Roger Bright (February 12, 1937 – August 28, 2001) was an American

polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...

musician from

New Glarus, Wisconsin New Glarus is a village in Green County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,266 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1845 by immigrants from the canton of Glarus in eastern Switzerland, from which the village takes its name. It is lo ...

. He played mostly Slovenian-style (or "Cleveland style") polka music with a "mellow touch" and "a Swiss lilt." As one of the most important Wisconsin polka musicians, he is known for popularizing the town of New Glarus ("America's Little Switzerland") among the polka community, and New Glarus' annual Polkafest is held every year in his honor.

Musical career

Roger Bright was born in

, and began playing the accordion at age 12. He formed his first band at 15, and made his first recording at 19. While on tour in

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

he met

Slavko Avsenik Slavko Avsenik (November 26, 1929 – July 2, 2015) was a Slovenia, Slovene composer and musician. Beginning in 1953 with the formation of the Avsenik Brothers Ensemble, Avsenik produced more than 1,000 songs and garnered success both in Slovenia ...

, who inspired him to add more Slovenian elements into his sound. Over the course of his career he played in 33 US states as well as 12 tours to Europe and Canada, both with his own band as well as playing in bands with Frankie Yankovic, Joey Miskulin, Slavko Avsenik, and many others. He is also notable for collaborating with Swiss-American yodeler and hotel owner Robie Schneider, who owned the famous New Glarus Hotel, which employed Bright's band as the house band for many years. He recorded 35 albums over the course of his career, for Cuca Records as well as his own self-founded polka record label Bright Productions. He performed concerts with the St. Louis Pops Orchestra around the country, and appeared on TV shows such as The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,

The Phil Donahue Show ''The Phil Donahue Show'' is an American talk show that was hosted by Phil Donahue. The show ran for twenty-nine seasons from November 6, 1967, to September 13, 1996, in which it broadcast 6,715 episodes. Before it was placed in syndication ...

, The Charlotte Peters Show, and Don McNeill's Breakfast Club.

Death

Bright died on August 28th, 2001, at Boulder Community Hospital in

Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most ...

. He suffered a heart attack while performing on stage at a polka festival in Boulder, and died shortly after.

Awards

Bright was inducted into the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame in 2000, the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2002, and the International Polka Association Hall of Fame in 2003. He received official commendations from Wisconsin governor

Tommy Thompson Tommy George Thompson (born November 19, 1941) is an American politician who served as the 19th United States secretary of Health and Human Services from 2001 to 2005 in the Presidency of George W. Bush, cabinet of President of the United State ...

and from the state of Michigan, a key to the city of

Grand Haven, Michigan Grand Haven is a city within the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Ottawa County, Michigan, Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River (Michigan), Grand River, for which ...

, and numerous other awards throughout his home state of Wisconsin.

References

{{Authority control American musicians Polka musicians