Saturday August 1, 2009
Main Grandstand

The Leafy Spurge Band will be opening for Sawyer Brown at this year's Wayne County Fair, Saturday, August 1.  Leafy Spurge has a long history in this area and through the years, they have opened shows for numerous national acts such as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willy Nelson, Toby Keith, Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels Band, Joe Diffy, Tracey Lawrence, Pam Tillis, Asleep at the Wheel as well as appearing before three-time Entertainers of the Year Brooks and Dunn.

The band was inducted into the 2008 Nebraska Music Hall of Fame in August 1, 2008, during the Nebraska Rocks County celebration held at Karl Stefan Memorial Airport in Norfolk.  Jim Casey is founder of the Nebraska Rocks and the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame.  In his early years, he was a member of the local Smoke Ring Band.

Looking back on the history of the Leafy Spurge Band, brothers Dick, Dave and Jim Broders grew up in Belden. "Wild" Bill Ueding had bought the local bar.  He played his guitar and told stories about "almost making the big time."  The Broders boys were already influenced by the music of Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, Bob Wills, and Texas Playboys.  Dick learned licks on the guitar from old Bill and brother, Dave, five years younger than Dick.  He would hang around hoping to get a chance to play but he was only 11 years old.  The year was 1969 and both brothers learned fast.

Later, Dick, decidded to take up the bass guitar and they formed a band with their friends, Paul Huetig, on the drums and Roger Pederson on another guitar.  It was 1973 and the Leavy Spurge band was sprouting.  New music such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dyland, Marshall Tucker and Charlie Daniels influenced the young band.  The band was becoming a part of the music scene in northeast Nebraska and were influenced by more established bands like Jim Casey, Young Country, Bill Legate and the Roving Cowboys, The Red Willow band with Chris Gage and Kenny Putnum as well as Norfolk area players and singers like Bernie Kvamme, Warren Frerichs, Nick Leland, Bob Letheby, Robert Lewis and others. 

The band went through a number of players.  Will Burnham an old horn player back in the big band days, was a good promoter.  From 1976-78, the band played nearly every weekend.  It was around this time when the brothers met the drummer Steve Lange.  He had a rock and roll background and had just left the band, Stinger.  The band stayed the same until Cary Pflanz left in 1983 and Terry Butterfield joined the group in 1984 as guitarist.  During the 80's, Dave Broders began to write music for the band, which was added to the original songs.  In 1984, the band met David Sherry, who joined them full time in 1989.  In 1991, the band took on another full time member when Rick Ohm joined. Ohm had worked for seven years for the rock band , Rage.  In 1992, Spurge was joined by Jason Clark on teh fiddle.  clark was a champion fiddler and third generation violinist.  Also in 1992, the band added another member, veteran pianist Merele Pitham. 

As for the Broders brothers, Dick, as well as becoming a solid bassist, had always been manager of the group behind the scenes.  Dave was the vocalist, song writer and front man for the band, as well as largely responsible for the repertoire.  The band reunites for special events.  Jim was the youngest of the seven Broders children, four sisters and threee brothers.  He, too, had a love of music and the stage but because he was so much younger he was delayed in joining the band.  Through the years, Jim started his own band, The Oiler Brothers and later played lead guitar for Bill Lagatge and the Roving Cowboys.  Off and on, Jim , played with his brothers but eventualy went to Texas where he had success with his band, Jim Broders and the  Cactus Country Band.  After 11 years, he returned with his wife and family to Nebraska.  He rejoined the Spurge and later started his own band, The Lonesome Walker Band.  on June 19th, 2003, Jim died of a heart aneurism in St. paul, Minnesota at the age of 39.

The Leafy Spurge Band has left a legacy with their induction into the 209 Nebraska Music Hall of Fame, and joins other performers who have made significant contributions to the music industry.