USA, Canada /
Update Website - Polkas United - Latest Information [8]
There is some confusion in this discussion, and the video examples given by some, about what Polish-American polka music is: "Polkasunited," who is a great promoter of polka music, a musician himself and the administrator of a "Polonian music" web/chat site in the US, posted 4 videos meant to show readers in Poland what good "Polish-style" polka music in the US is like. These videos are by popular bands and are well played, but all the voals are in English (!?) , which gives the impression that this music has little to do with Polish language and culture. It's important to correct that impression: Most "Polish-American style" polka music uses Polish language vocals, and this music and these Polish-language songs, most of which were originally Polish folk songs brought to America by their Polish ancestors, are the main part of these bands' repertoire---and all of the bands which "Polikasunited " perform many, many songs in Polish ---usually many more than they do in English. You can see this by searching these bands' videos on youtube , as well as many, many other bands ---The list "polkamusicfan" supplied is a particularly good one and includes many leading bands.
However, one band shown by Polkasunited ( Brave Combo, the last one ) is a Texas band with no Polish roots or vocals at all: Most of the band members are Anglo -American and a couple are Mexican American and there vocals are usually English or spanish---so they are really an example of Polonian polka music at all. ---Likewise, "Trevek", I think, posted a video of "a cajun band, all of whose members have Polish names" ---Haha, this is a Polish-American band (Crusade, leader E. Biegaj) who just happened to play one cajun-style song. their usual repertoire is Polish ---so , again, I don't know why people should be showing all these non-Polish language videos as esamples of "Polish-American" polka music. anyone who wants to see "the real thing" should look on youtube for other videos of most of these groups, who do usually perform in Polish --- and, better yet, look at videos of the leading Polish language "polka" groups and singers, past and present, like John Gora, Pan Franek, Lil Wally ( Maly Wladziu, Joe Oberaitis, Honky Express, Eddie Guca/Polish Canadians and Happy Louie ( to name a few of the leading groups)...and let it be clear: "Polish-American polka music" is, for the most part, sung in Polish. and most of its repeertoire consists of literally hundreds of Polish-language folk songs, origianlly from Poland, as well as a good number of Polish language songs ( and some in english, too) written in the USA or Canada.
Corrections to my post above : In the third/last paragraph, the third line should read (speaking of the Texas band Brave Combo ) "they are NOT really an example of Polish-American polka music at all . ( I accidentally omitted the important word "NOT" there) . ---Also, in the first paragraph, "voals" should be "VOCALS", and in the third paragraph "there music" should read "THEIR MUSIC" ( po polsku = ich muzyka) .
