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IPA Hall of Fame Biography

Joseph Macielag began his musical career with clarinet lessons at the age of 14. Two years later, he was invited to join the Rydzewski Brothers Trio from Niagara Falls, NY. Influenced by Frank Wojnarowski, Joseph organized a nine-piece orchestra that played its first gig when he was only 18. By the age of 21, he was on the road with his band backing up the famed vocalist, Marisha Data. Later, Joseph’s Pic-a-Polka Orchestra teamed up with Frank Wojnarowski to produce the Pic-a-Polka tv show on buffalo’s channel 2, WGR-tv. The band went on to back up many polka hall of fame vocalists which led to Joseph headlining the popular tv show. To this day, his band is considered one of the finest groups to come out of Western New York. In addition to being a celebrated bandleader and musician, he became a respected vocalist, arranger, promoter, and historian of eastern style polka music. Joseph was also very active in the Polish American community, having served as president of the Western New York division of the Polish American Congress.


For his many accomplishments in the polka industry, Joseph Macielag has been deemed deserving by the electorate of the International Polka Association for induction into the Polka Music Hall of Fame®.