>> FUNDING FOR "BOBBY ARO, KING OF THE GREAT NORTHWOODS" IS PROVIDED BY THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA THROUGH THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.

>> OK, LET'S PUT ANOTHER COUPLE OF 2, 3 MINUTES' NEEDLE SCRATCHING, GOING ROUNDING AND ROUNDING.

♪ I WAS BORN IN MINNESOTA WHERE THE TALL PINES GROW LIVED MY LIFE IN THE LAND OF THE SNOW RAISED ON THE SUSIS AND THE KETTUS, IT'S TRUE AND I LEARNED HOW TO GYPPO WHEN I WAS ONLY 2 IT'S THE BOBBY, BOBBY ARO KING OF THE GREAT NORTHWOODS JA, JA, JA ♪ I ENTERTAINED ALL THE TIME WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID AND WAS MADLY IN LOVE WITH SHOW BUSINESS FROM THE TIME I WAS OLD ENOUGH TO WALK.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SONG AND DANCE MAN.

>> FOR OVER 50 YEARS BOBBY ARO ENTERTAINED RADIO AUDIENCES WITH HIS WIT AND HUMOR.

HE ALSO WROTE NOVELTY SONGS IN HIS FINN-GLISH STYLE AND TRAVELED ACROSS THE U.S. AND INTO CANADA WITH HIS BAND BOBBY ARO AND THE RANCH-AROS.

>> ♪ BOBBY, BOBBY ARO KING OF THE GREAT NORTHWOODS ♪ >> ON OCTOBER 22, 1926, ROBERT LEROY ARO WAS BORN IN ZIM, MINNESOTA, TO VICTOR AND HULDA ARO.

HE WOULD BE THE COUPLE'S ONLY CHILD.

>> SHE WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER, AND MY GRANDFATHER WAS A TRAPPER AND A LOGGER.

>> FIRST 2, 3 YEARS IN HIS LIFE WAS ACTUALLY IN SOME OF THE TRAPPER SHACKS THAT WERE OUT AND ABOUT AND--BUT THEN HIS MOM DIED WHEN HE WAS 3.

AND MY GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS--AS A LOT OF THEM IN THOSE DAYS--WAS OUT TRYING TO FIND WORK AND MAKE WORK.

AND SO HE WAS GYPPOING.

HE WAS RIDING THE FREIGHT TRAINS AND RIDING THE RAILS.

AND SO HE GREW UP MOSTLY IN LEONIDAS WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER, HIS MOTHER'S MOTHER.

>> SO HE WENT TO SCHOOL IN LEONIDAS, WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE OF EVELETH.

IT WAS THE MOUNTAIN IRON SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THEY WENT TO SCHOOL THERE.

>> WITH THE LARGE FINNISH POPULATION IN THE AREA, BOBBY GREW UP HEARING THE LANGUAGE SPOKEN OFTEN.

>> WELL, HIS GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER TALKED FINNISH TO HIM ALL THE TIME WHEN HE WAS GROWING UP.

>> BOTH SIDES.

HE IS PURE FINN, AND SO--BOTH SIDES WERE, AND SO HIS UPBRINGING WAS STRONG FINN.

>> IT WAS AT HOME THAT BOBBY WAS INTRODUCED TO MUSIC.

>> HIS GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS RAISING HIM, WAS THE MUSICIAN.

IN FACT, HE WAS THE BAND DIRECTOR FOR THE MINING COMPANY WHICH SET UP A PROGRAM WHERE THEY COULD HAVE THEIR OWN BAND PLAYING.

SO HE WAS-- HE WAS BORN INTO MUSIC.

>> HE HAD SOME AUNTS, YOUNG AUNTS WHO GREW UP AROUND, IN AND AROUND, AND THEN THEY--HIS AUNT JEANETTE WAS THE ONE WHO TAUGHT HIM A LOT OF PIANO.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME HE REALLY STARTED HIS OTHER INSTRUMENTATION--THE VIOLIN WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES.

AND THAT WAS THE ACTUAL-- ONLY INSTRUMENT HE ACTUALLY HAD A FORMAL TRAINING IN, WAS THE VIOLIN.

>> WHEN HE WAS A KID, THEY TAP-DANCED.

HE WOULD DO TAP DANCING.

HE WANTED TO BE A SONG AND DANCE MAN, AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

>> AS A KID, HE LOVED SHOW BUSINESS, AND HE WANTED TO BE A PART OF THINGS.

SO HE WOULD GO MAKE A FEW DOLLARS IN THE THEATER THERE TAKING BIT ROLES.

YOU KNOW, HE TALKED ABOUT ONE WHERE HE WAS DRESSED AS A LEGIONNAIRE SOLDIER, AND THE WHOLE PLAY HE WAS JUST STANDING.

AND THEN HE WATERED AND CLEANED UP AFTER ELEPHANTS WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN.

YOU KNOW, JUST--HE HAD THE BUG.

>> IN SCHOOL, BOBBY WAS A BRIGHT STUDENT, EVEN GETTING BUMPED UP A GRADE FROM THE FIFTH TO THE SEVENTH.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS THAT HE JUMPED THE GRADE WAS THE FACT THAT HE WAS--MENTALLY, HE WAS ABOVE AVERAGE.

THIS IS THE LEONIDAS TENTH GRADE GRADUATION CLASS.

WE WENT TO SCHOOL FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TENTH GRADE AT LEONIDAS, THEN WITH EVELETH.

AND SO THIS IS OUR GRADUATION PICTURE, AND WE'RE NOT THAT BIG OF A CLASS.

I THINK THERE WAS 25 OR SOMETHING LIKE PEOPLE THERE, AND WE WERE THE NON-ATHLETIC-TYPE CHARACTERS, YOU KNOW.

>> AFTER SCHOOL IN LEONIDAS, BOBBY WENT TO EVELETH HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE 11th AND 12th GRADES.

HE GRADUATED WITH THE CLASS OF 1943 AT THE AGE OF 16.

>> AND THEN HE WENT IN THE NAVY AND WAS IN AND OUT OF THE NAVY.

HE WENT TO RADIO SCHOOL ON THE G.I.

BILL, I GUESS, AND...GOT HIS FIRST RADIO JOB IN BORGER, TEXAS, BECAUSE HE SAID HIS INSTRUCTOR KNEW A GUY THAT KNEW A GUY THAT KNEW A GUY THAT WAS STARTING A RADIO STATION, AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ABOUT 1946.

>> THAT WAS HIS GOAL, HIS LIFE'S AMBITION.

THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED TO BE, ON RADIO.

AND I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT TIME AND POINT IN HIS LIFE HE RECOGNIZED THAT, BUT HE WANTED IT.

>> BORGER WAS AN OIL REFINERY TOWN IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE.

BOBBY WAS HIRED AS A MUSICAL DIRECTOR AT KHUZ RADIO WHEN IT WENT ON THE AIR.

HE WAS ALSO A DISC JOCKEY.

THE FORMAT WAS COUNTRY AND WESTERN.

>> RIGHT NOW, HERE'S THE WEATHER FORECAST.

PARTLY CLOUDY TUESDAY WITH NO IMPORTANT TEMPERATURE CHANGE.

THE HIGH TUESDAY IN THE LOW 80s, THE LOW WEDNESDAY MORNING IN THE UPPER 60s.

MONDAY'S HIGH WAS 80 DEGREES.

AND BACK TO BOB WILLS AND ALL THE TEXAS PLAYBOYS.

HERE'S A SONG CALLED "THEY SAY THAT EVERYBODY IS DESCENDED FROM EITHER BIRDS OR MONKEYS, AND, FRIEND, I SURE DON'T SEE NO FEATHERS ON YOU."

>> IT WAS COMMON IN THOSE DAYS OF RADIO TO HEAR LIVE PERFORMANCES ON THE AIR.

NOT ONLY DID HE SPIN RECORDS AND TELL JOKES, BOBBY ENTERTAINED WITH HIS GUITAR AND TALENTED SINGING VOICE.

HE CALLED HIMSELF "THE VAGABLONDE SERENADER."

