Popularity
"When asked about the greatest places he ever appeared, he replied that the band drew their biggest crowds at Lakeside and Lakewood Ballrooms in Barnesville, Pennsylvania numbering over 3,000,000 polka lovers." The emergence of Rock and Roll music provided tough competition, and Solek suggested disc jockeys who run polka programs play more tunes with English lyrics. He was a DJ at WMMW in Meriden, Connecticut starting in 1947.
Walt was known for his exuberant performances and unusual outfits, and he wasn't bothered by criticism deriding the polka music form "He was a musician, a showman, an actor, and an entertainer." When he was home, Walt lived with his wife, Marilyn, and son, Joe, the drummer in his orchestra, son Tom and daughter Anita.
Solek's popularity was helped by his ability to effectively mix comedy and polka together. His song "Who Stole the Kishka?" (originally spelled Keeshka) has been a popular popular party tune since it was recorded in the '50s with English Lyrics. The song was also a hit for the Matys Brothers who recorded it in 1963, and has been performed regularly by other bands and remains a cult classic. His 1981 recording of "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay" or "We Don't Have Any Money (but We Have a Lot of Fun)" was also popular.
His motto was "Bringing people together through music!". He played polka music during a time when polka was considered un-cool, competing with Elvis and The Beatles, but "he knew how to have a good time and he also new how to make people laugh and forget their worries for a while."
Walt was inducted into the International Polka Association Hall of Fame in 1974. He was a parishioner of St. Stanislaus Church.
Read more about this topic: Walt Solek
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