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In a small west central Wisconsin village about 30 miles east of the
Mississippi River lived a young farm boy whose roots were embedded
deeply into old time folk music. Brian Brueggen, born in 1965, has
carried on a family tradition that goes back to the 1800's. Being the
youngest of five children, it was not unusual for Brian's dad and all of
the children to sit in the kitchen and play music. At the age of 3,
Brian's grandfather told everyone that Brian will be a great musician
one day. Being a concertina player himself, Grandpa Herman was
right. At the age of 6, Brian began playing the trumpet. After a couple
years he joined his dad's band playing the second trumpet. Not being
fully satisfied he decided to sneak into his dad's closet and try out
the concertina. When his dad was off driving school bus Brian would
practice the concertina.

One Sunday afternoon as the family took their afternoon nap, Brian
took his dad's concertina out of the closet and practiced. When his
dad woke up from his nap, Brian played "At the Spring Waltz." From
that time on the concertina was never locked in the closet and
practicing became a 6 to 8 hour daily routine for him. Sometimes he
would go and practice in their barn just to give his family a break.

Although Brian can read trumpet music, concertina music is foreign
to him. It all comes natural which enables him to play from the heart
and lets him compose beautiful songs, one being Kayli's Lullaby.
Several of his compositions have been recorded and played by many
bands in the Midwest.

Brian decided to start his own band in 1985. It started as a six-piece
band. As the years passed by, many larger bands have decreased to
3-4 piece bands. Twenty years later Brian is one of the few band
leaders who still mainains a six-piece band. In Brian's words, the
credit would go to loyal side musicians who still love to be part of a
big band. The Mississippi Valley Dutchmen have secured one of the
finest names in old time music, playing the traditional "Dutchmen
Style" music.