Welcome to the official News section of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Polka Band leader, Mike Schneider. Check back here for new updates at least once each month.

January 2, 2010

Well 2009 was a humdinger indeed for Pint Size Polkas and the Mike Schneider Band. I’m including the text from my annual newsletter below, which you can also download in PDF format here. I’d like to add a special thanks to all those who supported my CD promotion benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundations of Wisconsin and Missouri. Together, we helped raise $120 for these organizations. I had really hoped for a higher total, but appreciate everyone who helped contribute to the great cause of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. My thanks also to WFRV-TV in Green Bay, WISC-TV in Madison, and FOX 6 in Milwaukee for inviting me to be a guest on their newscasts to discuss the project, and to Railroad Cliff Penniston for joining me on banjo in Green Bay. Thank you! And now onto the good news of 2009…

2009 Awards
After receiving a record nine nominations since 1998 for the Band of the Year award from the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame, the Mike Schneider Band has finally claimed the organization's prestigious honor. I would like to thank you for supporting my band during the nearly 14 years we've been performing. I would also like to thank all of the sidemen who have contributed their time and talents, and the Polka Hall of Fame for honoring my band with this award, as well as all of the preceding nominations. Thank you!

Pint Size Polkas
Pint Size Polkas Volume One has received more press coverage from throughout the country than any other polka project in recent history. The TV coverage from 2009 has included multiple appearances on Today's TMJ 4 in Milwaukee, News 11 Your Day in Toledo, Take Five and Company on WZZM 13 in Grand Rapids, KDKA 2 in Pittsburgh, Channel 3 News Today in Cleveland, WHAS 11 in Louisville, LEX 18 in Lexington, FOX 19 in Cincinnati, WREX 13 in Rockford, FOX 8 in Cleveland, FOX 2 and NewsTalk 1120 KMOX with Mark Reardon in St. Louis, and ABC 7 in Chicago, which is the top-rated station in the nation's third largest market. Pint Size Polkas has also received critical praise from newspapers throughout Wisconsin. Clips from these interviews and media coverage are available on the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com. I'm also scheduled to take Pint Size Polkas to more than 50 libraries and schools in Illinois and Wisconsin in 2010 with more sure to come. Pint Size Polkas has been recognized for its multi-generational appeal, while teaching kids the alphabet, numbers, occupations, personal hygiene, and even the basic polka step! Make plans today to attend a program at a library near you, and be on the look out for Pint Size Polkas Volume Two hopefully sometime in late 2010.

Make-A-Wish
This November and December, I will donate $2.00 from every Pint Size Polkas Volume One CD sale made in person or via www.pintsizepolkas.com/wish to Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Wisconsin. Plus that, you'll get a free downloadable MP3 copy of the Jingle Bells Polka featuring Uncle Mike and his Polka Band with your online purchase! Spread the joy of polka music to the little ones in your life while helping make wishes come true for some very special Wisconsin children this Holiday season!

Saving the Best for Last
Our son Garrett is now 16 months old and getting cuter and more animated by the minute, although my wife Heather and I are biased, I suppose. Despite any rumors you may have heard, he is not playing the accordion (or banjo) yet. He's also getting more mobile, so if you see him around, watch out! If that's not enough good news, he's due to have a baby brother or sister later this Spring! Stay tuned for all the details online at www.mikeschneiderband.com.

As a reminder, you can join our growing list of fans on Facebook by clicking here.

Thanks again!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

December 8, 2009

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! November turned out to be another great month for the Mike Schneider Band and for Pint Size Polkas. In addition to the news I provided in last month’s update, I also had the opportunity to appear on FOX 2 in St. Louis, MO with anchor and Wisconsin native John Pertzborn. We had a great time on and off air, and a few photos from the day will be posted shortly on my Facebook fan page, which you can access here. Later that week, I joined former WTMJ radio personality Mark Reardon on NewsTalk 1120 KMOX in St. Louis for another Pint Size Polkas interview, and to discuss my Make-A-Wish Foundation® CD promotion. Video from all of my TV appearances is available on the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com, including the latest from this past Sunday morning on WFRV-TV CBS 5 in Green Bay.

Speaking of the Make-A-Wish CD promotion, have you purchased that extra or maybe first copy of Pint Size Polkas Volume One yet? Do so this month by going to www.pintsizepolkas.com/wish, and $2.00 from each CD you purchase will be donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin if you’re a Wisconsin resident or to the Missouri chapter if you are a Missouri resident. Pint Size Polkas makes for a very unique, educational, and entertaining musical Christmas gift for the little ones in your life, or even the polka fan of any age who might live down the street from you. Great music is helping support a great cause this Holiday season – please visit www.pintsizepolkas.com/wish today to place your order. If you order by Wednesday, December 16, we’ll get a copy in the mail to you in time for Christmas.

