Kewaskum Native Michelle LL to Perform at The Bend

Musician and Kewaskum native Michelle LL will take the stage at The Bend Theater in West Bend on Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. Many community members may recognize her by her maiden name, Michelle Thull, as she grew up in Kewaskum and first found her voice singing with her grandfather’s band, the Bill Thull Orchestra, before joining her parents and siblings in the Goodtime Dutchmen, a Wisconsin polka band.
Michelle is excited to showcase a new side of her artistry, just minutes away from where her musical journey began.
“This feels special,” Michelle says. “I’m not that far from West Bend now, I live in Oshkosh, but growing up in Kewaskum, The Bend was actually the first place I ever saw a movie on the big screen. I was around 16, and it was kind of a date with my future husband, Danny. My mom sent my brother, Russell, with us… so he sat right between us in this very room,” she recalled.
Michelle grew up always having a passion for music.
“My family loved music and dancing,” she recalls. “We went to so many polka dances growing up, and I just fell in love with it all.”

Her musical journey expanded in sixth grade, when her dad encouraged her to learn the saxophone. This was the first of many instruments she would master over time.
Michelle stated that she originally set out to study physical therapy at Concordia University in Mequon, as she believed music was just supposed to be a hobby. Her passion and talents continued to grow, and she eventually embraced music as her full-time career.
At 19, Michelle married Danny Jerabek who is also a musician. Together they built a family and their own band. Settling in Oshkosh, the couple launched Copper Box, a high-energy Americana roots band that blends rock, blues, folk, and polka influences into original pieces.
Michelle explained that the band has toured across the U.S., from the East to the West Coast, and even performed in Amsterdam and Canada. They’ve shared the stage with major acts like The Doobie Brothers, Huey Lewis & The News, and Little Big Town, and earned multiple awards from the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI), including Artist of the Year, Americana Artist of the Year, and more.
Although she is committed to the Copper Box, Michelle has long kept a collection of original songs that don’t quite fit the band’s vibe and are more personal, often influenced by artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, Carole King, and Eva Cassidy.
“Some of these songs have been tucked away in a book for years,” Michelle stated. “Life was busy raising three kids, performing, working other jobs and they didn’t always align with what Copper Box was doing.”
Now, for the first time, Michelle LL will be bringing her personal songs to life with a full band of musicians, including Danny Jerabek, David Jerabek, Dan Cable, Kelvin Kasper, and a few possible surprise guests.
The overall genre and feel to her performance will be soulful, bluesy, and rooted in Americana, while blending melodies and lyrics that are meaningful to Michelle.
Michelle prefers silence when working on creating a song.
“I might be thinking of a situation or experience, mine or someone else’s, and I’ll just let my mind wander in silence. Sometimes I’ll wake up with an idea and have to grab my phone or a piece of paper before it leaves me,” she explains. “Some songs come in an hour, others take 20 years. It’s always changing. But usually, it starts with silence… and coffee.”
Michelle and Danny’s commitment to music has always gone hand-in-hand with their commitment to family. She even played a gig only 36 hours after giving birth.
“A van, a band, and a baby, it was a lot of luggage,” she explained.
Thankful for support from family and babysitters, the couple has successfully kept their musical journey alive while raising three kids.
Recently, Michelle released her latest original single, “Windy Day in Wisconsin,”, a song that captures the experience of being born and raised in the Badger State, watching people leave the area and somehow always ending up back.
“I graduated from Kewaskum High in ’96, and my family still operates our dairy farm there,” she says. “That song is close to home, literally.”
Michelle focuses on connection with the audience, her community, and her own sense of purpose.
“I’m excited to bring this project to life and share these songs. They’re personal. They’re real. And I hope people feel that.”
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., giving guests time to get concessions and order from the fully stocked bar before the show kicks off around 7:30 p.m.