- [Voiceover] The following program is a production of Pioneer Public Television.

This program on Pioneer Public Television is funded by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money from the vote of people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Additional support provided by Mark and Maragaret Mark Yackel-Juleen in honor of Shalom Hill Farm, a non-profit world education retreat center in a beautiful prairie setting near Windom in southwestern Minnesota.

shalomhillfarm.org.

The Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center.

Your ideal choice for Minnesota resorts offering luxury town-homes, 18 holes of golfs, Darling Reflections Spa, Big Splash Waterpark, and much more.

Alexandri-ahh, Minnesota.

A relaxing vacation or great location for an event.

ExploreAlex.com.

Easy to get to, hard to leave.

(mid-tempo, symphonic music) Welcome to Postcards.

I'm Dana Johnson.

Today, we explore the music of our region by joining a few local Minnesota Music Hall of Fame inductees for two engaging performances.

Then we hit the dance-floor at a music festival in Lake Benton, Minnesota.

But first, Roger Kodet tells us about the nostalgic era of ballrooms and living life on the road as a Big Band musician.

(Big Band music playing) - I'm a farm boy, and I come from Randall Country, Minnesota and I went to school at Morton High School, and while I was in Morton, I was in the band and I played trumpet.

And when I graduated from high school, immediately I start playing in night clubs.

I played the night club scene for about six years.

Then in 1959, I was approached by several other musicians that thought it would be a good idea if we could put together a dance band.

So we decided to do that.

And I had a younger brother.

He was a freshman in high school at the time, but very talented.

He also played trumpet.

At the time I started playing with the band, it was known, our combo to start with for six years was called The Blue Notes.

And we started out with The Blue Notes Orchestra and that didn't last every long.

We happened to be playing one night down at Sleepy Eye at the Orchid Ballroom.

And the owner of the Orchid would always come up to the bandstand and he had announced the up and coming attractions at the Orchid, and that night, I don't know if we had a little too much Orange Crush or what, (laughs) but we were having a lot of fun and he referred to us as "a bunch of cards," and I'll be darned if he didn't put on the publication at the next time we played there, "Featuring The Cards."

And you know the name The Cards stuck and we lived with that for 27 years.

And then finally, the band was known as Roger Kodet and The Cards.

When we started back in 1959, there was an excess of 50 ballrooms in the state of Minnesota.

These were venues that were strictly available for dances.

They would house maybe 400, 500 people, on up to 1,000, 1,500 people.

And we were quite fortunate in our band that I doubled on instruments.

I played sax and clarient and trumpet and my brother did the same, and then we hired two more sax players.

And as a result we had the instrumentation where we could play either old time or modern.

So one night we'd be in one ballroom playing old time music, and maybe tomorrow we'd be in the next ballroom right down the highway playing modern music.

It got to the point where we're doing about 60 to 80 nights a year.

And this is quite a challenge when you consider that the band, this was kind of a part-time thing.

We all had jobs.

We'd go out, leave after work and go 100 miles one way and play a job and come back.

I used to have a vehicle that I could haul all the band members, and I pulled a trailer.

I think there was close to 1,000,000 miles on that trailer and it rusted out so bad that one time I was going to a dance up towards St.

Cloud, Minnesota and I crossed a railroad track and the wheels came out from underneath.

I pulled it down the highway right on the back bumper.

You should've seen the sparks fly.

Shortly after the band got going in 1960 or 61, we were asked to do a commercial recording.

We went down to Kay Bank Studios in Minneapolis and we cut a Long Play, a 33 1/3 album.

And I gotta brag about that a little bit because we did 16 what we called takes then, 16 songs we recorded.

And we did it in 18 takes.

In other words we made a mistake twice.

This record that we cut was called A Stacked Deck with The Cards, and it became quite popular in the area.

In addition to that, we got started playing television shows on KEYC-TV at Mankato, Minnesota and at that time, John Deere was a sponsor and they called it the John Deere Bandwagon.

And we were featured on the Bandwagon at least once a month.

And this went on for quite a few years.

