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Lenny Gomulka
Living Category -
Inducted 1988
Lenny Gomulka at age 5 took an
immediate interest in polka music. He especially liked the drums which
he self-taught himself in spare time. His formal training began at age
11 when inspired by his mother to take trumpet instruction.
 Before
organizing his own polka band, Lenny spent his years as a sideman. He
performed with and/or recorded with every top reigning polka band in
Chicago during the past 24 years with no exceptions. He attributes his
drive, persistence and success to the help of his brother Richie
Gomulka, a former bandleader in the 60's and 70's and guided Lenny in
his early years.
To date, Lenny Gomulka at age 36
accumulates 24 legitimate years of professional musical experience. In
this time he has recorded in excess of 50 long playing record albums
with over 25 different artists. Not only has he recorded in the polka
circle, but in the modern and Spanish fields as well.
In addition he is a songwriter, arranger,
composer, vocalist, lyricist and disc jockey. His accomplishments began
in early years. He was 1st-place Winner on the Ron Terry Talent Show"
formerly aired in Chicago on WGN-TV Channel 9 back in 1963. He was lst
Place winner for 3 consecutive years in competition with the entire
Catholic Archdiocese - City of Chicago on both trumpet and clarinet. He
was awarded by the "Versatones Polka Fan Club of Chicago" for
contributing to the popularity of Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones. He has
been voted trumpet player of the year and clarinet and saxophone player
of the year by the membership of the United Polka Association
International. In addition to all of the above, his band Lenny Gomulka
and the Chicago Push have received over 15 Awards by various polka
organizations throughout the United States. Lenny has been voted "Best
Male Vocalist" by the United States Polka Association for 2 years. In
1986 Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push were nominated for the first
Polka"Grammy" Award in history.
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