>> ♪ TEARS ON MY PILLOW EACH MORNING CRIED WHEN I DREAMED ABOUT YOU I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK IN KEALAKEKUA, HAWAII I WANT TO BE WITH ALL THE KANES AND WAHINES THAT I KNEW LONG AGO I WANT TO HEAR THOSE GUITARS A-PLAYING ON THE BEACH AT HONAUNAU I WANT TO HEAR THAT HAWAIIAN SAYING KOMO MAI NO KAUA I KA HALE WELAKAHAO SOMEDAY MY SHIP WILL BE SAILING BACK TO KONA IT'S A GRAND OLD PLACE ALWAYS FAIR TO SEE AND I'M JUST A LITTLE HAWAIIAN AND A HOMESICK ISLAND BOY I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY FISH AND POI I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY LITTLE GRASS SHACK IN KEALAKEKUA, HAWAII WHERE THE HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA'A GO SWIMMING BY ♪ [NEW SONG STARTS] ♪ IF YOU CHEW TOBACCO DON'T YOU SPIT ON THE FLOOR EXPECTORATE IN THE CUSPIDOR [SPITS] DING, [SPITS] DOINK [SPITS] DING, [SPITS] DING CHEW TOBACCO, CHEW TOBACCO CHEW TOBACCO RAG [SPITS] DING, [SPITS] DOINK [SPITS] DING, [SPITS] DING CHEW TOBACCO, CHEW TOBACCO CHEW TOBACCO RAG ♪ >> AT KHUZ, BOBBY MET AND WORKED WITH THE STATION'S FEATURE WRITER AND SOCIETY ANNOUNCER, CHARLOTTE BURKS.

CHARLOTTE WAS SELECTED AS A FINALIST FROM OVER 10,000 ENTRIES FOR MISS STARDUST OF 1947, A NATIONWIDE BEAUTY CONTEST SPONSORED BY A WOMEN'S LINGERIE COMPANY.

>> MY MOM HAD GROWN UP IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA, WHILE BOBBY ARO CAME FROM HIS RADIO SCHOOL IN CHICAGO--THEY PLACED HIM THERE.

AND MY MOM WOULD TELL ME ABOUT WHEN HE CAME TO THE STATION, HE WAS A CUTE BLONDE, AND MY MOM HAD HAIR THAT WAS DARK AND BROWN--THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF BLONDES AROUND THERE.

AND SHE SAID HE WOULD--OH, HE FLIRTED, BUT SHE SAID HE WAS--"HE TEASED ME, HE WAS KIND OF MEAN, BUT THEN HE'D SAY AT THE END ALWAYS, CHARLOTTE, WOULD YOU MARRY ME SOMEDAY?"

AND SHE'D SAY, "I'D ALWAYS SAY NO."

AND HE SAID--AND IT WAS--YEAH--"CHARLOTTE, WOULD YOU--" HE'D TEASE HER AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AT THE STATION WHERE THEY BOTH WORKED--"WOULD YOU MARRY ME SOMEDAY?"

"NO."

SHE SAID NO.

AND SHE SAID, "BUT I SCARED HIM TO DEATH ONE DAY BECAUSE I SAID, HOW ABOUT TOMORROW?"

AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED IN MY GRANDPARENTS' LIVING ROOM IN THE PANHANDLE IN TEXAS, AND THAT DAY, THEY PLAYED BOTH THEIR THEME SONGS FROM THEIR RADIO PROGRAMS, AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAS A NICE, NICE STORY.

AFTER THEY MARRIED, THEY MOVED TO CHICAGO AND THEY BOTH WORKED IN RADIO THERE.

>> AFTER WORKING AT A FEW DIFFERENT JOBS FOR A WHILE IN CHICAGO, BOBBY WANTED TO RETURN TO NORTHERN MINNESOTA TO LOOK FOR WORK IN RADIO.

>> HE WAS DOING, WHAT, FREELANCING IN CHICAGO AND HE WAS THE MAIN DIRECTOR AT AN ALL-FEMALE THEATRIC SCHOOL.

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GET ANOTHER JOB?

HA HA HA!

>> HE CAME BACK FOR THE WORK, AND HE AND MY GRANDFATHER ACTUALLY BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY TOGETHER, AND MY GRANDFATHER AND MY MOM ACTUALLY DID THE CARPENTRY WORK ON THE PROPERTY.

AND THEN HE WENT OUT AND TRIED TO BRING MONEY IN, YOU KNOW.

>> BOBBY LANDED A JOB HOSTING THE EARLY MORNING SHOW AT WHLB IN VIRGINIA.

HE CALLED IT "BOBBY TIME."

>> YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT... >> ♪ YOU'VE GOT BOBBY ARO ON YOUR DIAL ♪ >> ♪ BOBBY, I LOVE YOU YES, YOU ARE MY THRILL BOBBY, I LOVE YOU AND I ALWAYS WILL BOBBY, I'LL GIVE YOU MY HEART AND MY SOUL ♪ >> WELL, HI.

WE'RE ALL SET WITH "BOBBY TIME."

YES, MUSIC, COUNTRY STYLE, GOING ROUND AND ROUND AGAIN IN A "BOBBY TIME" GET-TOGETHER.

AND, OF COURSE, DOWN THE LINE WE'VE ALWAYS GOT GOOD NEWS ABOUT GOOD SPONSORS.

WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL PAY ATTENTION TO THE MESSAGES AND ENJOY ALL OF THE MUSIC THAT WE'VE LINED UP FOR YOU AGAIN.

I WAS READING IN THE PAPER LAST WEEK WHERE A GUY DIED AND THEY READ HIS WILL, AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT HE LEFT $50,000 TO A WOMAN WHO REFUSED TO MARRY HIM 40 YEARS BEFORE.

THAT'S A CASE OF REAL GRATITUDE THERE, EH?

YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING ABOUT MY BROTHER'S KID NORMAN, BUT THERE'S ONE THING I GOT TO SAY ABOUT LITTLE NORMAN THERE.

HE'S GONNA GROW UP AND BE A POLITICIAN.

YEP.

HE CAN SAY MORE THINGS THAT SOUND GOOD AND MEAN NOTHING THAN ANY ANOTHER KID OUT THERE IN THE COUNTRY, I'LL TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.

HE'S THE KID YOU KNOW THAT RAN AROUND THE CRACKER BOX BECAUSE IT SAID ON THERE "TEAR AROUND THE TOP."

>> BOBBY DEVOTED A PORTION OF HIS PROGRAM TO THE FINNISH LISTENING AUDIENCE.

>> BOBBY ARO HAD BEEN ON WHLB RADIO FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE I STARTED AT WHLB IN 1961.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE IRON RANGE WONDERED IF HE WAS ALMOST TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

HUH.

HE HAD--HE COULD PUT ON A VERY STRONG FINNISH BROGUE.

AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND BACK IN THE FIFTIES AND THE FORTIES AND EARLY SIXTIES, THERE WERE A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS STILL FROM FINLAND WHO WERE LIVING ACROSS THE IRON RANGE WHO HAD A VERY STRONG FINNISH BROGUE, AND BOB LOVED TO MIMIC THEM, AND BEING FINNISH, HE COULD DO IT EXCEEDINGLY WELL.

>> I'M SURE EVERY OLD-TIME FINN THAT WAS THE GYPPOS AND ALL THE FARMERS AND ALL THE MINERS AROUND HERE THAT WERE TALKING IN FINN-GLISH THAT WERE--AND HE COINED THAT PHRASE--OR CLAIMED TO, ANYWAY.

AND--BUT IT WAS-- SO IT WAS A MIX OF--IT PROBABLY WAS NEVER ANY ONE PERSON IN-- YOU KNOW, THAT BECAME A CHARACTER LIKE HIS BROTHER WAS, SOMEBODY THAT HE COULD SPOOF OFF OF--AND HE DIDN'T HAVE A BROTHER.

BUT MAYBE IN A WAY, THEN, ALL OF THE PEOPLE UP HERE WERE BROTHERS.

THERE'S A KINSHIP THERE, SO... >> I THINK JUST THE FACT THAT HE WAS PROUD OF HIS FINNISH HERITAGE.

YOU KNOW, HE DROVE PEOPLE NUTS.

I'M SURE THE OLDER PEOPLE WITH--YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD SAY MAYBE HE BUTCHERED THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

HE FOUND--I THINK HE FOUND HIS NICHE.

>> AND NEVER DONE WITH ANY INTENT OF BEING HURTFUL OR MALICIOUS.

IT WAS ALWAYS IN FUN, YOU KNOW.

>> "ARE YOU THERE?"

JA, THIS IS THE ME, BOBBY, OR DISKI JAKKI POIKA.

SOON I'M PLAYING THE RECORD TO YOU, 15 MINUTES, AND WE'RE GONNA HOLLER A LITTLE BIT SOMETHING ABOUT SOME GOOD SPONSORS FOR YOU, TOO.

AND WE WANT TO GET THE RECORD MACHINES ALL CRANKED UP HERE READY TO GO ROUNDING AND ROUNDING AND A COUPLE OF 2, 3 MINUTES' NEEDLE SCRATCHING HERE AND THERE AND EVERYWHERE ON THE PROGRAM.

SO WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US A LISTEN?

AND RIGHT NOW, LET'S HOPUSTI QUICK GET INTO THE PROGRAM PROPER BEFORE YOU FIND OUT THIS AIN'T THE PROPER PROGRAM.

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY, THOUGH?

LET ME ASK YOU THAT FIRST.

YOU FEEL PRETTY GOOD?

"I FEEL KIND OF POOPED OUT.

