Grammy Award for Best Polka Album

The Grammy Award for Best Polka Album was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for quality polka albums. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".^[1]

Grammy Award for Best Polka Album
Awarded for	Quality polka albums
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded	1986
Last awarded	2008
Website	grammy.com

Originally called the Grammy Award for Best Polka Recording, the award was first presented to Frankie Yankovic in 1986. Previously, polka recordings had been placed in the folk category.^[2] While neither Billboard nor the Recording Industry Association of America tracked polka sales at the time the award category was introduced, polka musicians viewed its inclusion as a sign of respect and increasing popularity.^[2][3] In 1987, a tie vote resulted in awards being presented to Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra for the album I Remember Warsaw as well as to Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones for the album Another Polka Celebration. In 1992, the name of the category was changed to Best Polka Album. Beginning in 2001, award recipients included the producers, engineers, and/or mixers associated with the nominated work in addition to the recording artists. The Academy retired the award category in 2009 to remain "relevant and responsive" to the music community.^[4][5]

Sturr holds the record for the most wins in this category, with a total of eighteen (including six as the leader of the group known as Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra). Sturr also holds the record for the most consecutive Grammy wins.^[6] Walter Ostanek received the award three times consecutively, and the band Brave Combo was presented the award twice.^[7] American artists were presented with the award more than any other nationality, though it was presented to Ostanek and his band from Canada three times. Lenny Gomulka holds the record for the most nominations without a win, with twelve.

