MINNESOTA SONG: Jimmy Jenson / Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini / P P 5026 / 1965

Jimmy Jenson, “The Swingin’ Swede,” was born James Edward Jenson (1931-2015) in Detroit Lakes, near the western border of Minnesota not far from Fargo, ND. His father’s parents were Norwegian while his mother’s came from North Carolina. Jimmy was raised on a farm and started performing on the accordion at age eight, forming his first group as a teenager. From 1949 until 1957 Jimmy played with the Minnesota Woodchoppers, an old tyme/country/dance group led by guitarist Bernie Ostrom, with Dell Woodward (drums), Leon Robinson (lead guitar), and Fred Kindler (fiddle). The band played in the border area of Fargo, ND, and Moorhead, MN, and were featured on KVOX radio. Jimmy also played with guitarist Lynn Neely and the Country Swingsters. Jimmy and his second wife moved to Minneapolis, staying there until 1965, when they relocated to Alexandria and became owners of the Hillside Club. His “Swingin’ Swede” persona emerged in 1964 with his dialect recordings of “Valkin' in My Vinter Undervear,” “Hilda,” “Little Grass Shack,” and “Ingvold.” Many of his songs were covers or parodies of well-known songs like “Jingle Bells,” “Battle of New Orleans,” and “Daddy Sang Bass.” In 1966, many of his appearances were co-billings with the all-female country band of Ardis Wells. Both Jimmy’s humorous “accented” songs and his country and western renditions appeared on his 1960s recordings for the Pleasant Peasant, Bangar and Jay label. In addition to his moniker of the “Swingin’ Swede,” Jimmy was billed as the “Singin’ Swede,” the “Country Singin’ Swede,” and even the “Country Swingin’ Swede.” During the 1990s, Jimmy was a Friday night fixture performing at the VFW post 3922 in Wadena, some 40 miles north of Alexandria. Jimmy also sang and recorded gospel tunes, giving a 2010 concert at Horace Lutheran Church outside Fargo. Jimmy had two children with his first wife, Donna Belle Brown-Wilson (1931-2019), and five with his second wife, Helen Joanne Tiseth (1935-1999). [Those interested in Scandinavian dialect humor should consult James P. Leary’s book “So Ole says to Lena” (first published as “Midwestern Folk Humor” in 1991). In it will be found such gems as: Ole and Lena were going to get married. So, they asked Ole, “What nationality are you?" He says, "I'm a Swede." And they asked Lena, “What nationality are you?" Lena says, "I'm Norwegian, but I have a little Swede in me, too. Ole couldn't wait."] Pleasant Peasant was a 1950s - 1960s polka label from Minneapolis, MN, founded by C. B. Brown, who also ran the Lodestar label. Many of the recording artists were descendants of German and Czech immigrants living in the area to the west and southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul, which included the town of New Ulm, “Polka Capital of the Nation.” [Note: Robert Schumann’s 1848 work, “Fröhlicher Landmann,” is often translated as “Pleasant Peasant.”] [Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini, Jimmy Jenson, Pleasant Peasant 5026, recorded 1965, matrix 5-5294-A] The flip side of this disk is Pussy Cat Song:    • MINNESOTA SONG: Jimmy Jenson / Pussy Cat S...   Polka Playlist:    • Polka Time