Nordic Fest in Decorah, Iowa. 1991?

This unlabeled recording was probably recorded at Nordic Fest in Decorah in 1991, but not sure yet.  I say that because the announcer says that Leonard Finseth was dedicating a song to Arnold Olson who we think died earlier that year in October of 1990.

First we hear Bob Andreasen and maybe his son Gary? doing a few Finseth numbers “Jack Pine” style on guitars.  It is cool to hear Syverson’s Waltz done in this style.

Another fun selection on this tape is the harmonica fiddle duo on Jenny Lind Polka by an unknown group.  Leonard Finseth has only a few selections as each artist seems to get about four songs or tunes.

The other interesting thing about this tape is that during one of Bob's songs, Leonard is talking to someone louder than the performance about his third album, which has never been released, or known much about.

Knute Sorenson at Nordic Fest in Decorah, Iowa (1967?)

My best detective work at this time is that this is audio from 1967 at Nordic Fest in Decorah, Iowa, but replayed in 1982. The jury is still out on this as fact.  Whatever year- Some great fiddling here from Knute Sorenson of Northwestern, Minnesota.  Knute was a hardanger fiddler and flat fiddler who frequently played with his brother, Harold Sorenson.  In the intro you can hear him talking about his uncle Sam, who played hardanger in the early 1900's in NW Minnesota.  Here is a picture of his uncle Sam playing the hardanger.

Nordic Fest 1986. Decorah, Iowa

Nordic Fest has been a great yearly tradition in Decorah, Iowa since 1967.  The fest still goes strong today with dances in the streets and traditional music by the Foot-Notes and others.

Leonard Finseth liked to record the music portion of the fest when he was down there.  This tape has a series of performers playing short sets.  I cannot figure out all of the artists names and did not call Vesterheim to try to match the program with the music.

Of note is a performance by Viola Lee who plays wonderful versions of her families fiddle tune on accordion.  There is also good sets by Bertel Malm of South Dakota and Leonard Finseth of Drammen Township, Wisconsin.

Don Gilbertson's House Party 6/14/80

Todays tape is a special one to me.  I used a picture from this gathering to create the woodcut print that became the cover of Upper Midwest Folk Fiddlers Tunebook Volume 1.  I was talking to Larry Finseth, who played guitar at this party and he remembers it vividly 45 years later.  A lot of waltzes, some schottisches, a few foxtrots and some polkas.

I have isolated Gail's Waltz out of this session.  A Finseth original believed to be named after his friend Gail Andresen.

Leonard Finseth and Truman Sorenson 5-14-1977

This session in it's long form is also available professionally archived by the Mills Music Library at the University of Wisconsin from a different source.