So our exposure to the public, we had quite a bit of exposure.

I folded the band in 1986 after 27 years of playing.

And then, I kind of retired out of the scene and I didn't pick up my horns for quite a few years.

Then in the year 2010 after I had retired from playing, I received a letter from the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

So my brother Douglas and I were nominated in 2010.

And in the fall in November, we had the big festivities.

And we received our award.

So we are now members of the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

(jazzy trumpet playing) And they asked me if I would bring my band in and play for the Hall of Fame.

And of course, I didn't do this because some of my musicians are no longer with us.

So I brought my current group in, which would be Nancy Hall and Bob Whitney and John Hunter.

And we gave them about a hour concert.

Both Doug and myself, my brother and myself, really felt honored being inducted into the Music Hall of Fame later in our, in our life.

And I suppose that's why I'm playing more now in my later years was because of the induction into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

When I think back on my life in music, I really do miss the ballroom era.

It was quite a life, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

We had a very permanent group in the band all those years, and we enjoyed one another as far as our playing ability and understanding what we were trying to do and playing the music.

And we just had a good time doing it.

And we had some very understanding wives.

(laughs) (jazzy saxophone playing) - Now The Chord Ayres tell us about their history which spans over 40 years.

Join us as we learn about their love for singing and catch a glimpse of their patriotic Veterans' Day performance at Lac Qui Parle High School.

("The Battle Hymn of the Republic") - [Voiceover] The male chorus group, The Chord Ayres in rural Minnesota is not your average singing group.

They've been together continuously for over 40 years and many of the charter members in the group still sing with them today.

A few of the members recall how the group got started.

- Paul Trelstad and myself got together.

We were both members of the Marlon Maynard Chorus and that was kind of falling apart.

The older members were quitting and we felt that we can't give up yet, we better try and get them going.

So we got together in the basement of the Minnesota Valley Chruch and that was the beginning.

(piano melody playing) - I'm Paul Trelstand and I sing baritone in the Chord Ayres.

And I've been alone for well, since we began in 1969 and we were hosted here by Appleton American Legion at that time.

I would have to guess that we probably had about 75% of us had been military people.

Therefore, we'd tie in real well with the American Legion.

("(I Wish I Was In) Dixie's Land") - I started in 1971 with the group so I wasn't one of the original members that started with the group.

But, I've been with them since 1971.

Each year we tried to learn something new so we keep them challenged a little bit like that 'cause otherwise it gets... Well, it's like anything else.

If you do it too much, it just get old, and then it's no fun anymore, whatever like that.

So we try to keep doing new things.

(chorus singing) - [Voiceover] Plus not just any John Doe can be a member.

- There are some requirements.

Number one, you have to be able to sing.

And we have a, a membership allocation of 35 members.

So we can't go over that number.

And we usually have a waiting list.

- If you wanna be a member of the Chord Ayres, you have to be devoted.

You can't miss the practices.

You have to be at the practices because if you don't, you miss it.

- [Voiceover] The devotion seems to shine in everything the Chord Ayres do, including an allegiance to family.

- Well, we started out... We were gonna make one thing very important and we kept that pretty much in our minds all along.

And that is, we always include our wives in whatever we do.

We felt if we have our wives' support, we've got the blessing also.

(chorus singing) - I liken this group to a band of brothers, where if any particular member of the group has some ill fortune come their way, I know if there was a phonecall made everyone in the group would be there to help them no matter what.

It just makes you feel proud to be singing in a group like that with all of your friends.

That special camaradie, I think, is really what sticks in my mind.

(chorus singing) - [Voiceover] Of course, it doesn't hurt that they were all good singers either.

So good that they were inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame on November 12th of 2012.

- And of course we were told, you know, "Don't hold your breath until you get this "because it can go couple years or so."

When the word came out that we had been inducted into the Hall of Fame, we couldn't believe it.

For myself, it was 43 years since you've been with the group.

It was all worth it.

Every bit of it.

I mean, it's just a sense of an accomplishment that you never dreamt would happen.

So I guess that's the way I feel about it.

