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Mollie Busta
Ridgeville Corners, OH
TRUMPET, SAX, PIANO, BUTTON
BOX, VOCALS
Click here to contact Mollie via e-mail |
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(Click on any of the pictures below to
open them in a larger window) |
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Mollie Busta has loved music for as long as she can remember. Music
always filled the Busta house between the Jim Busta Band (her
father’s band) practices and recording sessions, her sister and Dad
playing piano, her brother practicing drums, and the records that were
played nearly non-stop. Mollie had the beat in her at a very early
age. Her mother always says, “Mollie was dancing the polka before she
could walk.” Before Mollie started school, she started plunking notes
on the piano. And by time she was 8 years old she had enough music
knowledge that her Dad put her on stage to chord along on the keyboard
with the Jim Busta Band. |
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Busta Family in 1982 |
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For the next 10
years, Mollie played several instruments both in the high school band
and her dad’s band. She also composed songs for the piano (some
compositions were award-winning), arranged songs for her high school
choir and band, and arranged songs for the Jim Busta Band.
In addition, she served as the student-director for her high school
band both in rehearsals and in concerts. She also held roles in musicals at
the Ye Olde Opera House in Spring Grove, Minnesota (her home-town).
Her favorite role was “Maria” in the Sound of Music. |
| Mollie
Singing with JBB in 1983 |
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The summer Mollie graduated from high school, she joined Karl and the
Country Dutchmen out of Trempeleau, Wisconsin, while still playing
full-time with the Jim Busta Band and taking on any additional gigs as
vocalists for ceremonies, receptions, etc.
Mollie received
a Bachelor of Arts degree in music (trumpet and voice) from Luther
College and a Master of Arts degree in instruction from St. Mary’s
University of Minnesota. While in school, she continued performing
music of many genres in the jazz bands, the concert band, the
orchestras, the choirs, and in the traveling polka bands on the
weekend.
In 2007, Mollie
relocated to Ohio and joined SQUEEZEBOX, formerly known
as "The Bratwurst Boys." She continues playing and recording
with SQUEEZEBOX, showcasing her versatility on several instruments,
complimented by her talented vocals. |
| Mollie
with Steve Meisner in 2003 |
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Beyond performing
for various events with different ensembles, Mollie enjoys her
“day-job” as a teacher. She has taught in schools (elementary though
university level), in churches, and out of her own private music
student. And in her free time, she
enjoys dancing and traveling. |
| Mollie &
Steve with JBB in 2005 |
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Since Mollie’s
mid-teenager years, she has enjoyed performing with many bands;
some of those include Jim Busta Band, Karl and the Country
Dutchmen, Bruce Bradley Band, Gary and the Ridgeland Dutchmen, Music
Connection, Brian and the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen, the Out-of-Town
Czechs, Ray Dorschner and the Rainbow Valley Dutchmen, and
SQUEEZEBOX..
In addition, Mollie has been a guest vocalist with award-winning
bands, such as Toledo Polka Motion, John Gora and Gorale, Polka
Family, Klancnik and Friends and Kevin Solecki. |
| Mollie
With Freeze Dried in 2005 |
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Some of Mollie’s most
note-worthy performances include: Iowa Governor Culver’s Inauguration
Gala (Iowa City, IA, 2007), American Folk Arts Festival (Bangor, ME,
2006), “Big Joe Polka Show” (National RFD-TV program 2005-2007),
Library of Congress (Washington, DC, 2002), Kennedy Center of
Performing Arts (Washington, DC, 2002), Caribbean Cruise (2003),
playing the role of “Maria” in the Sound of Music (Spring Grove, MN,
2003), “Polka Passion” (National PBS special, 2001), the President’s
Palace in the Dominican Republic (2000), and Handel’s “Messiah” &
Mozart’s “Requiem” soprano soloist (Decorah, IA, 2000). |
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Promotional Picture from 2003 |
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Discography |
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- Freshly Squeezed ~
Squeezebox ~ 2008 |
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- Polka Playin'
Fool ~ John Gora & Gorale ~ 2008 ~ guest vocalist |
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- The Best of
Polka Parade 2007 ~ 2008 |
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- Wisconsin State
Polka Festival vol. 3 ~ 2007 ~ tracks 1, 11 |
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- Solecktive
Sounds ~ Kevin Solecki ~ 2007 ~ tracks 3, 10, 17 |
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- Squeeze Me ~
Squeezebox ~ 2007 ~ |
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- Polka Passion
~ 2002 ~ GPN ~ tracks 2, 6, 9, 13 |
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- Have a Jolly
Mollie Christmas ~ Mollie Busta ~ 2001 |
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- Come, Let Us
Sing Joyfully to the Lord ~ Jim Busta Band ~ 2001 |
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- Luther College
Concert Band ~ 2001 ~ Dorian Festival Productions ~ tracks 5,
6, 7 |
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- West Coast Tour
2001 ~ Luther College Nordic Choir ~ 2001 ~ Dorian Festival
Product. |
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- Handel’s Messiah
~ Luther College ~ 2000 ~ Dorian Festival Product. ~ disc 1, track
18 |
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- Just Playin’
Around ~ Jim Busta Band ~ 2000 |
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- Boys Day Out
~ Karl and the Country Dutchmen ~ 1999 |
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- A Song for
Everyone ~ Mollie B ~ 1998 |
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- Golly Gee…
Mollie B. ~ Jim Busta Band ~ 1997 |
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- Jim Busta with
Family and Friends ~ Jim Busta Band ~ 1991 |
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| Mollie
dancing with her mom at Gibbon Polkafest in 1985 |
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Mollie
and Ted with the Jim Busta Band in Rochester, MN, February 2007 |
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Mollie
and Steve performing with the Jim Busta Band in a parade in 1999 |
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| Mollie
and her younger brother Jason singing together at the LaCrosse
Oktoberfest in 2006 |
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Mollie
and Ted "Jammin" at the Seven Springs Polka Fireworks Festival in
July 2006 |
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Mollie
and Ted hangin' out while on break with the Jim Busta Band in
Independence, WI, May 2006 |
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