Becky Livermore and Terry Ard: Transcript

Becky and the Ivanhoe Dutchmen, Mt. Vernon, polka band
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BECKY LIVERMORE: I don't think of it as, "Oh, gee, we're this polka band, and people are thinking we're weird, and polka music is for old people." And I guess for me it's—the more places that we play, I see less and less of that stereotype feeling. We play some really great German restaurants and Oktoberfests and big events where you see a lot of young people. And they really get into the music. And I guess I don't see it as stereotyped as it was, as the accordion being a weird instrument or an old thing. (Music)

I'm Becky Livermore and I'm from Mount Vernon, Iowa, and I have the band called Barefoot Becky and the Ivanhoe Dutchmen.

TERRY ARD: My name is Terry Ard and I also am from Mount Vernon, Iowa, and I play in the band, Becky and the Ivanhoe Dutchmen.

BECKY LIVERMORE: My aunt had an accordion in her attic, and I would just bug her to death, "Please, play me the accordion. I want to hear the accordion." I guess I was fascinated with it. It was an interesting looking instrument, and I thought, wow, that's really cool. I wanted to hear it played. And that's the first instrument that I did play, when my aunt gave me her accordion, and I started taking lessons on that, so, yeah, I guess I did have the desire.

My mom and my family knew Ed Ulch, and he had the Jolly Bohemians. And I guess my mom used to baby-sit for him years ago. And his band would, of course, play at Swisher, Iowa. And that's one of the bands that I grew up watching and listening to.

And I would always go over to his house. We'd go and visit and I'd say, "I'm taking accordion lessons. I want to play in your band." And for years and years—because I was only ten years old when I started—and he says, "Well, when you get good enough, I'll call you." And every time I'd go over there, and I'd play songs for him. And I'd ask him every time, "Am I good enough? Can I play for you? You keep saying, 'When you're good enough, I'll call you.'"

And by golly, when I was 12 years old, there was a phone call. "I need an accordion player. I'm playing an anniversary." And I said, "Oh, I'm ready. I'm ready." And the tuba player said, "You have to know 80 polkas and 80 waltzes, otherwise we aren't going to get through the night." So, by golly, I came to the job. I had 80 polkas and 80 waltzes, and I made them go through every single one of them!

TERRY ARD: In this day and age of multiculturalism and the media and—what should I say—communication on the Internet, and bringing the world together as one great big place that's connected now, polka music has kind of found its way as a very accepted art form. And it's not as weird to be in a polka band as it was, say, 30 or 40 years ago. Now, polka music is still not mainstream, and it never will be mainstream. And I'm so glad it will never be mainstream. (Music)

What keeps me going in it is not only the music and the camaraderie with the musicians, but it's the people we play for. It's the dancers that come out to the festivals and come out to the open dances. With all the things that they could be doing on a Saturday night, and they choose to pay and come and listen to us and to dance to us play.