In the meantime, I’d like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season. I couldn’t have asked for a better year than 2009 between my family, friends, and polka music. Here’s hoping for another great year in 2010!

As a reminder, you can join our growing list of fans on Facebook by clicking here.

Thanks again!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

November 18, 2009

You might be wondering why this edition of the Pint Size Polkas Newsletter is so late. Well, there's a very good reason for it! I am happy to announce that your purchase of a Pint Size Polkas CD from www.pintsizepolkas.com/wish in November or December will benefit some very special children this Holiday Season. I will donate $2.00 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® chapters in Wisconsin and Missouri from each CD sold to residents of either state. To participate in this opportunity, please visit www.pintsizepolkas.com/wish or make your purchase in person at one of our performances. Online sales from other sites, such as CD Baby, will not benefit Make-A-Wish, so please be sure to make your online purchase only from www.pintsizepolkas.com/wish. Once you've placed your order, you'll be redirected to a page where you can download a free version of Jingle Bells featuring Uncle Mike and his Polka Band. Consider it my way of saying thanks for your purchase and supporting this great cause. Just think, you'll be bringing the fun and education of Pint Size Polkas to the little ones (and perhaps not so little ones!) in your life this Holiday Season while helping the Make-A-Wish families in your state in the process. Place your order here now!

I have several related media appearances coming up to discuss my Pint Size Polkas project and CD promotion for Make-A-Wish. Next week Monday, November 23, I'll be appearing on FOX 2 in St. Louis with John Pertzborn during the 8:00 AM hour. Later that day, I head over to NewsTalk 1120 KMOX to discuss Pint Size Polkas with former Milwaukee radio personality Mark Reardon. Then on Sunday, December 6, I will again be appearing on WFRV-TV Channel 5 in Green Bay along with Railroad Cliff to discuss the Make-A-Wish benefit and to play a few songs from our CD. On Friday, December 11, I'll be returning to Madison TV for an interview and to play a song or two on WISC-TV Channel 3. Stay tuned to the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com for all the details and (hopefully) clips from all of these appearances!

The Pint Size Polkas school tour continues this month with an appearance tomorrow at Holy Family School in Whitefish Bay, and then in December at Wilson Elementary in Beaver Dam. January and February are shaping up to be even busier months, so stay tuned for all the details!

Last but certainly not least, after a record nine nominations, I am very proud to say that the Mike Schneider Band has finally won the Band of the Year Award from the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame. I would sincerely like to thank everyone who has supported the band for the last 15 years that we've been playing, all of the sidemen who have contributed their time and talents, and to the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame for honoring my band and me with this award and all of the preceding nominations. Thank you!

Until next month, Happy Thanksgiving, and get a jump start on your Holiday shopping and charitable giving by picking up a copy of Pint Size Polkas Volume One right here, right now!

As a reminder, you can join our growing list of fans on Facebook by clicking here.

Thanks again!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

October 1, 2009

It seems like I just wrote the update for September, and October is already upon us. Happy Oktoberfest Season! September was a busy month for Pint Size Polkas and the Mike Schneider Band. We performed for schools and libraries in Mosinee and Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and also made trips to Chippewa Falls and Jefferson, WI for their Oktoberfests. We had a great time at each of these venues, and hope that you were able to enjoy some of the early Fall festivities, as well!

Looking ahead to October, we’re performing our Pint Size Polkas program at St. Katherine Drexel in Beaver Dam tomorrow, and then again for the general public at the Milwaukee Public Central Library for Harvest Fest on Saturday beginning at 10:00 AM. More then 1,000 people are expected to attend this one-day event in the Betty Brynn Children’s Room, so make sure to get there early and count yourselves and your kids among the Pint Size Polkas crowd! And as long as you’re downtown, make the short hope over to Grace Lutheran Church immediately afterwards, where we begin performing for their Oktoberfest at 12:30 PM on Saturday. And finally for this weekend, make the annual trip out to Highland, WI this Sunday for our Polka Mass and festival at Ss. Anthony and Philip Parish and the Red Zone, and enjoy all the Fall colors on your way!

