By Clay Schuldt

Staff Writer

NEW ULM — All ears tuned to the music of Minnesota will be focused on New Ulm, Friday.

The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame is holding its 30th Induction Ceremony. The banquet dinner starts at 6 p.m. with the Induction Ceremony starting at 7:30 p.m. The event will be held at Turner Hall.

Six new inductees of 2018 include University of Minnesota organist Dean Billmeyer, Educator in Native American Music Frances Densmore, jazz singer Arne Fogel, old time concertina player Johnny Helget, the rock and roll band Replacements and the 451st Army Band.

Dean Billmeyer is an award-winning organist who appeared as a recitalist throughout the United States and Western Europe. In 1973, he entered the Eastman School of Music of an academic scholarship, followed by studies in organ and the harpsichord at Southern Methodist University in Dallas; and then Vienna as a Fullbright Scholar. Following his return to the United States, he became one of the most highly respected teachers in the Midwest.

Frances Densmore was responsible for preserving Dakota and Chippewa songs for future generations. She grew up in Red Wing and studied music at Oberlin College. During the early part of the twentieth century, she worked as a music teacher with Native Americans, while also learning, recording and transcribing their music and documenting its use in culture. Desmore has since passed away, but a representative of her family will be on hand to accept the award.

Arne Fogel has written, produced and appeared in over two dozen concert presentations in venues throughout the Upper Midwest. He wrote and co-produced the Nancy Harms show “Ellington at Night.” The show has been presented in The Dunsmore Room, Lincoln Center in New York, Albert Hall in London and New Morning in Paris. He participated in countless live radio concerts including three years as a regular performer on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.”

Johnny Helget is a New Ulm native and has been playing accordion since age 8. At age 11, he was given a double-reed concertina and was promised a better one if he learned to play it, which he did. Helget and his band traveled far and wide throughout the Upper Midwest playing their music. He has taught many students how to play the concertina, including Peter and Paul Wendinger, Ed Palmer and many more. “New California Waltz,” “Einer’s Polka” and “Helget’s Waltz” are some of his original compositions. He is still active in the music business.

The Replacements began in Minneapolis in 1979. The band includes guitarist and vocalist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bass guitarist Tommy Stinson and drummer Chris Mars. The band went through several variations, originally called “Dogbreath,” but after the Stinson brothers joined they became the “Impediments” and in 1980 changed their name to The Replacements. The band started out as a punk rock band and is considered one of the pioneers of alternative rock. Their final performance as a band was in June 2015.

The 451st Army Band is an Army Reserve unit that has served for 70 years across the country and around the world. The band is recogonized as a one of the finest organziations in the military band program. The band has been called “the best in the Reserves.” The mission of telling the Army story through music has encouraged, educated, entertained and inspired service members and civilians alike through its pride in performance.

Hall of Fame Executive Director Dodie Wendinger said each year the Hall tries to induct a representatives of a variety of genres.

In addition to the induction ceremony, an Inductee Showcase event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame at 27 N. Broadway. The showcase is free to the public and refreshements will be served. It is a chance for visitors to see the new inductee displays and view all the inductees from the last 30 years.

The Grand Center for the Arts and Culture will also host a concert featuring inductee Arne Fogel, accompanied by Rick Carlson on piano.

The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame has inducted over 160 individuals and organizations since 1989.