Recordings of The Potato Bugs
Before he died in 1985, Ollie Engebretson made a cassette recording
documenting, in his own words, some of the highlights of The Potato Bug's
career.
Included on the cassette are some of the recordings they made over the years. He
sent a copy of the tape to each of the other boys in the group, and when I
finally
found Dick Fjellman in 1993, he made a copy of his copy for me.
I have divided the tape into 16 distinct files for easy download, but nothing is
cut. In each of the tracks below, Ollie adds more historical information. They
are all well
worth hearing, and I encourage ocarina collectors to keep them with your
collections.
As Ollie states several times on the tape, these files are not to be used for
any commercial purpose. My intent in posting them here is to insure that this
important part of
our ocarina history is not lost.
01 History
of The Potato Bugs
02 "Dance to the Music of the
Ocarina"-with Irving Berlin playing piano and singing
03 "Dance to the Music of the
Ocarina"-from original "Call Me Madam" record
04 Gretsch Instructional
Record-side 1
05 Gretsch Instructional
Record-side 2
06 Harry West 17 Piece
Band-"Love Dreams"-group formed by Ollie and Dick.
07 Harry West 17 Piece
Band-"Driving Home"
08 Harry West 17 Piece
Band-"Bug Bug Buggy Ride"
09 Harry West 17 Piece Band-"Alaboo"
10 "Sweet Potato Bug"-with
the boys playing ocarinas
11 "Anoka Polka"-with the
boys playing ocarinas
12 "Potato Bug Boogie"-with
the boys playing ocarinas
13 Welch's Grape Juice
Commercial
14 Arthur Godfrey Show-with
the boys playing and singing-November, 1950
15 Steve Allen Show-with the boys
playing and singing-March, 1951
16 Perry Como Show with Frank
Sinatra as guest host-January, 1951