I WAS OUT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND MINNIE LAST NIGHT.

YEAH.

OH, SHE'S QUITE A GIRL.

DID I TELL YOU SHE'S GOT NICE BLACK, WAVY HAIR?

JA.

OF COURSE, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THE FIRST TIME I SAW HER, BUT I GOT TO KNOW HER PRETTY GOOD AND ONE TIME I RAN MY FINGERS THROUGH HER HAIR, I FOUND OUT SOMETHING.

HER HAIR IS STRAIGHT; IT'S HER HEAD THAT'S SO DARN WAVY.

JA."

>> IN THE BARN MILKING COWS-- HAD THE RADIO ON FOR THE COWS, AND WE WOULD LISTEN TO BOBBY ARO AND HE'D TALK ABOUT THE VIRGINIA STATION OVER THERE.

AND HE'D TALK ABOUT THE BUDDY WEISER BEER, YOU KNOW.

"WOULD YOU BE WISER IF YOU DRANK THAT BUDDY WEISER?"

>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT ABOUT BUDWEISER THAT HAPPENED TO ME-- REALLY TRUTH--LAST SUMMER THERE.

I WAS FISHING ON THE RIVER THAT GOES BY MY PLACE OUT IN THE COUNTRY WHERE I LIVE THERE, AND I WAS FISHING--WE'VE GOT CATFISH THERE--AND I'D RUN OUT OF BAIT.

I WAS SITTING ON THE SHORE THERE DRINKING MY BUDDY WEISER AND DANGLING MY HOOK IN THE WATER THERE, YOU KNOW, AND I'D RUN OUT OF BAIT AND I WAS LOOKING AROUND FOR SOMETHING THAT I COULD USE AND I FIGURED FROGS USUALLY WORK GOOD, YOU KNOW.

AND I LOOKED ALL OVER FOR A FROG THERE AND I COULDN'T FIND NONE NO PLACE.

WELL, I SEEN A LITTLE GRASS SNAKE GOING THROUGH THE BRUSH THERE AND HE HAD A FROG IN HIS MOUTH, SO I GRABBED HIM UP THERE AND HE WOULDN'T LET GO OF IT.

SO I PICKED UP ONE OF THOSE BOTTLES OF BUDDY WEISER BEER THERE THAT I HAD OPENED AND I POURED A LITTLE BIT ON HIS MOUTH THERE AND HE RELEASED THE FROG RIGHT AWAY.

WELL, THEN I THROW THE SNAKE AWAY AND I PUT THE FROG ON MY HOOK AND I WENT BACK TO FISHING AND SIPPING ON MY BUDDY WEISER BEER.

WELL, I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT 5 WHOLE MINUTES, YOU KNOW, AND PRETTY SOON I FELT A LITTLE TUG ON MY PANTS LEG THERE, AND I LOOKED DOWN AND, LO AND BEHOLD, BELIEVE IT OR NOT--THIS IS THE TRUTH--THAT SNAKE WAS BACK AND HE HAD ANOTHER FROG IN HIS MOUTH.

NOW, THAT SHOWS YOU HOW GOOD BUDDY WEISER IS.

BUDDY, YOU'LL BE WISE IF YOU TRY THAT BUDDY WEISER BEER.

DO THAT.

>> IN AUGUST 22, 1953, MY DAD CALLED MY MOTHER'S PARENTS WHO WERE LIVING IN DALLAS, TEXAS, AT THE TIME, AND IT WAS TO ANNOUNCE THE BIRTH OF THEIR FIRSTBORN.

AND HE ASKED MY GRANDMA, "WOULD YOU LIKE A BOY OR A GIRL?"

-- BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW IN THOSE DAYS--AND SHE SAID--SHE WOULDN'T TELL HIM BECAUSE--"WHY?

JUST HEALTHY, JUST HEALTHY, BOBBY."

"WELL, A BOY OR A GIRL?"

AND MY GRANDMA WOULDN'T SAY, AND HE SAID, "WELL, YOU HAVE BOTH: YOU HAVE TWINS."

SO MY BROTHER MIKE AND I WERE BORN IN '53, AND 3 1/2 YEARS LATER, MY BABY BROTHER--WHO'S NO LONGER A BABY--BUT CASEY WAS BORN.

AND WE WERE BLONDE-HEADED FINNISH KIDS, BUT THERE WERE NOT 15 OF US; THERE WERE ONLY 3 OF US.

>> DURING THE 1950s, BOBBY HAD HIS RADIO SHOWS, CONTINUED PERFORMING LIVE MUSIC DATES, AND BEGAN WRITING SONGS IN HIS FINN-GLISH STYLE.

>> I THINK IT WAS AN EVOLUTIONARY THING BECAUSE HE WAS DOING SOME JOKES AND STORIES ON THE BANDSTAND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN HE WOULD BRING IT ACROSS, AND I'M SURE ONE JUST FED OFF OF THE OTHER.

AND THEN HE CREATED-- INTO THE LATE FIFTIES, THEN, WHEN HE CAME UP WITH HIS "HIGHWAY NO.

7" SONG.

>> ST. LOUIS COUNTY HIGHWAY 7 BEGINS IN TWIG AND CONTINUES NORTH 52 MILES TO MOUNTAIN IRON, PASSING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY OF ZIM.

IN THIS STUDIO VERSION OF "HIGHWAY NO.

7," BOBBY HAS AN ACCORDION AND A FIDDLE BACKING UP HIM AND HIS GUITAR.

>> ♪ NOW THAT I'M FEELING PRETTY HIGH FROM THE KALJA I BUY I STAGGER TO MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 AND WHEN THE KAPAKKAS ARE ALL CLOSED TIGHT AND YOU'RE THE ONLY THING THAT'S RIGHT I STAGGER TO MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 IF YOU EVER COME AND VISIT THERE'S ONE THING YOU WILL SEE 15 BLONDE-HEADED FINNISH KIDS THAT LOOK EXACTLY LI-KED ME I FEED THEM KALAMOJAKKA SOMETIMES RIISIPUUROA IN MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY THAT IS KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 IT'S A ONE-ROOM SHANTY WITH A TRAIL IN THE BACK LEADING TO THE RESTING ROOM AND THERE'S A SAUNA THERE WHERE I CHANGE UNDERWEAR THE VERY FIRST DAY OF EVERY JUNE MY MINNIE AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAW YOU SEE BEATING THE DICKENS OUT OF ME IN MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY THAT IS KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 NOT THE YKS KAKS KOLME OR THE NELYA VIIS KUUS BUT THE HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 ♪♪ >> IN 1957, BOBBY RECORDED "HIGHWAY NO.

7" ON HIS OWN ARO RECORD LABEL.

>> HE TALKS ABOUT RECORDING IN THE SAUNA, AND THAT WAS ON THE PROPERTY HERE IN ZIM.

HE WAS JUST LOOKING FOR A QUIET PLACE.

YOU GOT TO GO SOMEPLACE, BECAUSE HE WAS DOING IT ONTO REEL TO REEL, AND YOU DON'T WANT A PHONE RINGING.

YOU DON'T WANT--SO THE CHANGING ROOM OF THE SAUNA BECAME HIS RECORDING STUDIOS INITIAL.

THEN HE WOULD TAKE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO HAVE THEM REDO IT AND GET IT READY FOR PUTTING ON VINYL IN THOSE DAYS, TOO.

>> "HIGHWAY NO.

7" BECAME A BEST-SELLING HIT, ESPECIALLY IN THE FINNISH COMMUNITIES OF MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, IOWA, THE DAKOTAS, OHIO, FLORIDA, STATES IN THE NORTHEAST AND STATES IN THE NORTHWEST, AND IN CANADA.

>> THE RECORD STORE IN VIRGINIA SOLD HIS 45s, AND I CAN NAME THE NAME--TONY BURJA THERE WORKS IT.

WE PUT THOSE 45s OUT, AND MY DAD CAME IN ONE DAY AND SAID, "YOU REALLY SELLING THOSE, TONY?"

AND HE GOES, "WHOA, BY THE THOUSANDS."

AND HE EMPHASIZED TO ME WHEN HE TOLD-- NOT MY DAD, BUT THIS TONY-- HE SAYS, "NOT THE HUNDREDS, THE THOUSANDS."

>> BOBBY FOLLOWED UP THE HUGE SUCCESS OF HIS FIRST RECORD WITH TWO MORE SINGLES.

HE ALSO RE-RECORDED "HIGHWAY NO.

7" AND INCLUDED IT ON AN ALBUM HE RELEASED CALLED "BOBBY ARO...

THE FABULOUS FINN."

IT FEATURED SOME TRADITIONAL FINNISH SONGS AND MORE ORIGINALS, INCLUDING A DIFFERENT "HIGHWAY NO.

