Eddie Blazonczyk was born on July 12, 1941, in Chicago, the son of immigrants from the rural Tatras Mountains region of southern Poland. He was 70. Verify and try again. He was named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow in 1998. Mr. Blazonczyk played many instruments but preferred the bass, and he sang lyrics in both English and Polish. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He retired after having a stroke in late 2001, and his son led the Versatones until disbanding it last year. Failed to report flower. Edward A. Blazonczyk Sr., 70, beloved husband of Christine "Tish" nee Zielinski; loving father of Katherine, Edward Jr. (Cheryl) and Anthony (Rena); cherished grandfather of Cayle, Anya and Anthony Jr.; dearest brother of Louise (the late Alfred) Kurek; proud uncle of many . There was an error deleting this problem. Blazonczyk Sr. died Monday morning of natural causes in Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights, said his son. He was 70. All rights reserved. He was inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame in 1970, and was a 1998 National Heritage Fellowship recipient. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. and I wanted to try my hand at that.''. When I got back to Chicago, I saw the crowds coming out for Marion Lush and Lil Wally, and I wanted to try my hand at that.. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Search above to list available cemeteries. [5], Eddie Blazonczyk was born in Chicago, Illinois to Polish immigrant parents[6] of Goral heritage. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. In the world of polka -- invisible to many Americans but a steady cultural presence in parts of the Midwest and elsewhere -- Mr. Blazonczyk was one of the few figures to find a national audience. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. His parents, who were Polish immigrants, owned the Pulaski Ballroom, where young Edward saw Marion Lush, Walter Jagiello (known as Li'l Wally) and other leading polka acts of the day. "[9], The Versatones played a mix of both traditional and original tunes, with Blazonczyk singing in both Polish and English. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Also music for daddy-o's by Horace Silver, Johnny Cash, Lightnin' Hopkins, Gene Austin, and Regina Carter. I cannot thank him enough for all th. Live from Pulaski Polka Days - Pulaski, Wi 07/26/1985 - Published on Dec 3, 2006 by Rodgersins. Blazonczyk retired in 2001 after suffering a stroke, and his son took over his band, Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. The cause was multiple organ failure, said his son Eddie Jr., who took over the operation of his fathers band, the Versatones, in 1997. [1], Blazonczyk retired from performing in 2002. Blazonczyk played many instruments but preferred the bass, and he sang lyrics in both English and Polish. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? They knew it was an evolution of the music.". We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. He was 70. For a time, Blazonczyk performed pop music with Mercury Records as "Eddie Bell and the Bel-Aires," when he appeared on "American Bandstand." Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. NOTE: Special thanks to the Blazonczyk Family, and Polka fans everywhere for sharing your photos! ). His parents operated music clubs in the city and he started playing in the 1950s with Happy Eddie and his Polka Jesters, performing at Polish festivities. CARYN ROUSSEAU, The Associated Press. Cyril & Methodius Church, Lemont, Mass 11 a.m. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Year should not be greater than current year. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. In the world of polka invisible to many Americans but a steady cultural presence in parts of the Midwest and elsewhere Mr. Blazonczyk was one of the few figures to find a national audience. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Blazonczyk retired in 2001 after suffering a stroke, and his son took over his band, Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones. CHICAGO (AP) Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and label, has died. Review. By Ben Sisario. Try again. The association said on its website that Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones was unchallenged in its height as Americas No. Funeral Friday 9:30 a.m. from Modell Funeral Home, 12641 W. 143rd St. Homer Glen to Sts. Created with sketchtool. The Versatones, which picked up a Grammy in 1987, played their last show on Dec. 31, 2011. Send flowers or a gift to a service or family's home. Blazonczyk was born to Polish immigrant parents on July 12, 1941, in Chicago. There is a problem with your email/password. The association said on its website that Eddie Blazonczyk and the Versatones was "unchallenged in its height as America's No. [11], Blazonczyk died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on May 21, 2012. [3] He has been called "one of the most important figures in the creation of the contemporary Polish-American polka sound. Mr. Blazonczyk was born on July 12, 1941, in Chicago. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Try again later. OBITUARY Edward Eddie A. Blazonczyk Sr. July 12, 1941 - May 21, 2012. Share. He was 70. Blazonczyk earned many accolades throughout his career. Try again later. Visit Homepage. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. For them this is truly the day that the music died, Blazonczyk said. In 1998, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton presented Eddie Blazonczyk presented him with a National Endowment for the Arts 1998 National Heritage Fellowship award. Learn more about merges. EDDIE BLAZONCZYK OBITUARY. Mr. Blazonczyk was named a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow in 1998. