King Ludwig's Bavarian Band
King Ludwig's Bavarian BAnd Was founded in 1976 by Hugo Helmer vom Bavaria. Originally formed as an adhoc get-together alpine band for Apri Ski end-of-day fun at the old Crotched Mountain Ski Area in New Hampshire, the group quickly became a favorite of the mountain employees and ski crowds.
The players all brought any instrument they could play in those days just for fun&including the now-famous wooden skis. The mountain soon requested this group to perform on weekend afternoons for ski crowds and it all snowballed from there.
More formal "oompah" band instrumentation and alpine German Fest music was eventually added along the way and this brought the inclusion of the alpenschellen (cowbells) and Swiss alphorns and also some yodeling. For its initial years, the band only performed at Crotched Mountain but then moved into the public Oktoberfest scene and has been a growing attraction ever since.
Current member Lenny, who now runs the band, joined in 1978 two years after Hugo started things, followed by Larry in 1979 and then Mike Monte in 1980. None of the original members are active today but Hugo and original ski-slapper Bob McGowan still check in on the band from time to time and even sing a song or two with the band for old time sake.
The band has played for various types of crowds and plays several Oktoberfests each year, an uncountable amount of oktoberfests over 30-plus years! Some more notable events have included playing the Snowbird, Utah Oktoberfest; performing with Hugo in Fussen, Germany; playing the WBZ Schussboomer Weekends; playing the New England fair and serving as the unlikely opening act for the Coasters, Crystals, and Platters; playing for the entering crowds for New England Patriots home games, playing for the many New Hampshire Oktoberfests including Gunstock Mt, Burke Mt, and Attitash Resort ? even playing a mountain-side wedding for two avid skiers in January dressed in just our lederhosen!