Later this month, we are scheduled to return again to the New Ulm Holiday Inn for their Polka Mass and Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 10 starting at 1:30 PM. We’ll also be returning to St. Henry’s in Watertown for several performances – one for their elementary school for Pint Size Polkas, and then for their Polka Mass and Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 17 starting at 4:00 PM. Additional Pint Size Polkas performances will take place at Schurz Elementary in Watertown and at Banta Early Learning Center in Menasha. To wrap up our overview of October, round out your Oktoberfest fun at Landmark of West Allis on October 30 starting at 1:00 PM. Free admission, refreshments, and door prizes make this an event you do not want to miss! For more information about our Pint Size Polkas performances, please visit www.pintsizepolkas.com. For more traditional polka fun, visit www.mikeschneiderband.com.

And finally, stay tuned next month for details on how you can help benefit the Make A Wish foundation by purchasing a copy of Pint Size Polkas Volume One this Holiday Season. Spread some cheer with Pint Size Polkas and help a great cause in the process. More to come in the November edition!

Thanks again!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

September 6, 2009

I hope this monthly update finds you well! August was another great month for Pint Size Polkas and the Mike Schneider Band. In case you hadn’t heard, I quietly turned the big 3-0 late last month, and celebrated the next day by booking 19 performances at a Children’s Performance Showcase in Hartford, WI. To have spent my birthday the day before with my wife Heather and son Garrett, and then the next day talking with librarians about Pint Size Polkas and booking programs with them, I couldn’t have asked for a better couple of days! Coincidentally, the next day was my mother-in-law’s birthday, and we celebrated with her, my father-in-law, and my parents over the weekend during the final leg of their trip back home to Kentucky. And then shortly thereafter, my parents celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary! What a couple of weeks it’s been, and congratulations to all!

If you’re looking for great polka music this month, you’re in for a real treat. The Mike Schneider Band performs once again at St. Gregory the Great Parish Festival, our home Parish, this Sunday, September 13 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Then we head up to Chippewa Falls for their Oktoberfest for the first time on Friday, September 18. We follow Steve Meisner and then hand the stage over to Becky and the Ivanhoe Dutchmen at 6:30 p.m. Three stage of continuous polka music makes this one Oktoberfest you do not want to miss. Plus that, the fall colors should just be starting to turn up in that part of the state, making for what should be a beautiful trip up north. Then join us the next day at Gemuetlichkeit Days in Jefferson, WI as we warm things up for 2009 National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Band of the Year nominee Eddie Rodick and his band from Cleveland, OH, featuring the incomparable Ron Sluga on banjo.

You want more Pint Size Polkas? You got it! On Tuesday, September 22, we’ll be performing for schools in Mosinee and Wisconsin Rapids, WI, and then wrapping up our day at the McMillan Memorial Library in Wisconsin Rapids in their beautiful 260-seat theater. Come and check out our new and improved show with a video segment on polka dancing! My Pint Size Polkas presentation has received rave reviews from all across the country, so be sure to check it out when you have the chance, and don’t forget to bring the kids!

Finally, be sure to join us at the Milwaukee Public Central Library on October 2 for their Harvest Fest. We’ll have Lumberjack Doug and his brother Dave in full swing that day for a 45-minute Pint Size Polkas presentation you won’t forget! When we’re done there, head on over to Grace Lutheran Church in Downtown Milwaukee for their Oktoberfest, where we’ll take the stage from 12:30-3:00 PM. More fun to come throughout the month – stay tuned for next month’s update! And as always, for more details on all of our performances, visit www.mikeschneiderband.com for your traditional polka fun, and www.pintsizepolkas.com for the very best in children’s polka entertainment!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

August 18, 2009

Where did July and, for that matter now, most of August go? I’m not sure about you, but July seemed to fly by faster than I could say library! These last several weeks have taken me, and in some cases my family, to six states either for business or family travel. And the fun is not over yet by a long shot. This weekend, the Mike Schneider Band will be appearing for the First Annual Rice Lake Humane Society Polkafest in Birchwood, WI. Then on Sunday, join us more locally to the Southeast Wisconsin area by visiting St. Rita’s of Racine Parish Festival. We start there at 1:00 PM.

