those people who had an influence on the Brueggen music style as well as
those who composed tunes that they play.  Among them, but not limited to them,
are such bands as the Sylvester Liebl Orchestra and the Jerry Gilbertson
Orchestra, both being area bands, extremely popular at one time.  The
Brueggen's not only played concertinas and other squeeze boxes, but they played
trumpet, bass horn, other instruments, and also sang the lyrics in both
English and German.

There are presently at least three "Brueggen" bands that are operating out of
the western Wisconsin area.  All three bands play what is referred to in the
area as the "Dutchmen" style of Old Time music and that fact is reflected in
the names they have given to their orchestras.  One is the "Gary Brueggen and
the Ridgeland Dutchmen", operating out of Cashton and Ontario, WI.  Then there
is the "Brian Brueggen and the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen", operating out of
Cashton, WI.  And don't forget that "distant cousin", "Karl Hartwich and The
Country Dutchmen", who used to operate out of wherever the band played its
last dance job.  However, nowadays he lives in Trempealeau, WI.  Their kinship
is reflected in the many pictures to follow.  Also claiming kinship is the
squeezebox player, Kevin Liss, who plays for the "New Jolly Swiss Boys",
successor to Syl Liebl's band.  Don't ask about the Jerry Gilbertson
connection.  Jerry was Norwegian.

As we slowly build this website, we will be bringing you myriad information
about the bands.  Photos of the bands, dance job schedules as they contract
them, listings of available LP's and CD's, as well as cassettes, plus how and
where to obtain them.  The bands have a tradition of providing boat cruises
and bus tours, and we will provide information about them, as we get the data.
Gary used to host a Sunday night Polka Show on WLFN (La Crosse at AM 1490)
from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  It had been going for a number of years. It started
out as a live show, with an occasional taped show when he was not in the area.
Due to an increase in his busy playing schedule he had to give up the radio
program completely.

The above "liner notes" were written by Bob Selbrede, long time bass player
for the Jerry Gilbertson Orchestra.  Bob was half of the "Jolly Jerry and
Happy Bob" duo which played for ten years and subbed for another ten years on
the WKTY Saturday Morning Breakfast Show, emanating from The Maple Grove
Country Club, West Salem, WI.

Please email us and let us know how you like the website and what to do to
improve it.  To do so, just Click on a red or green-colored "Bob Selbrede",
"Gary Brueggen", "Brian Brueggen", or "Karl Hartwich" name which appears on
each web page, and send one of us an email message.

Now, just Click on one of the following link's and enjoy the pictures and
other information.