Apr 29, 2025
Marv Nissel (right) and Steve Moran (left), play concertina together during the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame showcase event. Nissel and Moran are both MMHF inductees. Nissel was formally inducted this year and Moran joined the Hall in 2009.
NEW ULM – The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame (MMHF) was open Saturday for the new inductee showcase.
Six new inductees – The Castaways, Herb Pilhofer, Marv Nissel, Mark Kreitzer, Myron Muehlbauer and Augie Garcia – all joined the hall of fame Friday and the Saturday’s showcase was the first chance for the public to see the new inductee displays along with the past inductees.
MMHF Treasurer Dodie Wendinger said the crowds for the showcase were nonstop. There was a line waiting to get in Saturday morning.
“I think every inductee was presented or had someone representing them,” she said.
Near the front of the Hall of Fame, Jim Donna of The Castaways had setup a special table and was signing copies of his book “Liar, Liar” a book on the history of the band. Donna said all proceeds from the sale would go to the Hall of Fame.
The Castaways of the Twin Cities topped the regional charts and reached #12 nationally with “Liar, Liar.” The song has been used in the soundtrack for four major Hollywood movies including “Good Morning, Vietnam.”
The Castaways’ album “The House of Leather” is widely regarded as the first rock opera that became an off-Broadway play in New York City. Several members of the band were able to attend the induction ceremony on Friday and visited the hall on Saturday for the showcase.
Donna said he and the band were honored and humbled to join the MMHF.
In the back part of the MMHF, a rotating group of concertina players provided musical entertainment, including recent inductee Marv Nissel. Nissel was joined by members of his family. Early in the day, his son-in-law Brian Brueggen took a turn on the concertina followed by Nissel.
During Nissel’s acceptance speech, he said it was an honor to be inducted and it was a milestone for him and recognition of many musicians who played in his band including his wife Carol and his daughters Lori and Jodi.
Nissel was humble about his induction to the Hall of Fame. He said he was just happy to have played the concertina for 71 years and that he could continue to play it for more years.
During the showcase, his daughter Lori Nissel Lacher said his induction was an honor that was very well deserved.
“He has promoted local music for 70 years,” she said. “He taught me to play concertina and many others.”
New inductee Mark Kreitzer also attended the MMHF with several members of his family. Many of his family had special shirts made up for the occasion to show support.
Kreitzer said during the induction acceptance speech that the MMHF was a humbling place to be.
“There are so many iconic musicians and great friends that have been inducted into the hall before me and I can’t believe I’ve been included.”
During the showcase, Kreitzer said it was never really his goal to win the award.
“I just thought it was fun to play,” he said. “I didn’t really have any big goals.”
Many of the friends he played with also had success over the years and he was just proud to play with them.
Inductee Augie Garcia died in 1999, but several of his family attended the induction ceremony Friday and the showcase Saturday.
His daughters, Angie Garcia and Elena Schlichting, accepted the award in his honor during the induction ceremony with the extended family visiting for Saturday’s showcase.
His nephew and Godson, Nick Ferraro from Minneapolis, attended the showcase. He said nine members of the family were able to attend.
“This is quite an honor that he was given,” Ferraro said. He liked seeing photos of his uncle displayed in the hall along with other past inductees.
“We feel blessed,” Ted Ferraro, another of Garcia’s nephews said. “This is a long time coming. It is nice to see him acknowledged for his contribution to music in Minnesota.”
Pilhofer was also able to accept his induction in person. In his acceptance speech, Pilhofer said “I am very honored to be inducted into this community of musicians.”
He was especially happy to be in New Ulm. His musical career in Minnesota began in New Ulm; though he was fired from this first gig because he was a jazz musician and could not play polka. Pilhofer admitted during his speech, he never learned to play polka.
New Inductee Myron Muehlbauer was able to attend the induction ceremony and showcase in person. Muehlbauer is a native of to the New Ulm area. During his acceptance speech, Muehlbauer said the award was more meaningful because he received it in his hometown.
Muehlbauer said there were three great things about playing music, the friendships, the fact that anyone can be successful at it and the affect it has on audience.
“It’s great to see people come out, have a good time and the stress goes away,” Muehlbauer said. “I think that what caused me to play 3,000 jobs and will probably be what leads me to play 3,000 more.”
The MMHF is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday through Saturday from April through October 31. [gallery ids=”948909,948911,948906,948907,948910,948905″
NEW ULM – Last July, the New Ulm School District was the victim of a check fraud scam in the amount of $216,000. …
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