Favorite Male Vocalist: Eddie Blazonczyk
Favorite Female Vocalist: Dee Dee Ogrodny
Favorite Instrumental Group: Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push
Favorite CD: “Pure Energy” Energy
Favorite Song: “If I could be like you” Henny & the Versa J’s
I.P.A. 50th Anniversary Membership Goal!
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Breaking News…a Major “Polka” Announcement is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday April 21, 2018 at 1:15PM Eastern, log on to Facebook.com or the Facebook App to tune in for the announcement via Facebook LIVE.
Ignacy Podgorski was a musician, composer, arranger, publisher, recording artist and violinist who conducted his own orchestra. He was born on February 1, 1886 in Kielce, Poland. As a boy he lived in Czestochowa where he obtained his musical education and acquired a love for native folk-lore.
In 1906 Podgorski came to the United States with his wife Alexandra and they settled in the Bridesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In a short time he organized his first orchestra in this country. The music and publishing business was established in 1922. The years that followed revealed his capacity for work and they were rewarding. The Podgorski collection of composer-author arrangements totaled 1,392 collections and his instrumentation publication arranged for small bands or orchestra amounts to 25 albums.
Podgorski became a popular recording artist and during the early years of recordings he was featured by RCA Victor recordings for ten years. RCA awarded him a replica of the famous dog named “Little Nipper” which became a world wide RCA trade mark. He also recorded for Columbia, Harmonia, and Okey records.
As a person Ignacy Podgorski was a jovial outgoing personality with an exceptional talent for producing music. He could be justly described as a master phraseologist with a pencil at hand, ready to capture anything that would pop out of his mind that he could add to music. His emotional nature revealed a love of the poet, and his music a distinct style of his day — an event among many events that contributed its share to his native Polish folk-music. His music speaks for itself; it is lively and inspiring. Its aim was to please the people and oddly the source was the people. And yet, he was a modest man who found happiness in music.
Ignacy was inducted into the IPA Polka Music Hall of Fame in 1978; this year marks the 40th anniversary of his induction.Ignacy Podgorski - Polka od Lwowa
deleted track from a forthcoming LP of Eastern European American immigrant dance music. Recorded Oct, 23 1929. (details at victor.library.ucsb.edu/ind...
International Polka Association shared KARE 11's Concertina Kid.
You know as a parent you're in uncharted territory when your 3rd grader asks for lederhosen for Christmas. 8-year-old Cameron Mack likes his dirt bikes, but LOVES his concertina. Here's a link to the full story: kare11.tv/2ELVzRT
The polka career of Chet Schafer began in 1950, when, together with Li’l Wally Jagiello, their voices were heard on a half-hour polka program on radio station WCRW in Chicago. But things didn’t roll for Chet until he started his own “Polka Hit Parade” program on station WTAQ, LaGrange, Illinois, in 1952. On this program he spun the best selling polka records according to the surveys, getting the idea from the then popular television show “Your Hit Parade”. The request and dedication idea caught on and his Sunday morning program flooded with mail.
In 1954 he expanded to another hour program on Sunday afternoon and held the first polka band popularity contest in the Chicagoland area. In response to his plea for mail with votes for the listener’s favorite band, he received over 22,000 pieces of mail. Emerging as a winner of this contest was Steve Adamczyk’s Hungry Six who received 5,102 votes. “Reader’s Digest” magazine carried a story about this contest in one of their articles.
In addition to his radio activities Chet owns a recording company which is known under the label name of “Chicago Polkas”. Since 1952 he has produced 85 polka albums recording such artists as the Pala Brothers, 47th Street Concertina Club, Li’l Richard, Casey Siewierski, The Naturals, Skaja Sisters, Marion Lush, “Joe Pat” Paterek, Marisha Data, Eddie Zima, Mattie Madura, Jolly Stan Lee, John Zurawski, the Hi Notes, Harmony Kings, and others.
Chet was the first in Chicago to produce live polka stage shows. These were variety shows which featured live bands, vocalists, dancing groups, comedy skits, etc… He also found time to write and his articles appeared in such publications as the “Polka Guide”, “Polka World”, “Michigan Polka News”, and others.
Chet held past roles as First Vice President and Editor of the "IPA News."
Chet passed away on April 11 at the age of 95. May he rest in peace.Chester Schafer Obituary - Chicago, IL
dignitymemorial.com
Celebrate the life of Chester Schafer, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of Ridge Funeral Home.
Joey Miskulin was inducted into the IPA Polka Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
Nashville Cats: Salute To Accordian Player Joey Miskulin: A prodigious talent who began playing professionally at thirteen, accordion master Joey Miskulin has contributed mightily to a wide range of recordings, including works by Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Paul McCartney, Shania Twain, U2, Townes Van Zandt, and Frank Yankovic. Miskulin has won multiple Grammy awards, has worked extensively in film and television, and is a key member of Grand Ole Opry group Riders in the Sky. Country Music Hall of Fame member Cowboy Jack Clement regularly called Miskulin “The greatest accordion player in the world,” and no one argued. The interview will be illustrated with vintage photos, film footage, and recordings, and Miskulin will perform.
