Steve Meisner was born into a musical family on April 17, 1961, in Beloit, Wisconsin, and raised in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He began playing the piano accordion at age five, performing soon after on stage with his legendary father, Verne Meisner. Since the age of 16, Steve has earned a living…
Ted Lange has been active in the polka industry his entire life. He got his start on drums with his parents’ band, the buckeye polka band at age five, and to date, has performed in 34 states, Canada, Mexico and Europe in addition to appearing on over 40 recordings. In…
Born on June 5, 1945, in Buffalo, New York, Stephen w. Krzeminski was destined to make his mark in polka music. Standing tall at 6 feet, 3 inches by the time he was 16 years of age, the charismatic accordionist first led Big Steve’s Orchestra and later Big Steve and…
John “Stanky” Stankovic was born into a family of coal miners and musicians in Nanticoke, Pa, in 1936. He discovered the accordion as a young child and was performing at house weddings by the age of nine. Even though John’s first polka band was called the Tip Toppers, town folks…
Roger T. Lichwala was born on September 27, 1945, in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. As a result of his exposure to polka music in his local Polish community, he began playing drums at the age of 14. Roger first gained national recognition while playing with the Happy Louie & Julia polka…
Leon “Bud” Hundenski was born in Canonsburg, Pa, on July 26, 1944. After his dad bought him his first accordion, he started taking private lessons at age nine. As a youth, bud won many solo amateur contests and formed his own trio by the time he was in junior…