Ernie Coopman
Hall of Fame – 2004
Ernie A. Coopman (1933-1998) of Mankato, Minnesota is considered one of the greatest concertina musicians of all times. He performed for over 50 years and played with the Jolly Brewers Orchestra and his three-piece group The Stagemen.
Ernie composed over 200 arrangements for concertina and appeared on TV and radio for many years. He performed in Alaska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Illinois, and Minnesota at music festivals and other events. Ernie also developed expertise in tuning reeds and repairing chemnitzer concertinas.