Next month should prove to be another exciting time for the Mike Schneider Band and Pint Size Polkas, as we’ll be performing for St. Gregory the Great Parish Festival, Chippewa Falls Oktoberfest, Gemuetlichkeit Days, the McMillan Memorial Library in Wisconsin Rapids, as well as schools in Wisconsin Rapids and Mosinee, WI. As I mentioned in a previous email, reaction to the program so far has been absolutely fantastic. If you’d like to see a Pint Size Polkas program at your local elementary school, please pass www.pintsizepolkas.com/school along to your principal or district administrator. I’ve contacted more than 2,000 schools now nationwide to raise awareness for my program, and plan to contact many, many more in the weeks and months to come. I believe exciting times are ahead for polka music, so stay tuned!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

July 13, 2009

Needless to say, after 19 jobs and two television interviews in nine days in three states and more than 1,700 miles driven, I’m tired! But, I am more convinced now than ever that the future of polka music is incredibly bright. Happy July to you! Last week, I had the good fortune of making my first of what will hopefully be many library and school tours, this time to the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio. The response the Pint Size Polkas program has received from kids, parents, and librarians has been awesome, earning a spot among some librarians’ favorite presentations. If you have yet to catch one of my Pint Size Polkas shows, we have a few more coming up yet, including the Cudahy Family Library this week and the Centralia Cultural Arts Center on August 4. More details on both dates are available below and at www.pintsizepolkas.com. Also, be sure to check out the video from our performance at the Dormont Public Library to get a sense of the reaction we’ve received so far. You can watch those videos on Dormont’s website by clicking here.

In other news, you may have heard of the demise of the Grammy award for Polka music. I think that was an unfortunate decision on the part of NARAS, who is the parent organization for the Grammy Awards. However, it is my intention to enter Pint Size Polkas Volume One in the Children’s Category. If you are a polka musician who is thinking about letting your membership lapse, hang in there for one more voting period! Please go to the Music page at www.pintsizepolkas.com to hear samples from the CD. Stay tuned for more details as they become available!

Finally, I want to say thank you again to everyone who has helped make Pint Size Polkas the success that it is becoming, especially my wife Heather for coming up with the initial children’s polka CD concept, and to our son Garrett for his assistance in motivating me to get the project done – before he was even born, which is almost a year ago now already!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

June 3, 2009

It’s not just Happy June, it’s also Happy National Accordion Awareness Month! What better way to celebrate the accordion than to come out and enjoy a performance by Uncle Mike and his Polka Band or the Mike Schneider Band this summer? Whether you’re looking for a great festival or a place to bring the kids for a little education and polka fun, we have you covered!

The biggest events for June include my up coming trip to northwest Illinois to perform for the Pecatonica and Flagg-Rochelle Public Libraries on Tuesday, June 9. Plus that, tune in that morning to WREX 13 during the 6:00 AM hour to learn more about Pint Size Polkas and to hear me perform a song from the Pint Size Polkas Volume One CD. It should be a great trip, and marks the beginning of a new era in the polka and children’s music fields as they come together in the form of Pint Size Polkas to educate and entertain children at libraries and schools across the country this year. I look forward to seeing you at one of the performances – be sure to check the schedule and then visit www.pintsizepolkas.com for more information.

If you’re looking to do a little dancing or enjoy our second festival of the season, please be sure to join us next Wednesday at Seniorfest at American Serb Hall on 51st and Oklahoma Ave. We’re the headline entertainment this year, and look forward to entertaining the seniors again who attend this annual event put on by the Milwaukee Public Schools Department of Recreation. Then at the end of the month, come and join in the festivities at Xaverian Fathers’ Festival, located northeast of the corner of 51st and Rawson Ave. It’s been awhile since we last performed there, so please be sure to come out and help support a good cause in the process!

Also, please consider voting for me and Pint Size Polkas in this year’s Wisconsin Polka Music Awards! Ballots are available here. Please print and read both sides before voting. Then I would ask your consideration in giving me and/or Pint Size Polkas your vote. I have been fortunate to take Pint Size Polkas all over the country this year, appearing on 14 major network television affiliates in six states, including ABC 7 in Chicago. I’ll also be touring the country this year with my Pint Size Polkas program for libraries and schools in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Please take these items into consideration when casting your ballot, and feel free to pass this along to as many people as you can (you do not need to be a Wisconsin resident to vote)! "Polka" may have seen its last Grammy in February, but we’re just getting started in a whole new market. Thanks in advance for your support and to the Wisconsin Polka Music Awards for their efforts in promoting polkas.

Thanks again, and until next time, happy National Accordion Awareness Month!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

May 2, 2009

May is shaping up to be another great month for Pint Size Polkas, and also marks the beginning of festival season for the Mike Schneider Band! For the fourteenth consecutive year, we’ll be providing the polka music on Sunday for St. Aloysius in West Allis. Join us in church at 10:30 a.m. for a Polka Mass, then out in the tent until 3:00 p.m. for our first of many festivals this season. The young and old(er) alike are sure to have a great time – hope to see you there!

