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Rewarding music

Larry Olsen Band leader inducted into Legends of Dakota Music Hall of Fame

Photo by Jody Isaackson Larry Olsen of Lake Benton was inducted into the Dakota Legends of Music Hall of Fame Sunday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Olsen and his wife, Brenda, show off his plaque and certificate.

LAKE BENTON — Larry Olsen, a band leader from Lake Benton, was inducted into the Legends of Dakota Music Hall of Fame Sunday evening in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The award came after 37 years of playing a variety of old-time and new-time music since he was 11 years old and started playing with the Marv Nissel Band.

Olsen said his band was requested to perform for before the induction ceremony Sunday.

Then he was presented with an engraved plaque as well as a framed certificate to keep. Copies of them will be on display at the museum in South Dakota.

“I felt honored,” Olsen said of the award.

Olsen said that he is also a member of the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame and the Minnesota Ballroom Association.

The Larry Olsen Band has played all over southwest Minnesota and parts of eastern South Dakota.

“There isn’t a small town in southwest Minnesota we haven’t played in or played in parades or for wedding or anniversary dances,” Olsen said.

The band also travels to Colorado every couple of years to perform. When that trip is taken, the band rents a motorcoach and takes along a few fans.

“We just made that trip in March and played three nights out there,” Olsen said. “We took 46 people. And, we were invited back again in two years.”

Other special performances for The Larry Olsen band include the Bandwagon show on KEYC TV, Mankato, and the farmers market in Cottonwood.

“We’re also playing for Echo’s 125th centennial on Aug. 19,” he said. They are scheduled to play from 4 to 7 p.m.

Echo is where his wife, Brenda (Kuehn), grew up. She helps the band by acting as their booking agent, printing schedules and helping organize and set up for their annual music fest at their farm.

“This will be the 23rd annual Larry Olsen Music Fest,” Brenda said. “The event is held every Memorial Day weekend.”

This year, it runs today through Sunday with a lineup of other popular variety bands who will take the stage in one of the two makeshift concert halls on the Olsen farm.

“All of Larry’s John Deere tractor collection and trucks have been moved out of the two machine sheds for the weekend,” Brenda said.

Tables, chairs and stages have been set up and wooden dance floors have gone down. The main stage folds down from the wall, she said.

There are about 34 volunteers who help run the event. Larry’s sister, Lisa and her husband, Phil Myerberg, will be manning the food stand.

The event will open with Top Notchmen and Mollie B in the main ballroom this evening. They will both be back Friday evening, followed by Matt Hodek’s Dakota Dutchmen.

Saturday will see Malek’s Fishermen, The Larry Olsen Band and Ryan Herman & Karl Hartwich.

The second stage will feature the Wendinger Band this evening. Friday and Saturday will see Dain’s Dutchmen performing.

On Sunday, the Norgaard Duo will perform on the second stage beginning at 10:45 a.m. following the 10 a.m. polka worship service on Sunday. The Larry Olsen Band will close the weekend’s event.

Most of the bands are from out of state.

Performing in The Larry Olsen Band with this award-winning band leader are Richard Roepke, Al Drage, Larry Olsen, Dale Tolk and Sam Tuilio.

“Tolk has been with us the longest, over 20 years,” Olsen said. “He’s from Brooking. South Dakota.”

Tolk plays trumpet, guitar and vocals.

Roepke is from Arlington and plays trumpet and vocals.

Drage is from Evan and plays bass guitar and vocals.

Newest member, Tulio, is from Pipestone and plays the drums.

With the band members spread out, Olsen said they take turns carpooling depending on where they are playing.

Olsen said he comes from a musical family. His father played the drums and was the first drummer for The Larry Olsen Band.

Sister Lisa played the piano for the band for a couple of years, but when she left the band, she dropped the piano entirely, Olsen said.

When Olsen isn’t playing music, he is farming 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans, also with Brenda’s help, when she’s not at Perfect Styles in Marshall, which she owns with Lisa.

The band’s summer schedule will bring it back to the area on July 13 for the Yellow Medicine County Fair in Canby, performance at 5 p.m. and the Lincoln County Fair in Tyler on July 29, performance time to be announced.

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