The Harold Strand Orchestra

Harold Strand immigrated to Texas at the request of the federal government and never left. Harold, a Minnesota native had joined the Air Force after high school and was quickly relocated to the sunny south of Waco, Texas in 1953. Growing up in a small Minnesota town, there were only Scandinavian and German/Czech families about. He, of Norwegian heritage, was amazed at the many different cultures that Texas held.

Harold's parents played music (violin & fiddle) at house parties in rural 1930s and 40s Minnesota. At the age of fourteen (1947), his father brought home a raggedy accordion for Harold to learn to make music on. In the 1950’s, the accordion was the electric guitar of the time, accordions were heard on the pop charts and in every music style. So, after a few lessons in Austin, Minnesota and a lot of selfteaching, Harold and some high school buddies formed The Hungry Five. They began playing school dances and talent shows winning most of them. He, by then, had purchased a better accordion. The band peaked with a performance on a WCCO Radio radio talent that broadcast from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The radio show was sponsored by Gold Medal Flower and its powerful transmitters sent its signal over all the Midwest United States.

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