7," WITH LYRICS TO A FAMILIAR TUNE FROM THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

>> I GOT A LETTER THE OTHER DAY THAT SAID MY DEAR OLD AUNT NELLIE IS COMING TO VISIT ME AND WE ARE WAITING TO SEE HER.

♪ SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES SHE'S OUR FAVORITE OLD AUNT NELL AND WE WILL REALLY TREAT HER SWELL SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES WE'LL HAVE COFFEE CUPS AND CAKE PIECES WHEN SHE COMES JA WE'LL HAVE COFFEE CUPS AND CAKE PIECES WHEN SHE COMES WE'LL PUT A RIISSA IN THE RIVER HAVE OUR KISSAKALA DINNER WE'RE REALLY GONNA FEED HER WHEN SHE COMES JA, JA I WILL KILL AN OLD RED ROOSTER WHEN SHE COMES I WILL KILL AN OLD RED ROOSTER WHEN SHE COMES I WAS QUIET AS A KIRRKO MOUSE I SNEAKED INTO DONALD MAKI'S HENHOUSE SO I CAN KILL AN OLD RED ROOSTER WHEN SHE COMES SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES SHE'S OUR FAVORITE OLD AUNT NELL AND WE WILL REALLY TREAT HER SWELL SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES NOW, WE'LL STEAM UP OUR OLD SAUNA WHEN SHE COMES WE WILL HEAT UP OUR OLD SAUNA WHEN SHE COMES NOW, THERE BE LOYLY FOR HEATING AND THOSE CEDAR BOUGHS FOR BEATING WE'RE REALLY GONNA COOK HER WHEN SHE COMES NOW, WE'LL ALL GO HOOP-SE-DOOING WHEN SHE COMES, JA WE WILL HOOP-SE-DOO TILL DAYLIGHT WHEN SHE COMES WE'LL BE ASLEEP AND WE'LL BE SNORING WHEN IT'S LYPSAA AIKA IN THE MORNING THE BARN CHORES WON'T GET DONE WHEN SHE COMES, NO, NO SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES, JA SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES WE WILL REALLY TREAT HER SWELL AND WE WILL RAISE PARTICULAR... POTOTOES SHE'LL COME DOWN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 NOT 8, 9, 10, NOR 11 BUT THAT HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES YEAH, IT'S THAT HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WHEN SHE COMES ♪ >> BOBBY HAD HIS RADIO SHOWS AND ALSO BECAME THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE COMBINED OPERATIONS OF WHLB AND WMFG IN HIBBING.

>> WHEN YOU WENT TO GRADE SCHOOL, YOU HAD TO FILL OUT CARDS ON--AND INFORMATION CARDS--I THINK YOU STILL DO TODAY--BUT, "WHAT DOES YOUR FATHER DO?"

AND I--I ASKED MY MOM, "WHAT WILL I SAY?"

AND SHE SAID, "RADIO ANNOUNCER"--THAT WAS A LOT TO SPELL, BUT I LEARNED.

I LEARNED HOW TO DO THAT AND "MA'AM, MY DAD, THE RADIO ANNOUNCER."

>> HE WAS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR WHEN I CAME TO WMFG, AND HE DID A DAILY RADIO PROGRAM EARLY, EARLY IN THE MORNING.

I FORGET WHAT HE CALLED IT...BUT NONETHELESS, IT WAS THE BOBBY ARO SHOW, AND HE HAD HIS LITTLE STORIES AND SONGS THAT HE WOULD MAKE UP FOR HALF AN HOUR IN THE MORNING.

WHEN I CAME TO WORK, ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TURN THE TRANSMITTER ON AND WAIT FOR BOBBY, DO A 5-MINUTE NEWSCAST, AND BOBBY TOOK UP THE FIRST HALF AN HOUR BEFORE I HAD TO GO TO WORK, ACTUALLY.

HA HA!

>> WELL, YOU'RE LISTENING TO "BOBBY TIME," MUSIC RECORDED AND TRANSCRIBED COUNTRY STYLE COMING YOUR WAY.

I WAS OVER AT MY BROTHER'S HOUSE THE OTHER DAY THERE AND HE HAULED OUT A LITTLE SIX-PACK, AND HE POURED HIMSELF A GLASS THERE AND HE DRANK IT DOWN FAST LIKE IT WAS GOING OUT OF STYLE, LIKE HE INHALED IT.

I SAYS, "BROTHER, HOW COME YOU DRINK SO FAST?"

HE SAYS, "I ALWAYS DRINK FAST NOW SINCE MY ACCIDENT."

I SAYS, "WHAT ACCIDENT WAS THAT?"

HE SAYS, "SOMEBODY KNOCKED OVER ONE OF MY FULL GLASSES HERE BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO DRINK IT ONE TIME, AND SO EVERY SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN DRINKING THEM DOWN FAST.

JA."

>> BOBBY CONTINUED PLAYING DANCES IN THE AREA AND USED LOCAL MUSICIANS FOR HIS BACKUP BAND.

>> WELL, HE HAD BEEN PLAYING, AND--AGAIN, WITH PICKUP BANDS, PICKUP MEMBERS--AND THEN HE MET BALDINO RODORIGO, ACCORDION PLAYER WHO HAD HIS OWN BAND.

BALDY WAS WORKING DOING RADIO ADVERTISING.

AND SO, JUST IN PASSING, AND ASKED IF THEY WANTED TO DO IT AND THEY DID IT, PERFORMED A COUPLE TIMES, AND THEN THEY BECAME A REGULAR.

>> I FOUND A WIRE RECORDER, A CHICAGO RECORDER WITH WIRE, AND THERE'S--IN THE STUDIO AT THE RADIO STATION, AND YOU HEAR BALDINO WITH AN ACCORDION-- BECAUSE BALDY WAS A SALESPERSON.

AND SO HIM AND MY DAD MUST'VE JUST BEEN IN ONE OF THE RECORD-- THE STUDIOS JUST SITTING THERE, AND YOU HEAR MY DAD SAY, "PLAY, PLAY, BALDY," AND HE'D GO, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

HE'D SAY, "TICK TOCK."

[PIANO PLAYS] >> GO AHEAD, "TICK TOCK."

[ACCORDION PLAYS "TICK TOCK"] >> BALDY AGAIN WAS VERY SCHOOLED, AND THOSE WERE THE YEARS YOU BROUGHT ALL YOUR MUSIC.

BALDINO SAID THE FIRST TIME HE EVER PLAYED, HE SAYS HE SHOWED UP, MUSIC--ARMFUL OF MUSIC, AND MY DAD SAYS, "WHAT'S THAT FOR?"

AND HE SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DO."

MY DAD SAYS, "YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO."

HE SAYS, "YOU WON'T NEED THAT."

>> THEY FORMED A BAND, ALONG WITH BOB FULTON ON DRUMS AND OFTEN, PRIMO CARDONI ON SECOND ACCORDION.

THE BAND WAS CALLED "BOBBY ARO AND THE RANCH-AROS."

>> HE WAS A DANCE BAND.

HE WAS NOT A POLKA BAND.

HE WAS NOT A COUNTRY BAND.

THERE WERE THOSE ELEMENTS IN THERE, BUT HE WANTED TO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO DO A VARIETY OF DANCES.

AND HE PLAYED BALLROOMS, BIG ONES, AND HE PLAYED IN SMALL JOINTS AND DIVES, BUT HE LOVED BING CROSBY, HE LOVED DEAN MARTIN.

THOSE WERE, YOU KNOW, THE CROONERS.

HE LIKED THAT STUFF AND HE DID THAT.

>> HE HAD A '58 OR '59 CHEVROLET, RED AND WHITE, WITH A WHITE ARROW THE WHOLE LENGTH, AND IT WAS "BOBBY ARO ENTERPRISES: RADIO, RECORDS, AND RANCH-AROS."

>> THE TALENT, THE ARTISTS AREN'T ALWAYS GOOD PROMOTERS.

NOW, MY DAD WAS AN EXCELLENT PROMOTER BUT NOT OF HIMSELF.

YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO PROMOTE YOURSELF AND--BECAUSE THAT'S ALL HE DID ON THE AIR.

HE HAD HIS SPONSORS AND HE WAS LOYAL TO THEM, AND THEY WERE LOYAL TO HIM.

>> ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO WITH 15 MINUTES OF OUR SHOW, BROUGHT TO YOU BY LEN'S BODY & PAINT SHOP, 612 NORTH EIGHTH STREET IN VIRGINIA.

WHEN A BODY MEETS A BODY, TAKE THE BODY JOB TO LEN'S BODY & PAINT SHOP, WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE COLLISION SPECIALISTS.

[SONG PLAYS] THE LAST 15 MINUTES OF "BOBBY ARO," P.M.

EDITION, FOR DICK'S CONOCO STATION.

REMEMBER, THAT'S DICK'S CONOCO, THE BIG CONOCO STATION ON THE CORNER OF 12th STREET AND SECOND AVENUE SOUTH IN VIRGINIA.

