The polka is a popular folk dance in many, especially Slavic counties, it is also a typical Czech dance and genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia now part of Czech Republic although known and very popular also, across the whole areas of Poland and Slovakia. The polka remains a popular folk music genre in many European countries, and is performed by folk artists in the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Croatia and Finland, and to a lesser extent in Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Ukraine, Romania, Belarus, Russia, and Slovakia. Local varieties of this dance are also found in the Nordic countries, Spain's Basque Country, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America and the United States.
James W. Sturr, Jr. is an American polka musician, trumpeter, clarinetist, saxophonist and leader of Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra. His recordings have won 18 out of the 24 Grammy Awards given for Best Polka Album. Sturr's orchestra is on the Top Ten List of the All-Time Grammy Awards, and has acquired more Grammy nominations than anyone in the history of musical polka awards.
Frank John "Frankie" Yankovic was an American accordion player and polka musician. Known as "America's Polka King," Yankovic was considered the premier artist to play in the Slovenian style during his long career. He is not related to fellow accordionist "Weird Al" Yankovic, although the two have collaborated.
Johann Strauss I was an Austrian Romantic composer. He was famous for his waltzes, and he popularized them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty. He is perhaps best known for his composition of the Radetzky March.
The 37th Annual Grammy Awards were presented on March 1, 1995, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Bruce Springsteen was the night's biggest winner with 4 awards, including Song of the Year while opening the show with his Grammy nominated hit.
The 36th Annual Grammy Awards were held in 1994. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Whitney Houston was the Big Winner winning 3 awards including Record of the Year and Album of the Year while opening the show with "I Will Always Love You".
Walter Carl Becker was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was best known as the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter of the rock band Steely Dan.
Bobby Vinton is a nine-track collection of previously recorded songs by Bobby Vinton, released in 1978. It contains two singles and seven album tracks, all randomly picked and recorded for ABC Records.
Standard Brands is an album by guitarists Lenny Breau and Chet Atkins, released in 1981.
Walter Solek or Walt Solek was a Polish-American lyricist, musician, performer, and radio show host who introduced English-language lyrics into polka music in the United States. Solek was known as the "Clown Prince of Polka" and died on 1 April 2005 at the age of 94. Solek was honored by the International Polka Association, the Polka Hall of Fame in Chicago, he is a Meriden Hall of Fame member, and "the first sailor in 1940 who could sing Anchors Aweigh in Polish". He hosted the Polka Show on WMMW radio for 28 years starting in 1947, and had a 75-year music career.
LaVerne Donald "Verne" Meisner was an American polka musician born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He was inducted into five halls of fame, including the International Polka Association Hall of Fame as a "Living Legend" in 1989. He is best known for the songs "Memories of Vienna" and "El Rio Drive."
The Last Waltz: The Final Recordings is an 8-CD box set live album by jazz pianist Bill Evans with Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera recorded during a nine night residency at Keystone Korner in San Francisco in 1980 and released on the Milestone label in 2000. Additional recordings from this concert series were released as Consecration: The Final Recordings Part 2 released in 2002.
Consecration: The Final Recordings Part 2 is an 8-CD box set live album by jazz pianist Bill Evans with Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera recorded during a nine night residency at Keystone Korner in San Francisco in 1980 and released on the Milestone label in 2002. Additional recordings from this concert series were released as The Last Waltz: The Final Recordings in 2000.
Live at Gilley's! is a live album by Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra, released through Ranwood Records in 1991. In 1992, the album won Sturr the Grammy Award for Best Polka Album.
Music and Friends is an album by the Walter Ostanek Band. In 1995, the album won Ostanek the Grammy Award for Best Polka Album.
35th Anniversary is an album by Walter Ostanek and His Band, released in 1992. In 1993, the album won Ostanek the Grammy Award for Best Polka Album.
Roman 'Romy' Louis Gosz was a popular and commercially successful polka musician in the upper Midwest. Gosz's music featured the Bohemian brass style and appealed to the many ethnic groups found throughout the region.