If you are in the areas of Lexington, KY and Cincinnati, OH, then the following message if for you! Tune in to LEX 18 News at 12:30 in Lexington on Monday, May 18 for Pint Size Polkas’ first southern TV appearance. Talk about a shift from the polka music staples of Milwaukee, Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh! I’m looking forward to bringing the Pint Size Polkas concept to a market that has very little exposure to polka music, and hopefully winning over some new fans. Then on Tuesday, tune in to FOX 19 Morning News in Cincinnati for more about Pint Size Polkas, plus a performance from one of the songs on the CD. Clips from these appearances will be available on the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com. If you haven’t been there lately, head over there now for the latest video clips.

Take one look at the schedule below and you’ll know just how busy we’ll be during the next few months, particularly July. There’s one stretch of eight days where I have 16 separate performances booked in three states, including 12 libraries in Pennsylvania and Ohio. More details on that trip to come over the next few months. You can download our full performance schedule from the Schedule page at www.mikeschneiderband.com.

On a personal note, our son Garrett just celebrated his nine month birthday a few days ago. It’s hard to believe how fast the first nine months have gone. One year is coming up so fast!

Thanks again, and until next time, happy May!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

April 1, 2009

Where did the month of March go? It seems like just yesterday, KIDSfest was still months away. Well, it is April, and this will be one of the biggest months of performances yet for Pint Size Polkas, starting tomorrow with another Storytime at Barnes & Noble – this time at the Madison West Towne Mall location. This event begins at 10:30 AM. Come early for some great stories, and then stick around for some Pint Size Polkas! Plus, copies of the new CD will be on hand for purchase, and I’ll even autograph a copy or two for you if you’d like. Then, join me this Friday for the first ever PB & Jammin’ event at Bean Sprouts Café in Middleton, WI, where music begins at 5:30 PM. We’ll have a great time there, as well, and look forward to entertaining the little ones in your life. Be sure to attend one of these great events this week! Directions to Barnes & Noble and Bean Sprouts are available on the Events page at www.pintsizepolkas.com.

Do you want to learn even more about Pint Size Polkas’ appearances in the Madison area? Then tune in to WKOW 27 tomorrow, April 2 between 6:00 and 7:00 AM for an interview with me regarding the Pint Size Polkas project, plus live performances from a few of the songs on the CD! If you don’t live in the Madison area, links to the coverage will be available shortly afterwards on the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com.

Last but certainly not least, Uncle Mike and his Polka Band will be performing for one of the Midwest’s largest kids events this April 18 and 19, 2009. Come on out to the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis for some great polka music for children on the World Music Stage. We’re there starting at 12:30 PM on Saturday and 1:00 PM on Sunday. Join Uncle Mike, Lumberjack Cliff, and Railroad Don for what is sure to be two awesome shows! I hope to see you soon!

Thanks again, and until next time, Happy Easter!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

March 2, 2009

To say February was an amazing month for Pint Size Polkas would be a major understatement! Our travels took us to Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Toledo, and Grand Rapids for numerous live TV appearances, which has added up to make Pint Size Polkas Volume One the fastest selling CD I’ve ever released. My special thanks to you if you are a new fan who purchased Pint Size Polkas after seeing us on TV. These emails will keep you up to date with goings on for Pint Size Polkas, including new YouTube videos as they are released. (By the way, our first YouTube video, the Jolly Lumberjack Polka, has been watched more than 4,500 times since it was uploaded in October. If you haven’t seen it yet, watch it here now!) As a subscriber, you’ll also be the first to know about special promotions I’m running, like this one for the month of March:

Were you amazed by your little one’s reaction the first time you played Pint Size Polkas for them? Did they dance so hard it made your CD player skip? Is your son or daughter barely old enough to speak, but can clearly say the word “polka?” If you’ve had a positive experience with Pint Size Polkas Volume One, be one of the first 10 people to tell the world about it and receive a free custom Happy Birthday Polka MP3 email greeting! To qualify, you must submit a review of Pint Size Polkas Volume One to our product pages at CD Baby (here), Amazon.com (here), and Dig Station (here), and send a copy via the Contact page to www.pintsizepolkas.com. You do not need to have purchased the CD from any of these retailers in order to submit a review, nor do you need to have an account with any of them. Once your review has been verified at all three sites and received at this email address, I’ll email you with the information I need to produce your custom Happy Birthday Polka MP3 email greeting. You can have the song sung for yourself, your child or grandchild, or another relative or friend. Hurry, this offer expires March 31 and you must be one of the first 10 people to submit a review. Submit yours today and receive a musical gift that is sure to make someone’s birthday extra special!

