Hello Everybody!!
It sure is in crazy busy mode these days, perhaps that’s why the van decided to break down before I got out of town! I had to cancel 2 days of recording sessions but it’s allowing me to hopefully catch up and be ready for all the mayhem of this coming weekend!
So, firstly, I’m heading on the road to Cleveland for the Cleveland Oktoberfest, after getting a bunch of emergency repairs on the polka van. It’s seeming to be all good, so I’ll be picking up Rory in Nashville and meeting Tom and Fort for 4 days of Oktoberfest fun, Sept 2-5! If you’re anywhere near Cleveland, you’ll want to come out for this one!! The band is ready to roll!!!
Saturday morning, I’ll be slipping over to Cranberry Twp., PA to accept my Lifetime Achievement Award as an inductee into the IPA Polka Hall of Fame. I’m still pretty surprised by this whole thing and super stoked not only for that, but for AMB being Favorite International Band and my “Music with my Friends” album being voted as Favorite International Album.
Last but not least, my good buddy Zupe and I have recently taken over the operations of Music Publishers of America, the parent company of Vitak- Elsnic Music. My association with Vitak- Elsnic seems like it’s been for a lifetime, knowing that my grandfather played all those charts in his band, my Dad and Mom sold the books in their record shop, and then I produced the “Then and Now” and “Polish Blood” recordings for Music Publishers of America. Zupe and I are thankful that we were able to work with Steve Harris to continue the legacy of this important musical catalog.
In commemoration, I made a little solo accordion video of a Vitak-Elsnic classic– the “Broke but Happy Polka.” It might even be autobiographical these days!! LOL!
Hope to see y’all soon! If you’re in New Braunfels, make sure you have tickets for the Opening of Oktoberfest shows at Krause’s on Sept 16-17-18. I’ll be there with my full travel band ready to bring on the festivities!
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