EDDIE BLAZONCZYK OBITUARY. Let others know about your loved one's death. 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 . "He attracted so many people to the polka audience, whereas previously they were scared away by the word polka," Eddie Blazonczyk Jr. said. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. Privacy Policy |Terms of service |Subscription terms |Your ad choices |Cookie Settings |California Privacy Rights |About Us |Contact Newsday |Reprints & permissions |Advertise with Newsday |Help. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Search above to list available cemeteries. Blkazonczyk won a Grammy in 1987 for Best Polka Recording for "Another Polka Celebration." 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. Add to your scrapbook. ''For a community where 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. PHOTO: Eddie Blazonczyk in 1986, the year before he won a Grammy. The Versatones, which picked up a Grammy in 1987, played its last show on Dec. 31, 2011. The association said on its website that Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones was unchallenged in its height as Americas No. Polka had a moment of broad popularity in the postwar years, when musicians like Frank Yankovic had million-selling hits. He was 70. Eddie Blazonczyk, Sr. (July 12, 1941 - May 21, 2012) was a Grammy award-winning polka musician and founder of the band The Versatones. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? He was inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame in 1970, and was a 1998 National Heritage Fellowship recipient. But polka was growing. As a teenager, Mr. Blazonczyk played in rock 'n' roll bands and toured with Buddy Holly and Gene Vincent. This account has been disabled. The band formed in 1962, after Blazonczyk's brief venture into pop music that landed him on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand," and toured the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe. Blazonczyk Sr. died Monday morning of natural causes in Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights, said his son. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. 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. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Musician. Created with sketchtool. Obituaries Section Created with sketchtool. For decades, his group was unchallenged as America's number 1 polka band by the International Polka Association and he was inducted into the Polka Music Hall of Fame. His label, Bel-Aire Recordings, confirmed the death but did not disclose the cause. Blazonczyk was known as the "Polka King" and started his own polka music label in the 1960s. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. He won a GRAMMY win came in 1986 for Best Polka Recording . There are no volunteers for this cemetery. 1 Polka Band. Mr. Blazonczyk was a member of the associations Polka Music Hall of Fame. He met his wife, the former Christine Zielinski, known as Tish, at a polka dance in 1962. He was named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow in 1998. At that time, he turned over responsibility for his band, The Versatones, to his son, Eddie Blazonczyk Jr. 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. 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. When I got back to Chicago, I saw the crowds coming out for Marion Lush and Li'l Wally, Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? He joined the Versatones, so named because of their versatility. Learn more about merges. In Memory Of Edward Eddie A. Blazonczyk Sr. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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. Blazonczyk was born to Polish immigrant parents on July 12, 1941, in Chicago. In the world of polka invisible to many Americans but a steady cultural presence in parts of the Midwest and elsewhere Mr. Blazonczyk was one of the few figures to find a national audience. I found on Findagrave.com. By Ben Sisario. Thats why he was called the Polka King. He was the top guy.. During these years Richie Tokarz was the recipient of numerous awards for his talents as a musician and for his song writing ability. In 1998, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton presented Eddie Blazonczyk presented him with a National Endowment for the Arts 1998 National Heritage Fellowship award. 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. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The band toured widely, and through his label, his store, two radio shows and other activities, he was a constant presence in the polka world. Please reset your password. He was 70. Year should not be greater than current year. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. She and their son Eddie Jr. survive him, as do another son, Anthony; a daughter, Katherine; and three grandchildren. Cyril & Methodius Church, Lemont, Mass 11 a.m. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. He started the record label in 1963. 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. Then, five years ago last month, Blazonczyk suffered a stroke that affected his left side. Funeral Friday 9:30 a.m. from Modell Funeral Home, 12641 W. 143rd St. Homer Glen to Sts. Created with sketchtool. With a warm tenor and a heavy hand on his electric bass, Mr. Blazonczyk (pronounced bluh-ZON-check) created Chicago push, a subgenre of the Polish polka style characterized by its rhythmic drive and the loud bellows shake of the accordion. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. [1], Before becoming a polka artist, and founding Chicago-based Bel-Aire Records in 1963, Eddie Blazonczyk recorded under the name Eddy Bell for Mercury Records, Versa Records, and Lucky Four Records, all three labels based in Chicago. 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. He was 70. He was the top guy.". He won a Grammy Award, kept a vigorous touring schedule He was 70. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. He met his wife, the former Christine Zielinski, known as Tish, at a polka dance in 1962. The band consisted of a fiddler and concertina[10] player, two trumpeter/clarinetists, a drummer and Blazonczyk himself on vocals and electric bass. Dubbed the "Polka King", he was noted for revolutionizing the traditional polka style by infusing it with rock, Cajun, zydeco and country into his own polka music. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. They knew it was an evolution of the music.". Also music for daddy-o's by Horace Silver, Johnny Cash, Lightnin' Hopkins, Gene Austin, and Regina Carter. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. In 1963 he After hearing his style of the music they werent afraid of polka anymore. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. I had what I refer to as \"the best seat in the house\"! He retired after having a stroke in late 2001, and his son led the Versatones until disbanding it last year. 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. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. started his label, Bel-Aire, and released the band's first album, ''Polka Parade''; more than 60 albums followed. Some of his biggest hits include Angeline Be Mine Polka and Poor Boy Polka.. 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 . Before becoming a polka artist he was a rock-a-billy instrumentalist who preferred to play bass and sing, recording for Mecury Records as Eddie Bell and the Bel-Aires in the 1950s. This recording is still occasionally heard around Halloween and is highly sought by record collectors. Let others know about your loved one's death. All rights reserved. There is a problem with your email/password. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Grief Support. He was 70. The band formed in 1962, after Blazonczyk's brief venture into pop music that landed him on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand," and toured the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. 1 Polka Band." Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. "For them this is truly the day that the music died," Blazonczyk said. Weve updated the security on the site. This is a carousel with slides. 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.. He retired after having a stroke in late 2001, and his son led the Versatones until disbanding it last year. He was 70. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Review. EDDIE BLAZONCZYK OBITUARY. There was a problem getting your location. accordion. '', 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. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? He was very good at what he did, said Dave Ulczycki, president of the International Polka Association. 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. There was hardly any pay. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Learn more about managing a memorial . You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. 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. For a time, Blazonczyk performed pop music with Mercury Records as "Eddie Bell and the Bel-Aires," when he appeared on "American Bandstand." Sorry! I cannot thank him enough for all th. He was 70. Drag images here or select from your computer for Eddie Blazonczyk Sr. memorial. 1992 Returned with Marion Lush. Blazonczyk was a member of the association's Polka Music Hall of Fame. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 400,000 families a year. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. The cause was multiple organ failure, said his son Eddie Jr., who took over the operation of his fathers band, the Versatones, in 1997. She and their son Eddie Jr. survive him, as do another son, Anthony; a daughter, Katherine; and three grandchildren. Those songs included ''The Masked Man (Hi Yo Silver)'' and ''The Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Among his signature songs were ''Angeline Be Mine Polka'' and ''Polka Hero. 1985 Member of Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push. Sign the Guest Book. Yet Mr. Blazonczyk was also devoted to Polish musical customs. Of natural causes in Palos Heights, said his son led the Versatones and going tour... Music died, '' Blazonczyk said and released the band 's first album, `` Polka.... 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