Frank Culkar

National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum

605 East 222nd Street
Euclid, OH 44123

USA

E-mail: Polkashop@aol.com

Phone: 216-261-3263

Toll Free: 1-800-66POLKA

Fax: 216-261-4134

Frank Culkar has been playing the chromatic accordion for almost 60 years. Starting as a child, he had to take the hinges of the case of his dad’s Mervar accordion to get access to it. He also played the piano at a young age. His first experience playing with a band was at the Slovenian Home on Prince Avenue, with the Sokach-Habat Band, when he took over for Pete Sokach and finished the job with Eddie Habat. Since then he has played with Cleveland polka bands such as Al Tercek, Eddie Buehner, Don Slogar, The Vadnals, and many other Cleveland greats including a brief stint with Ernie Benedict, and with the Eddie Stamfl orchestra. Frank has appeared on the Tony Petkovsek Polka Radio Show as the “Mistery Accordion Player” and once did a whole radio show with the late Bruce Berger on WZAK in the 1970s. He has played in places around the world, including bringing polka music to the Bahamas, Buenos Ares Argentina, and two tours to Slovenia, in 1969 and 1971. Three of Frank’s compositions, Frankie’s, Marylou’s, and Sharon’s Polkas, were recorded by the Eddie Rodick Orchestra on the album, “My Silver Anniversary,” in 1994. For over 50 years, Frank has sung in Slovenian choruses in Cleveland, including the former Triglav chorus, and currently with Glasbena Matica. He has served as the accordion accompanist for the S.N.P.J. Circle 2 Junior Chorus for the past eight years. In 2006, he formed the Culkar Trio with his brother Ron and his youngest son Anthony. The three continue to entertain around the Cleveland area and are planning to record an album soon. Frank was inducted into the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2007, as a part of the Trustees Honor Roll.

Inducted in 2007