Bill Czupta was an acclaimed musician and formidable accordionist. He learned to play the accordion at an early age, and became a member of the group known as Bobby Sawicki and the New Englanders. Bill resided in Massachusetts, and in 1970 he joined The Golden Brass, which soon became a much-sought-after national polka band.

 

He excelled at playing the accordion to the extent that many polka fans described him as having "walking fingers." Bill produced most of the music and arrangements with the Golden Brass. He composed such songs as "Let The Sunshine In," "Broken Heart Polka," "Around The Stove Polka" and arranged "San Antonio Rose" and "ala Danny Davis and the Natural Brass." Bill Czupta is credited with producing the lively and dynamic sounds of the Golden Brass.

 

Because of a change in band personnel, the band changed its name to the New Brass. The New Brass received awards in 1971 for having the Favorite Single, Favorite Song entitled "Let The Sunshine In" and for Favorite Instrumental Group. In 1977, The New Brass received awards for the best Single for "Roll Out The Barrel Polka" and for the Best Album – "The New Brass Rolls Out The Barrel." These awards were presented by the International Polka Association. It produced two albums before Bill transferred in 1974 to a group called Trumpets Unlimited.

 

Bill Czupta was an energetic motivator who was always involved in the promotion of polka music. In 1975, he became a polka deejay with his wife, Jackie. Their program was among the most popular in New England and acquired a vast listening audience. After producing this program for eleven years, his wife, Jackie died suddenly and left three young children - Michelle, Jeff and Eric. Bill continued to broadcast his polka program for a few years, but friends have stated that he had difficulty accepting the loss of his wife and he too died at an early age.

 

He had been elected as a director of the International Polka Association and served in that capacity from 1973 through 1976. In 1977, he happily accompanied the famed Joe Lazara from Massachusetts to Milwaukee to be inducted into the Polka Music Hall of Fame.