A dentist by profession, Dr. Lausche was active for nearly sixty years in the music field. Dr. Lausche was a brilliant composer and arranger; played the piano proficiently; produced and directed recordings on national labels; taught and rehearsed some of the most famous Cleveland style polka artists; coached singing groups; and was active outside of purely ethnic circles in Cleveland’s cultural community. An accomplished musician, Doc Lausche enthusiastically embraced a wide range of musical genres.…
Continue reading
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 addition to his contributions as a musician, songwriter and arranger, Ted has served as a polka radio dj, festival promoter, president of the Ohio Polka…
Continue reading
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 band from 1966 – 1967. In 1969, he teamed up with Billy Czupta, Carl Hoynoski, Mitch Biskup, Tom Kostek and Steve Dudas to form the…
Continue reading
Mollie Busta Lange, commonly known as “Mollie B,” has been active in the polka industry her entire life. She began at age three on vocals with the Jim Busta Band, and to date, has performed in 35 states and eleven countries in addition to appearing on over 35 recordings. Always involving polka music, Mollie has been an educator and role model through her performances, dance lessons, and school workshops. While best known as the…
Continue reading
Wesoły Stas was born Stanley Joseph Lyskawa in Chicago on March 15, 1920, to immigrant Polish parents. He grew up in the Back of the Yards community and attended St. John of God, St. Joseph, St. Casimer and St. Pancratius grade schools. He went on to graduate from Kelly High School, where he met his future wife, Irene Majewski. After marrying in July of 1945, they resided in Chicago’s Brighton Park area where…
Continue reading
Jackie Libera of Charlton, Massachusetts is a musician, former bandleader, deejay, arranger, vocalist, recorded many albums, and a featured performer with various bands. To say that John “Jackie” Libera has been involved with polka music virtually all his life is an understatement. Jackie began his polka music career at age five in 1960 when he joined his father, Polka Hall of Famer Johnny Libera, at the microphone of his dad’s polka…
Continue reading
Don Lucki was born July 18, 1933 to Michael and Janet Lucki. Don’s polka career started as a teenager with the original Li’l Wally Orchestra. The ensemble consisted of Li’l Wally on the drums & vocals, Eddie Noga on clarinet & alto sax, Casey Siewierski on concertina & Don Lucki on trumpet. They were playing in excess of 300 dates per year. During those years Don recorded such classic hits with Li’l…
Continue reading
Adolph Lesser’s colorful career as a musician and entertainer spanned some sixty-five years before his stroke in 1996. Adolph remains one of the most prominent musical figures in the Rocky Mountain region and is affectionately known as the “Old Master”. Born in Loveland, Colorado in 1915, Adolph was the second youngest of eight sons and one daughter. The family always had music in their house and Adolph’s parents were Germans who immigrated…
Continue reading
Polka music speaks to the soul of Frank Liszka like no other music. Since the early 1960s going to local dances, Frank discovered his lifelong ambition, to become a polka musician. Following the examples of his polka heroes, Marion Lush, Li’l Wally, and Eddie Blazonczyk, Sr., Frank set out to become an integral part of the development and the play of polka music as we know it today. Born in Greenville, Pennsylvania…
Continue reading
Happy Louie was born August 4, 1934 in Ware, Massachusetts. His mother is Polish and living. His father was French, and is deceased. At the age of nine, he played his first note on a Bugle and then changed to a B-flat Trumpet and has kept it up ever since. Happy Louie attended the eight grades of St. Mary’s Polish Grammar School in Ware, where he was taught to write and speak the…
Continue reading
He was born on April 20, 1919, in Southbridge, Massachusetts, where he still lives. It seems that Polka music has been a part of his life as long as he can remember. His singing was inherited from his mother, who was a polka contest winner in Southbridge, twice. In 1943, Johnny joined the U.S. Navy. After boot training, he was assigned to the Great Lakes Basic Engineering School. On a weekend pass,…
Continue reading
In the early days of polka music, what Alvin Sajewski was to Chicago … Ignacy Podgorski to Philadelphia … Brunon Kryger to Eastern Pennsylvania … Joe Lazarz was to the Northeast. Born in 1895 in the village of Swiebodzin, Poland, he started music lessons at an early age, as his father and uncles were musicians. Joe Lazarz came to Indian Orchard, Massachusetts in 1913, and started working at the Indian Motorcycle Company, and playing…
Continue reading
Harold Loeffelmacher was born in 1905 on a farm in Nicollet county near Fort Ridgely of frontier days. He moved to New Ulm, with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Loeffelmacher. He took his first music lesson on a violin from a Lutheran minister. He graduated from the violin to wind when he bought a mail order horn and was taught by A. P. Boock of New Ulm. He played in the 205th…
Continue reading
Marion Lush was born in 1931. He began playing accordion at the age of 8, then took up drums, followed by trumpet. At age 16 he joined the American Federation of Musicians. Appearing regularly on the Ron Terry Polka Show on WGN-TV for eight years, he was voted “Chicago’s Most Popular Polka Band” in a contest conducted by that show. His first Dyno record hit “Hey Cavalier Polka” further increased his popularity. His…
Continue reading
You must be logged in to post a comment.