Wally Pikal passed away March 2, 2017

Local musician/entertainer, member of the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, and host of KDUZ’s weekly “Pikal Patch” Show, Wally Pikal has died. Wally had recently turned 90. He died the morning of Thursday, March 2, 2017 at Meeker Memorial Hospital in Litchfield.

The family says a memorial service will take place in the spring.

Wally had been hosting and playing polka music on the “Pikal Patch” for the past 52 years.

While a senior in high school, Wally played his first professional job with the Jerry Dostal Band.

Wally soon learned that he could play two and even three trumpets at the same time. That was strange enough, but Wally began doing it while jumping on a pogo stick, to the amazement of his audiences.

He performed that stunt on the “Tonight Show” and “Mike Douglas Show,” and a music video with the J. Geils Band, featuring the song “Love Stinks.”

Over the years, Wally has worked with a who’s who of entertainers, including Doc Severinson, Jim Stafford, Victor Borge, Conway Twitty, and Frank Sinatra Jr.