Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Polka legend and Calumet Township native, James “Jimmy” Enrietti was surprised during his Diamond Jubilee concert at the Calumet Theatre Saturday night when Michigan State Representative Greg Markkanen presented him with a special tribute recognizing his 75 years as a musician.

CALUMET — Jim Enrietti celebrated his 75th anniversary as a musician Saturday at the Calumet Theatre, featuring his World’s Most Dangerous Polka Band. The evening began with a special dinner in the Calumet Theatre Ballroom. Theatre Board President Dan Jamison said that 186 tickets for the dinner were sold. The dinner preceded a concert that was open to the general public, free of charge.

Among those who attended both the dinner and the concert was State Representative Greg Markkanen.

While Enrietti had originally planned the dinner and the concert as both a way of thanking the community for its support over the past 75 years, and to also kick off a campaign to raise funds to replace a chandelier that once hung in the theater, the event came filled with surprises.

Among them was a brief ceremony conducted by the event’s main organizers and planners in which Enrietti and his wife, Teri, were bestowed with the honorary title of King and Queen of the Copper Country during the concert. Another surprise, also during the concert, came when Rep. Markkanen awarded Enrietti an award from the state of Michigan.

“It’s really a big honor to give Jim an award, a special tribute from the state of Michigan, on behalf of Senator Ed McBroom and myself,” said Markkanen. “We just can’t do enough for this type of contribution to our community.”

After the concert, the ballroom was again opened for what Enrietti called an Afterglow Party, at which champagne was served, as a thank-you to the community courtesy of Enrietti and his wife, Teri, who is also Enrietti’s bass player.

“I think it’s a great evening at the Calumet Theatre,” said Markkanen. “If the walls could talk, they’d be singing polka.”

Jamison said that both events, the dinner and the concert, were a great success.

“It was a very boisterous and friendly evening with excellent food prepared by the Bonfire, of Houghton,” said Jamison of the dinner. “We haven’t had that many people in the ball room in over a decade.”

Enrietti and The World’s Most Dangerous Polka Band also demonstrated their musicianship and showmanship, he added.

“They (the public) were entertained by a wide range of musical genres,” Jamison said. “The only thing consistant was the instruments, which were the accordians, bass, guitar, drums, etc. But, they played Sweet Caroline, for Heaven sakes.”

At the end of the concert, Enrietti received a standing ovation, something Jamison said he had not previously seen done at the Calumet Theatre.

“That’s the beauty of it,” said Jamison. “It was a very, very energetic piece. And Rep. Greg Markkanen came out to recognize a son of the Keweenaw,”