Rick Rzeszutko – Living Category – Inducted 2020

Richard Walter Rzeszutko was born on March 6, 1958, to Sally & Chester Rzeszutko of Chicago, IL. Since his grandfather was the original drummer with the Steve Adamczyk Band, Rick was exposed to the sounds of polka music from an early age. While attending St. Peter & Paul School, Rick…

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Gary Rhamy – Living Category – Inducted 2006

  Engineer, producer. announcer and owner of Peppermint Productions, Gary Rhamy has engineered four Grammy winning albums. He has produced over 500 albums for more than 175 polka artists alone.   While at Ohio University where Gary (seated at right) received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in broadcasting he…

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Joe Rock – Deceased Category – Inducted 1997

      Joe Rock, drummer boy extraordinaire, rising as perhaps one of the finest big band recording orchestras on the East Coast, began his career in the music field in the late 1930’s, in the greater Waterbury area, as the drummer in the Herb Lukowski Orchestra. His love and…

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Carl Rohwetter – Living Category – Inducted 1996

    Carl Rohwetter was born March 1, 1930, the son of John and Elizabeth Rohwetter in Marion Township, County of Saginaw, Michigan. His father played the button accordion, as so many did in the farming area. Carl along with his brothers, John and Francis were always entertained with Polka…

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Jan Robak – Deceased Category – Inducted 1992

    Jan Robak was born in Poland on December 1, 1890, and passed away on September 8, 1967. He came to this country and Chicopee, Massachusetts with his violin at the age of ten. He started to play the violin in Poland and continued his study of violin and…

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Jolly Jack Robel – Deceased Category – Inducted 1987

    John Michael Robel was born in Austria February 14, 1903.  His parents, John and Mary, were Austrian immigrants of Slovak descent, who settled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  He took his first music lessons on a clarinet from Tommy Dorsey, Sr.  Later, John played with Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey in…

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Dick Rodgers – Living Category – Inducted 1976

  The Dick Rodgers International TV Recording Orchestra was organized in 1945 when Dick formed a band comprised of high school students.  Within a few years the band was doing live radio broadcasts and made their first recording in Chicago.  From recordings and radio the next step in promoting the…

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