Biography  

The following is from James P. Leary’s liner notes from his LP set of field recordings, Accordions in the Cutover: Field Recordings of Ethnic Music from Lake Superior’s South Shore, 1989, produced by Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin.

“Helmer Toyras, fiddle.

Helmer resides in Aura, Michigan, on Keeweenaw Bay where he was born in 1926. He heard Finnish music aplenty in neighboring halls before taking up the fiddle in the early 1940s. In the 50s Toyras played Yankovic style ‘polka music’ in a band called ‘The Highlighters,’ and from the early 60s through the mid-70s he ran a Kenton, Michigan, tavern that was a musician’s hangout. Today Helmer labors in a L’Anse factory and plays mostly for himself, excepting an occasional festival or house party.”

Helmer  Töyräs has been a central figure to the Aura Jamboree in his home community of Aura in the U.P.

The following is from the OMFA 2001 publication, page 158:

“I am Helmer Toyras and I was born on May 9, 1926. My parents were both born and raised in Finland, but I was born in the small community of Aura, in Baraga County. This is located in the western part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I was born on the property that my wife, Pearl, and I now live. I actually live 200 from the actual site of my birth. I am the youngest of 10 siblings.

I started playing the violin in high school. I played in the L’Anse high school orchestra for four years until I graduate.

I operated the family dairy farm with my parents until 1957. In the 1970’s my wife and I owned and operated a tavern known as Happy’s Bar in Kenton, Michigan. From 1963 till 1993 I worked as a lab tech in L’Anse.

I began taking a stronger interet in the fiddle while owning the tavern. I made the most progress during that time when I would perform for the customers and playing with musical groups that would stop by the tavern.

I met Bill Stevens who comes to all the Aura Jamborees. He asked me to join the Original Michigan Fiddlers Assoc. and invited me to play at the East Jordan fiddle jamboree in 1992.

I joined the OMFA in 1992 and attend the jamborees I can.”

 Recordings

Jim Leary recordings of Helmer: https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/A22IXIQENSLX438J

The following is from James P. Leary’s LP liner notes from his LP set of field recordings, Accordions in the Cutover: Field Recordings of Ethnic Music from Lake Superior’s South Shore, 1989, produced by Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin.

“11. Finnish Medley

          Two tunes are combined. Helmer could not recall the first, but the second is Viola Turpeinen’s ‘Kauhavan Polkka.’ Kauhava is a Finnish city known for fine knives and fierce knife fighters. Turpeinen’s reminiscent, energetic tune, combining her piano accordion with John Rosendahl’s violin, is perhaps the classic Finnish-American ‘fast’ polka.”