STOP IN THERE REAL SOON, WON'T YOU?

WELL, WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON THE SATURDAY SHOW FOR RUSS'S MILEAGE.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK.

DRIVE CAREFULLY, NOW, AND REMEMBER THIS LITTLE THOUGHT: WHEN YOUR WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, DON'T INTERRUPT IT.

THIS IS THE BOBBY.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW.

THANK YOU.

BYE, BYE.

BUY MILEAGE AT RUSS'S, YOU WILL SAVE.

THIS IS THE ARROWHEAD NETWORK.

>> BOBBY WAS RECORDING MORE NOVELTY SONGS AND RELEASED A SECOND ALBUM CALLED "BOBBY ARO...FINN-GLISH FUN."

>> EVERYTHING ON HIS ALBUMS IS HIM--YOU KNOW, THE VIOLIN, THE GUITAR, THE ACCORDION, THE PIANO, THE PERCUSSION.

THE DRUMS WERE NEVER DRUMS; THEY WERE JUST HE FLIPPED HIS FLATTOP GUITAR OVER AND TOOK BRUSHES ON THE BACK OF THE GUITAR.

SO... >> THIS ALBUM INTRODUCED YET ANOTHER SONG HE NAMED "HIGHWAY NO.

7."

>> HE HAD 3 VERSIONS.

HE JUST KEPT NAMING THEM "HIGHWAY NO.

7."

HE SAID, "HOW COULD YOU GO WRONG?"

>> NOW, HERE WE GO WITH ANOTHER COUPLE OF 2, 3 MINUTES' NEEDLE SCRATCHING.

♪ NOW, MY DASHBOARD OVERHAULS HAVE GOT THOSE PATCHES HERE AND THERE AND MY MOJAKKA IT DON'T ALWAYS TASTE THE BEST UH-UH AND MY KOIRA SLEEPS AT THE FOOT OF THE BED WHEN I LAY ME DOWN TO REST IN MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 OH, NOW THE HINGES ARE OF LEATHER AND THE WINDOWS HAVE NO GLASS AND THOSE CREAKING BOARDS LET THE HOWLING BLIZZARD IN YOU CAN SEE MY BROTHER AND ALL MY RELATIONS AS THEY VISIT NOW AND THEN TO MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 YES, IT'S MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 AND NOW MY MODEL "A" IS BUSTED AND I CAN'T GET INTO TOWN TO REGISTER FOR MY ROCKING CHAIR MONEY IT'S TRUE SO I'LL HEAT UP MY OLD SAUNA AND I'LL PUT THE COFFEE POT ON AND I'LL SIT AROUND AND WAIT FOR A VISIT FROM YOU OH, NOW THE HINGES ARE OF LEATHER AND THE WINDOWS HAVE NO GLASS AND THE CREAKING BOARDS LET THE HOWLING BLIZZARD IN OH, YOU CAN SEE A SUSI KETTU OR A KARJU AS THEY VISIT NOW AND THEN TO MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 YES, IT'S MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 OH, IT'S MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 ♪♪ >> IN THE EARLY 1960s, THE ARO FAMILY MOVED TO DALLAS, TEXAS, WHERE CHARLOTTE'S PARENTS LIVED.

BOBBY WORKED RADIO IN DALLAS AND ALSO SUPPLEMENTED A WEEKLY RADIO SHOW IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA ON WEVE IN EVELETH.

>> HE'D COME DOWN THERE FOR MONTHS.

HE'D WORK RADIO, PIANO BAR, AND THEN HE'D SEND HIS-- HE'D BE SENDING HIS TAPES UP EVERY WEEK.

AND ALL I REMEMBER IS WHATEVER THE NIGHT OF THE WEEK IT WAS, WHATEVER THE DAY HE HAD TO MAIL THEM OUT, THE NIGHT BEFORE, ALL YOU'D HEAR IS THE ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNK FAST FORWARD, REWIND, BECAUSE TO TAPE A HALF-HOUR SHOW TAKES A LOT OF BACK, BACK, AND HE HAD A TURNTABLE BACK THERE.

>> WELL, WE'RE GONNA BE BACK NOW AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF OUR MAN ON THE JOB.

HE'S GONNA TELL YOU YOU'RE LISTENING TO WEVE IN EVELETH, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WEATHER FORECAST, I'M SURE, AND GIVE YOU THE TIME AND THE TEMP, AND THEN BACK WITH MORE OF OUR "BOBBY TIME."

GOOD NEWS FROM GOOD SPONSORS, GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC LINED UP, AND OF COURSE A LITTLE NONSENSE HERE AND THERE ALONG THE WAY.

>> HE GOT A LOT OF RECOGNITION DOWN SOUTH BUT PROBABLY NEVER TO THE DEGREE--I MEAN, HE PLAYED A LOT OF THE SUPPER CLUBS, A LOT OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS DOWN THERE AND WAS ON THE AIR, BUT THIS WAS WHERE HIS ROOTS WERE AND THIS IS WHERE HE--I THINK HE JUST FELT AN AFFINITY AND A CHANCE TO BE HOME FOR HIM--AT LEAST ON THE RANGE, YOU KNOW.

>> IN 1965, THE FOREIGN BRANCH OF RCA VICTOR RECORDS RELEASED IN FINLAND A SINGLE DISC OF THE SECOND "HIGHWAY NO.

7" ALONG WITH HIS "DONALD MAKI SONG."

>> IN 1966, MY MOM PASSED AWAY.

SHE HAD A CEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE AND, YEAH, AN ANEURYSM VERY SUDDEN, AND MY DAD BECAME A SINGLE DAD IN A TIME WHEN NO ONE--THERE WAS NO ONE LIKE THAT.

AND SO HE RAISED 3 KIDS ON HIS OWN THE BEST HE KNEW HOW TO DO, AND SO WE GREW UP THAT WAY.

>> HE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AS HE WAS HAD SHE NOT BEEN THERE TO--BECAUSE SHE DID A LOT OF THE PACKAGING AND SELLING THE ALBUMS AND STUFF, YOU KNOW.

AND I'M SURE SHE MOTIVATED HIM TO GO--I MEAN, THERE'S A FAMILY TO BE RAISED--TO GO, YOU KNOW, UPPER MICHIGAN AND, YOU KNOW, PROMOTE HIS RECORDS AND... >> THOSE WERE TOUGH YEARS, BUT I DO REMEMBER--I REMEMBER WHEN WE'D HAVE A MOTHER-DAUGHTER BANQUET AT SCHOOL, MY DAD WOULD COME AND SIT WITH THE MOTHERS, AND IT DIDN'T SEEM TO FAZE HIM AT ALL.

HE'D TELL JOKES AND THEY'D ALL LAUGH, AND I THOUGHT I JUST HAVE, LIKE--YEAH, AND HE WAS--YOU NEVER SAW THAT.

AND ANYWAY, I REMEMBER THAT VERY FONDLY, THAT MY DAD--YEAH, HE DID THE BEST HE COULD, AND WE GREW UP.

>> MY DAD AND GRANDFATHER HAD A LITTLE BIT OF AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT MY GRANDFATHER HANDED MY DAD OVER TO HIS, YOU KNOW, GRANDMOTHER AND--BECAUSE HE NEEDED TO GET MONEY AND WORK.

BUT IT--YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T ALWAYS SIT WELL FOR--IT'S JUST LIKE ANY PARENT-KID RELATIONSHIP, BUT THEY KIND OF PULLED TOGETHER WHEN--WHEN MY MOM DIED.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS A BIG PART OF RAISING US.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS HERE WHEN MY DAD COULDN'T BE HERE, AND SO I THINK HE REDEEMED HIMSELF A LITTLE BIT IN THAT REGARD.

>> BOBBY CONTINUED WITH HIS LIVE MUSIC AND RADIO, BUT HIS SONGWRITING AND RECORDING TAPERED OFF.

>> AS A KID, AS I GOT INTO JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL, I'LL NEVER FORGET THERE WAS A CALENDAR RIGHT BY THE PHONE OF BOOKINGS, AND THAT'S WHERE HE WAS--BOY, THAT WAS ALWAYS FULL.

ALWAYS BUSY THAT WAY.

>> HE NEVER WANTED TO BE A ROAD BAND.

I THINK HE COULD'VE HAD DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SUCCESS HAD HE BEEN WILLING TO DO THAT, BUT HE WANTED TO COME HOME AT NIGHT.

WELL, IT WAS LATE, YOU KNOW, AND MY BROTHER WILL TELL YOU THAT OUR CURFEW AS KIDS WAS TO BE HOME BEFORE, YOU KNOW, HE WAS, AND THAT WAS PRETTY EASY FOR THE MOST PART BECAUSE HE WAS COMING IN 3:00 AND 4:00 AND 5:00, YOU KNOW, PLAYING JOBS, BUT HE CAME HOME.

