Polka News

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

www.polkafame.com © National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, 605 East 222nd Street, Euclid, OH 44123, USA.

News

Polka Hall of Fame Music Awards Show Moves to Downtown Cleveland Marriott Ballroom; Musicians Denny Bucar and Don Lipovac to Be Inducted, November 29

For the first time, the Polka Hall of Fame Awards Show will be staged in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Cleveland, Ohio, on Public Square, Saturday, November 29, 2014. The gala Awards Show will be the high point of the three-day Thanksgiving Polka Party Weekend hosted by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 27, 28 and 29, at the Marriott.

Two long-time polka musicians will be inducted at the Awards Show, Cleveland musician and radio host Denny Bucar and the late accordionist and bandleader Don Lipovac of Kansas City. Both were voted in for their lifetime achievements by the membership and board of the Polka Hall of Fame and announced at a preview meeting on October 9. They will be honored at the stage event on November 29, along with six individuals to be added to the Trustee Honor Roll. Winners will also be announced in nine categories, including Polka Band of the Year, Polka Musician of the Year, and Polka Album of the Year.

Denny Bucar is a leading bass player on the Cleveland-Style Polka scene who has performed with the greatest names in the business. He has hosted a polka radio since the 1970s and is a founder of the Polka Hall of Fame. Don Lipovac was America's champion accordion player in 1958 and went on to lead the best-known polka orchestra in the Kansas City area. He wrote and arranged more than 500 songs and taught two generations of accordion and tamburitza students.

Six achievers will be added to the Trustees Honor Roll: three saxophonists, Clevelanders Tommy Grahek and Jerry Jasinski and Ted Lysiak of Barberton, Ohio; and three deceased musicians, Sheila Salvato of Ashtabula, Ohio, a polka musician with Down's Syndrome; Cleveland accordionist and instructor Bill Sneller; and Pittsburgh bandleader and accordionist Tony Trontel.

Two All-Time Polka Hits were voted in by the membership. "Iron Mike" was popularized in the 1970s by Clevelander Johnny Pecon and adapted from a Slovenian folk song. "El Rio Drive," was written in 1979 by Wisconsin bandleader Verne Meisner with a Tex-Mex flavor.

The curtain rises on the 27th Polka Hall of Fame Awards Show at 2:00 p.m., Saturday afternoon, November 29, in the Marriott Grand Ballroom, 127 Public Square in Cleveland. This year's theme, "Down at the Friendly Tavern," salutes the cafes, halls and ballrooms that featured polka music. Entertainers include Canada's Polka King Walter Ostanek, Alex Meixner of Florida, TV's Chardon Polka Band, and the Button Box Divas. The All-Star Polka Big Band is under the direction of Tom Mroczka with WINT's Ray Somich as host.

Enjoy dancing all three days with top Cleveland-Style and Slovenian polka bands and performers from Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada. Performers include the 2013 Polka Band of the Year, the Frank Stanger orchestra, plus Walter Ostanek, Nashville's Joey Miskulin of Riders in the Sky, and Mike Schneider. Music is Thursday from 3:00 to midnight; Friday from 1:00 p.m. to midnight; and all Saturday evening after the 6:00 p.m. Polka Mass.

Dance admission Thursday and Friday is $15 per person and $10 on Saturday, including free indoor parking. 18 and under free. Awards Show tickets are $20 each. Save with a Saturday Polka Pass - the Awards Show and the Saturday dance are only $25 per person. For dance and show tickets, call the Polka Hall of Fame, (216) 261-FAME, toll-free (866) 66-POLKA, or polkashop@aol.com.

Reserve rooms at the Downtown Marriott Hotel through Kollander Travel at a special rate of $105 per room-night, including free parking, (216) 692-1000, toll-free (800) 800-5981, or kwt@kollander.com. The Horseshoe Casino, shopping, and restaurants are on and around Public Square.

Raddell's Sausage Shop and Frank Azman Meat Market Earn Titles at Polka Hall of Fame Sausage Fest

Frank Azman of Cleveland's Azman and Sons Meat Market accepted the Best of Fest Jury Award and Raddell's Sausage Shop, from the city's Collinwood neighborhood, scored as the People's Choice at the 11th Slovenian Sausage Festival on Wednesday, September 10, 2014, hosted by the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum. Click here for more information

New polka CDs now on sale in the Gift Shop

Bob Kravos & Walter Ostanek - We Are Back

Bob Kravos & Frank Zitko - Carrying On Old Family Traditions

Zupanchick Brothers - Button Box Spectacular

Frank Svet - Don't Svet It -

Chardon Polka Band - This Is Oktoberfest

Frank Keil & Hank Haller - Polkas With Frank & Hank

Fred Ziwich - 60th Birthday Recording

Glasbena Matica Singers - Golden Voices, 1 & 2

Congratulations Tony!

Chairman Emeritus and long time radio host Tony Petkovsek was inducted into the Lake County Senior Citizen Hall of Fame.

Polka and Slovenian T-Shirts

Show your spirit with a T-Shirt or sweatshort featuring a polka or Slovenian theme. Choose from different colors, designs and slogans. Available in the Gift Shop.

Time To Vote!

Polka Hall of Fame Members, your vote is important. Don't forget to mail in your ballot for 2014. Mark your choices and mail them in before the deadline of Friday, Oktober 3, 2014. Ballot void without official stamp. New memberships must be received, paid in full, by Friday, September 19, to be eligible to vote in the current election.

Reserve now!

Thanksgiving Polka Weekend

Three days of polka fun

Thursday, Friday, Saturday November 27, 28, 29, 2014

Downtown Cleveland Marriott Hotel

Special Hotel Rate, call 216-692-1000

For tickets, call 216-261-FAME