Four to be inducted into Dakota Musicians Association Hall of Fame

Three accordion players and a drummer will be inducted Thursday night into the Dakota Musician Association Hall of Fame.

This year’s inductees are Randy Fauth of Aberdeen, Randy Becker of Ashley, N.D., Emanuel Geiger of Bismarck, N.D., and Jim Geiger of Mandan, N.D.

The Eagles Club in Aberdeen will host the induction activities from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. with an open jam for Hall of Famers.

A social hour runs from 4 to 5 p.m. with a buffet-style dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. and the induction program from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Music will follow the induction program.

The cost of the dinner is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. If a person chooses not to eat, there is a $5 cover charge.

Here is a look at the inductees, according to a news release.

Fauth began his musical experience at age 6 by taking piano lessons in Long Lake.

After a few years, his parents, Jake and Ida Fauth, thought he could become a good accordion player, so a 12-bass accordion showed up in the house.

He later played tuba with the Long Lake Band and the Leola High School band. In high school, he played accordion in a band called the Merry Makers.

After graduating from what is now Northern State University, he taught instrumental music for eight years in McLaughlin. In 1974, he and his family moved to Aberdeen, where he spent 38 years in sales selling manufactured homes and recreational vehicles.

He sang in the church choir and Elks Chorus (now the Aberdeen Men’s Chorus) and played in the Aberdeen Municipal Band. He is a past president of the Aberdeen Men’s Chorus and in 2007 received the outstanding Man of the Year award. He has been the adult choir director at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for four years.

In 2006, he bought a professional model accordion and has been playing daily since, performing at private parties, nursing homes, public events and dances. In 2009, a group of guys from church started a group called Randy and the Rangers.

Becker has been a drummer in various bands since 1974. He also repairs accordions and amps for musicians.

His first band was with his dad, Clarence Becker.

From 1975 to 1978, he played with the Wanderers bands. He was later a member of the Wipeouts and the Polka Dots. Until 2003, he was in the Moonlighters.

For the last 10 years, he’s been the drummer for the Dakota Rangers.

Becker, 48, co-owns Westside Heating and Air Conditioning in Ashley.

Jim and Emanuel Geiger are brothers, and both play accordion.

Emanuel Geiger is the second-oldest of six children. When he was 14, his parents bought him an accordion. Emanuel Geiger taught himself but later took two years of accordion lessons in order to read music.

Emanuel Geiger played with several local bands, including the Little Dutch Band.

Emanuel Geiger composed two songs, the “EG Polka” and the “Geiger Polka.”

Jim Geiger started playing accordion at age 11. He took lessons for four years from Emanuel Geiger.

At 18, he started playing dance jobs with the Eddy Kraft Band. Three years later, he formed his own band, known as the Jim Geiger Band, which is still active.

Both brothers belong to the nine-member Dakota Keys Accordion Club.

Jim Geiger plays a variety of music, including old-time, 1950s and 1960s and country. He and his band cut a CD, “Creating Memories.”

The brothers often perform as a duo. Both also enjoy performing at area nursing homes.