(chorus singing) - I think everybody was so excited to have this as a...

I shouldn't say culmination of the group, but, 'cause we're still gonna be around for a while, I hope, but, boy this has gotta be one of the really big highlights.

And everybody in the group, I think, was so proud of what they did over all of the years and how it contributed to our actual our actual induction into this marvelous, marvelous Hall of Fame.

- Some years back I told my wife, I said I gotta stay with the Chord Ayres until we get into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

While we've made it, I don't wanna quit yet.

- [Voiceover] Being inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame for the Chord Ayres, is a great memory.

But they have many others as well.

- Well, for myself, there's nothing like the 50th anniversary at Honolulu.

To be able to sing out on Arizona was unbelievable.

The Chord Ayres were standing around an old bin area in the middle of the memorial.

There was the water down below.

And I was handed a lei.

When I dropped it in the water, it floated out into the Pacific and formed a perfect heart.

You couldn't have done any better if you tried.

We were singing a navy hymn which was proper out there.

(laughing) The tears were running.

Just unbelievable.

(chorus singing) - [Voiceover] But the Chord Ayres just don't perform far away.

They mostly stick close to rural Minnesota for performances.

They say they're just as special as the bigger ones.

Like the Veterans' Day program held at the Lac Qui Parle High School.

- A lot of the younger kids, they don't know what Veterans' Day is.

And the only way to, you know, to get them and to show them is to have a program.

Put on something for them to see what it was about.

(chorus singing) - What we usually do is sing a piece called Armed Services Salute and as they, we go through that, we sing all the service numbers and musical numbers for each branch of the service.

("Armed Services Salute") And we ask them to stand.

And if they happen to be in the Chord Ayres, now basically we've begun to salute ourselves as well as those that are in the audience, recognizing not only the members of the audience, but also the Chord Ayres.

♪ Until we meet once more ♪ ♪ Wishing you a happy voyage ♪ ♪ Home ♪ - I just hope that we can start getting some younger people that would really be devoted to it and keep it going.

We need somebody to take over.

One of the problems is to get up and down from the risers.

(laughs) But they got canes.

We can use that.

- [Voiceover] Old age jokes aside, the Chord Ayres' fond memories and pride for all they have accomplished together will never grow old.

- I'm very grateful to all of them for all of their work that they put in.

Their dedication to this group to make everything fly.

I hope it continues until we just plain can't do it anymore.

♪ And let it begin with me ♪ ♪ Let there be peace on earth ♪ ♪ The peace that was meant to be ♪ ♪ With God as our Father ♪ ♪ Brothers all are we ♪ ♪ Let me walk with my brother ♪ ♪ In perfect harmony ♪ ♪ Let peace begin with me ♪ - And finally on our last stop, we hear from musicians and dancers who travel to Larry Olsen's Music Festival in Lake Benton every year.

Let's find out what keeps them coming back.

(polka music playing) - Well, you're at Lake Benton, Minnesota at the 18th annual Music Fest here at my farm, where we run a variety of different music including polka music.

- [Man] Hey, there's your waltzes for ya!

Be right back with polkas!

- I grew up on polka music so it's hard for me to to try to get somebody, how do you wanna say it, involved in it when I just kinda grew up on it.

- [Man] See we had a request, The Sniders out here from Madison.

- I encourage everybody to try it.

It's happy music.

I don't know.

I just, I grew up on it, I'm trying to keep it going and keep promoting it.

And of course, with a band and stuff, you know you, kinda keep doing it and everything.

But I don't know.

I like polka music.

And I wish everybody else would try it and like it too.

(polka music playing) - I'm Merlin Bowning and this is my wife, Jill.

We've been working at this fest for 18 years now.

From the beginning until today.

- It's the Music Fest.

That's why we like it have it.

Because it's a music fest, it'll draw young and old.

♪ We're gonna have a polka celebration ♪ ♪ You bring your friends up ♪ ♪ And I'll bring mine ♪ - You hear a variety of instruments.

Polka music is no longer just oom-pah-pah and base tubas and accordions.