In other news, tune in to Today’s TMJ4 in Milwaukee in the near future for spots regarding KIDSfest, which is an event Uncle Mike and his Polka Band are scheduled to play on April 18 and 19. One of the spots may even prominently feature our son Garrett, so stay tuned for that one! I’m also scheduled to appear at the Barnes & Noble Mayfair and West Towne Mall locations for Storytime, and have a tentative engagement scheduled for Bean Sprouts Café in Middleton, WI.

Thanks again, and until next time, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

February 1, 2009

If you thought December and January were busy media months for Pint Size Polkas, think again! Next Sunday starts a two-week Pint Size Polkas media tour that includes stops in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Grand Rapids, MI. And I’m not even sure that’s the end of it! On Sunday, February 8, we’ll be featured on ABC 7 in Chicago during the 8:00 AM hour. Then on Monday, February 16, we’ll be featured on Pittsburgh Today Live on KDKA-TV. We’ll make the trip up to Cleveland, OH to be on WKYC-TV’s morning news during the 6:00 AM hour on Tuesday, February 17. And then we wrap up our trip east on Wednesday, February 18 with a stop in Grand Rapids, MI to be on WZZM-TV’s Take Five & Company morning show. I’m not sure the last time a project featuring polka music has gotten this much exposure, but I sure do appreciate the opportunities being extended to me by all of these stations and hope we can eventually get a national spot or two out of it. Stay tuned! Oh, and to see all the coverage we’ve received so far, please visit the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com.

Also, did you know Pint Size Polkas has a Facebook page? We’ve been on MySpace for awhile now, but I finally took the initiative last week and setup a special fan page for Pint Size Polkas. Do you or your kids love the CD or YouTube video? Then join or login to Facebook today, visit our page here, then click on Become a Fan in the upper right hand corner of the page (you must be logged in to become a fan). Facebook has been a great way to keep in touch with my friends and customers of Pint Size Polkas on a daily basis. Be sure to check it out right here if you haven’t already!

In other news, did you know that you can purchase a customized version of the Happy Birthday Polka by Uncle Mike and his Polka Band for just $14.99? Just head over to the Happy Birthday Polka page at www.pintsizepolkas.com, provide the recipient’s name, preferred delivery date, and email address, and within one week your friend or family member will receive their very own customized Happy Birthday Polka in their email. Pretty cool, huh? Order your copy today before this special price of $14.99 expires!

Thanks again, and until next time, Happy Valentine’s Day!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

January 1, 2009

If the past really is the best indication of the future, then 2009 ought to be an incredible year for Uncle Mike and his Polka Band. On a personal note, my wife Heather and I were married just about one year and two months ago, and this year witnessed the birth of our first child, Garrett. In that respect, 2008 cannot be topped!

From a music perspective, however, the future is very bright indeed. Since the Pint Size Polkas project was officially released in October, I’ve had the good fortune of being featured on CBS channel 5 in Green Bay with Lisa Malak, ABC channel 19 in La Crosse with Amy DuPont, and NBC channel 15 in Madison with Carleen Wild. I was also interviewed by Pam and Jerry Zagar on 620 KHB in Pittsburgh, Wackie Jackie Z on 88.5 WMNF in Tampa, and John and Tammy on 96.3 Star Country in Madison. Our YouTube video, the Jolly Lumberjack Polka, has been viewed more than 2,200 times, and we’ve also sold more CDs during this period than during any other – mostly to fans outside the traditional polka audience. To see our YouTube video or clips from all of our TV appearances, visit the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com. Special thanks to my trusty sidekick Lumberjack Doug, my wife Heather, and son Garrett for making part of the statewide TV media tour with me!

And there’s even more TV in our future! On Thursday, January 8, we’re scheduled to appear on the Morning Blend, which airs at 9:00 AM on NBC channel 4 in Milwaukee and NBC channel 26 in Green Bay. On Sunday, January 11 we return to channel 4 in Milwaukee for Live at Daybreak. Talk about celebrating National Polka Month! And believe it or not, several major TV stations in Lexington and Louisville, KY have expressed interest in having me on during our upcoming trip there in May. If you live in an area that has yet to feature Pint Size Polkas, contact your local TV stations to let them know about this new venture in children’s music, and then please email me and I will follow up with them. We’re bringing polka music to a brand new market – a polka revolution is in the near future!

