International Polka Music Hall of Fame® Fred Ziwich was born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 10, 1954. He began taking accordion lessons at the age of 5 and could read music before he could read English. Fred started taking clarinet lessons in the 4th grade, began playing the tenor sax in the 8th grade, and learned to play the button box by his senior year in high school. Upon his graduation from Indiana University in 1977, he formed Fred Ziwich and his International Sound Machine (ISM). This was the fruition of his idea to assemble one group of musicians who could generate several bands capable of playing all polka genres. As time went on, Fred became very well known as an exceptionally versatile musician who could perform with groups of any style. In addition to his role as bandleader and arranger, he performed as a studio musician on over 1,200 recorded selections. In 2010, the members of the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame recognized Fred with a Lifetime Achievement Award. And, 2017 commemorated the 40th Anniversary of his formation of ISM.
Check out this CD today! There are many other Fred Ziwich CDs at PolkaConnection.com
Tracks include:
01. When It’s Polka Time in Cleveland
02. Achtung Los (Watch Out!)
03. The Accordion Man
04. Riverboat Polka
05. Marianka Polka
06. The Beer is Good
07. In Heaven There Is No Beer
08. Cleveland Girls Polka
09. The Long Lost Oberek
10. Can’t Smile Without You
11. Stand and Sing ”Ein Prosit” (Oktoberfest is Here)
12. What is an Oktoberfest? Polka
13. Stimmung Muss Sein (Mein Schunkel Lied)
14. The Way You Look Tonight
15. Squeeze Me Polka
16. Oj Nie Placz Oberek
17. Dixieland Medley
18. When I Hear the Clarinet
19. Liechtensteiner Polka
20. No Hands Laendler
21. Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bed Post Over Night?
22. Tea Time Polka
23. A Christmas Wish Waltz