Rich Bobinski, the late bandleader and recent inductee to the Polka Music Hall of Fame, was honored in Naugatuck, Connecticut, on August 14, 2010. Honors included the Mayor’s proclamation and installation of his Hall of Fame plaque, awarded one week earlier, in City Hall. Remarks were presented by Peter Danielczuk and others, and music was provided by the Rich Bobinski Orchestra, which continues to bear his name.

Rocco Naples, known for singing in the style of Li’l Wally Jagiello, realized another dream of emulating the iconic polka star by singing "Puka Jasiu" ["Johnny's Knocking"] with the Polkaholics at Quenchers in Chicago on July 31, 2010, the eve of the famous figure’s birthday. Naples is of Sicilian background, but sings in Polish. Li’l Wally had performed with backup by the Polkaholics on two occasions before his death in 2006.

That same evening, to celebrate the eve of Li’l Wally’s birthday, The Polkaholics performed their polka-rock opera "Wally!" in its entirety. The polka-rock opera, which is designed to follow Li’l Wally’s life story, is now available on CD.

A brand new release from Danny Mack, formerly of Chicago, currently residing in Palm Harbor, Florida, hit the airways in August. The brand new song written and recorded by Danny Mack is a uniquely different heartwarming and heartbreaking ballad in the international pop genre’ especially geared towards the Polish American audience. "My Polish Sweetheart Across The Sea" is available on BriarHill Records.

Lenny Maynard passed away on August 3, 2010, at the age of 53. An accomplished, gifted and talented musician, he played his keyboard entertaining many in local pubs and restaurants. He played many instruments including the accordion and concertina with the Dick Pillar Orchestra, among others, in New York, Pennsylvania and New England. In his youth he recorded a polka album.

Bill Foster, Mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida, shared his enthusiasm for polka music on Wackie Jackie’s radio show on August 15, 2010. The polka program is heard via WMNF (88.5 FM, Tampa, Fla.) and the internet at http://www.wmnf.org or http://www.polkapartyexpress.com . The "Polka Party Express" radio show also now has a page on Facebook.

After a six-week sabbatical during one of the warmest summers in Michigan-s history, the Polish Muslims are back. Gigs include the Sweetest Heart of Mary Pierogi Festival in Detroit on August 15, the Shrine of the Little Flower Woodward Dream Cruise party in Detroit on September 4 and The Hamtramck Polish Day fest on September 5. The polka-rock group should turn up the heat even more!

Polka Legacy has a announced a new show airing Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET right after "Aunt Sally’s Attic" with the Polka Golden Voice (PGV) of Mike Pacholski. The new show is called "Happy Louie & Julcia’s Halo Polka Hour." The hour features the music of Happy Louie & Julcia's Polka Band and the Halo recording label’s stable of Polka bands including: Eddie Foreman, Joey Kargol, Eddie Zavaski, the Kielbasy Brothers, the Warsaw Express, Heavy Chicago and the King Brothers. You can hear the show at http://www.polkalegacy.com 

Mike Surratt of The Continentals submitted his "Polkancerto" to gimmethegig.com. Find it by visiting http://www.gimmethegig.com and look in the "M" listings. He encourages any fellow polka musicians

with original music to submit as well. "As far as I’m concerned," he says, "any place that polka can be submitted, the better for the exposure."

Johnny Prytko, Jr. was doing some research, because he had a possible Sweet 16 Party to do, and he found a company in the upstate New York area that has compiled a list of Sweet 16 songs. He was pleased to see they had found Lenny Gomulka’s "Sweet 16," which he wrote many years ago for his daughter, Gina. The link is http://www.billt.com/sweet16songs.htm .

On August 13 John Gora, Robbie Piatkowski and Johnny Winiarz were joined by Ted Lange and Mollie Busta to form a Gora/Squeezebox Coalition to perform at the Polish Center in Franklin, Wisconsin, a Milwaukee suburb. The "coalition" then performed the next day at a private function. On the 15th Ted and Mollie had to leave for the Summer Music Fest in Frankenmuth, but the other members of the coalition, joined by replacements, played at Stardust Banquets in Chicago. It’s a form of cooperation in the polka field that is good to see.

Michigan polka promoter, Joe Urban, passed away in early August. Urban had been inducted in to the Michigan State Polka Music Hall of Fame in 2002. He was also responsible for many, many years for booking dates at the famous Pulaski Hall in Bay City, Michigan.

A special edition of "Polkas From The South" with host Paul Romanowski and co-host Joni Zychowski Minehart was broadcast on the PolkaJammer Network from the IPA Convention in Independence, Ohio, on August 7, 2010. There was polka music and interviews with special guests. It was followed up the next day with a live remote from the hotel’s lobby.

They really get around. Freeze Dried and the Icicles will be performing at the Dubuque (Ohio) Oktoberfest on September 18, 2010. Favorites among the younger crowd, the aggregation mixes polkas with a variety of pop music.

"Boogie Shoes" can also be "Polka Shoes" … especially if The Continentals have anything to say about it. Find out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0ezyfJJUQ0 . Filmed in May, 2010, this is one song from the band’s latest double album release entitled "Polka World."

Mid-Michigan is blessed to have two bands that have members in their early to late 20s. One is Polka Riot and the other band, which is often overlooked for having youth in the band, is Floyd Grocholski’s Family Tradition. Led by Michigan State Polka Hall of Fame inductee Floyd Grocholski, the band features a female bass player, a drummer and trumpet player all in their early to mid 20s. Another example of polka youth is 14-year-old fiddle sensation Brien Ahern with The Steve Drzewicki Band.