Dick Rodgers
Living Category – Inducted 1976
The Dick Rodgers International TV Recording
Orchestra was organized in 1945 when Dick formed a band comprised of
high school students. Within a few years the band was doing live radio
broadcasts and made their first recording in Chicago. From recordings
and radio the next step in promoting the band was TV. In 1955 the
first live telecast was made over Station WLUK, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The program was later expanded from a half hour to a full hour. In
1969, because the TV. show was so successful and popular, other
Stations in the Midwest carried the show. The TV. show was taped at Danceland
Ballroom, located 6 miles north-west of Green Bay on different Wednesday
nights throughout the year with live dancers. It is then broadcast on various TV
stations in the Midwest on Sundays at noon. In 1976 it was the
21st consecutive year the Dick Rodgers Show had been on TV.
The band had 14 record albums, plus 8 track
tapes and cassettes. In past years most of the traveling and playing of
dance engagements were in the Midwest. However, in 1969 the
bookings were expanded to Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Connecticut,
California and Florida. In 1974, the band went international and played
a tour in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. In 1975 a tour was made to
Hawaii with dance engagements played at Honolulu, the Don Ho Show, and
at Kona. The band was in its 31st year of playing dance
engagements by '76. It was honored by National Ballroom Operators
Association, Minnesota Ballroom Operators Association, the Wisconsin
Orchestra Leaders Association and various dance booster clubs.
The family background included Dick’s dad, Joe
Rodgers, who for a number of years operated a Polka band from 1925 to
1945. Dick’s wife, Joan, assisted in the bookings and bookkeeping. The
family included Steve, married, who played the trumpet, sax, piano and
guitar. Son David played the bass guitar, piano and concertina; son Tom
played the concertina, drums, guitar and piano; daughter Chris played the
piano, flute and clarinet.
Members of the orchestra in 1976 included Fritz Willfahrt, Dick Metko, Bob Bandy, John Meissner, Duane Westphal, John
Valenta, Dan Jerabek, and Eugene Nuhlicek.
As of January 1, 1976, the year of Rodgers'
induction into the Polka Hall of Fame, the band was under the
leadership of Fritz Willfahrt. Dick Rodgers resided at Pulaski,
Wisconsin, and was active in operating an insurance agency there, as
well as being co-owner of the Danceland Ballroom. He is now deceased. |
