The Herald-Zeitung

Gordon Zunker may not have been a founding member of the Cloverleaf Orchestra, but his stint as a trumpeter and bandleader is one of the longest in the band’s 57-year history in New Braunfels.

He played with the band from 1957 to 2007.

Zunker retired from leading and performing with the group in 2007, but he will still make an effort to see the band this week at Wurstfest.

Kenneth “Jake” Rheinlander and Melford Hagg formed the Cloverleaf Orchestra in September 1952. Jake played the drums and Melford the accordion. They came up with the name from a song, “Cloverleaf Polka,” from a collection of songs published by the Polish-American Joseph Jiran Company out of Chicago because “they liked it.”

For several years, the tune was played as their theme.

“I started managing the band in 1960,” Zunker said. “We played all over Texas. We made two trips to Europe, one in 1978 and one in 1980.”

That tour included stops in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Italy.

According to the organization Polka Band Leaders of New Braunfels, as many as 35 musicians have held permanent stints as members of the band during the group’s 57-year history.

The current line up is Glen Herfurth, trumpet/band leader; Todd Meier, first trumpet; Clay Zientek, alto and tenor saxophone/clarinet; Russ Wittrup, alto and tenor saxophone/clarinet; Fred Baetge, accordion; George House, tuba (“bass horn”); and Melissa Townsend, drums.

They have toured the world, but are best known locally as a cornerstone of Wurstfest, performing every year since the celebration’s inception 49 years ago.

“We’re like a dance band,” said Glen Herfurth, trumpeter and current bandleader. “The other bands (at Wurstfest) are more like show bands, which is great, but we like people to dance.”

The band plays about eight gigs a year. They still tour all over the state, most recently to Schulenburg to play the new Sengelmann Hall and Austin to play the Saegerunde Halle,

Beginning Friday, they will devote five afternoons and evenings to the Wursthalle stage at Wurstfest.

Herfurth promises lots of variety for anyone who makes his or her way into the Wursthalle while the Cloverleaf Orchestra is playing.

“When they come over, they’re going to hear lots of variety. A little country, swing, show tunes, foxtrot, polka and waltzes,” he said.

Herfurth said there is a difference between the out-of-town shows and those in New Braunfels.

“We go to some places and see young people at the dances, but not so much around here,” he said. “I hate to say it. I wish it weren’t that way.”

The situation now is distinctly different from when Herfurth grew up in New Braunfels, when there would be six or more dance halls packed every Saturday night with people dancing the polka.

Still, 57 years isn’t long enough for the Cloverleaf Orchestra, or at least their bandleader, to call it quits.

“I want to keep it going as long as I can walk on the stage,” Herfurth said.