Polka Time tribute to Roger Bright
Plus, an Edelweiss sing-a-long
It’s my favorite time of year: New Glarus Polka Fest! The New Glarus Roger Bright Memorial Polka Fest is a charming party under a huge tent in the Swiss-inspired town in Green County. I look forward to it every year.
This week’s episode of Polka Time will be dedicated to the work of Bright. We will do a sing-a-long to the tune of Edelweiss. If you don’t know it already, the lyrics are below. If you miss it on Sunday night, it will rebroadcast on participating stations on the same weekend as the festival.
Polka Time: Where and when to listen
LIVE - June 2
Sunday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona
Streaming - last week’s episode’s rebroadcast
Saturday, 8 a.m. - WHYS-FM 96.3 Eau Claire - support WHYS
Saturday, 3 p.m. - WRJQ Goodtime Radio - support WRJQ
Saturday, 6 p.m. - WPCA-FM 93.1 Amery - support WPCA
Saturday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona - support WVMO
Sunday, 7 a.m. - WOJB-FM 88.9 Hayward - support WOJB
Sunday, 8 a.m. - WILW-FM 96.3 Waupaca
Sunday, 9 a.m. - WOCT-FM 101.9 Oshkosh
Sunday, 4 p.m. - WLSP-FM 103.5 Sun Prairie - support SPMC
Thanks to these community and volunteer-powered stations for keeping vintage polka on the air waves.
Roger Bright: Edelweiss Sing-A-Long
I learned the song Edelweiss from the Sound of Music. But if you grew up in New Glarus, Wisconsin, you learned it from family and community members when it’s sung at local music festivals. Edelweiss is more than a tune in a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical: it’s an important symbol of Swiss culture and the rocky Alpine region where it grows.
New Glarus, the birthplace of polka hall-of-famer Roger Bright, takes its Swiss heritage very seriously. Since the first immigrants from Switzerland settled in the region in 1845, the Swiss Colony has maintained traditions of music, food, architecture, farming, and history.
Roger Bright was a key future in New Glarus’ dedication to music and fun. The joy in listening to Roger’s music is in hearing the Slovenian-style polka artist weave Swiss melodies and yodels into the recordings. Bright’s obituary touches on how influential he was.
Here’s a Frankie Yankovic version as a warm up for this week’s sing-a-long. The Roger Bright version I’ll play in the next Polka Time episode has vocals by Gene Tebo and a yodel by Ernst Jaggi you’ll love.
Lyrics
Edelweiss… Edelweiss...
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me
Blossom of snow
May you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever...
Edelweiss… Edelweiss...
Bless my homeland forever...
If you need inspiration to get to the polka festival in New Glarus next weekend, here’s a vintage video of Roger Bright band at New Glarus Polkafest in 1988. I promise that the vibes are the same, only now we have New Glarus Brewing Company beer on tap. See the full music schedule online.
Events: Save these dates
Sunday, June 16 — WVMO vinyl takeover: McFarland House Cafe, McFarland
DJs from WVMO-FM bring Americana vinyl to spin for 20-minute sets. From bluegrass to vintage country to polka, enjoy the ever-changing vibe. Details coming soon.
Saturday, June 22 — Prost! Sömerfest, Madison
It’s a Prost! Block Party! Madison’s best Munich-style bierhall is hosting a free party on Hancock Street to welcome summer with music and German food and drinks. DJ Shotski plays polka tunes from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. before a live polka band. Bonus: Make Music Madison is featuring local bands all over the city! Stop by Prost to hear some polka as you make your way around Madison’s celebration of live, local music.
September 19-22 — Green County Cheese Days, Monroe
Cheese Days is set to break the world record in the number of people dancing the polka at this year’s festival. And DJ Shotski is providing the polka tunes! Can you be a part of this exciting event? Mark your calendar and register with Cheese Days for details.
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