The saga of Bill Koncar and the accordion began in Joliet, Illinois in the early 1960's when Bill began taking accordion lessons at about age nine from a family friend, George Schmidberger. After many years of lessons and practice, Bill and his brother Ray, who plays the Slovenian button accordion, formed a band with some friends in the early 1980's called the Koncar Brother's Band and started playing engagements in the Joliet/Chicago area.

In the mid 1980's, Bill and his wife Sue and three sons Matt, Andy and Joe relocated to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. In 1992, when Andy was 12 years old he started taking drum lessons and played along with Bill at home. Joe, who was 9 years old, began playing the accordion and the family formed a band. The band's first gigs were at the 1st and Last Chance bar in Northeast Minneapolis and from there the band has moved to play many types of engagements in various locations.

The band plays a wide variety of music including polkas, waltzes, fox trots, Latin, swing, country and classic rock tunes.Bill is now a very popular strolling accordionist in the Twin Cities area and the band continues to perform at many events.

The two most frequent venues that Bill and the band perform are Gasthof zur Gemutlichkeit; Bavarian Restaurant and Bar, 2300 University Av. NE, Mpls, phone (612)-781-3860 and the Bayrischer Hof Bavarian Restaurant and Bar on Hwy 12 in Montrose, MN, phone (763)-675-3999.

Bill performs as a strolling musician for the dining crowd at both establishments and the band performs regularly as well for weekend dances in the bars at these restaurants. At Gasthof's, the band frequently entertains in the tent at Maifest, Summerfest, and Oktoberfest celebrations. In addition, Bill and the band play at numerous other public and private functions in the area including polkafests, VFWs, American Legions, Moose and Eagle clubs, Ballrooms, Octoberfests and other celebrations.

The band now features Bill on midi accordion and vocals, son Andy on drums, John Dochniak from Afton, MN on guitar, banjo and vocals, and John Patton from St. Paul on saxophone. Son Joe is in "semi-retirement" from the accordion but still plays occasionally.

In 1998, Bill and the band recorded their first CD titled, "The Best Things in Life Are Free" featuring Hank Thunander on second accordion. A second recording followed in 2000 named "It's Happy Polka Time." These recordings are featured on polka radio stations throughout the country. Bill and the band have appeared regularly on the very popular "Polka Spotlight" television show that airs daily at noon on Cable Channel 6 in the Twin Cities area.

Whether it's Bill on strolling accordion or the full band performing, this group has become very popular in the Twin Cities playing well over 200 dates a year. Bill is regularly seen strolling with the accordion at the Bavarian restaurants and other events and is extremely popular with his comedic songs, sing-a-longs and German Ein Prosits. Despite this busy schedule, Bill continues in his full-time career as a police officer. Bill, Sue and family still make their home in Anoka, MN.