Texas Polka News - May 2020 Volume 32 | Isssue 15 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Texas Covering Polka Dance Hall Music Since 1987News 2 Bohemian Princess Diary eresa Cernoch Parker e New Polka Normal ALL QUIET ON THE SOCIAL 3 Editor’s Log Gary E. McKee DANCING FRONT Lawrence Welk Was Cool! By Gary E. McKee Story on Page 4 3 From our readers 4-6 Featured Story Social Dancing Hostyn Picnic 2019 6 PoLK of A Report 8 Music Review & DJ Profi le Darrel Appelt 9 Wunnerful Welk Cont'd. 10-13 Dances, Festivals, Live Music 13 Boerne Village Band 14 Village Band & Welk Cont'd. 15 Band ads 16 Polka Smiles Sponsored by Slovacek's 2 Texas Polka News - May 2020 Bohemian Princess canceled and rescheduled. When Texas Polka News Staff in doubt please call the venue or eresa Cernoch Parker, Publisher Diary organization to make sure events Gary E. McKee, Editor/Photo Journalist are still taking place. Je Brosch, Artist/Graphic Designer As for TPN, which relies heavily Contributors: Louise Barcak Mark Hiebert John Roberts on ad revenue from events and Justin Everett Karen Williams Kurtz Will Seegers dance venues, I have made the Lauren Haase Julie Matus Rose Vrazel dicult decision to change the Walt Harfmann Earline Berger Okruhlik George Weber Joe Cool Pavlicek Harvey Wise publishing schedule from monthly to every other month. I don't know Contact how long this will last, possibly By Theresa Cernoch Parker until the end of the year. eresa Parker, Texas Polka News [email protected] 118 Vintage Park Blvd, Suite 443 • Houston, TX 77070 281-836-5362 PRINT SCHEDULE & AD [email protected] | Gary: [email protected] With the onset of the COVID-19 DEADLINES pandemic in our country, I thought No June issue Ads/Media last month's column was hard to July issue, deadline for ads, June 1 Articles, ads, letters to the editor deadline: 1st of the month for the next month write, until I sat down to pen this No August issue Ad Rates 1/3 page: $185 1/8: $65 one. So much uncertainty, so much September issue, which we will Full page: $475 1/4 page: $125 1/16: $40 worrying, so much anxiety. I am attempt to include our annual 1/2 page: $250 3/16 page: $95 comforted by a line from my latest Oktoberfest Guide, deadline for Discounts available for multiple runs. Combo deals available for ads in TPN and polkabeat.com. Special ad rates for Spring/Summer Fest Guide published in March, & favorite Bible reading from Romans ads, August 1 - Hope does not disappoint. Oktoberfest Guide published in August. Contact eresa Parker for information. No October issue I have also been comforted by November issue, deadline for ads, social media, believe it or not. I On The Cover October 1 don't check Facebook every day or Mark Hermes and e Czechaholics were to have played at the Hostyn No December issue every hour like some do, but I have church picnic on May 3, but it has been canceled. Gary E. McKee been checking it more. It is great captured this photo of Mark playing A Ja Sam. Inset photo by Julie If the timeline for allowing Matus shows a crowded dance oor last year. to see what our subscribers are large gatherings changes for the doing - baking kolaches; making positive, then we can adjust the About Texas Polka News incredible meals that would make print schedule. my husband say, "You know how e Texas Polka News was started by Julius who resumed publishing in September Until then check out these Tupa of Houston in 1987 with the mission 2014. In addition to polka, the paper covers much they would charge for that YouTube channels to help you to preserve and promote polka music and other dance hall music including Country, in a restaurant?"; dancing in the dance. When Julius passed away in 2002, Western Swing, and Cajun, and celebrates polka on! Mollie B & Squeezebox, his wife, Marie, continued as publisher, live music, such as Opry, across the state. garage, the driveway, the yard; Alex Meixner Band, Buttonboxes and Julius' friend, John Rivard, took the eresa also founded polkabeat.com in harvesting gardens; enjoying reins as volunteer editor. John stepped 2010 to honor the memory of her dad, by Walt Harfmann, George Weber, sunsets; teaching their kids; down as editor in June 2014, and Marie Willie “Bill” Cernoch, to promote polka and e Manaccordionist Kelsey sold the paper to eresa Cernoch Parker, music and heritage. shing; praying; celebrating Mass Lien. Visit our polkabeat Facebook online; taking walks; watching page often as Gary posts music by videos of musicians performing on Get/Give The Texas Polka News several artists, including Sean Orr, their porches, in their houses, and Al Sulak, Jerry Haisler, Das Ist Continue the polka tradition! One year (12 issues + 2 festival guides) for