In other news, I’ll be performing at Pick N Save in Cudahy, WI several days next month. Needless to say, I never thought I would add “grocery store” to my performance resume! Please join me there in January and February while you shop. More details on that and all of our performances coming up in the next several months on the Schedule page.

To read our official annual newsletter, please visit the News page and look for the Newsletter Archive on the right hand side of the page.

Thanks again, and Happy New Year to you!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

December 1, 2008

Welcome to the very first edition of the Pint Size Polkas monthly email newsletter! As a subscriber, you'll receive special Pint Size Polkas offers by email, plus information about new recordings, videos, and events featuring Uncle Mike and his Polka Band.

December promises to spread the joy of Pint Size Polkas to television and radio audiences throughout the State of Wisconsin. On Thursday, December 11, tune in to NBC 15 News in Madison at 4:00 PM for their Cool Kids segment, where we’ll discuss the Pint Size Polkas project – potentially with my wife Heather and our son Garrett! Then on Sunday, December 14, I’ll be joined in studio by my trusty sidekick Lumberjack Doug for an interview and performances throughout the morning on Green Bay’s Channel 5 News Sunday Morning starting at 6:00 AM. The next day Doug and I will be on News 19 Daybreak in La Crosse starting at 6:30 AM. I’ll wrap up three days of travel on Tuesday, December 16 with a guest appearance on 96.3 FM Star Country in Madison. I’ll also be a guest on Wackie Jackie Z’s Polka Party Express on Sunday, December 14 starting at 2:00 PM CST. You can hear this show live in the Tampa, Florida area by tuning in to 88.5 WMNF, or by listening to their archived broadcast at www.polkapartyexpress.com. Be sure to tune in to all of these programs, and stay tuned to www.pintsizepolkas.com for video and audio clips of all of these appearances as they become available!

Did you know there’s a Pint Size Polkas video on YouTube? Just go to www.pintsizepolkas.com/videos.htm for a link to this entertaining production that features the Jolly Lumberjack Polka from the Pint Size Polkas Volume One CD. If you like what you see, stay tuned for more in the months to come. Early production has begun! Also, be sure to visit us on MySpace and add us to your friends. Our link is www.myspace.com/pintsizepolkas. Feel free to leave a comment!

At Pint Size Polkas, we’re bringing happy back!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

November 4, 2008

Well, what an amazing October it was, and hopefully what an amazing November it will be. October started off with a bang with trips to New Ulm, MN, Highland, WI, and Dubuque, IA. We’ve already been invited to return to New Ulm and Highland next year, and likely will return to Dubuque at some point in the future, as well. So, if you missed us on our out-of-state trips in 2008, there’s at least one more coming your way in 2009!

The biggest news from October, however, was the release of Pint Size Polkas Volume One, which is bar none the most important CD I’ve ever released. It’s being dubbed by some as the shot in the arm polka music needs to propel this music we all love into the homes and hearts of the next generation of polka fans. I had the privilege this past Saturday to be interviewed live on Prime Time Polkas with Pam and Jerry Zagar, and also Jack Tady’s Polka Place. If you missed those two shows online or over the air, I plan to post clips of both spots on the Radio & TV page shortly.

If you have yet to purchase Pint Size Polkas Volume One, do it today! Whether you buy it for your own enjoyment, or for your kids, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or the neighbor kid just learning to ride his or her bike next door, you’re making an investment in the future of polka music. People have said for as long as I’ve been playing that something needs to be done to keep polka music alive. My friend, my goal is not simply to keep polka music alive. My goal is to build a whole new market for polka music, one that I believe has tremendous potential.

To do that, I need your help. The more sales Pint Size Polkas Volume One has early on, the more funds I’ll have to promote the Pint Size Polkas concept through additional YouTube videos and, eventually, additional CD releases. So, go to the Music page at www.pintsizepolkas.com today to purchase Volume One of this new release. Then watch the Jolly Lumberjack Polka YouTube video on the Videos page, which has been watched more than 1,000 times already since being posted on October 14. If you’re on MySpace, I would also encourage you to visit www.myspace.com/pintsizepolkas and add me as your friend. You can hear three full-length tracks from the CD while you’re there.

My thanks to those of you who have already purchased Pint Size Polkas Volume One, and to those of you who will make your purchases in the days to come. Consider this, as well: If you love polka music, why not spread the joy this Christmas season by giving Pint Size Polkas Volume One as a gift to the little ones in your life? If you’re a polka fan, you won’t find a better gift!

