Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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YANKOVIC, Frankie

(b 28 July 1915, Davis WV; d 14 Oct. 1998, Tampa FL) Accordionist, singer, bandleader. Grew up in Cleveland OH; self-taught, was playing professionally at 15; first recorded '32 on his own label and led the best-known of all USA polka bands, making dance-hall crowds happy for 60 years. He was the best-known practitioner of the Slovenian style, heavy on accordion and reeds including clarinet, as opposed to the Polish style, brassy and faster. He would play for hours on his feet, while other accordionists played sitting down. He had a national top ten hit '48 with 'Just Because', then the lovely Czech tune 'Blue Skirt Waltz' charted '49 for 26 weeks, both with vocalist Johnny Pecon. Yankovic received the first-ever polka Grammy '85.