By Terry Knoble

# 1 Polka Cuzzin’ is New York City veteran accordionist and bandleader Walt Procanyn who resides at Woodside, Queens section of “The Big Apple:. Walt’s well known throughout polka circles as a maverick and innovator. He is revolutionizing the polka by incorporating singing violins, a pedal steel guitar, and a synthesizer to create a new polka sound. Walt, has headed his own big band of merry musicians since he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy. He has recorded numerous albums for Crystal Tone in New York City and Arc International in Toronto, Canada. He is currently recording exclusively for Eastwind. He has over thirty CD;s and cassettes to his distinction. His professional musical training and his Ukrainian and Polish Background has influenced his music throughout his life. Walt said, “I always had a love for the lilting sounds of the polka”.

For many years, the Walt Procanyn Polka Show was heard in and around the Maryland and Washington DC and Delaware area. He was also booking many top notch polka bands from around the country as well as the big name bands of the great Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Guy Lombardo for the Eastwind Million Dollar Ballroom in Baltimore. Maryland. He was among a handful of people responsible for not only keeping the polka alive, but making it thrive.

Walt felt that the polka sound was failing to attract a new and younger audience. It was always his goal to record and present a new and bigger sound that would attract a new following. He thought that he could rejuvenate the polka sound. People in the industry were less than enthusiastic. They chuckled when he first mentioned the idea But Walt is not easily dissuaded. He reworked some traditional polkas, and then took his sound to the people. His Polka Cuzzins marveled at his new concept in sound. Once he began tinkering around with his new, “polkasonic” sound, he found that he couldn’t leave it alone. It wasn’t long before he fused polka with the twang of country.

He recorded a CD called, “Procanyn’s Nashville Polka Brass”. The new sound was such a triumph that he took his big band (16 musicians) back into the studio in New York City and cut another CD called, “Polka Gold Rush”. This sound was well received. One cut from the album,”Polka Music”, which Walt composed, is currently being used as a theme song by many polka disc jockeys throughout the industry.

Another Procanyn classis is the “Man On The Moon Polka. His band was coming back home to New York City from a show in Maryland when the astronauts first landed on

the moon- Walt thought it would be nice to do something special for that momentous occasion, thus, the new polka. I received a commendation from the President of the United States and a letter gratitude autographed by all the astronauts.

Walt’s musical direction, though, is by no means limited to just polka music. He and his big band are quite proficient at playing big band sounds like Benny Goodman and Glen Miller.

Walt speaks most fondly of a benefit that he and his band performed at the Shriners Zembo Temple in Harrisburg PA for the children’s burn unit. Performing for charitable causes brings great joy to Walt and his fellow musicians.Walt Procanyn Polka Band sales and marketing division has a wide distribution of Walt's Polish and Ukrainian CD's and cassettes. Walt, also markets an exclusive entire line of official band apparel ranging from awesome eight-color tee shirts printed on both sides, to hats and jackets. He also carries a complete line of Ukrainian apparel.

Now that you have met, Walt Procanyn, and have been enlightened to the popular history of the Walt Procanyn Polka Band, why not drop him a line at POBox 770044, Woodside, New York, 11377-0044 or e-mail him at procanynpolkas@aol.com. Use KEYWORDS “Hi Polka Cuziin”! Walt will be more than happy to send you a copy of his band catalog.

”Bye, Polka Cuzzin’s hope to c’ya all really soon”.

©2009/2011 Walt Procanyn

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