Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? In an interview on Tuesday, Eddie Blazonczyk Jr. said he once asked his father why he gave up playing rock 'n' roll and turned to polka. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Blazonczyk was known as the "Polka King" and started his own polka music label in the 1960s. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. He was 70. Thanks for your help! A cause of death was not revealed. In 1962, he formed his polka band The Versatones and released their first album, "Polka Parade" on his own Bel-Aire Label. His label, Bel-Aire Recordings, confirmed the death but did not disclose the cause. and maintained a mini-empire of polka in Chicago, including a record label, a recording studio, a retail store and a music school. 1990 Returned with Eddie Blazonczyk. was a big force for what it means to be Polish in America.''. His parents operated music clubs in the city and he started playing in the 1950s with Happy Eddie and his Polka Jesters, performing at Polish festivities. Some of his biggest hits include Angeline Be Mine Polka and Poor Boy Polka.. 1 Polka Band. Blazonczyk was a member of the associations Polka Music Hall of Fame. He won a Grammy Award, kept a vigorous touring schedule and maintained a mini-empire of polka in Chicago, including a record label, a recording studio, a retail store and a music school. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Find an Obituary. Eddie Blazonczyk, a polka singer and bandleader who led bouncing, swaying, beer-hoisting dances for generations of Americans as one of that small genres biggest fish, died on Monday in Palos Heights, Ill. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Mr. Blazonczyk retired in 2001 after suffering a stroke, and his son Eddie Blazonczyk Jr. took over his band, Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones. 0 cemeteries found in Justice, Cook County, Illinois, USA. and I wanted to try my hand at that.''. He met his wife, the former Christine Zielinski, known as Tish, at a polka dance in 1962. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. He started the record label in 1963. Year should not be greater than current year. As a teenager, Mr. Blazonczyk played in rock n roll bands and toured with Buddy Holly and Gene Vincent. He was 70. He was very good at what he did, said Dave Ulczycki, president of the International Polka Association. CHICAGO (AP) Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and . Jimmy Sturr, who has won the prize 18 times. Submit an Obit. (The polka category was eliminated in 2009.). Weve updated the security on the site. CHICAGO (AP) - Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and label, has died. Eddie Blazonczyk, a polka singer and bandleader who led bouncing, swaying, beer-hoisting dances for generations of Americans as one of that small genre's biggest fish, died on Monday in Palos Heights, Ill. It's time for saying goodbye\". This browser does not support getting your location. Blazonczyk retired in 2001 after suffering a stroke, and his son took over his band, Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones. Funeral Friday 9:30 a.m. from Modell Funeral Home, 12641 W. 143rd St. Homer Glen to Sts. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. His parents operated music clubs in the city and he started playing in the 1950s with Happy Eddie and his Polka Jesters, performing at Polish festivities. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. was born to Polish immigrant parents on July 12, 1941, in Chicago, Mr. Blazonczyk was named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow in 1998, Mr. Blazonczyk was a member of the associations Polka Music Hall of Fame. Created with sketchtool. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Try again. Blazonczyk's record label, Bel-Aire Recordings, says Blazonczyk died Monday, May 21, 2012, of natural causes at a hospital Palos Heights, Ill. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. This recording is still occasionally heard around Halloween and is highly sought by record collectors. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. He was 70. He was named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow in 1998. "The Great Great Pumpkin", released on Lucky Four #1012, is probably the most noteworthy of these recordings. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. The band formed in 1962, after Blazonczyks brief venture into pop music that landed him on Dick Clarks American Bandstand, and toured the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Eddie Blazonczyk was born to Polish immigrant parents on July 12, 1941, in Chicago. Review. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Blazonczyk played many instruments but preferred the bass, and he sang lyrics in both English and Polish. They knew it wasn't 'She's Too Fat For Me' or 'Roll Out the Barrel.' Please omit flowers. The association said on its website that Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones was "unchallenged in its height as America's No. For a time, Blazonczyk performed pop music with Mercury Records as Eddie Bell and the Bel-Aires, when he appeared on American Bandstand. But he returned to polka in 1962, forming the Versatones and going on tour. Eddie Blazonczyk was born on July 12, 1941, in Chicago, the son of immigrants from the rural Tatras Mountains region of southern Poland. Try again later. As a teenager, Mr. Blazonczyk played in rock 'n' roll bands and toured with Buddy Holly and Gene Vincent. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. In 1998, he received one the country's most prestigious cultural honors, a National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowship, presented by then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the White House. Lenny LaCour, the owner of Lucky Four Records, encouraged Blazonczyk, at the age of 22, to specialize in polka music, rather than to continue as a rockabilly singer. Let others know about your loved one's death. I cannot thank him enough for all th. Failed to delete memorial. Obituary Read. Please omit flowers. Considered the king of Chicago-style polka music, Blazonczyk founded the Versatones in 1963, pioneering a brand of polka that mixed in elements of rock, Tex-Mex and other genres. But polka was growing. '', The sound had traces of rock, left over from Mr. Blazonczyk's days in the early 1960s recording rockabilly under the name Eddy Bell, for Mercury and other labels. He was inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame in 1970, and was a 1998 National Heritage Fellowship recipient. based on information from your browser. