The IPA's Joe Jozwiak Special Achievement Award was bestowed upon Linda Niewierowski at the Festival of Bands in Chicago, Illinois, on January 16, 2011.

Linda is the current IPA Treasurer, a position she has held for several years, and is also one of the International Polka Associations DJ's. You can hear her on the radio on WPNA (1490 AM, Chicago) at 10:00 a.m. (CT) on Sunday or via the internet at http://www.wpna1490am.com .

She is also the Chairman of the IPA Hall of Fame Banquet and books all the bands performing at the festival.

Linda was a former United Polka Association (UPA) Polka Queen, former Treasurer for UPA’s Chicago Chapter and a recent USPA Reporter of the Year.

IPA RE-RELEASES 1971 ALBUM

The International Polka Association is proud to re-release a unique and entertaining polka recording. It represents the combined efforts and cooperation of the participating record manufacturers, performers, composers and publishers. Never before has a similar collection of talent been assembled for any other polka recording. Here for the first time is a treasure of divergent band sounds, instrumentations, stylings representative of many nationalities and geographical localities, various tempos characteristic and the various moods of polka music.

Billy Belina and Todd Zaganiacz remastered the CD. Sincere gratitude is extended to everyone who assisted in making this recording become a reality.

This recording contains all of the necessary ingredients to satisfy the most selective of polka audiences. It is a must for your polka library.

The IPA has re-released the original 1971 LP album on CD at $15.00 plus $2.00 for postage and handling. You can order a copy by mailing a check or money order to: IPA CD Sales, 4608 S. Archer Avenue, Chicago, IL 60632, enclosing a check for $17.00. All proceeds will benefit the continuance of polka music on the IPA Radio Show and on the Internet.

Be sure to provide your full name, address, city, state and zip code. Add your phone number so that the IPA can call if your if there is any question about your order.

IPA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Members are very important to the International Polka Association! With the dues we collect, we are able to pay the month operating expenses of the International Polka Association. Our current membership is at 745 people. Our goal is to reach 1000 members, but we need your help! The Officers and Directors of Illinois voted to have a membership drive and incentive program.

If you sign up ten (10) new members, we will send you a $20 gift card to Walmart^®, Target^®, Chili's^®, Olive Garden^®, Red Lobster^® or Walgreens^®.

This is how the program will work. Current Members of the Association must sign up Ten (10) NEW Members (not members renewing membership.)

Current members must sign the recommended by line on the membership form. Only one person will get credit for signing up the new member.

You will have one (1) year from the date you sign up your first member to get the other 9 new members. So, if you sign up your first new member on November 1, 2010, you will have until November 1, 2011 to get the other 9 new members.

Once you have signed up ten (10) NEW members, you need to contact Christy Krawisz at 630-204-1793 or e-mail her at: Christy-ipa@sbcglobal.net . Let her know the names of the ten people. She will verify it and then you can choose your $20.00 gift card. It is as easy as that!

Click Membership Application or it can be mailed to you by request. Note that the membership dues must be sent to the IPA with the application.

Should you have any questions, please call, mail or e-mail Christy: Christy-ipa@sbcglobal.net, (630) 204-1793 or Christy Krawisz, Financial Secretary, International Polka Association, 4608 S. Archer Avenue, Chicago, IL 60632.

JERRY DARLAK LOSES
BATTLE WITH CANCER

Jerry Darlak, leader of the Buffalo Touch, one of the nation’s most popular polka bands, died on September 8, 2010, when he lost his battle with cancer. In his many years as a working musician, he performed and recorded with the nation’s most prestigious polka orchestras.

Darlak was born in Chicago on September 22, 1946. He began his musical career behind a drum set at the age of 7. By age 12, he joined his first polka band. Within two years, at the age of 14, he was playing polka music three nights a week with his own band, The Lucky Stars.

Inspired by the great polka legend Li’l Wally Jagiello, Jerry Darlak became interested in the concertina and began lessons on that instrument at age 11. In 1962, at the age of 16, Jerry joined Li’l Richard Towalski’s band as a concertina player. Shortly after, at the famous Caldwell Woods on Chicago’s North Side, he was introduced to the international polka star, Marion Lush. Learning that Lush’s Musical Stars would soon be in need of a full-time drummer, Darlak asked Lush for an audition. Impressed with both the talent and enthusiasm that Darlak had to offer, Lush chose the high school junior to be the back beat of the Musical Stars.

Darlak played drums with Lush’s band until 1965, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. A member of the 7th U.S. Army, he auditioned for drummer with that division’s band. He won the position and performed throughout Germany and parts of Europe. He returned to the United States in February 1967, and was again a member of Lush’s Musical Stars. After nearly a decade as Marion Lush's drummer and concertina player, Darlak became a member of the Eddie Blazonczyk’s Versatones, joining that group in 1972. For the next 15-plus years, Darlak played concertina with the Versatones, performing as a full-time polka musician 42-44 weeks of the year.

Darlak retired from the Versatones in 1987, and moved to Cheektowaga, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo, New York. He joined the Bellares, one of Buffalo’s most respected polka groups, led by area polka legend "Big Steve" Krzeminski.

Jerry Darlak recorded over 600 songs on nearly 60 albums in his career, and has among his numerous citations two Grammy awards. He performed across the continental United States and Hawaii, Canada, Poland, Germany, and Austria.

His years of experience allowed Darlak to continue as a fill-in member of such groups as Lenny Gomulka’s Chicago Push, The Ampol Aires, Li'l Wally, Jackie Libera’s Classics, the Dyna-Tones and countless others. He was also a regular member of many ad hoc groups, such as Chet Kowalkowski’s Polish Carolers, and the Polish American Journal's Polish Village Musicians.

In 1995, when Big Steve Krzeminski decided to retire, he formed his own band, Jerry Darlak & The Touch. The band quickly became one of Buffalo’s most popular orchestras, concentrating on the solid "pod nogi" type of polka music on which Jerry Darlak was raised.

[The foregoing information is adapted from material written by Mark Kohan that appears at Jerry Darlak's Polka Music Hall of Fame page at this website and on the website of the Buffalo Touch.]

The Freddy K. Jr. Music Scholarship Committee is now accepting requests for applications for the 2011 Scholarship award. Applicants must be high school seniors who have been accepted to an accredited college and play a musical instrument.

Freddy K Jr. played trumpet in his father's band, The Freddy K Band, when he died in an automobile accident in July, 1997. Music, especially polka music, was Fred’s life and passion. His personality, sense of humor and love of Polka Music affected all who knew him.

The Music Scholarship Fund was set up to carry on where Fred left off by promoting polka music through the gift of a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving student every year. Each award is given at one of the polka Festivals during the summer.

Anyone who is interested in applying for this year's scholarship award can contact the, Scholarship Committee at The Freddy K Jr. Scholarship Fund, 50 Totten Drive, Bridgewater, NJ 08807.