Eddie Blazonczyk, Sr. (pronounced bluh-zon-check) (July 12, 1941 – May 21, 2012) was a Grammy award-winning polka musician and founder of the band The Versatones. He earnt the name “Polka King” and was inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame in 1970, and was a 1998 National Heritage Fellowship recipient. He has been called "one of the most important figures in the creation of the contemporary Polish-American polka sound." He released more than 60 albums.
The son of immigrants from the rural Tatras Mountains region of southern Poland, Blazonczyk grew up surrounded by music. His mother, who directed a traditional gorale (highland) band, and his father, who played cello in a gorale band, operated ballrooms in Chicago, where Blazonczyk was exposed to the leading polka musicians of the '40s and '50s.
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. During this period Blazonczyk toured with Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent and Brenda Lee.
Making his professional debut with a rockabilly band, Eddie Bell & His Hill Boppers, Blazonczyk formed a rock group, Eddie Bell & His Bell Aires, in 1957. He played many instruments but preferred the bass. In addition to appearing on American Bandstand, the group released rockabilly sides, and novelty songs. "The Great Great Pumpkin", released on Lucky Four #1012, is probably the most noteworthy of these recordings.
This recording is still occasionally heard around Halloween and is highly sought by record collectors. 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. Blazonczyk has said, "I took his advice, and never regretted it.”
In 1963, Blazonczyk switched to polka music and formed the Versatones. A six-piece group, the Versatones expanded the musical genre to include rock & roll, country & western, Cajun, and Tex-Mex influences. With slower tempos than the East Coast style of polka, the Versatones' sound has been compared to the second-line shuffle rhythms of New Orleans marching bands.
Blazonczyk is credited with inventing the rhythmic polka subgenre known as "Chicago push," although ironically the name given to the style comes from bands who came after and were inspired by Blazonczyk, notably te Chicago Push. Among his signature songs were “Angeline Be Mine Polka” and “Polka Hero.”
Musicologist Norm Cohen wrote that "in his illustrious career, Blazonczyk and his Versatones were the primary ambassadors of Polish-American polka, touring constantly and playing well over 200 road gigs per year." The Versatones played a mix of both traditional and original tunes, with Blazonczyk singing in both Polish and English.
The band consisted of a fiddler and concertina player, two trumpeter/clarinetists, a drummer and Blazonczyk himself on vocals and electric bass. 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.
In addition to 11 Grammy nominations, Blazonczyk and the group received Grammy Awards for their 1986 album Polka Celebration and their 1998 collection Shakin', Not Stirred. In 1998, Blazonczyk received a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship, which is the highest honour in the folk and traditional arts in the United States.
Blazonczyk retired from performing after after having a stroke in late 2001. He turned over responsibility for his band, The Versatones, to his son, Eddie Blazonczyk Jr., a concertina player. The group also featured Eric Koltkamper (accordion, keyboards), Rich Kois (trumpet, clarinet), Joe O'Such (trumpet), and Pete Pirucki (drums). Blazonczyk's wife, Tish, whom he met at a dance in 1962, operated the family business Bel-Aire Enterprises and co-hosted a four-hour-per-week radio show.
The group continued recording as the 21st century opened, releasing Under the Influence in 2005, followed by Batteries Not Included in 2007. The Versatones played their last performance on New Year's Eve, 2011. Blazonczyk died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome at a hospital in the Chicago suburb of Palos Heights, Ill., on May 21, 2012. He was 70.
(Edited from AllMusic & Wikipedia)