Chicago Polka Band 4

This Chicago Polka Band has been playing together since 1976 playing polkas, big band, rock and roll and country music, performing on television, radio and in movies as well as by invitation all over the world. The band has played numerous polka festivals in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Hawaii, the Caribbean and South America.

In the U.S., this Chicago Polka Band regularly appears at Polkafests in Las Vegas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois and Florida. The band performs regularly at weddings, anniversary parties, church sponsored fests, Moose Lodges, Elk Lodges, VFW Halls, American Legion Halls as well as festivals at Navy Pier in Chicago, The Arlington Million, the Museum of Science and Industry's "Christmas Around the World" exhibit and numerous Chicago Public Libraries during National Polish Heritage Month.

Chicago Polka Band leader

The leader of this Chicago Polka Band started playing drums with his dad's band when he was seven years old, and the played weekly on his parent's Emmy nominated television show, from 1970-1984. When he was ten, he played drums for his dad as the opening set for Bobby Vinton at the Holiday Star Theater and when Pope John Paul II's motorcade stopped at the Club in 1979. He also frequently played drums with Frankie Yankovic, America's Polka King. He performed with many other polka legends including Lil' Wally, Eddie Blazonczyk, Roman Possedi, Florien Chmielewski, Myron Floren, Frankie Kramer and Jimmy Sturr. he soon began playing the accordion and a button box made for him in Germany. He was voted "Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year" in 1996 and "Accordion Player of the Year" in 1997 by the United Polka Association.

The leader of this Chicago Polka Band has been frequently featured in the media. This Chicago Polka Band was selected from polka bands auditions from all over the U.S. for the Pepsi commercial, "Create Your Own CD", aired nationwide in June, July and August 2001. He welcomes the World Cup Soccer team to Chicago at a party at O'hare Intl. Airport and was John Candy's Polka Band, the "Kenosha Kickers" in the hit movie "Home Alone". Television coverage includes a segment on "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", "Jenny Jones Show", the movie "The Fugitive", and "Wild Chicago" and "Metromix TV" magazine television show. PBS's Chicago Stories series entitled "POLONIA: The Story of Polish Chicago" featured the band with friends at the Club. He is a favorite of "Chicago's Very Own Channel 9" morning news broadcasts. When cooking guru, Emeril Lagasse prepared Polish culinary favorites, he was invited to provide music. His 9th album was nominated for Grammy consideration in 2008.

Chicago Polka Band feature

This Chicago Polka Band from Illinois has been featured in the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. He was the lead story on the evening news in Oahu, Hawaii as he played the Beer Barrel Polka on the accordion wearing a grass skirt. In Iron World, Mn, he was seen sailing down the river playing as the crowd danced the polka on the shore. He also entertained the audience at the Steppenwolf Theater during the play "Evelyn and the Polka King". Live radio show performances include WLUP-FM and CD-94.7, two of Chicago's top stations. Columbia College television network in Chicago featured him intorducing polka music to college students.

Even though polkas are its favorite music, this Chicago Polka Band plays your favorite standards, from big band waltzes and swing to rock and roll, country, and even line dances, from the '20's to the '70's. With the closing of the world famous Club in 2004 (after 50 years), he carries on the "family tradition" of musical entertainment locally and nationally.