The band was formed in 2011 by Pete Tiffany after a request

from the Cumberland County Community Band for a German

oompa Polka band to supplement the main organization at some of the

smaller venues and to help spread the word about the main band.  Pete, a euphonium player and member of the now defunct Emery/Pat Nagy small band (The Entertainers), used his experiences in the Nagy band and the gift of the band's music library by the Nagy family to help facilitate the start of the group now known as the Plateau Old Time German band. Thank you Nagys!

​

Since then, members of the German Band have been participating in a wide number of community activities.  These include The Art Circle Library Noontime Series, the Fairfield Glade Homeowners Group, the Good Samaritans retirement complex, Lake Tansi Homeowners Group, the Pleasant Hill Uplands Village, the Fairpark Senior Center, the 127 Senior Center, the local Alzheimer's Association, St. Judes Children's Hospital fundraiser, local PBS station, Autumn Festival at local church, and at a  Fairfield Glade block party.

 

Although initially a mostly Oktoberfest type German Band, the instrumentation and abilities of the individual players has resulted in the music of the group expanding outside of the German music genre.  In their concerts, the group is playing a number of the German folk tunes such as the polka, waltz, laendler and the schottisch, but also including some of the more well known polkas and waltzes from around the world.  Music from Polish , American, Mexican and other cultures has been featured. The band quickly found the audiences preferred happy and uplifting music.  Pop tunes, Dixieland, patriotic and even disco  have been added. And, the band also discovered that audiences would participate in the show if encouraged.  In response, the band has included some  favorites such as the Chicken Dance, the Happy Wanderer, TN themed songs, and even a version of an all-time favorite audience-participation tune, YMCA!  Our tradition: end each show with one of the most well known polkas there is  - The Beer Barrel Polka, followed by a chorus of Rocky Top.