Verne Meisner, 66; Giant in the World of Polka Played the Accordion

Verne Meisner, 66, whose accordion-propelled polka tunes kept the upper Midwest dancing for 57 years and who won an international following for his musical skill, died June 10 of cancer at St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee.

Meisner was considered one of the giants of polka, and his Slovenian -- or Cleveland-style -- polka featured infectious melodies that were widely popular in taverns, dance halls and festivals where the music was a standard celebration of the week’s end.

“He set the tone and groundwork for a lot of other musicians and bands. He was a major influence,” said Rick Gundrum, vice president of the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame.

Meisner, an inductee into five polka halls of fame, was born in Milwaukee and picked up the accordion when he was 8. He was just 11 when he started his own band in 1950. Five years later, he so impressed Frank Yankovic, “The King of Polka,” that he briefly traveled with Yankovic’s band.

After high school and National Guard service, Meisner’s career blossomed. He played 200 to 250 dates a year for more than 40 years, appearing in Las Vegas; at the Lawrence Welk Theater in Branson, Mo.; in major cities in Europe; and on Caribbean cruise ships.