>> I WENT MORE THAN ONCE WITH BOBBY WHEN HE DID A GIG.

YOU KNOW, HE'D PLAY ON ST. URHO'S DAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SOMEPLACE, SOME FINNISH TOWN.

I REMEMBER ONCE WE WERE GOING SOUTH OF ST.

CLOUD AND HE SAID TO ME, "STICK AROUND."

HE SAID, "ABOUT 1:30, THERE'LL BE TWO GUYS DUKING IT OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BANDSTAND," AND THERE WAS.

>> YOU'D GO TO PLACES AND THEY'D WANT THE TRADITIONAL ONES, AND HE COULD SING THE TRADITIONAL SONGS.

AND THEN THERE WERE ONES THAT WANTED THE "HIGHWAY NO.

7s," BUT THEN THEY'D ALL OF A SUDDEN "I WANT THE MOOSE SONG."

HEH HEH HEH!

"PLAY THE MOOSE SONG."

>> "THE MOOSE SONG" WAS A LISTENER FAVORITE FROM HIS FIRST ALBUM.

>> OK, HERE'S UNCLE BOBBY'S SONG ABOUT THE MOOSE.

♪ A BIG MOOSE WAS WALKING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS JUST THE OTHER DAY HE MET A FOX AND THIS IS WHAT I HEARD HIM SAY HE SAID, "MR. FOX, HOW COME YOU'RE NOT AS BIG AS ME?"

THE FOX LOOKED UP AT THE MOOSE HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW" TUCKED HIS TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS AND SLOWLY WALKED AWAY JA, JA NOW, THIS BIG BULL MOOSE WAS WALKING THROUGH THE TALL PINES THE OTHER DAY HE MET A BOBCAT AND THIS IS WHAT I HEARD HIM SAY HE SAYS, "MR. BOBCAT, HOW COME YOU'RE NOT AS BIG AS ME?"

THAT BOBCAT LOOKED UP AT THE MOOSE HE SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW, MR. MOOSE" LOWERED HIS HEAD DOWN TO THE GROUND AND HE SLOWLY WALKED AWAY NOW, THIS BIG BULL MOOSE WAS WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS THE OTHER DAY AND HE MET A TIMBER WOLF AND THIS IS WHAT I HEARD HIM SAY HE SAID, "MR. WOLF, HOW COME YOU'RE NOT AS BIG AS ME?"

THE WOLF LOOKED UP AT THE MOOSE HE SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW, MR. MOOSE" HE TUCKED HIS TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS AND HE SLOWLY WALKED AWAY JA, JA NOW, THIS BIG MOOSE WAS WALKING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS THE OTHER DAY HE MET A LITTLE MOUSE WITH PINK EYES AND A RUNNY NOSE AND THIS IS WHAT I HEARD HIM SAY HE SAID, "MR.

MOUSE, HOW COME YOU'RE NOT AS BIG AS ME?"

THE LITTLE MOUSE LOOKED UP AT THE MOOSE HE SNIFFED HIS LITTLE NOSE AND SAID, "I'VE BEEN SICK" JA, JA, JA, JA ♪♪ >> TOWARDS THE END OF THE 1960s, THE RANCH-AROS' BAND BOOKINGS WERE SLOWING DOWN.

>> MY DAD KIND OF WENT TO HIATUS.

ANYTIME YOU'RE WITH A GROUP OF MUSICIANS AND THEY'VE GOT LIVES BEYOND, THE DIPLOMACY IS--IS TOUGH.

AND THEY JUST HAD THINGS GOING AND WERE LOSING A LITTLE INTEREST, AND SO HE SHUT THE BAND DOWN IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES.

>> BUT IT DIDN'T LAST LONG.

>> I WAS 18 OR 19 AND HE SHOWED UP WITH A SET OF DRUMS.

HE SAYS, "HERE'S SOME DRUMS."

I SAYS, "SO?"

AND HE SAYS, "WELL, NO, I THINK YOU COULD PLAY."

I SAYS, "HA HA!

I CAN PLAY?"

HE SAID, "YOU'LL HAVE THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE."

YOU KIND OF LEARN ON THE FLY.

ALL I DID IS HE SAID, "LISTEN, I WANT TO START TOGETHER AND END TOGETHER.

I DON'T CARE HOW FANCY YOU GET."

AND WE ENDED UP DOING 10 YEARS OF IT AND HAD FUN WITH IT.

>> HE FOUND OUT--IT OCCURRED TO HIM THAT I COULD SING.

HE LISTENED TO ME, AND HE WAS REAL PLEASED WITH THAT.

AND SO HE SAID, "WOULD YOU CONSIDER PLAYING A TAMBOURINE AND SINGING?"

WELL, I WAS A PREADOLESCENT THEN, AND I KNEW WHERE THIS WAS GOING, AND I SAID, "NO, I'M NOT DOING THAT."

SO, DID NOT EVER PERFORM WITH HIM, AND--SANG WITH HIM IN THE CAR, THAT'S IT.

>> ME AND MIKE STARTED PLAYING WITH HIM JUST GREEN AS GRASS.

I REMEMBER WAITING FOR OUR FIRST JOB TO START IN CHISHOLM.

I WAS SICK FOR TWO WEEKS JUST--BECAUSE WE PRACTICED IN HIS SAUNA BUILDING FOR TWO WEEKS AND I LEARNED A WHOLE PILE OF SONGS, SORT OF.

AND--BUT WE GOT THROUGH IT.

>> CASEY IS 3 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME AND HE GOT IN ON IT, AND MY WIFE GOT IN ON IT.

SHE HAD A GIBSON GUITAR, AND MY DAD WOULD GET EVERYBODY: "COME ON."

SO SHE PLAYED.

CASEY PLAYED BANJO BUT COULD PLAY GUITAR.

>> HE SAYS, "NOW, WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO NOW IS YOU WALK UP WITH YOUR GUITAR AND YOU PLUG IT IN, PATCH IT IN, AND THEN WALK TO THE MIKE AND START SINGING.

THIS IS GONNA BE--YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT--NOW YOU'VE DONE IT.

YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IT."

AND I WALKED ACROSS AND MY HAND WAS SHAKING SO BAD.

I COULDN'T FIND THE HOLE.

I THOUGHT I WAS JUST GONNA DIE RIGHT THERE, BUT IT FINALLY LOCKED IN AND I SANG THE SONG.

IT WAS DONE.

AND THEN THROUGH THE YEARS I FILLED IN FOR THE BAND WHEN THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT, AND THEN EVENTUALLY JUST PLAYED.

>> AND HERE'S OUR FINNISH NATIONAL ANTHEM.

♪ PIIKKISIKA, PIIKKISIKA PORCUPINE I CAN SEE YOU HIDING BY THAT NORWAY PINE I'LL GET MY SHOOT GUN SHOOT YOU DOWN PIIKKISIKA PORCUPINE ♪ OH, YEAH!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] WE'RE WORKING ON A NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM, AND IT GOES LIKE THIS... ♪ GOD BLESS OUR MOJAKKA ♪ >> DURING THE 1970s, BOBBY'S RADIO SHOW EXPANDED TO 5 HOURS ON WEVE.

>> WE'D LIKE TO START OFF HERE WITH A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MY BROTHER.

HE LOST HIS WALLET, AND HE WANTS ME TO ANNOUNCE THAT ON THE PROGRAM.

HE SAYS HE DON'T MIND LOSING HIS GENUINE MOROCCAN WALLET, BUT THE MONEY IN THERE HAS GOT A SENTIMENTAL VALUE TO HIM, AND HE'S KIND OF ATTACHED TO THAT.

JA.

WELL, HERE'S THE FIRST RECORD.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE'VE GOT ON OUR SHOW.

WE'LL BE BACK COMING YOUR WAY AGAIN TOMORROW STRAIGHT LIKE AN ARROW--DON'T FORGET THAT.

AND REMEMBER, THIS PROGRAM IS NOT SENT TO OUR ARMED FORCES OVERSEAS BECAUSE THE BOYS WROTE AND SAID, "BOBBY, WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT."

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

DRIVE CAREFULLY.

>> ♪ ALL TOGETHER, YEAH ♪ >> BOBBY'S POPULARITY BRANCHED OFF IN MANY DIRECTIONS.

HE DID LIVE REMOTE RADIO BROADCASTS.

BOBBY SPONSORED GROUP TRIPS TO NASHVILLE.

HIBBING SPEEDWAY HAD A BOBBY ARO NIGHT.

THERE WERE RANCH-AROS BUTTONS.

THERE WERE RANCH-AROS JACKETS.

THERE WAS EVEN A BOBBY ARO COOKBOOK.

IN 1979, BOBBY BEGAN HOSTING A ONE-HOUR SATURDAY POLKA SHOW ON WDSM RADIO IN DULUTH, WORKING ALONGSIDE VETERAN DISC JOCKEY TIM MICHAELS.

