Museum obtains old music items

Whoopie John's

grandson sells

collection to

local donors

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Whoopie John Wilfahrt's grandson Dennis Brown was busy Friday afternoon sorting through his extensive collection of old-time music items at the Brown County Historical Museum.

Individual and corporate museum donors raised money to buy the collection of items that included more than 90 band posters, 45 rpm records, some of which were never played, ballroom photographs, live radio show recordings and other artifacts.

The items will be included in a museum exhibit including recordings that will be played as part of New Ulm's 150th anniversary celebration next year.

Whoopie John and his band were on the radio for 22 years, had four radio shows at one time and a television show. Radio show recordings were taken from 16-inch disks and reel to reel tapes and recorded on CDs and cassettes.

The band was busy to say the least. They once performed 41 concerts in 51 days and made recordings on 45 and 78 rpm records. In 1944, the band performed 392 times over the course of a year.

Brown's collection includes the location, number of tickets sold, ticket prices, band members, their pay and yearly gross income after expenses, among other details. Brown got photos and other items from friends, relatives and fans from around the country to create his collection.

The band stayed overnight in a Chicago hotel in the 1930's for $2.50 per night, according to lodging receipts.

In July 1943, the band performed at the Patterfoot Ballroom in Sleepy Eye, where the Furniture Gallery now stands on Main Street. A crowd of 564 attended. Women paid 30 cents and men 55 cents for admission.

Women paid less admission so they would attend in greater numbers, in order to draw more men to the concert.

Band members at that time were Lawrence Malmberg, Roy Boyle, Harold Anderson, Hugo Hofmeister and Frank Hofmeister.

"This tells the story of old-time music," said BCHS Research Librarian Darla Gebhard. "It fills the gaps in our collection. We can create a fantastic exhibit that will include actual recordings of the band."

Brown sells his grandfather's music out of his Lakefield home. His web site is www.whoopeejohn.com