Mogen's Heroes

Mogen’s Heroes began “having fun making music” Halloween night of 1978 in beautiful downtown Chancellor, SD. Founded by Waubay native John Mogen while he was teaching vocal music in Lennox, SD, this trio soon added guitarist Tom Steever. Drummer Scott Klaverkamp joined in the early ‘80s. Their tight three-part harmonies became the band’s trademark. Television anchorman Doug Lund replaced Klaverkamp in May of 1988. Lund’s booming baritone voice was well-recognized by listeners. Wagner native Dennis Gale grabbed his guitar to become a Hero in February of 1997. Redfield kid Bill Hoffman picked up his drumsticks early in 2003, and the trio remains the same today.

With the addition of a younger Hoffman, the band’s playlist went from doing Elvis to featuring Four Seasons tunes. “Bad, Bad LeRoy Brown” became the Beach Boys. Working with three vocalists who could “hit the high notes” delighted the audiences. The band has always taken pride in being able to please a wide variety of ages.

Averaging approximately fifty gigs a year spanning four decades, the Mogen’s Heroes band vans have seen a lot of territory. They have played in more than 120 South Dakota towns and cities, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri. They love to play the SD State Fair, arts festivals, county fairs, wedding dances, political rallies (Rudy Giuliani, VP Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, and President Donald Trump)—any event that wants to have fun. They were the final band to play at the iconic dance hall at the Blue Dog Inn. Mogen also had the opportunity to play piano for George H.W. Bush (with Barbara Bush seated on his piano bench), and President Ronald Reagan.

Forty years of consecutive playing might seem like a long time. Who says they’re stopping soon?