Recipients

Frank Yankovic, the award's first winner

Three-time award winner Walter Ostanek in 2011

Members of the two-time award-winning band Brave Combo

*	Indicates a joint award for that year

Year[I]	Performing artist(s)	Work	Nominees	Ref.
1986	Frankie Yankovic	70 Years of Hits	Brass Release – Brass with Class Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Polka Fireworks Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push – Simply Polkamentary Li'l Wally and Orchestra – Polskie Czucie, Polish Feelings	[2] [3]
1987*	Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra	I Remember Warsaw	Frankie Yankovic – America's Favorites Walter Ostanek and His Band - By Special Request Hank Haller Ensemble - Thank You Dear and Give Her Roses	[8]
	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones	Another Polka Celebration
1988	Jimmy Sturr	A Polka Just for Me	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Let's Celebrate Again Lenny Gomulka and Dick Pillar – In Polka Unity Walt Groller – It's Polkamatic Kryger Brothers – Polka Mania	[9]
1989	Jimmy Sturr	Born to Polka	Jimmy Weber and the Sounds – Sounds from a Polka Party Lenny Gomulka's Chicago Push – Join the Polka Generation Stas Bulanda's Average Polka Band – Let's Have a Party Walter Ostanek and His Band – All Aboard It's Polka Time	[10]
1990	Jimmy Sturr	All in My Love for You	Gene Mendalski and the G-Men – Moldie Oldie Golden Goodies Gordon Hartmann – Polkaholic Penn Ohio Polka Pals – Penn Ohio Polka Pals Souvenir Edition Walter Ostanek and His Band – Any Time is Polka Time	[11]
1991	Jimmy Sturr	When It's Polka Time at Your House	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Everybody Polka Jimmy Weber and the Sounds – Sounds from the Heart Polka Family Band – Fiddle Faddle Toledo Polkamotion – Grand Illusion	[12]
1992	Jimmy Sturr	Live at Gilley's!	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – All Around the World Walter Ostanek – A Wonderful World of Polkas and Waltzs Polka Family Band – We Are Family The Dynatones – When the Band Plays a Polka	[13]
1993	Walter Ostanek and His Band	35th Anniversary	Dick Tady Orchestra – Happy Polka Days Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – All American Country Flavored Polkas Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push – Where Were You Back Then? Jimmy Sturr – Sturr-It-Up	[14]
1994	Walter Ostanek and His Band	Accordionally Yours	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – A New Batch of Polkas Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra – Saturday Night Polka Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push – Most Requested Hits Polka Family Band – Polka Music Fan	[15]
1995	Walter Ostanek Band	Music and Friends	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Always... Forever... and a Day Happy Louie and Julcia's Polka Band – Your Polka Sweethearts Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra and Johnny Karas – Polka Your Troubles Away Jan Lewan – Jan Lewan and His Orchestra	[16]
1996	Jimmy Sturr	I Love to Polka	Brave Combo – Polkas for a Gloomy World Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Better Than Ever Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push – For Old Times Sake Walter Ostanek – Happiness is Polkas and Waltzes	[17]
1997	Jimmy Sturr	Polka! All Night Long	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Music, Music, Music! Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push – Irresistible You Walter Ostanek and Friends – Putting It All To-Gether Frankie Yankovic and Friends – Songs of the Polka King, Volume 1	[18]
1998	Jimmy Sturr	Living on Polka Time	Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push – Home Is Where the Heart Is John Gora and Gorale – Duty Free Polkas Walter Ostanek – Moments to Remember Frankie Yankovic and Friends – Songs of the Polka King	[19]
1999	Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra	Dance with Me	Brave Combo – Polka Party with Brave Combo: Live and Wild! Del Sinchak Band – Let the Sunshine In Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push – Push It to the Limit Walter Ostanek – Memories	[20]
2000	Brave Combo	Polkasonic	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Smokin' Polkas John Gora and Gorale – Follow Me Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra – Polkapalooza Walter Ostanek – Yearning for Polkas and Waltzes	[21]
2001	Jimmy Sturr	Touched by a Polka	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Another Day at the Office Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push – Mi Lenny Um LynnMarie – SqueezeBox Walter Ostanek – Let's Dance!	[22]
2002	Jimmy Sturr	Gone Polka	Brave Combo – Kick-Ass Polkas Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Live and Kickin' Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push – Lenny Live Walter Ostanek and His Band – Happy Times	[23]
2003	Jimmy Sturr	Top of the World	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – My Father's Shoes Jerry Darlak and the Touch – Let the Good Times Roll LynnMarie – The Polka Record Walter Ostanek and His Band – Good Time Polkas and Waltzes	[24]
2004	Jimmy Sturr	Let's Polka 'Round	Dennis Polisky and the Maestro's Men – Strike Up the Band Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Versalicious! Jerry Darlak and the Touch – Polkas in Black and White LynnMarie – LynnMarie and the Boxhounds Walter Ostanek and Bob Kravos – Just for You	[25]
2005	Brave Combo	Let's Kiss: 25th Anniversary Album	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Highways & Dancehalls John Gora and Gorale – Pangora's Box Henny and the Versa J's – Come on Over Walter Ostanek and Gaylord Klancnik – Polkas United	[26]
2006	Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra	Shake, Rattle and Polka!	Del Sinchak Band – Polka Pizzazz Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Under the Influence Walter Ostanek and Ron Sluga – Time Out for Polkas and Waltzes Kevin Solecki – Solecktions	[27]
2007	Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra	Polka in Paradise	Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones – Batteries Not Included Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push – As Sweet as Candy LynnMarie and the Boxhounds – Party Dress Walter Ostanek and Fred Ziwich – Good Friends Good Music	[28]
2008	Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra	Come Share the Wine	Brave Combo – Polka's Revenge John Gora and Gorale – Bulletproof Polkas Bubba Hernandez and Alex Meixner – Polka Freak Out Walter Ostanek and His Band and Brian Sklar and the Western Senators – Dueling Polkas	[29]
2009	Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra	Let the Whole World Sing	Paulino Bernal – El Maestro del Acordeón y Sus Polkas LynnMarie and Charlie Kelley as the Boxhounds – Speechless Walter Ostanek and His Band, Jerry Darlak and The Touch, and Bob Kravos and His Band – Back to Back Hall of Fame Polkas Polka Family Band – Hungry for More	[30]

^{^[I]} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Category retirement

In 2009, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced the retirement of the award category. President and CEO Neil Portnow stated that the Academy needed to do so in order to remain a "relevant and responsive" organization within a "dynamic music community".^[4] Polka musicians and fans were disappointed with the category elimination.^[31] Three-time award winner Walter Ostanek admitted he "[felt] sorry for the future artists" that would fail to be recognized by the Academy.^[4] Carl Finch of the group Brave Combo stated the following: "Having a polka category was the most important step to legitimacy that we could ever hope to achieve. To have that taken away, it's like it was all for nothing."^[32] Apart from ensuring that the "awards process remains representative of the current musical landscape", the Academy cited dwindling competition as one reason for the category retirement.^[32] Others speculated that Jimmy Sturr's eighteen wins led to the elimination.^[31][33] Due to the elimination of a polka-specific category, polka musicians are likely to submit recordings in the folk and world music categories.^[2][31][33]

In 2011, the Grammy Award organization announced a major overhaul of Grammy categories, lowering the number of awards from over 120 to just 78. Several regional American roots genres, such as Hawaiian music or Native American music, were combined in the new Best Regional Roots Music Album category, for which polka albums would also be eligible.^[34][35]

See also

• List of Grammy Award categories
• Polka in the United States
• Polka Hall of Fame
• International Polka Association

References

General

• "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on December 19, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2011. Note: User must select the "Polka" category as the genre under the search feature.

