By Andrew Shaw
North Iowa Middle School has an extra $1,000 to put toward expenses for the middle school band, thanks to a donation from the Midwest All-Music Association (MAMA) Hall of Fame.
The money was raised as part of the association’s 2025 Western Iowa Hall of Fame induction event, which was held in October at the Cobblestone Ballroom in Lakeside, IA.
John and Connie Pedersen of Ledyard were among the musicians inducted into the Midwest All-Music Association Hall of Fame this year, and they helped to select the beneficiaries of $5,000 in donations to school districts across the western portion of the state. In addition to North Iowa Middle School, area school receiving $1,000 each included Algona Middle School and Bishop Garrigan Middle School in Algona.
“Big John” Pedersen grew up in a family of musicians and entertained in grade school and high school with his strong voice and guitar playing. His entertaining came to a halt at 19 years old, when a farming accident almost completely severed his left wrist. It was a long road to recovery, but after many months in casts, and surgeries, plus physical therapy, he was able to get back to playing guitar.
His son dragged him out of musical retirement in 2006 to help with the Antique Rock Show in Nevada, IA, sponsored by the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association. He later traveled to south Texas, where he shared his love of classic country music with people from all over the country. He entered contests at the Country Music Festival in Avoca, just for the fun of it, and he won awards for Best Male Vocalist, First Place Country Song Writer, First Place Gospel Song Writer, and the People’s Choice Entertainer Award. He went on to win several more awards and trophies for song writing, and in 2012, he was inducted into the National Traditional Country Music Hall of Fame at Le Mars.
Big John and Connie Pedersen have performed together at the Mercedes Texas Country Music Festival, the South Dakota State Fair, the Wahoo Country Music Festival, and the Missouri Country Music Festival, among others.
Vice President Dave Schossow says MAMA is a non-profit organization that raises funds throughout the Midwest, including Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Nebraska, and Missouri. The donations to school band programs are made possible thanks to ticket sales and sponsors who supported October’s Hall of Fame induction.
Local sponsors contributing in 2025 include Heartland Mutual Insurance Association; Erpelding, Voigt & Co., LLP; Grass Masters Lawn Care; Kemna Auto Center; Central States Agency, LLC; John and Sharon Cowin; Deitering Bros., Inc.; Nyman TV & Furniture; S&B Farms Distillery; Bank Plus; StateLine Cooperative; and Valero Renewables.
MAMA also started a $500 drum studies scholarship this year, which will benefit a middle school percussionist looking to further his or her music education. Schossow encourages music teachers to have their middle school students fill out an application.
For more information about the scholarship, visit MAMA’s website https://mamahof.com. The website also includes information nominating a band for induction into the hall of fame. Two induction ceremonies take place each year in Iowa, with one in the western half of the state and the other in the eastern half.