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Thanks for your help! CHICAGO (AP) - Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and label, has died. Within two years of that decision, Eddie Jr. said, his father was on tour nationally, playing polka music. In Memory Of Edward Eddie A. Blazonczyk Sr. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Eddie Blazonczyk. (Khue Bui/AP). I was fortunate enough to perform as a Versatone from 1987-1994, and in that time I spent over 1000 nights with Eddie onstage. The Versatones played their last performance on New Year's Eve, 2011. Review. Blazonczyk was known as the "Polka King" and started his own polka music label in the 1960s. Cyril & Methodius Church, Lemont, Mass 11 a.m. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Saying Goodbye; my tribute to Eddie Blazonczyk who passed away much too soon, on May 21, 2012. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. For a time, Blazonczyk performed pop music with Mercury Records as "Eddie Bell and the Bel-Aires," when he appeared on "American Bandstand." He has been called "one of the most important figures in the creation of the contemporary Polish-American polka sound." Edward A. Blazonczyk Sr., 70, beloved husband of Christine "Tish" nee Zielinski; loving father of Katherine, Edward Jr. (Cheryl) and Anthony (Rena); cherished grandfather of Cayle, Anya and Anthony Jr.; dearest brother of Louise (the . Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Musician. Blkazonczyk won a Grammy in 1987 for Best Polka Recording for "Another Polka Celebration." Try again later. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Among his signature songs were ''Angeline Be Mine Polka'' and ''Polka Hero. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He was born in Chicago to Polish immigrant . The younger Blazonczyk described his father as a kind of music mogul, a founding member of the International Polka Association, a disc jockey and polka music promoter who ran a publishing company and music school. CHICAGO (AP) - Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and label, has died. Blkazonczyk won a Grammy in 1987 for Best Polka Recording for "Another Polka Celebration." English Privacy Policy |Terms of service |Subscription terms |Your ad choices |Cookie Settings |California Privacy Rights |About Us |Contact Newsday |Reprints & permissions |Advertise with Newsday |Help. His music rocks, it rolls, it hops, it pushes. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Blazonczyk Sr. died of natural causes at age 70. and maintained a mini-empire of polka in Chicago, including a record label, a recording studio, a retail store and a music school. Find an Obituary. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. EDDIE BLAZONCZYK OBITUARY. [5], Blazonczyk was nominated for 11 Grammy Awards,[12] and his album Another Polka Celebration won the 1986 Grammy for Best Polka Recording. The Versatones, which picked up a Grammy in 1987, played its last show on Dec. 31, 2011. "[4] He released more than 60 albums. Ridge Funeral Home. cemeteries found in Justice, Cook County, Illinois, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Learn more about managing a memorial . For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Eddie Blazonczyk, a polka singer and bandleader who led bouncing, swaying, beer-hoisting dances for generations of Americans as one of that small genre's biggest . Though his focus remained on the polka genre, Blazonczyk was a fan of rock, country, bluegrass and Cajun music and liked to incorporate those styles into his music when he felt it was appropriate. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 400,000 families a year. He won a GRAMMY win came in 1986 for Best Polka Recording . Eddie Blazonczyk was born to Polish immigrant parents on July 12, 1941, in Chicago. Visitation will take place on Wednesday, May 23rd and Thursday, May 24th from 3-9pm Chicago Time . Rest in Peace my friend. Some of his biggest hits include "Angeline Be Mine Polka" and "Poor Boy Polka.". He was 70. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. He won a Grammy Award, kept a vigorous touring schedule (The polka category was eliminated in 2009.). He won a Grammy in 1987 for his album Another Polka Celebration, tying that year with Jimmy Sturr, who has won the prize 18 times. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? "[8], He is credited with inventing the rhythmic polka subgenre known as "Chicago push,"[5] although ironically the name given to the style comes from bands who came after and were inspired by Blazonczyk, notably the Chicago Push. But polka was growing. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website, Edward A. Blazonczyk Sr., 70, beloved husband of Christine Tish nee Zielinski; loving father of Katherine, Edward Jr. (Cheryl) and Anthony (Rena); cherished grandfather of Cayle, Anya and Anthony Jr.; dearest brother of Louise (the late Alfred) Kurek; proud uncle of many nieces and nephews; special thanks to his caregiver Bronislawa Leciak. started his label, Bel-Aire, and released the band's first album, ''Polka Parade''; more than 60 albums followed. 1976 Member of Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones. CHICAGO (AP) - Grammy Award-winning polka great Eddie Blazonczyk, who began playing the lively music in the 1950s and went on to earn the nickname "Polka King" after starting his own band and label, has died. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. The band formed in 1962, after Blazonczyks brief venture into pop music that landed him on Dick Clarks American Bandstand, and toured the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe. But he returned to polka in 1962, forming the Versatones and going on tour.
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