Fargo, ND is no Nashville, but fortunately for music lovers here in Patagonia, it produced a musician whose contributions to this town’s rich and colorful cultural fabric are widely recognized and appreciated by many whose lives have been touched by his singing, guitar playing and support for all things musical.
Dick Klosterman has come a long way from his boyhood days when he sang endlessly in the yard, the farmhouse, at school…wherever it was permissible. His introduction to Patagonia some three decades ago came about when he and Phyllis, his wife of 63 years, visited his cousin, Doris Wenig. Eager to join with area musicians, he connected with the Stringbenders and fondly remembers the privilege of playing with the likes of Jack and Alice Turner, Jody Sixkiller and Carl Bowden, all early members of the group. Since those early days, he has emerged as one of the stalwarts of the local music scene and a master of harmony.
One of the reasons Dick is so highly regarded is the weekly jam he and Phyllis hosted for some 20 years until a serious illness sidelined him last year. They welcomed into their Second Avenue home any and all who played, sang or just came to enjoy the music, the social experience, and the desserts and snacks. Rank beginners, accomplished instrumentalists and everyone in between were always welcomed and encouraged to participate as Dick sprinkled the evening’s songs with informative, often humorous, banter that enriched the group’s knowledge of why and by whose hand a given song had been created. “Dick,” according to daughter Heidi, “is a musical encyclopedia.”
Dick’s musical talents were a natural fit for the Stringbenders, a loosely-organized group of musicians who had been playing for appreciative audiences for some years before the Klostermans became seasonal Patagonia homeowners in 1991. For many years, Dick provided steady leadership and infused their work with creativity and enthusiasm. Still performing today, albeit with an ever-changing cast of characters, the Stringbenders currently are in transition as they adjust to not having Dick’s regular guidance. However, he still contributes to the group’s growth by sitting in on their practice sessions when his stamina and voice permit and by mentoring their current nominal leader, Gama Leyva.
A gifted vocalist, even in his youth he was in demand at weddings and other special events. Perhaps his crowning achievement was his participation as a member of his Army choir in a concert with the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir while he was stationed in Salzburg, Austria.
As good as he was, singing was never his primary means of financial support. Dick’s main occupation always was farming, in which he engaged actively with his brother for more than 40 years, planting mostly soybeans, corn and sugar beets on some 4,000 acres. But he always made time for music and at age 32 his musical career was ratcheted up a notch when Santa brought him a guitar. Not surprisingly, he took to it like a duck to water, taught himself how to play, and by the next September was playing and singing with a local band in bars, rest homes and at special events.
Over the years, the Klostermans have gradually spent increasingly more time in Patagonia, now spending most of the year here. Dick is effusive in speaking of the town’s welcoming nature and its community spirit. “Patagonia is the kind of town Phyllis and I really enjoy.” A lover of classical music while being a master of folk and bluegrass, he is especially grateful for Fred and Christina Wilhelm’s work in making the new opera house a reality.
As he devotes more of his time and energy to family life and other good things about everyday life in Patagonia, perhaps he will turn more of his attention to his extensive collection of model airplanes which is on display in his “hangar” that doubles as a garage, and which he will proudly show to anyone interested in seeing his handiwork.
Dick’s participation in the local music scene is slowing, but his influence on that scene, both past and present, is undeniable. “I’m proud to have been able to make a contribution to the community through my music,” he says. “Music is good therapy.”
Good therapy, indeed. Thanks, Dick Klosterman. The community is richer for your role in promoting harmony, both musically and socially.
Musicians of Note is a monthly column that recognizes individuals and groups whose collective talents combine to produce the rich and vibrant musical tapestry of Eastern Santa Cruz County.