Donald Lee Cialkoszewski was born to John and Frances Cialkoszewski of Polish, Russian and German ancestry in Trilby, Ohio, a suburb of Toledo. Don’s entire family was musically inclined, and at age seven, he asked his parents for a red accordion for his birthday. He began formal accordion instruction at…
Michael Costa was born on July 5, 1961 to William and Phyllis Costa of Irvington, NJ. He is the first born of two children. His parents met in the mid 50’s at the Irvington Polish Home where weekly polka dancing was extremely popular. As their children grew, they were exposed…
Florian Chmielewski is the product of a family that has been synonymous with polka music for six generations. One of 15 children, he was born in Sturgeon Lake, MN on February 10, 1927. As he progressed from a dairy farmer, to County Commissioner, to Minnesota State Senator, Flo-rian always…
In his youth, Jan Cyman was an avid boy scout in his home-town of Buffalo, New York. He also was first music chair at his high school. The year was 1965, Buffalo, New York. Fifteen-year-old Jan Cyman played the trumpet in school. A couple of good friends,…
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…
Bill Czerniak was born on June 20th, 1946, to Martha and Joe Czerniak–Joe is a 1989 inductee to the Polka Hall of Fame–of Duluth, Minnesota. At the age of six, Bill began taking concertina lessons from his father. Within a couple of years, Bill was making appearances with…
John Check was born near Rosholt, Wisconsin. When he was 14, he had saved a total of $15 from picking cucumbers on his father’s farm and used this money to purchase his first single reed concertina. Within several days he had learned to play several simple melodies. Buying…
Joseph F. Czerniak of Duluth, Minnesota, was elected to the polka Music Hall of Fame in the Pioneer category. Joe was inducted along with other inductees, on Saturday, August 5, during the annual International Polka Association Convention and Festival, at the Ramada O’Hare Hotel, in Chicago. Joe…
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…