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Walter Ostanek
Living Category -
Inducted 1983
Ladislav John Ostanek was born of Yugoslavian
parents on April 20, in Duperquet, Quebec, an only child. When he was
five years old, his family moved to the St. Catharines area. At the age
of nine, Walter began playing the Button Diatonic accordion. Without
formal training, he progressed at a remarkable rate. When he was twelve
years old, Walter received his first piano accordion. Four years later,
in 1951, Walter Ostanek formed his first Country and Western-Polka
Band. After two years, he joined with Abbie Andrews & his Canadian
Ranch Boys working on their radio show three times weekly. At the age
of twenty-one, Walter once again formed his own group.
 On
Saturday, January 26, 1957, this new band played its first engagement at
the German Village in Niagara Falls, Ontario. After thirteen years of
study, hard work and dedication, the Walter Ostanek Band was now a
reality.
On February 22, 1957, Walter and his lovely wife
Irene were married. With a family of two children, Richard Walter, and
Cheryl Susan, they now make their home in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Other than working with the band, Walter owns the Walter Ostanek Music
Centre, Ltd., 41 Geneva St., St. Catharines, Ontario.
The title, Canada’s Polka King, is not just
a name. When the Walter Ostanek Band appears in public, they always do
their best to please and keep their audience happy. Through this kind
of dedication, Walter has accomplished many memorable steps.
For ten years, he had a weekly Radio Show on CHOW
Radio in Welland, Ontario. His own TV Show “Polka Party” appeared
weekly on CHCH TV, Channel 11, Hamilton, Ontario for four years. At
present, Walter has a “Polka Show” CKTB 610 AM on your dial every
Saturday night, 5:15-7:00pm, a Fiddle Country Show Saturdays
7:00-8:00pm, CJQR 97.7 FM, radio dial, in St. Catharines, Ontario.
The Down Home Country Show is on every Sunday,
radio CJQR 97.7 FM 6:00-7:00pm, St. Catharines. Also, his own TV Show
is on CKCO Channel 13, Kitchener, Ontario, “It’s Polka Time” on Sunday
nights, 6:30pm. Walter also appears frequently as a guest on Polka
Varieties, Channel 5, Cleveland, Ohio.
Since his first LP album, “Gay Continental Dance
Party” recorded in 1963, Walter has recorded many albums and numerous
singles. In 1974, Walter received a Gold Record from Arc Record Co. as
presented by “America’s Polka King”, Frankie Yankovic. Walter received
a Plaque from “Polka TV Variety Show”, Cleveland, Ohio, for dedicated
work in the polka field. Walter appeared as a guest with Frankie
Yankovic on the Johnny Carson Show, also on the Phil Donohue Show, along
with Lawrence Welk, in March 1975, and in 1977, he was on the Don Ho
Show at the Polynesian Palace in Honolulu, Hawaii. In March 1979,
Walter received a Silver Award, 2nd prize for a one-hour
Christmas Special. Two hundred independent TV Stations in Canada
participated in this event. In August 1979, he toured Yugoslavia,
Italy, and Austria with son, Richard, and Frankie Yankovic. This past
year, Walter appeared with such artists as Roy Clark, Freddie Hart,
Ronnie Milsap, Oakridge Boys and other notables.
Walter appeared on the SS Vera Cruz for a week in
1983, along with fifteen All Time Polka Great Bandleaders. Walter also
appeared in 1981 for one week on the S.S. Norway, the largest cruise
ship in the world, leaving Miami, Florida.
Walter was honored in Cleveland, Ohio in 1982 for
his 25 years as a Band Leader and for Promotion of Polka Music. |
