Music & Dance Music-Dance News Sept-Oct '19 | Page 6

Music & Dance News
September/October 2019
Ray Sands continued
Page 6
Ray Sands posed for a photo with his accordion at the age of 18 (left), and re-enacted the photo at
age 68 (middle), and again at age 88 (right).
ally-famous tuba player,
Stan Freese, and a trio of
teenage vocalists, called
“Sweet Dreams,” hailing
from Kenyon and Good-
hue, MN.
In January 2000, the
band was featured on
KSTP’s “On the Road
Again,” with Jason Da-
vis.
That same year, band
leader Ray Sands was
inducted into the Minne-
sota Music Hall of Fame
in New Ulm, MN.
The Polka Dots cel-
ebrated their 60th anni-
versary in October 2009,
by performing alongside
Garrison Keillor at the
State Theatre in Zum-
brota.
The sold-out show
was titled “Red Shoes
and Polka Dots,” and
proceeds from the show
were donated to the
Zumbrota Area Arts
Council.
That year, the band
also recorded another al-
bum, titled “60 Years of
Polka’n Around.”
In 2010, the band was
asked to be guest per-
formers during a tap-
ing of “A Prairie Home
Companion,” with Gar-
rison Keillor at the Mayo
Civic Center in Roches-
ter, MN. The live show
was broadcast on more
than 690 radio stations
around the country.
Another big year for
the Polka Dots was
2014.
In March, the band
performed in Las Vegas,
NV. They were invited
to perform at the annual
Southwest Polka Party at
the Orleans Casino. This
three-day polka festival
featured several polka
bands and thousands of
Celebration Sunday, Sept. 15
A 70th anniversary celebration
includes an open house at the
Zumbrota VFW in Zumbrota, MN
Sunday, Sept. 15 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
A new CD is being produced
in honor of the band’s latest milestone.
polka enthusiasts.
In April, a Hollywood
film crew descended
on Zumbrota to film a
movie, “His Neighbor
Phil.” The Polka Dots
performed at the State
Theatre once again. The
band was part of the fi-
nal cut of the motion
picture, which depicts
early-onset
dementia
and Alzheimer’s disease
and their connection to
music.
In August of that same
year, the band was asked
to perform at a television
taping of “Mollie B Pol-
ka Party” at the Medina
Entertainment Center.
The show continues to
air nationally on RFD-
TV.
In 2018, the band per-
formed at the Minne-
sota State Fair, and was
featured on WCCO-TV
during a live broadcast.
“We are grateful to be
celebrating our 70th year
of making music and
bringing joy to our loyal
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