>> WE CLICKED RIGHT AWAY.

I MEAN, HE WOULD BRING HIS FRIEND ON, MARY, HIS FRIEND, AND HE NEVER ASKED FOR ANY MONEY.

HE DID THIS ALL ON HIS OWN, AND HE'D BRING DOWN BAKERY EVERY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND BEFORE THE SHOW CAME ON.

>> OK, RIGHT NOW, MOVING ALONG, I WANT YOU TO GIVE REAL CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS RIGHT HERE.

>> THE RATINGS WOULD COME OUT, AND THAT WAS ONE OF OUR HIGHEST-RATED SHOWS ON SATURDAY.

YEAH, HE HAD A TREMENDOUS FOLLOWING, AND NOT ONLY ON THE RANGE BUT ON THE--ON WDSM.

AND THE TIMES HE DIDN'T SHOW UP, PEOPLE WOULD CALL AND SAY, "WHERE'S BOBBY?"

>> BOBBY RELEASED A THIRD ALBUM CALLED "THE LEGENDARY BOBBY ARO."

>> MY THIRD ALBUM IS NOTHING BUT A RE-CREATION OF MY RADIO PROGRAMS, AND A FEW OF THE LITTLE 45s THAT I FOUND AROUND THAT I DIDN'T GET INTO AN ALBUM I'M PUTTING IN AN ALBUM.

SO IT MADE IT EASY FOR ME, AND IT SHOULD BE FUN FOR PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO AND HOPEFULLY SAVE.

>> IN 1979, QUALITY RECORDS RELEASED AN ALBUM IN FINLAND CALLED "KAPAKKA IN THE KAUPUNKI."

IT FEATURED OVER A DOZEN BOBBY ARO SONGS, INCLUDING ALL 3 OF HIS "HIGHWAY NO.

7s."

IT SOLD WELL AND LED TO BOBBY'S ONLY TRIP TO FINLAND IN 1980.

>> SO HE WENT TO FINLAND, AND THE POPULARITY WAS GREAT.

IT WAS ENORMOUS.

EVERY RAG OVER THERE, EVERY NEWSPAPER, EVERY--WERE PUTTING ARTICLES ABOUT BOBBY ARO WHEN HE WAS THERE, AND SO IT WAS A BIG TIME FOR HIM.

>> I WAS INVITED TO FINLAND TO DO A CONCERT, AND THEY ANNOUNCED IT OVER THERE.

THEY SAID THAT I WAS COMING, AND WITHIN THE HOUR, 300 WONDERFUL PEOPLE HAD MADE RESERVATIONS, AND THEY WERE THERE FULL FORCE.

WE HAD A NICE EVENING.

THE VANHA ISANTA IS A GROUP OF YOUNG, YOUNG FELLOWS PLAYING COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC THE WAY BOB WILLS DOES.

THEY WERE FEATURED FOR AN HOUR, AND THEN I CAME ON AND THEY PLAYED FOR ME, TOO.

THE AUDIENCE WAS REALLY GREAT.

WE HAD SUCH A FUN TIME.

THAT NIGHT, IN FACT, ON THE UNIVERSITY STATION IN HELSINKI, IT WAS BOBBY ARO NIGHT AND THEY PLAYED MY RECORDS ALL NIGHT LONG.

WE ARE GONNA TAKE YOU TO SOME EXCERPTS FROM THIS CONCERT FILMED BY YLEISRADIO AND TV OF FINLAND.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TAMA SE ON OLLIN KITARA JONKA HAN ANTOI MINULLE ETTA MINA SAAN SOITTAA HEIDAN KANSSA TANA ILTANA.

JA SE ON NIIN KUN MUN VIIMEINEN FLIKKA, EI OLLU PALJON TAALLA, PIKKUSEN TASSA JA LIIKA PALJON TAALLA.

[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE] FOR A FAT GUY.

THIS IS--REALLY, THIS STRAP IS FOR A FAT MAN, BUT HERE'S THE SONG THAT MADE ME FAT.

♪ HEY, WHEN I'M FEELING PRETTY HIGH FROM THE KALJA I BUY STAGGER TO MY SHACK SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 AND THE KAPAKKA CLOSES TIGHT I DO THE ONLY THING THAT'S RIGHT STAGGER TO MY SHACK SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 AND IF YOU EVER... [ROLLS TONGUE] ♪ WAIT.

WAIT JUST A MINUTE, FELLOWS.

YOU KNOW, UP THERE, WE FINNS DO THIS A LOT.

♪ IF YOU EVER... [ROLLS TONGUE] COME AND VISIT THERE'S ONE THING YOU WILL SEE MY 15 BLONDE-HEADED FINNISH KIDS THAT LOOK EXACTLY LI-KED ME FEED THEM KALAMOJAKKA SOMETIMES RIISIPUUROA IN MY SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY THAT IS KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 ♪ SEITSEMAN.

♪ OH, THAT'S WHERE MY RAHA GOES TO BUY MY MINNIE HER CLOTHES I BUY HER EVERYTHINGS KEEP HER IN STYLE SHE'S WORTH HER WEIGHT IN GOLD MY BIG, FAT MISSIS, HEY POIKA THAT'S WHERE MY RAHA GOES OH, THAT'S WHERE MY RAHA GOES TO BUY MY MINNIE HER CLOTHES I BUY HER EVERYTHINGS KEEP HER IN STYLE SHE WEARS SILK UNDERWEAR I WEAR MY LAST YEAR'S TRAPDOOR PAIR HEY POIKA THAT'S WHERE MY RAHA GOES ♪ YEAH, YEAH!

♪ I WROTE THESE SONGS MANY YEARS AGO WHEN HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 WAS THE RUTS IN THE SNOW HI-DILLY-DI-DO, HI-DILLY-DI-DO HI-DILLY-DO-DAY I AIN'T GOT A VOICE LIKE DEAN MARTIN, I KNOW BUT HE AIN'T GOT AN OUTHOUSE LIKE BOBBY ARO SO... HI-DILLY-DI-DO, HI-DILLY-DI-DO HI-DILLY-DI-DO-DAY IT'S A ONE-ROOM SHANTY THERE'S A TRAIL IN THE BACK LEADING TO THE RESTING ROOM AND THERE'S A SAUNA THERE WHERE I CHANGE UNDERWEAR PRETTY DARN QUICK NOW, YEAH MY MINNIE AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAW YOU SEE BEATING THE HECK RIGHT OUT OF ME SHACK IN THE SWAMP BY THE HIGHWAY THAT IS KNOWN AS NUMBER 7 NOT THE YKS KAKS KOLME OR THE NELYA VIIS KUUS HIGHWAY NUMBER 7, YEAH ♪♪ OH, YEAH!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] >> BOBBY, SO YOUR FINN-GLISH SONGS ARE NOT JUST A WAY OF EARNING A LIVING?

>> NO, THEY'RE NOT, REALLY.

AND, OF COURSE, THEY BASICALLY WERE MADE AS JUST A HUMOR-TYPE THING.

BUT THEY'VE BECOME MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE, IN MY OWN LITTLE WAY OF TRYING TO DO ONE THING-- AND I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND ETHEREAL OR ABOVE EVERYBODY, BUT I DON'T DRINK.

AND ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN IN NIGHTCLUBS MAKING A LIVING FOR 30 YEARS AS IT, BUT I TRY TO LEAD A GOOD LIFE.

AND I-- IN THE UNITED STATES, BOBBY ARO IS A FINN; A FINN IS BOBBY ARO.

AND I'M TRYING TO UPHOLD THAT KIND OF A LITTLE TRADITION TO IT SO THAT WHEN THEY LOOK AT ME, THEY CAN BE PROUD THEY'RE FINN BECAUSE OF BOBBY ARO.

DO YOU FOLLOW ME ON THAT?

>> YES, I DO.

>> HE NEVER WENT BACK, BECAUSE HIS THINKING WAS, "YOU KNOW, IT WAS SO GOOD THAT TIME-- THAT'S ALL I WANT TO REMEMBER," YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE GOT ASKED TO GO BACK.

>> THROUGHOUT THE 1980s, BOBBY KEPT UP A BUSY BAND SCHEDULE.

>> HE WOULD TAKE TRIPS OUT, YOU KNOW, TO LAKE WORTH/LANTANA, FLORIDA--THERE'S A POCKET OF FINNS THERE--THE U.P., YOU KNOW, WHERE HE WENT TO HOUGHTON-HANCOCK BECAUSE HE HAD SOLD ALBUMS THERE.

YOU KNOW, HE WOULD GO OUT TO MONTANA AND BOISE AREA IN IDAHO.

THERE'S ALWAYS POCKETS-- ASTORIA, OREGON, HAD, YOU KNOW, FINNS.