Join me in my effort to help polka music make its long overdue comeback. At Pint Size Polkas, we’re bringing happy back!

Until next month, Happy Thanksgiving, and thanks for your support.

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

October 15, 2008

The moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived! I am pleased to announce the release of my latest CD, Pint Size Polkas Volume One. As the title suggests, this CD is directed at the little ones in your life, whether it's your son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter, or the neighbor kid next door who's learning how to ride a bike for the first time.

My wife Heather called me with this brilliant idea and project title a couple of years ago, and I've been working hard since then to create a CD that is truly fun for the entire family. If you're an avid polka fan, you need to purchase a copy for your personal polka collection. You'll hear the same great quality polka music you've come to expect from my band on past projects, as well as some very familiar tunes. You also need to purchase a copy for that little one in your life and make your investment in polka music's future. You can buy Pint Size Polkas Volume One right now for $14.97 including shipping using a major credit card by going to the Music page at www.pintsizepolkas.com. Or, come to any of our performances listed on the Schedule page here at www.mikeschneiderband.com and pick up your copies for $15.00 each, plus get a free cassette with each purchase while supplies last.

What could be as exciting as the release of a brand new CD? How about one of the very first produced polka music videos on YouTube! As part of the kickoff for Pint Size Polkas Volume One, I'm thrilled to announce the release of the Jolly Lumberjack Polka music video. Just go to the Videos page at www.pintsizepolkas.com to watch this 2:00 minute YouTube clip right now and find out what being a lumberjack is really like! This video features Milwaukee banjo man Doug Krueger as my trusty lumberjack sidekick. If you're still reading this, click over to the Videos page right now, and then tell all your friends to do the same!

So, to summarize, go to www.pintsizepolkas.com today to find out more about Pint Size Polkas Volume One, watch the Jolly Lumberjack Polka video, and then purchase your copies of the brand-new CD from the Pint Size Polkas website or anywhere the Mike Schneider Band is performing. And then tell all of your friends to do the same. A new day in polka music has arrived. Make your investment in its new bright future by purchasing Pint Size Polkas Volume One!

Thank you for your support!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com

October 2, 2008

Oktoberfest season is already underway, and that means October is shaping up to be an exciting month for the Mike Schneider Band. For the first time ever, we'll be performing in the states of Minnesota and Iowa. This Saturday, join us at the New Ulm Holiday Inn for their 2008 Oktoberfest. We'll be playing from 1:30 until 5:30 PM, and the for a Polka Mass starting at 5:30 PM.

Speaking of Polka Masses, you can join us this week Sunday for the third straight year as we play the Polka Mass and Oktoberfest for Ss. Anthony and Philip Parish in Highland, WI. We play the Polka Mass in the new church at 9:00 AM, and move over to the Red Zone starting at 11:00 AM for their annual Oktoberfest. Good times, good music, and authentic German food and drink are staples of this annual event, so be sure to attend.

Then, next Sunday, October 12, we'll be traveling to Dubuque, IA for our first performance in the state of Iowa. We'll be alternating with Bob Doszak starting at noon. This annual Octoberfest Polka Festival is held at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. As always, for more information about any of these events, including detailed maps to each venue, be sure to visit the Schedule.

In other news, for the eighth straight time, the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame has honored the Mike Schneider Band with a nomination in their Band of the Year award category. Our competition this year includes Brian and the Mississippi Valley Dutchmen and Gary's Ridgeland Dutchmen. Congratulations to all of this year's nominees, and be sure to stay tuned right here to www.mikeschneiderband.com for awards results when they are announced early next month.

You may have heard about the new recording I'm working on. Plans are underway to premier the release on a future episode of Greg Drust's Polka Parade show on WJYI in Milwaukee. The website for the new venture has been constructed, and the CDs are being pressed at the time of this writing. So what's the big deal, you ask? Find out later this month when all the details are revealed for this exciting new polka project. Then prepare to get your cash, checkbook, or credit card ready to purchase the new CD - you will not want to miss this one!

Finally, several new photos of Garrett are available by clicking his link on the home page. Slowly but surely, Heather and I will be adding more during the weeks and months to come. Stay tuned, and be sure to click over right now to see photos of the cutest baby in the world. Well, in our opinion, at least!!!

Until next time, Happy Oktoberfest Season!

Mike Schneider
www.mikeschneiderband.com