History of the Volovsek Band

Contributed by Shari (Volovsek) Hahn

The business card of the Volovsek band

Music was always a large part of the Frank Volovsek family, of Willard.  All the children learned to play at least one musical instrument.  At one time, they even made a few recordings on the old 78 rpm records. 

Circa 1940

Front Row: John, Willy, Betty, Tony

Middle Row: Frank Sr., Margie, Anna

Back Row: Allie, Stanley

Mostly, they played together as a family for their own entertainment, as well as for local parties and church functions.  As the kids grew up, got married and moved away, the band dwindled to only four children of Willy, John, Allie, and Betty.

Circa 1948-49

Left to Right: Anna, Betty, Allie, Frank Sr., Joe, John, Willy, and Tony

In the younger years, Frank Sr. played the saxophone, as did Margie.  Allie played Tuba, Stanley and John played cornet, Anna and Betty played clarinets, and Tony and Willy played trombones.

When they got older, there was a slight change in the instruments, whereas Anna played the accordion, Betty would play sax or clarinet, and Willy transferred to drums.  All of them had wonderful singing voices, too, and sang in the church choir.  Their repertoire consisted of old-time polkas and waltzes, emulating the sounds of the legendary Guy Lombardo orchestra.

Before married life and careers became the norm, Allie, John, Willy, and Betty, with the help of some friends--Gracie (Landwehr) Weisman, Elaine (Kuenkel) Duge, and Virginia (Bushman) Mondlock would play for dances in the area.  Those places included a place called The Stables (more recently known as the Wildcat Inn), on Hwy 10, west of Neillsville.  They also played in various clubs in Marshfield, including the Marshfield Armory, and as far away as Stratford and Ogema.  During those few years, Betty would play her clarinet, sax, or the bass fiddle; Virginia was on saxophone; Gracie, on the cornet; and Elaine on the accordion; with Allie and Willy playing tuba and drums, respectively.  One of those dances at the armory is where Willy met his future wife.  Allie seemed to be the backbone of the group, as not only did they have farming chores to do, but he would book the gigs as well as do all the packing and unpacking of instruments, and the driving to and from the functions.

The drums that Willy played have traveled many miles throughout their life.  In later years, when Ritchie Yurkovich was just starting out, he'd ask Willy to accompany him, on occasion, mostly, for local functions.  Before Willy passed away Ritchie invited him and LaVerne (Chico) Gregorich to play in Branson, MO.   That was probably one of the highlights of Willy's drumming career.   Those drums are now being stored, for placement in the Willard Historical Society's future building.

(Additional article in Clark County Press Old Days Column from 10/26/2011)