WORLD’S BEST
Daniel Stursa of Owatonna has been inducted into the World Concertina Congress Hall of Fame. He recently performed at the West Hills Social Commons in Owatonna. Staff photo by Kay Fate
Daniel Stursa got what could arguably be one of the best birthday gifts ever—at least for a musician who has been dedicated to music for most of his life.
Right around his 70th birthday on March 2, he was notified that he will be inducted into the World Concertina Congress Hall of Fame. Stursa will join an elite company of 305 other legend concertina musicians that have been inducted over the past 50 years. He is only the second inductee from Steele County as Luverne Wanous was named in 2019.
“I’m really honored,” said Stursa. “It’s something I never fathomed I would get nominated and selected to.”
He knows he is part of a special group of musicians catering to old-time music, which has seen a major decline in recent years. “There aren’t many of us,” he said with pride.
Stursa’s music career began when he played the piano accordion as a child. About six years later he switched to concertina while still in high school. Back in the early 1970s he traveled from Owatonna to New Ulm to take lessons from Christy Hengel, a German-American concertina maker. Hengel was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
By the time Stursa turned 20, he started his own band, which is still going strong 50 years later.
Stursa credits longtime radio legend Todd Hale of Owatonna for getting his band off the ground in 1975. While working at KRFO, Hale needed some entertainment for a radio-a-thon to raise money for Camp Courage and approached Stursa, who assembled a band and performed for the first time at the Eagle’s Club in Owatonna.
“That’s where it all started,” said Stursa, noting Hale has always been a big promoter of old-time music.
Since his initial performance in Owatonna, Stursa’s band has performed all over southern Minnesota and into Iowa. The band will be playing for the 50th year at the Steele County Free Fair later this summer. “I have a lot of cousins in the area so we have Cousins Day at the fair on Sunday where we play in the Beer Garden,” Stursa said.
Stursa has also become a popular at other celebrations, including Litomysl’s Summer Festival and Ellendale Days.
Some of Stursa’s all-time favorites are “Let’s Have a Party,” “The Barber Polka” and “Come Dance with Me.”
Because of he is a full-blooded Czech, Stursa says he tends to favor “a lot of Czech-type songs.”
He doesn’t plan on giving up playing any time soon. In fact, he just purchased his third concertina. “I’ve been practicing it every day,” Stursa said.
Asked what keeps him going, Stursa said, “I think it’s the enjoyment of playing concertina and the people. It’s all about the people.”
For example, within the past two weeks the band performed for about 100 people in Albert Lea. “They were having such a good time. A lot of them were in their 90s dancing polkas left and right,” Stursa said, adding he enjoys seeing people having a good time.
Stursa’s band includes all original members: Debbie Burnham, sister on rhythm guitar; Linda Malecha, cousin on bass guitar and Verlin Nelson, a friend on drums. “We’re a close bunch,” Stursa said. “We all enjoy playing and being around polka loving people.”
They average about 10-20 performances, mostly weddings and anniversaries, every year. “It has been more this year for some reason,” Stursa said.
Band members and other friends nominated Stursa for the Hall of Fame honor.
A special recognition for Stursa’s Hall of Fame will take place on Aug. 14 during Senior Citizen Day at the Steele County Fair. Hale will be presenting Stursa with his award. The band will also be performing from 12-2 p.m.