only $25. Clip this country stores. Lustig, and Brian Marshall. out & mail check for $25 (outside U.S. $45) to e Texas Polka News 5715 Spanish Oak As it turned out, all dances, Dr., Houston, TX 77066. Give 2 gift subscriptions for only $20 each, or 3 or more for only You can also listen to the polka $15 each. Go to texaspolkanews.com to subscribe or renew online with a credit card. e festivals, and church picnics in radio shows. See the ads on page 7 paper is also available in an e-edition for only $20. April were canceled or postponed. and tune in locally or online. Many venues, clubs, and churches Name ___________________________________________________________ Stay hopeful. Pray. Eat kolaches. Street ___________________________________________________________ have decided to cancel May events Drink some Shiner. POLKA as well. If you haven't done so, City _________________________________ ST ________ Zip _____________ ONline! Go to polkabeat.com to Ph _____________________ Email____________________________________ bookmark polkabeat.com on your sign up for the free weekly eblast internet browser as we promise to sent each ursday to keep in ❏ New ❏ Renewal ❏ Gift ❏ Address change (include old address) keep you informed when events are touch with Texas music. Texas Polka News - May 2020 3 quickly followed by Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl From Our Readers Editor's Log Perkins, and Johnny Cash, the music scene both rhythmically and categorically was all Really enjoyed your story shook up. Lawrence was still moving on yet staying musically at one speed. on Welk. I never knew he Lawrence Welk Gets Since we have mentioned Elvis and was in Texas that much. The accordion on the same page; this writer once a Bad Rap received a phone call ranting about how Elvis comment about Harry James's had killed the future of accordion music. parents owning a circus. The Apparently, this gentleman had not listened to Elvis’ version of Wooden Heart which featured story I got was they both Jimmy Haskell playing accordion all over it worked in the Haag Brothers' (thank you, Justin). Pop music had split along age lines, Circus. I think his dad was younger folks followed guitar driven rock a musician. Harry's middle and the older folks followed a more mellow sound that was driven by Mitch Miller. In name is Haag because they addition to his own recordings and television polka show. e typical show had solo and were good friends with the show (Sing Along With Mitch and follow group dancing, solo and group singers, solo owners. Looking forward to By Gary E. McKee the bouncing ball), Miller was the head guy musicians, and the whole orchestra was led [email protected] on the Columbia Records label. His label by Lawrence. e music was hit songs of next month's follow-up. managed Percy Faith, Ray Coni , Johnny the times (Welki ed), mixed with oldies Mathis, Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Dinah (1930s-40s), and polkas and waltzes. He Roy Haag, New Braunfels Polkadate May 2020. Hunkered down in Shore, and Jo Sta ord, all excellent singers, played Julida, the Pennsylvania Polka, and the suburbs of Fayetteville. Last month we but somewhat lacking in the excitement that other familiar tunes that Texian polka dancers discussed about the importance of Texas to youth record buyers demanded. Miller was would know. He was inducted into the It is sad with all the so focused that he didn’t think that Elvis, International Polka Association in 1994. On Lawrence Welk in his early years. We shall polkas Lawrence and/or Myron Floren would cancellations. TCGS (Texas now dispel the image of Welk as someone Buddy Holly, and e Beatles would ever make any money for Columbia and passed on play the accordion. Czech Genealogy Society) will who caused the decline of the popularity of signing them (they were mostly crooners, not e only comedian on the show was be cancelling our June event polka music. Lawrence’s dance music that he kept playing). Lawrence’s friend, Jack Benny. Until the As most people age, very few age musically; late 1950s, polka music was popular on the also. Enjoying the write-up on Lawrence Welk has long been blamed for the what they loved and danced to in the prime radio and was enjoyed by millions. Frankie Lawrence Welk! Polka On! disappearance of polka music in the United of their lives was still the best music that was Yankovic was the Polka King of America. States. In the 1960s, his style of music was ever made. (Lawrence kept his slowly aging BTW, Yankovic somehow got a recording Dotty Davis, Austin declared un-hip, un-cool, un-fashionable, fan base). contract with Miller’s Columbia Records, but un-popular, and square by the media.