Edward Peirick
Hall of Fame – 2004
Edward O. Peirick (1915-2006) of Watertown Wisconsin played concertina for over 70 years, starting when he was 16 years old. He played with the Freddie Dettmann Band for 23 years and his own pickup band for 10 years, the Town and Country Dutchmen for 6 years, the Staude Brothers of Rome, the Weber Brothers Band and more.
Back in 1931 when he started to learn the concertina, it was a popular instrument and he paid 50 cents a lesson. His instructor had 300 students! At 19, Ed performed at his first New Year’s Eve party in a Watertown tavern and made $4.