>> IN DECEMBER OF 1988, BOBBY'S BUSY SCHEDULE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.

>> HE HAD A HEART ATTACK PLAYING A JOB, AND I WASN'T PLAYING WITH HIM THAT NIGHT.

HE WAS IN MOUNTAIN IRON AT THE LEGION, AND...AND HE DIDN'T FEEL GOOD AND CASEY--THE BARTENDER SAID, "SHOULD WE CALL AN AMBULANCE?"

AND CASEY SAID, "NO, I'LL BRING HIM IN."

>> BY THE TIME WE GOT OVER TOWARD THE HOSPITAL, HE WAS ALREADY TELLING ME, "I DON'T THINK I GOT TO GO," YOU KNOW?

AND THERE'S THAT HESITATION, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY'S TELLING YOU SOMETHING, BUT THEN I TOOK HIM IN.

WE WENT, AND, FORTUNATELY, HE HAD MULTIPLE HEART ATTACKS THEN.

>> AFTER RECOVERING FROM TRIPLE BYPASS SURGERY, BOBBY DID SLOW DOWN, BUT HE WAS SOON BACK PLAYING--AND BALDINO WAS THERE WITH HIM.

>> ♪ ...BOBBY ARO ♪ OK, BALDI, DO YOUR PART.

[ACCORDION PLAYING] >> HE AND I GOT ALONG SO BEAUTIFUL.

YEAH, AND, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER ON THE BANDSTAND.

YOU KNOW, I COULD--I COULD PLAY, HE COULD PLAY, AND I COULD NOD AND WE WOULD KNOW WHEN TO COME IN, NOT TO COME IN, HOW TO DO IT, YEAH.

>> YEAH!

>> MY DAD ALWAYS TOLD HIM, "THERE'S A SPOT.

YOU COME, YOU JUST SHOW UP, YOU CAN PLAY WHATEVER."

AND THEN HE CAME BACK TO PLAY QUITE A BIT.

THE JOBS WERE A LOT LESS NUMBER-WISE, YOU KNOW, WHEN HIS HEALTH WASN'T THERE, AND WE DID A LOT OF SPECIAL THINGS WHERE--AGAIN, IRONWORLD HAD THEIR ETHNIC DAYS.

>> ♪ HAUSKA JOULUA TO YOU ♪ >> ♪ HAUSKA JOULUA TO YOU ♪ >> ♪ HAUSKA JOULUA TO YOU ♪ >> ♪ HAUSKA JOULUA TO YOU ♪ >> ♪ HAUSKA JOULUA TO YOU AND, AND ONNELLISTA UUTTA VUOTTA TOO ♪ >> THEY INDUCTED HIM INTO THE IRONWORLD POLKA HALL OF FAME, YOU KNOW, FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT, FOR THE PROMOTION OF POLKA MUSIC.

>> NOW WITH GRANDCHILDREN, BOBBY ENJOYED HIS NEW ROLE AS A GRANDFATHER.

>> AS A GRANDFATHER, HE--YEAH, VERY TENDERHEARTED.

A LITTLE WEEPY BECAUSE HE HAD WAITED A LONG TIME.

>> BUT BOBBY'S HEALTH WAS GETTING WORSE.

>> THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS AFTER THAT HEART ATTACK, THEY DID BYPASS AND HE WAS PRETTY GOOD.

BUT THEN HE HAD THE--HE HAD CONGESTED HEART FAILURE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE LAST FEW YEARS HE WAS LIVING THAT HE EVEN SLEPT LAYING DOWN.

>> WHEN HE WAS SICK TO THE POINT OF DYING, IT WASN'T WHETHER HE'D LIVE OR DIE; IT WAS WHETHER HE COULD BE ON THE RADIO OR WHETHER HE COULD PLAY MUSIC.

THAT WAS HIS WHOLE LIFE.

>> I WAS TEACHING SCHOOL AND I GOT THE CALL THAT THEY WERE BRINGING HIM INTO THE HOSPITAL, AND HE DID NOT REALLY EVER REGAIN CONSCIOUSNESS.

>> HE HAD DOCTORS THAT QUESTIONED WHETHER HE SHOULD BE WORKING THAT HARD, PLAYING, BUT HE'D A DIED NOT DOING IT, TOO.

SO IT WAS... >> BOBBY ARO DIED ON JANUARY 19, 1996, AT THE AGE OF 69.

HE LEFT BEHIND A TREASURE CHEST FULL OF MEMORIES.

>> HE WAS THERE FOR THE BIG EVENTS ALWAYS, AND I ALWAYS KNEW HE WOULD--I COULD CALL ON HIM.

>> MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH, HAVE FUN.

AND, YOU KNOW, HIS LIFE WASN'T EASY AND LIFE ISN'T A JOKE, BUT HE--LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, HUMOR SOMETIMES IS THE THING THAT EVERY GENERATION, YOU KNOW, NEEDS.

SO... >> HE WASN'T INTERESTED IN THE STARDOM EXCEPT YOU GOT TO HAVE NOTORIETY OR NOBODY--NOBODY HIRES YOU.

SO THERE'S THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, HE WASN'T STAR-STRUCK BY ANY MEANS.

HE WAS JUST A REGULAR--HE WAS YOUR DAD.

HE WAS A REGULAR GUY.

>> JUST ONE HECK OF A NICE GUY.

TALENTED, HECK OF A NICE GUY.

>> I LOVED HIM.

HE AND I WORKED TOGETHER FOR MANY YEARS, AND WE GOT ALONG SO BEAUTIFULLY TOGETHER, BUT BOBBY WAS A GREAT PERSON.

>> HE WOULD KIND OF GIVE ME A LITTLE EXTRA SPARK WITH HIS-- WITH HIS SMILE AND HIS PERSONALITY.

NEVER HAD ANYTHING BAD TO SAY, ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE.

>> HE HAD A TERRIFIC PERSONALITY AND HE KNEW HIS AUDIENCE AND, THEREFORE, PLAYED TO THEM, AND HE LOVED TO DO IT.

>> IT ISN'T THAT HE WAS HERE MANY YEARS AGO AND PASSED AWAY AND FORGOTTEN.

BOBBY WAS A PART OF THAT HOMETOWN RADIO EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE HUNG ON TO AND THEY STILL REMEMBER.

>> YEARS AGO, MY DAD, ALIVE AND WELL AND DOING, WOULD TALK ABOUT BOBBY ARO MEMORIAL HIGHWAY, HIGHWAY NUMBER 7.

IN JEST, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT IT.

IT WAS A JOKE TO HIM, BUT HE LIKED THE REFERENCE.

AND AFTER HE DIED, IT TOOK A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT THEY DID GET SIGNAGE AND THEY PUT THE NAME ON: "BOBBY ARO MEMORIAL HIGHWAY."

AND SO WE HAD A BIG DEAL, THE PAPERS WERE OUT, AND IT WAS FUN.

MY BROTHER TALKED ABOUT A MOTORCYCLE GANG THAT'S IN FINLAND THAT WANTS TO COME OVER.

ONE OF THEIR BUCKET LISTS IS TO COME OVER AND RIDE MOTORCYCLES ON HIGHWAY NUMBER 7 AND--WHAT DO THEY DO?

THEY HAD A NUMBER OF THINGS.

OH, THEY RIDE MOTORCYCLES, THEY DRINK BEER, AND THEY SING BOBBY ARO SONGS.

>> ♪ OLD DONALD MAKI HAD A FARM WITH AN E-I-E-I-O HOI, HOI, HOI, HOI ♪ >> DURING THE HEIGHT OF HIS POPULARITY, IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND A FINNISH HOME WITHOUT AT LAST ONE BOBBY ARO RECORD.

HE HAD REACHED THE FAME ENJOYED BY VIOLA TURPEINEN, THE ACCLAIMED FINNISH-AMERICAN ACCORDIONIST.

>> HE DEVELOPED THE YUHALA POLKA, OR SONG.

IT WENT... ♪ YUHA-LA-LA-LA YUHA-LA-LA-LA YUHA-LA-LA-LA-LA HE CALLS HER ELSIE SHE CALLS HIM ARNOLD THEY CALL EACH OTHER ELSIE AND ARNOLD YUHA-LA-LA-LA YUHA-LA-LA-LA YUHA-LA-LA-LA-LA ♪ SO WE CREDIT BOBBY FOR THAT SONG.

>> A LARGE PART OF BOBBY'S LEGACY WAS HIS DEVOTION TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FANS.

FUTURE GENERATIONS EXPLORING THEIR HERITAGE WILL DISCOVER THE LEGEND OF BOBBY ARO, KING OF THE GREAT NORTHWOODS.

>> ♪ OH, I SING SMILE THE WHILE >> FUNDING FOR "BOBBY ARO, KING OF THE GREAT NORTHWOODS" IS PROVIDED BY THE CITIZENS OF MINNESOTA THROUGH THE MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.