When the old year ends at Albert Lea’s Elks Club tomorrow evening, the music will be provided by Neil A.

Sunday, December 30, 2001

When the old year ends at Albert Lea’s Elks Club tomorrow evening, the music will be provided by Neil A. and Barbara J. Lang and a group of their musical friends.

This is the second year the group known as &uot;Neil Lang and Friends&uot; have provided the New Year’s Eve music at the Elks Club. However, the Langs have been a part of the area’s musical life for over 40 years.

Neil Lang and Barbara Fisk grew up in Glenville and started first grade together. They were friends but nothing serious developed until after the Langs moved to Albert Lea when he was in the eleventh grade. Then he says, &uot;I became the boy friend from the big city.&uot;

They graduated from high school in 1960; Neil from Albert Lea High School, and Barbara from Glenville High School. In October 1961 they married and combined their musical talents.

Neil had taken accordion lessons from about age 9 until age 14. At age 17 he started playing around with his mother’s guitar and became self taught on that instrument. Barbara had taken piano lessons from age 7 through high school. She had also played piano and organ for First Lutheran Church in Glenville until she graduated from high school. She attended the University of Minnesota where she majored in music education. He attended vocational school in Albert lea to become an electrician and worked at Wilson and Co. until 1982.

The couple started the musical group then known as Nell Lang’s Combo. They played a variety of music under that name for about six years.

&uot;We played four to five nights a week in the Starlight Lounge at Homer Blake’s Skyline Supper Club. We also played at the Legion, Eagles and other bars and lounges.&uot; Neil said.

In 1967, Neil became fascinated with the Sho-Bud pedal steel guitar. That changed the type and style of music they performed. The steel, being mainly a country music Instrument, changed the focus to country. Barbara quickly learned to play the electric bass. The group changed personnel and went on as a four piece country group known as the Country Drifters. Since that time, they have played under different names and with other groups. Some of them may be familiar to area residents – Triad, Larry Reed and the Rebels, Lee and the Trail Blazers and Music City News.

Over the years the Langs have played almost every club, bar and lounge within a forty mile radius of Albert Lea. They also gave lessons for many years.

In 1992, Neil and Barbara moved to the Burnsville area where Neil continued working as an electrician and Barbara taught special education. During the following years, the couple played few engagements. Barb played at a church In Prior Lake and they both played a few annual steel guitar conventions and jams. This helped &uot;keep the rust off the strings.&uot; Neil said.

Long time musician friend, Denny Charnecki from Austin, has provided Neil and Barbara the opportunity to play &uot;backup&uot; and for &uot;warm-up&uot; on several big country shows. They have included such greats as: Randy Travis, Sammy Kershaw, Don Williams, Johnny Lee, Jeannie Seely, Jan Howard, Margo Smith, the Haggar Twins, Susan Raye and George Jones.

In 1999, the couple moved back to Albert Lea. Last New Year’s Eve they regrouped many of the local musicians they had played with over the years and called it &uot;Neil Lang and Friends&uot;. It was a time to remember at the local Elks Club. The music was ’50s, country and a few old time pieces. This New Year’s Eve will be the same at the Elks Club. Along with Nell and Barb will be local musicians: Doug Neste, Larry Reed, Merle Krause, Jim Pilgrim, Bob Kaufmann and Todd Utpadel.

Neil and Barb are most recently presenting the sounds of a duo called Lang ‘n Lang. Using pedal steel guitar, keyboards and regular guitar, they play easy listening, ’40s, and soft country music.

The Langs have two daughters. Stephanie Erdman is a nurse at Thorne Crest and involved with in service education and home health care for the residents. Stacia Lang is a costume designer and lives in the Los Angeles area. There are three grandsons: Beau Edwards, Josh Edwards and Miles Erdman.

Barbara is on the staff at Lakeview Elementary School as a special education teacher. Neil is an electrician with Sather Engineering.

&uot;Lang ‘n Lang plays lounge entertainment. … It’s nostalgic for us to play at the Elks. … Every decade has music which is different. … We go with what people want,&uot; were some of Neil’s comments.

&uot;Music has to fit the mood. It’s needed for a purpose. Every type has its place, &uot; Barb said.

Neil’s reply to a question about his favorite type of music was, &uot;I like it all, especially commercial jazz and easy listening swing.&uot;

The Langs said they would like to thank all those who have listened and danced to their music over the years.