Comments on: Groundhog Day

By: Slovenian Guest

Slovenian Guest — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 14:35:39 +0000

And it gets better! Frankie the polka king enlisted in the armed forces in 1943, and cut numerous records while on leave prior to his departure for Europe. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge where a severe case of frostbite nearly required the amputation of his hands and feet. Fortunately, he was able to beat the gangrene before that became necessary, and was awarded a Purple Heart. The doctors urged him to have his fingers amputated, but he refused, as that would have ended his music career. After getting out of the hospital, he and four other musicians were assigned to special services to entertain the troops, including General George Patton and his Third United States Army.

By: Slovenian Guest

Slovenian Guest — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 22:56:11 +0000

Speaking of, while Americans watch paint dry on public TV to relax (Bob Ross), we here in my neck of the woods have Alpenpanorama. Every morning, two hours of live web-cam footage from the alps accompanied by light instrumental polka music, very relaxing. The alps are the highest and most extensive mountain range that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately 750 miles across eight countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, and Switzerland. There is nothing better to have playing in the background, white noise indeed! Here is a massive 100 item YouTube playlist with that.

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 12:46:44 +0000

I’m reminded of an interview I saw, where the head of Fender pointed out that the best-selling musical instrument in America was, until the 1960s, not the guitar, but the accordion.

By: Slovenian Guest

Slovenian Guest — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 03:30:00 +0000

I have the Pennsylvania Polka, which was "popularized" in Groundhog Day and performed by Frankie Yankovic, still as my wake-up alarm ringtone. Jankovic was, you won't believe it, born to Slovene immigrant parents! It all comes around... He was considered the premier artist to play and rarely strayed from Slovenian-style polka. At his peak, Yankovic traveled extensively and performed 325 shows a year. He sold 30 million records during his lifetime and won the first Grammy awarded for a polka album in 1986!