Since his birth November 17, 1933, Larry Chesky has resided in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Thanks to his parents, Wanda and Joe, Larry was introduced to music at the age of six. He was given his first accordion. Whenever you saw Larry, you saw that accordion. They were inseparable. With the help of his father, Joe, Larry’s first band, “The Polka Dots,” was formed when he was twelve years old. After its first regional radio…
Joe Wojkiewicz was born in Hafa Park, Wisconsin. By the time he entered school, he was already performing on stage. As his desire grew to perform, so did his talents. He became interested in the polka music field as his father had a band. Joe got started with ballroom promotions, but was interrupted by WWII, while in the Army. Any time he had a chance, he made a point to visit ballrooms, especially…
Stanley J. Jasinski, one of Buffalo’s most outstanding public figures in the field of broadcasting, was born August 25, 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. While still in high school as an amateur actor and script writer, Stanley began his broadcasting career. As opportunity would have it, one day in 1934, he sat behind a microphone at Radio Station WEXL in Royal Oak, to fill in unexpectedly for an ailing colleague who was program…
Born Earl McNellis, on a farm in Millville, Minnesota, he attended schools at Hyde Park, Millville, and Lake City. He was a pioneer in television musical programs, starting out in the 1940’s with a vaudeville group known as Uncle Louie and the Town Hall Players. When Uncle Louie left, McNellis took over with parts written around the country bumpkin character, Cousin Fuzzy. In 1947, with vaudeville dying, McNellis started an old time…