Music & Dance Music-Dance News Sept-Oct '19 | Page 20

Music & Dance News September/October 2019 Page 20 Ray Sands continued Ray Sands and the Polka Dots performed in Las Vegas, NV in 2014. with the Polka Dots, as he scans the wrinkled pages of two notebooks that list every musical engagement the group has played since 1949. Ray said, “I can hon- estly say I’ve enjoyed every one of those gigs, meeting wonderful peo- ple, and providing dance music for their enjoy- ment. My wife was an integral part of the band for nearly 50 years, and my daughters, Kristy and Heidi, perform too, so it’s been very reward- ing.” The band has recorded several albums over the years, and Ray hopes to produce a 70th anniver- sary version in 2019. Now approaching another decade in life, and in music, Ray isn’t talking retirement from farming or the Polka Dots. “My grandkids really enjoy riding equipment on the farm, so I have to keep going,” Ray said emphatically. As for the Polka Dots, he said, “I want people to remember me as a musi- cian who retired, not one who had to quit. My ac- cordion weighs about 43 pounds, and every year, it gets a little heavier. I just hope it never gets so heavy I can’t lift it.” CY PFANNENSTEIN MUSIC SERVICE Cy Pfannenstein Music Service MBOA fees are due Minnesota Ballroom Owner Association fees are due before Dec. 1, 2019, to receive discounts on ads for Music & Dance News in 2020. Please mail a check for $35 per associated member, or $75 per ballroom owner to Audrey Litzau, PO Box 404, Lester Prairie, MN, 55354. Contact Cy for your favorite Polka Music! Free catalog available! • Call toll free 1-877-479-5269 • E-mail [email protected] • Write Cy Pfannenstein 32024 Sunrise Road; Avon, MN 56310