Specific

1. "Overview". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on January 3, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
2. Smith, Wes (January 11, 1986). "'Polka Power' takes its spot in the race for the Grammies". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington: Cowles Publishing Company. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
3. "New Grammy should help win respect for lowly polka". The Telegraph. Nashua, New Hampshire: Telegraph Publishing Company. February 10, 1986. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
4. "Grammy board axes polka category to stay 'relevant and responsive'". CBC News. June 4, 2009. Archived from the original on June 10, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
5. Sisario, Ben (June 5, 2009). "Polka Music Is Eliminated as Grammy Award Category". The New York Times. p. C5. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
6. Amos, Shawn (January 27, 2010). "Grammy Week: What You Don't Know About the Grammys". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
7. Sisario, Ben (February 5, 2006). "The Polka King Rolls Out the Barrel for the 19th Time". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
8. "GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees for Best Polka Album". Grammys. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
9. Swartz, Kirsten Lee (January 16, 1988). "Walt Groller Honored By Grammy Nomination". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania: Tribune Company. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
10. "Complete list of Grammy nominees". Times-News. 114 (13). Hendersonville, North Carolina: 14. January 13, 1989. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
11. "Here's list of nominees from all 77 categories". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. January 12, 1990. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
12. "List of Grammy Awards nominations". Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina: The New York Times Company. January 11, 1991. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
13. Campbell, Mary (January 9, 1992). "R.E.M., Raitt tops in Grammy nominations". The Tuscaloosa News. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
14. "The 35th Grammy Awards Nominations". Los Angeles Times. January 8, 1993. p. 8. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
15. "Hundreds Nominated For Grammys". Deseret News. Deseret News Publishing Company. January 10, 1994. p. 5. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
16. "The 37th Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. January 6, 1995. p. 7. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
17. "List of Grammy nominees". CNN. January 4, 1996. Archived from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
18. Campbell, Mary (January 8, 1997). "Babyface is up for 12 Grammy awards". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Journal Communications. Retrieved July 19, 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
19. "1997 Grammy Nominees". Orlando Sentinel. Tribune Company. January 9, 1998. p. 6. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
20. "Academy's Complete List of Nominees". Los Angeles Times. January 6, 1999. p. 8. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
21. "And the nominees are..." USA Today. Gannett Company. February 22, 2000. Archived from the original on July 8, 2001. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
22. Boucher, Geoff (January 4, 2001). "Grammys Cast a Wider Net Than Usual". Los Angeles Times. p. 10. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
23. "Complete List Of Grammy Nominees". CBS News. January 4, 2002. Archived from the original on October 10, 2003. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
24. "Complete list of Grammy nominees; ceremony set for Feb. 23". San Francisco Chronicle. January 8, 2003. p. 4. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
25. "Complete list of Grammy nominations". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. December 5, 2003. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
26. Machosky, Michael (February 13, 2005). "White Oak family hopes Grammy will 'Come on Over'". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Tribune-Review Publishing Company. Archived from the original on November 3, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
27. "The Complete List of Grammy Nominations". The New York Times. December 8, 2005. p. 4. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
28. "49th Annual Grammy Awards Winners List". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on December 20, 2006. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
29. "50th annual Grammy Awards nominations (part II)". Variety. Reed Business Information. December 6, 2007. Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
30. Conner, Thomas (December 3, 2008). "Complete list of Grammy nominees". Chicago Sun-Times. Sun-Times Media Group. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
31. Rogers, John (June 5, 2009). "No more polka album Grammys for Jimmy Sturr". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
32. Sisario, Ben (June 4, 2009). "Polka Music Is Eliminated as Grammy Award Category". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
33. Patch, Nick (June 4, 2009). "Sad day for Ostanek as Grammys drop polka". Toronto Star. Torstar. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
34. "The Recording Academy Continues Evolution of Grammy Awards Process". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
35. Chun, Gary (April 6, 2011). "Grammys: Hawaiian category dropped". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii: Oahu Publications. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2011.

External links

• Official site of the Grammy Awards Archived 2014-05-07 at the Wayback Machine