Music has always played an important part of Frank Borzymowski’s life. His first professional gig was at the ripe old age of 14 and it wasn’t long after that all of Baltimore’s Polonia wanted to book Joe and Anita’s boy for their functions. Frank’s high school and college years…
John (Foo) Furmaniak (pictured at right with daughter Christy), was born on August 7, 1948 to Thaddeus (Ted) and LaVerne Furmaniak. He is the oldest of their five children. John became infatuated with the accordion at the young age of 10 when a representative of the Mort Herald…
Craig Ebel has been involved in polka music all his life. Craig grew up in a musical family with his mother, LaVay, singing and playing guitar in country western bands and his father, Elhart, building and operating the Bel-Rae Ballroom in Mounds View, Minnesota, from 1964 to 1971.…
Wally Dombrowski’s journey into music began when he started taking trumpet lessons at five years of age. Once he got the basics of the instrument down, it was evident that he could play by ear and would play along with recordings at home without the aid of any…
John Gora was born on July 27, 1959, in Poland and emigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, with his parents in 1974. He learned to play clarinet and saxophone in 1977. John formed a musical group “Gorale” catering to “Continental” music crowds and they played their first polka…
Henry David (Henny) Jasiewicz was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, on May 22, 1945. He has performed professionally since he was nine years old and started his polka career playing trumpet for Leo Gibala & The Bell Hops. Henny performed with this group for several years. In 1979 he…
Richie Gomulka was born on February 6, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois to first generation American-born parents, Ted and Mary (Owca) Gomulka. Richie is the oldest of four children. He has two sisters, Angie Gomulka and Dianne (Steve) Paliga, and one brother Lenny (Estelle) Gomulka. Richie is…
It all started at the age of seven when Stephanie was being taught the accordion by her mom, Wanda, and the Polish vocals by her grandmother, Stephanie. This created an interest in listening to Polish music. While Henry her father was off bowling, Wanda took Stephanie to see…
Ed Guca was born on August 7, 1944 to a very musical Polish family in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His uncle played clarinet in a popular wedding band and was of particular influence in Ed’s love for Polka music. It was in his youth that Ed learned how to…
As a toddler, Joe Oberaitis was already the polka promoter herding the neighborhood kids together and making them listen to his polka records. By kindergarten, Joe was taking accordion lessons. At age seven, he had already appeared on the local television talent show, “The Gene Carroll Show,” playing Eddie Zima’s…
Stanley “Stas” Bulanda’s love for polka music started at a very early age while listening to the music of his fathers’ and uncles’ polka band. They would let him sit on the stage and started his musical education. After a few years, they even allowed him to…
Michael T. Matousek was born in 1956 into what would become one of Baltimore’s most prominent polka families. His father Al was regarded as one of Maryland’s most celebrated polka accordionists, and his mother, Connie, was recognized as one of the noted polka dance instructors who helped bring the “polka…
Raymond Jarusinski was born on November 3, 1945. He was the youngest of three boys. His parents were John and Blanch Jarusinski. Ray’s ethnic background consisted of his mother being Polish and his father Slovak. As a small boy, Ray enjoyed listening to the Polka radio programs with…
Dennis Polisky, leader, clarinet, tenor saxophone player for the Maestro’s Men Orchestra from Colchester, Connecticut, has been performing and entertaining audiences for over 38 years. His dedication, versatility and personality has earned him the recognition as one of the best clarinet players in the polka field today. He…
Back in California, where Hank was born, there was a family that played Mexican music called “Los Taconazos.” About 1970, Gus Guzevich, who was Hank’s father, realized that all of his kids adapted very easily to singing and playing music. Their style was different than everyone else,…
Eddie Forman, musician, educator, composer, arranger and polka band leader of the Eddie Forman Orchestra, known to many as EFO, has been promoting polka music since 1968. Eddie was born on June 3, 1953 in Hadley, Massachusetts, His parents, both of Polish descent, exposed him to polka music…
The first time Jimmy went to Fiedor’s Grove to see and hear Eddie Blazonczyk’s Versatones along with Little Ronnie and the Carousels, Jimmy’s interest in polkas began. Starting to play the sax at age twelve, in 1970 at the age of fourteen, he found himself playing polkas with…
Engineer, producer. announcer and owner of Peppermint Productions, Gary Rhamy has engineered four Grammy winning albums. He has produced over 500 albums for more than 175 polka artists alone. While at Ohio University where Gary (seated at right) received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in broadcasting he…
*Deceased in 2009* Matias “Math” Sladky grew up on a farm near Wahoo, Nebraska. With the love of polka music in his heart, when his folks would go to a dance, he would head straight for the stage where he would sit all evening watching the musicians. Sladky…
Eddie Siwiec began playing polka music in 1969 and continues to this day. He credits his parents, Chester and Catherine, and his uncle, Joe Smiell, renowned musician, composer and bandleader from Oakland, California, with introducing him to the wonderful world of music and dance. Edward is the youngest…
You must be logged in to post a comment.