Elmer Scheid honored

New Ulm, MN native Elmer Scheid was inducted into the Polka Music Hall of Fame by the International Polka Association during an induction ceremony Sept. 2 at the Millennium Hotel in Buffalo, NY.

Scheid was considered the best concertina player in New Ulm history, which is no small achievement.

He started playing music at age 4. The story goes, as a toddler, Scheid would carry around a button accordion. He graduated to playing the concertina at age 8. His father, A.J. Scheid, also played the concertina and Elmer learned a lot from watching him.

Scheid played his first professional dance at age 13 with the John Fritsche Band. He later played with Harold Loeffelmacher’s Six Fat Dutchmen. After being discharged from service, Scheid joined the Babe Wagner Band. In 1951, he created his own band called the Elmer Scheid “Hoolerie” Band.

Throughout the 1950s, New Ulm was considered by many to be the Polka Capital of the Nation, and Scheid was frequently booked for dances at George’s Ballroom. His band played hundreds of weddings dances. In one week Scheid’s band played five consecutive nights at George’s Ballroom. During their busiest year Scheid’s band played 214 jobs.

The group toured around the Midwest, but stayed close to New Ulm because most of the band members had day jobs.

In 1958, the Elmer Scheid Band won the popularity contest at the Marigold Ballroom in Minneapolis.

Scheid produced 15 albums and tapes with the band’s last recording done in 1986. He was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 1995.

Scheid died in May 2012 at 90, but his legend lives on in New Ulm. Now with his induction, the world will know of his talent.