08/11/2026
In 1948, New Braunfels High School friends Gordon Zunker (trumpet), Alton Rahe (clarinet), and Darvin Dietert (tuba) would get together to practice playing music. They used little German band books to learn songs.
They soon started playing dances, at places like Echo Hall (now Eagles Hall), Schumannsville Hall, Scheel and Wehe (Bulverde), and Blue Moon Hall (Marion).
More musicians joined, Melford Haag (accordion), Allen Morehrig (accordion), and George Fisk (drums). They adopted the name "Hi Toppers," suggested by George Fisk's father.
Their popularity growing, The Hi Toppers Orchestra played local radio shows, and started playing at Gruene Hall, in the early 1950's. They started to travel. They would go on to play dance halls throughout the state of Texas. They recorded 10 nationally-recognized LP's.
The Hi Toppers played at Wurstfest from 1963 to 1987. They played their last dance on December 31, 1987. In 1992 they were awarded the Texas Polka Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