You have a whole variety.

You've got new musicians coming up yearly, annually, monthly that are bringing a whole new variety of music to the polka field.

However, still all polka music.

It's considered old time music and it's just really great to listen to and tap your foot to.

♪ Tock goes the clock on the wall ♪ ♪ As you're dancing the evening away ♪ - I really enjoy the people.

They're the ones that we do it for and when I see they're happy then it makes me happy.

I pretty much know every person at this music fest by name.

I've met so many over the years playing in the band.

And of course it isn't all polka music here.

You usually go to a polka band that'll at least play some waltzes or schottische or something, you know.

- And myself, I guess I've been dancing since I was about five years old.

Used to put money in the jukeboxes in the Corner Cafe just to see me jig on the floor (laughing).

So dancing has been in my blood.

- [Jill] We like dancing.

- [Melin] Good exercise.

- [Jill] Good exercise.

- Exercise and rhythm.

Many will walk the driveway but that's nothing like dancing, you know what I mean?

(polka music being performed) - I know that they're all here having fun with polka music and enjoying it.

And it's good exercise.

It's a great social event.

You make good friends and you make long-lasting friends.

And you make friends from a long distance.

So if you're traveling, on a vacation or whatever, you may be able to stop and visit some of your friends because you're traveling through their state or their town.

- One band in particular, The Top Notchmen band from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

They have been here, this is their 18th year, they've been here for every one of 'em.

They are just two of the nicest people that you'd ever wanna meet.

And they have just a wide variety of music.

(polka music playing) - One of the favorite reasons we come here is to dance, plus the people and friends.

I mean, we have, we meet so many wonderful people at the dances and stuff.

And you get to know 'em and they come from all over the country and Canada.

All over the United States, you know?

So you get to meet a lot of wonderful people.

- And the younger crowd says, "Polka?

"That's for the old people."

- [Merlin] I think you find the younger crowd doing the foxtrot.

- [Jill] Yeah.

- [Merlin] That'll coincide with the country music.

Other than that, I don't know.

We're hoping that somebody is gonna follow up on this because we're getting older.

- They're coming.

They're coming.

- It's gonna delinquish.

(country music playing) - I don't ever think polka music'll ever die out.

There's too many areas where it's, it's kind of a part of the family thing.

There's certain areas where it's kinda like your nationality.

It'll never totally die out, but who knows?

Five years from now, polka music could be the biggest thing on TV.

Certain areas we see a lot of younger ones coming up on it, so I'd say it's maintaining its level.

- Larry said last year, he said, "I think we're gonna quit."

And Brenda says, "That'll never happen."

- What would he do with himself?

(both laughing) - I think polka fests are important.

Polka Fest is a gathering like any other collector and I think it brings a sense of home or being to people.

- For more information, go to our website.

Now we leave you with a postcard from Montevideo.

Thanks for tuning in on Postcards.

♪ There's a new war coming ♪ ♪ It lives in the wires of an oven ♪ ♪ And the pockets of the jeans that you love and ♪ ♪ The hair of the woman that you covet ♪ ♪ Money, you love it ♪ ♪ And you sure can't live without it ♪ ♪ Oh but you got a hole up in your pocket ♪ ♪ The size of the lover in your locket ♪ ♪ And the skies will all turn violet ♪ ♪ You're scared and you're silent ♪ ♪ Quiet as a newborn violin ♪ ♪ Maybe that's the new kind of violence ♪ - [Voiceover] This program on Pioneer Public Television is funded by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Additional support provided by Mark and Margaret Yackel-Juleen, in honor of Shalon Hill Farm.

A non-profit rural education retreat center in the beautiful setting near Windom in southwestern Minnesota.

shalomhillfarm.org The Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center.

Your ideal choice for Minnesota Resorts offering luxury town-homes, 18 holes of golf, Darling Reflections Spa, Big Splash Waterpark, and much more.

Alexandri-ahh, Minnesota, a relaxing vacation or great location for an event.

ExploreAlex.com.

Easy to get to, hard to leave.

(slow, symphonic music)