Frankie Spetich staked out the Magic City of Barberton, Ohio, as the province over which he would shine as a beacon of Cleveland-Style Polkas. Over sixty years, Barberton's Polka King assumed the roles of musician, bandleader, songwriter, radio personality, teacher, and promoter of the Slovenian culture he nearly shunned as a young child assimilating American society. Mastering clarinet and trumpet and singing with the Slovenian Godba group as a youth, Frank started his first polka band in 1941. Returning from the service in 1946, seasoned by a big band regimen, Frank formed the Melody Makers with brother John and Frank Zupec, his drummer until his passing in 1991. The band became the Frankie Spetich Orchestra in 1949 when Frank became its accordionist. Beginning in 1953, Frank cut singles and albums on the Q-Cue, Spotlight, and Peppermint labels, incorporating the Ding Dong Polka, Pony Tail Polka, and over 35 additional Spetich compositions. Apart from his own groups, Frank cut with Ted Zalac, Al Barker, and Walter Ostanek. The band was a frequent guest on Johnny Vadnal's Polka Parade, and appeared on the Polka Varieties and Stylecrest TV shows. Frank began his broadcast career in 1953 with a live band show on WCUE in Akron and continued with his Slovenian Melodies program on stations WUAP, WZIP, and WAPS in Akron beginning in 1982. Frank's impact has been multiplied many times over through the students he has tutored on accordion, button box, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, clarinet, flute, guitar and bass since 1949. Frank opened his Magic City Music Store in 1957 where he took on as many as 100 students at a time.
Check out the classic music on CD today!
Track Listing:
1. Prima Donna Polka
2. Rocky Bye Polka
3. Half and Half Polka
4. Sing, Sing, Sing Polka
5. Polka Re, Polka Ra
6. Are You The Girl?
7. Polka Time Polka
8. Connie’s Waltz
9. Cross My Heart
10. I’ll Be Your Girl
11. Stop and Go Polka
12. Pony Tail Polka
13. My Darling Polka
14. My True Love Waltz
15. Ricky’s Polka
16. I Dream Of You Waltz
17. Ding Dong Polka
18. Esther’s Waltz