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Send flowers or a gift to a service or family's home. With the Versatones, he received more than a dozen Grammy nominations and with his recording "Another Polka Celebration" (1986) won the Best Polka Grammy Award. Eddie Blazonczyk. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. "For them this is truly the day that the music died," Blazonczyk said. "That's why he was called the 'Polka King.' An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Yet Mr. Blazonczyk was also devoted to Polish musical customs. He was 70. (Khue Bui/AP). CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Blazonczyk's record label, Bel-Aire Recordings, says Blazonczyk died Monday, May 21, 2012, of natural causes at a hospital Palos Heights, Ill. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Ridge Funeral Home. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. They knew it was an evolution of the music.". Those songs included The Masked Man (Hi Yo Silver) and The Great Great Pumpkin, about an alien squash who gives children advice after first asking them, in a thick Polish accent, What you want, sonny boy?. Funeral Friday 9:30 a.m. from Modell Funeral Home, 12641 W. 143rd St. Homer Glen to Sts. Oops, something didn't work. His record label, Bel-Aire Recordings, and his son, Eddie Blazonczyk Jr., said Tuesday that Blazonczyk died of natural causes Monday at a hospital in the Chicago suburb of Palos Heights. BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (CBS) -- Eddie Blazonczyk, the man known as Chicago's polka king, has died at the age of 70. <p> Try again later. Blazonczyk was a member of the association's Polka Music Hall of Fame. Be sure to visit Rogers you tube channel for more great videos He was born in Chicago to Polish immigrant . Blazonczyk was born to Polish immigrant parents on July 12, 1941, in Chicago. Jerry Tokarz, Ed Wolinski, Jim Sierzega, Eddie Blazonczyk, Rich Tokarz & Jerry Darlak - The Versatones The younger Blazonczyk described his father as a kind of music mogul, a founding member of the International Polka Association, a disc jockey and polka music promoter who ran a publishing company and music school. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. . 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Eddie Blazonczyk Sr. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. He was 70. Palos Heights, Cook County, Illinois, USA. He was 70. CHICAGO (AP) Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and label, has died. Search by Name. Please reset your password. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. memorial page for Eddie Blazonczyk Sr. (12 Jul 1941-21 May 2012), Find a Grave Memorial ID 90601289, citing Resurrection Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleums, . cemeteries found in Justice, Cook County, Illinois, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Learn more about merges. He was named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow in 1998. Search above to list available cemeteries. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website, Edward A. Blazonczyk Sr., 70, beloved husband of Christine Tish nee Zielinski; loving father of Katherine, Edward Jr. (Cheryl) and Anthony (Rena); cherished grandfather of Cayle, Anya and Anthony Jr.; dearest brother of Louise (the late Alfred) Kurek; proud uncle of many nieces and nephews; special thanks to his caregiver Bronislawa Leciak. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Many of his dozens of albums feature him singing in English on one side and perfectly enunciated Polish on the other. Created with sketchtool. Cyril & Methodius Church, Lemont, Mass 11 a.m. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Rest in Peace my friend. GREAT NEWS! The band formed in 1962 and toured North America and Europe. They knew it wasn't 'She's Too Fat For Me' or 'Roll Out the Barrel.' Though his focus remained on the polka genre, Blazonczyk was a fan of rock, country, bluegrass and Cajun music and liked to incorporate those styles into his music when he felt it was appropriate. Blazonczyk Sr. died Monday morning of natural causes in Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights, said his son. The Versatones played their last performance on New Year's Eve, 2011. This account has been disabled. OBITUARY Edward Eddie A. Blazonczyk Sr. July 12, 1941 - May 21, 2012. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Eddie Blazonczyk, a polka singer and bandleader who led bouncing, swaying, beer-hoisting dances for generations of Americans as one of that small genre's biggest fish, died on Monday in Palos Heights, Ill. EDDIE BLAZONCZYK OBITUARY. CHICAGO (AP) - Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and label, has died. Within two years of that decision, Eddie Jr. said, his father was on tour nationally, playing polka music. Great Great Pumpkin,'' about an alien squash who gives children advice after first asking them, in a thick Polish accent, ''What you want, sonny boy?''. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. There was hardly any pay. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. His parents operated music clubs in the city and he started playing in the 1950s with "Happy Eddie and his Polka Jesters," performing at Polish festivities. "After hearing his style of the music they weren't afraid of polka anymore. He was 70. He was 70. He retired in 2001 after suffering health problems. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you. By the time Mr. Blazonczyk began his career, it was receding from the mainstream, but the music, and the social rituals surrounding it, held a place in some Americans ethnic identity. In an interview on Tuesday, Eddie Blazonczyk Jr. said he once asked his father why he gave up playing rock n roll and turned to polka. Blazonczyk retired in 2001 after suffering a stroke, and his son took over his band, Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones. When I got back to Chicago, I saw the crowds coming out for Marion Lush and Lil Wally, and I wanted to try my hand at that.. (The polka category was eliminated in 2009.). For a communitywhere polka is an important part of their traditional heritage, he maintained it, promoted it, gave it a voice, Jim Bessman, a music journalist and longtime polka aficionado, said of Mr. Blazonczyk.
Norman Period Of Policing System,
Prednisone 20 Mg Dosage Instructions,
Is Harry Enten Married,
Articles E