Documenting the history or polkas in Western Pennsylvania would not be complete without discussing John Nalevanko. Affectionately known as Li’l John, he has been a driving force in promoting Polka music in the area. As a musician, John first started playing drums in local bands when he was 12. He played in various bands like the Polka Stars, Avant Gard, Starlighters, and the Jr. Simms Band. However, his true breakout was when he started playing…
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Michael Nowakowski of Buffalo, New York has been involved in the Polka Music field for over 38 years. He has been successful in all aspects of the industry. In his 20 years as President and Executive Producer of the Sunshine Label, Mike has managed all details of the recording industry. These include not only the development and production of recordings for the nationally-recognized label, but also the manufacturing, artwork, printing, promotion and…
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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…
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