Joe Savage

Joe Savage has played and recorded with many artists and bands and was a guest on the Prairie Home Companion radio show.  As a member of the Midwest Country Theatre band, he performed with legendary country singers such as the late Hank Thompson, Margo Smith, Rex Allen Jr., Jean Shepard, Jeannie Seely, Stonewall Jackson, Jim Ed Brown, David Frizzell, Wanda Jackson, Narvel Felts, Tommy Cash.  Joe has been recognized by his peers with two Minnesota Music Awards and with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame.

Dan Lowinger
 

Dan Lowinger (guitar), a recent transplant from Portland, OR, is a guitarist steeped in the tradition of western swing and classic country. He has performed regionally and toured nationally with many different northwest, country and swing bands including: The Barn Door Slammers, Ralph Carney’s Pepper Grinders, Vince Mira, and Western Centuries.

 

Dan Newton

 Dan "Daddy Squeeze" Newton (accordion and vocals) also performs with Cafe Accordion Orchestra, Pat Donohue's Prairie All Stars, and the Hula Peppers. Dan performed many times on A Prairie Home Companion, and has been playing western swing with various bands since the 1980s.

Dehl Gallagher

 Dehl Gallagher has played drums in Nashville, Branson, and Minneapolis for many groups, and members of the Country Music Hall of Fame including Charlie Louvin, Hank Thompson, Wanda Jackson, and Jean Sheppard. He was a 15 year veteran of Midwest Country Music Theatre seen internationally on RFD-TV.

Tom Schaefer

 Tom Schaefer’s Western Swing credentials include performances with Texas Playboys  Tiny Moore and Eldon Shamblin, and Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Thompson. He has recorded on more than 70 albums and was inducted into the South Dakota Friends of Traditional Music Hall of Fame in 2013. 

Vaughn Asselstine

 Vaughn Asselstine lays down a groove for a variety of bands around town including the Hula Peppers, Mash Tun and King Wilkie's Dream performing early jazz, old-time, swing, Cajun, country and bluegrass music. She plays piano and was a rhythm tap dancer for 10 years performing with Keane Sense of Rhythm.