First Berg joined two friends as a trio, playing parties and small gigs. Then in 1930 picked up four more members (all Scandinavian) with an eye on a regular radio gig. They played out around the region: WDGY, WOI, WMT, and WNAX to name a few. WOI-AM in Ames Iowa was almost 250 miles round trip. Some bands would squawk at that gig today.
They were unusual among polka bands for being "multi-ethnic." The band members were of almost exclusively Scandinavian descent. But their set list was comprised of every kind of Polka you can shake your Lederhosen at: Czech, Scandinavian, German, Bohemian... even Italian and Irish selections. Over time the band ditched their Lederhosen and Nordic repertoire and switched to tuxedos like a ballroom dance band. It was classy and neutral and got them into more venues. They spelled out that strangely progressive cultural mission on a post card:
"The band with music of folk songs and old world melodies, distinctively styled for your personal pleasure, completes its sixth year of weekly broadcasts over WOI. We want you to continue being a regular Viking listener. Wire in and let us play your personal requests. Be sure to refer us to your local dance manager."The band went on to record for Melotone, Brunswick, Perfect, Vocalion, Decca and Columbia to name a few. The band continued on successfully until the draft in WWII claimed a few too many key members requiring a break. But the problem persisted. After WWII Berg went through musicians like tissue paper. Somewhat amusingly he regularly posed the job openings in Billboard Magazine through 1956. Below is a sampling.. there are dozens more:
Clarinet, 1942
Piano, October 1946
Clarinet , February 1947
Clarinet, August 1947
Clarinet and Sax, May 1948
Clarinet, August 1949
Trumpet, January 1950
Brass Bass, October 1950 (also ran in November)
Clarinet, March 1951
Trumpet, October 1952
Accordionist, May 1955 (also ran in June)
Sax & Clarinet, April 1956
Berg polka'd on into the late 1950s. In 1992 he wrote the history of his Vikings, producing a a 145-page book entitled the Viking Accordion Band Reflects Colorful History. His praises are sun in books like Polkabilly by James Leary, and A Passion for Polka by Victor Greene. Their significance to American polka is hard to over-state.
Thank you for the good writeup. I have several of their 78s. I would make a correction here and say they recorded for ARC, which issued the same tracks on their family of budget labels Banner, Melotone, Perfect, etc.
ReplyDeleteVery cool, I didn't find that!
ReplyDeleteI have a picture post card of the band, sent to someone in Ames IA
ReplyDeleteMarch 1939, found your info interesting, should I sell the postcard to an antique dealer? THX
Go for it. But if you want to share a scan here that'd be nice too.
ReplyDeleteThe Vikings made records at a time when ordinary big bands from the midwest generally didn't get to. Their music had to compete with New York and Chicago bands, but the Vikings didn't so much.
ReplyDeleteI’m wondering if you have the names if the band members. Looking for a great grand uncle who played with the group.
ReplyDeleteThe Albert Lea Tribune (2/20/1958) featured a photo spread with pictures of the band members over a number of years. Here they are, listed with their photo date:
Delete1930: Jess Armstrong, drums; Joe Moen, bass; Leighton Berg; Joe Sorenson, saxophone; Al Johnson, piano; Axel Domaas, accordion; Roy Simonson, accordion.
1932: Roy Simonson, Leighton Berg, Ralph "Beans" Dillon, Floyd "Wimpy" Wright, Vern Perry, Nestor Sybilrud, Fritz Rygh
1933: Roy Simonson, Leighton Berg, Vern Perry, Floyd "Wimpy" Wright, Fritz Rygh, Nestor Sybilrud, Ralph "Beans" Dillon
1935: Ralph "Beans" Dillon, Paul Pierson, Lloyd Nielsen, Fritz Rygh, Cecil Turner, Leighton Berg, Nestor Sybilrud, Floyd "Wimpy" Wright
1937 bus pic: Cecil Turner, Paul Donnelly, Roy Simonson, L.A. Skipper Berg, Floyd "Wimpy" Wright, Fritz Rygh, Nestor Sybilrud, Ralph "Beans" Dillon.
1939: Bing, Floyd "Wimpy" Wright, Nestor Sybilrud, Fritz Rygh, Lloyd Nielsen, Leighton Berg, Cecil Turner
Another Albert Lea Tribune (5/31/2006) picture is described as the band members 1931-1941: Cecil Turner, Paul Pierson, Leighton Berg, Russ Olson, Floyd "Wimpy" Wright, Nestor Sybilrud, Ralph "Beans" Dillon, Lloyd Nielsen, Fritz Rygh.
A 1/2/32 newspaper account of the band’s bus crash lists: Fritz Rygh, Roy Simonson, Leighton Berg, Ralph "Beans" Dillon, Joe Sorenson, Ed. Fisch.
Some member in the later era (1950s) were: Lawrence Ashleson, Jim Rush, Rollie Green, Paul Donnely, Roger Berg, Cliff Block, Harry Niles, Orville Snater, Bill Rundquist, Earl White, Floyd "Wimpy" Wright, Wilbur Sayles, Wally Paske.
Nielson’s name is also written Nielsen and Nelson. I don’t know which is correct.
Frithjof "Fritz" Rygh’s name is usually written Ryghs.
I am told they are all in the book "Viking Accordion Band Reflects Colorful History" which I never did buy. But I have just a few names: Roger Leighton “Skipper” Berg, Roy Simonson, and Karel Echtner
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