Fifty years is a long time. During that time span Andy has entertained polka fans throughout the United States with a distinctive style of musical talent all his own. Andy “Day” Dziagwa started his polka career in 1942 at the age of fourteen. He started to perform on trumpet with the late Joe Durlak Orchestra, the band also made several recordings on Rondo Records. During this time he and the band would perform…
Michael “Mitch” Biskup born in Montreal Canada, joined a new polka band back in 1969 called the Golden Brass, which soon became one of the top five polka bands in the nation and in 1971 captured the “Triple Crown” by winning the IPA Awards for Best LP, “Let The Sunshine In,” Best Instrumental Group and Best Single Recording. Although the combinations of musicians and instrumentation changed over the years (as well as a…
Adam Nowicki, born on February 6, 1921 in Conshohocken, PA was the oldest of five children. During the Depression the family moved to Trenton, NJ in 1926 with the hopes of finding work. As a student and parishioner of Holy Cross Church, he developed an early love for polish music and Polish radio programs. His father was the first clarinet player in the International Concert Band in Conshohocken, so there was always a…
Sylvester Wolan was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on March 8, 1904. During his youth he studied violin and trumpet with his father, but was also under the tutelage of professors and symphony musicians where he learned not only to play but compose. In 1918 he started to teach and form his own band. While performing with his father, he met a piano player by the name of Katherine Miakiewicz whom he later married…