Dwight Lamb

Dwight Lamb (with Kristian Bugge, Mette Jensen and Morten Høirup)

"Dwight Lamb was born in Moorhead, Ia. on May 16, 1934 to Clarence G. and Mary Lamb. Descendants of Danish immigrants, the Lamb family cherished the traditions of home self-made music and entertainment. Dwights' grandfather, Chris Jerup, played traditional Danish melodies and American-style fiddle tunes on a one row button accordion. His father Clarence Lamb, played the fiddle. Dwight took to both instruments and mastered them." Christoper Anderson

Dwight Lamb plays Danish dance tunes on his one row button accordion and his roots in the music can be traced back to his Danish great grandfather, Kræn Jerup. Kræn was born in 1827 in Vendsyssel in northern Jutland, Denmark and he was known as the “fiddler of Jerup”. He was well known for his fiddling and he kept busyas a thatcher by day and fiddler by night. Kræn’s son, Chris, took up the fiddle at an early age but traded his fiddle for an accordion while working for the summer on a neighboring farm. When Dwight’s grandfather left Denmark for Iowa in 1893, he took his fiddle, accordion and a head full of Danish tunes with him that he had learned from his father.

When Dwight was 12 years old(1946) his grandfather moved in with Dwight’s parents and that was when he started learning these Danish tunes from his grandfather, Chris. Dwight kept the tunes just like he had learned them and played them for years around home and finally put a few on a recording. The recording made its’ way to Denmark and ended up in the hands of a Danish accordionist, Mette Jensen. In 2009 Dwight had the opportunity to meet Mette and fiddler, Kristian Bugge at Nisswastämman and the rest is history. Dwight will be returning to Denmark this coming May for a 10 day tour, his 5th visit to the homeland of his grandfather and their music. He saved many of these tunes from being lost forever and lots of these schottisches, polkas and waltzes are being played all over the United States and Denmark.

Dwight will be performing at Nisswastämman with Mette Jensen, Kristian Bugge and Morten Høirup. He will also do an intimate set with Bill Peterson.