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

 

At the top of his form at the peak of Cleveland- Style Polka popularity, Pete Sokach teamed with Eddie Habat to lead the Sokach-Habat Tunemixers, one of Cleveland's hottest bands. Picking up his older brother's discarded accordion, Pete learned to play and became a bandleader in 1935. Along with Habat, Kenny Bass, and Al Tercek, Pete formed the Tunemixers in 1948, signed with Decca, and landed a weekly radio show with Howie Lund. The Tunemixers' 1949 recording of "Blue Skirt Waltz" sold over 700,000 copies, dueling valiantly with Frank Yankovic's Columbia version. Other hit Sokach-Habat recordings include "Tell Me a Story," "Uncle Nick's Polka," and "Socialaires Polka." Leading his own orchestra through the mid-1960s, Pete appeared on radio and television and remained a major Cleveland-Style figure coast to coast.

 

Inducted in 1995

National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame

 

Trustees Honor Roll Recipient

 

PETE SOKACH

 

1914 - 1966

 

 

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

 

 

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