Adolph Lesser

Adolph J. Lesser June 21, 1915 �" January 6, 2008 Age: 92 Residence: Greeley, Colorado Tribute: Adolph John Lesser was born in Loveland, CO to John D. and Anna M. (Bath) Lesser. Adolph was the second youngest of eight sons and one daughter born to John D. and Anna Margaret (Bath) Lesser. Adolph’s parents were Volga Germans who immigrated to the United States in 1913 from Frank, Russia. Music was always present in the Lesser household and frequently Adolph would tag along with his two older brothers who were musicians in Russia. He bought his first piano accordion for $200.00 during the Depression. He eventually was able to afford to take the bus to Denver every week to take lessons from Tony Ferraro, who later became an NBC Radio studio artist. He also studied with Alfred Antonio, Sr, who came to Loveland every week to teach. At age 15, Adolph started his own band and within a year had an organized band, playing over KFKA Radio in Greeley, Colorado at 6:30 every morning. The radio show offered great exposure for Adolph and the band and they traveled extensively throughout Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska playing for weddings, proms, county fairs, and barn dances. On December 12, 1941, Adolph married Cecilia Stratman in Kimball, Nebraska and he left for the Army on January 7, 1942, exactly one month after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Initially stationed in California, Adolph entertained his fellow servicemen and also played in nightclubs with local West Coast groups. Adolph was then deployed to the European Theatre with the 35th Division until the war ended, earning five battle stars including the Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. The Queen Mary, now permanently docked in Long Beach, California, provided transportation home from Europe, during which time Adolph played with a western band for two shows a day on the ship. In 1945, home from the service for only two weeks, Adolph played six weddings for six nights straight. The demand for Dutch Hop music was so great after the war that Adolph and dear friend, Bill Schmidt, opened the Garden City Ballroom near Greeley, Colorado. The ballroom was a great success and offered big band and western dances during the week, polka dances on Saturday nights, and was usually reserved for weddings on Sundays. 1950 was a big year for Adolph, when Columbia Records put the Lesser band under contract. Adolph had a booking agent and his recordings were heard on major networks throughout the United States. After six successful years with the Garden City Ballroom, Adolph and his friend sold the ballroom and Adolph built a music store on South 8th Avenue in Greeley. Lesser Music was the cornerstone for young people all over Northern Colorado who wanted to study the accordion. When the rock and roll craze hit, Adolph added guitar teachers and had a successful business selling guitars and amplifiers as well as accordions. Adolph received many honors throughout his musical career. He was inducted into the Colorado Polka Hall of Fame as the first living member in 1976. He was honored with the European-American Music Award for his lifetime achievements at the Grand Polka Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada in September of 1999. He was inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame in Chicago, IL in August of 2001 and was also induced into the World of Music Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 11, 2001. Adolph’s career as a musician and entertainer spanned some sixty-five years before his stroke in 1996, but Adolph remained one of the most prominent music figures in the Rocky Mountain region and is affectionately known as "The Old Master”. While the highlights of his career have been many, Adolph would tell you that his fondest memories would have to include all of the people he met, the many friends he made, as well as the many talented musicians with whom he has worked and shared the stage over the many years. Mr. Lesser died January 6, 2008 at North Colorado Medical Center, Hospice Unit. Survivors His daughter, Cyndi Babish, of Denver, Colorado; his beloved dachshund, Willie; two sisters-in-law, Lydia Lesser of Loveland and Esther Lesser of Caldwell, Idaho; many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by: His parents, John and Anna Lesser, seven brothers (John, Conrad "Coonie”, Fred, Henry, George, Jake, and Dave) one sister, Annie Frank, his wife Cecilia, and his son-in-law Tony Babish. Celebration of life: 2:30 p.m. Tuesday January 15, 2008 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens Note: Memorial contributions may be made to the 35th Division Museum Fund c/o Adamson Funeral & Cremation Services, 200 47th Avenue Greeley, CO 80634. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.adamsonchapels.com .