This week’s big news is the approximately 500 polka records that someone donated to me (thanks Ben!). It’s going to take me all weekend to sort through them to find the keepers and rehome the rest, but I promise to share the full backstory with you soon. There are some gems that I’ll play on future shows.
This week’s Shotski Lodge update welcomes new members too!
Sing-A-Long: Georgie Cook’s Hot Pizza Polka
This week’s sing-a-long is a Polka Time favorite! The only lyrics for the song are “HOT PIZZA” and I think you’ll catch on quick.
Georgie Cook’s obituary mentioned that the Hall of Famer’s banjo stylings led to the creation of the “Cleveland Style” polka. He recorded with Frankie Yankovic on his biggest hits 'Just Because' and 'Blue Skirt Waltz'.
Inducted in the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame in 1991, the biography for his lifetime achievement award page is a story about a tenacious, never-give-up passion for music, in George’s case, the banjo.
To get a feel for the Georgie Cook Orchestra style, here’s another novelty song that I really wish was on a 45. The “Hamburgers and Coke” polka is a showcase for Cook’s banjo as well as the warm and then-novel sound of an organ on a polka recording.
Polka Time: Where and when to listen
LIVE - June 30
Sunday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona
Streaming - last week’s episode’s rebroadcast
Saturday, 8 a.m. - WHYS-FM 96.3 Eau Claire - support WHYS
Saturday, 3 p.m. - WRJQ Goodtime Radio - support WRJQ
Saturday, 6 p.m. - WPCA-FM 93.1 Amery - support WPCA
Saturday, 7 p.m. - WVMO-FM 98.7 Monona - support WVMO
Sunday, 7 a.m. - WOJB-FM 88.9 Hayward - support WOJB
Sunday, 8 a.m. - WILW-FM 96.3 Waupaca
Sunday, 9 a.m. - WOCT-FM 101.9 Oshkosh
Sunday, 4 p.m. - WLSP-FM 103.5 Sun Prairie - support SPMC
Thanks to these community and volunteer-powered stations for keeping vintage polka on the air waves.
Events:
September 19-22 — Green County Cheese Days, Monroe
Cheese Days is set to break the world record in the number of people dancing the polka at this year’s festival. And DJ Shotski is providing the polka tunes! Can you be a part of this exciting event? Mark your calendar and register with Cheese Days for details.
Readers like you keep the Shotski Lodge open
The Shotski Lodge is a reader-supported publication. Support from subscribers like you gives me the confidence to pursue my mission to get more people to listen to vintage polka and vinyl records, including through this free e-newsletter.
Become a Shotski Lodge member - Substack offers paid subscriptions for people who want to be patrons of the Lodge’s mission.
DJ Shotski’s Venmo - skip the subscription and give via Venmo where transaction fees are lower.
Hire me for a gig! - your community needs a polka party. Email me at djshotski@gmail.com if you have a venue or an event that needs a vinyl DJ.
Donate records - the answer to free records is always “yes.” [well, almost always yes. Let me catch up on this week’s epic haul] I’ll give your records a good home (or I’ll distribute them to my vinyl buddies). Email me at djshotski@gmail.com if grandpa’s records need to get out of the basement.