Today is a special day; it’s the birthday of an exceptional musician, teacher and human being – my dad, William Johnson Riggs.

My dad was born in Thief River Falls, where his dad Ronald was working as a band director and teacher.  The family soon moved to St. Cloud, and that’s where Dad grew up. 

It’s not surprising that music has always been an important part of Dad’s life; his dad was a band director for several years before he became a college professor; his mom, Eleanor, and his paternal grandmother, Islea, both played and taught piano; and his paternal grandfather, G. Oliver Riggs, was a well known bandmaster who died when Dad was 7.

My dad was a little boy when G.

It’s been a wonderful, hectic, music-filled month, and it’s not over yet!  Here’s a summary of the concerts and activities that have enriched our lives during the past three weeks:

• Five horns harmonizing (Dec. 8: Louisa’s French horn section played during Winter Walk)

• Two Lucias processing (Dec. 9: Louisa was a Lucia attendant at the Northfield Swedish Club’s 36th annual Lucia fest)

• Ten fingers dancing (Dec.

I should be cutting back on activities and additional responsibilities during this busy time of year, but instead I have plunged into another commitment: last week I joined the board of the Northfield Fine Arts Booster Club.

I couldn’t really say no (although I did postpone the decision for months, due to a number of other commitments this fall) because one of the group’s projects is to collect new and used musical instruments and get them into the hands of kids who want to play.
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Just when I think my dad and I have uncovered all the stories we’re likely to learn about my great-grandfather, G. Oliver Riggs, something unexpected bubbles to the surface.  This week’s revelation: G. Oliver was the Whoopi Goldberg of St. Cloud.
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