Eddy Bell
Eddy Bell (born July 12, 1941 in Chicago , Illinois , † May 21, 2012 ), also known as Eddy Blazonczyk , was an American rockabilly , rock 'n' roll and polka musician. After playing rock 'n' roll as Eddy Bell in the 1950s and early 1960s, he had been one of the most famous polka musicians in the United States under his real name since 1963.
Life
Childhood and youth
Bell's parents came from the Tatra Mountains region in southern Poland , but immigrated to the United States. They both played in traditional polka groups and Bell was heavily influenced by the music of Lil 'Wally, Steve Adamczyk, Eddie Zimas, Marion Lushs and Frank Yankovics. He himself learned the accordion as a child .
Career as a rock 'n' roller
While Bell attended a high school in Wisconsin in the 1950s , he devoted himself to rock 'n' roll. He began playing with the Bel-Aires and was given the opportunity to tour with stars like Buddy Holly , Gene Vincent and Brenda Lee . In 1960 he was signed to Mercury Records and his first single came out that same year with The Masked Man (Hi Yo Silver) / Anytime . The A-side was a remake of the western classic Hi Yo Silver made famous by stars like Roy Rogers .
The single sold well, and Bell was invited to make a guest appearance on Dick Clark's television show American Bandstand . This period was the high point of Bell's rock 'n' roll career as it became very popular in the northern United States. This was followed by another single for the Mercury label, Knock, Knock, Knock , and then a contract with Lucky Four Records in 1961 . There were three other singles, including Johnny Be-Goode Is in Hollywood and The Great Great Pumpkin . Bell's last rock 'n' roll single was He's a Square / Few More Days on Bel-Aire Records, which may have been his own.
Career as a polka musician
In 1963 Bell was asked by his friend Chet to join his new polka band, the Versatones . In the same year, the first album was recorded by Bel-Aire. The music was a mix of 1950s rock and roll, country music , Cajun music and polka, so a whole new dance music was created.
The popularity, especially the live performances, increased more and more over the next few years. Bell now played under his real name again and received an award as The Nation's # 1 Polka Band in 1967 . Success and fame continued to grow, so that over time several albums were recorded. In 1970 Eddy Blazonczyk was inducted into the Polka Hall of Fame and in 1987 the Versatones won a Grammy for their album Another Polka Celebration .
In 1989 Blazonczyk's son Eddy Blazonczyk, Jr. joined the band and in 1997 took over the management of the Versatones. Blazonczyk himself retired from the music scene in 2002 due to health problems. A year later, the Versatones were nominated for the 14th time for a Grammy.
Discography
Singles
| year | title | Label # |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | The Masked Man (Hi Yo Silver) / Anytime | Mercury 71677X45 |
| 1961 | Knock, Knock, Knock (Knocking On My Door) / Wear My Class Ring on a Ribbon | Mercury 71763 |
| 1961 | He's a Square / Wage Assignment Blues (as Belvederes) | Lucky Four 45-1003 |
| 1961 | Johnny Be-Goode Is in Hollywood / I'm All Alone | Lucky Four 45-1005 |
| 1961 | The Great Great Pumpkin / I'm Still In Love with You | Lucky Four 45-LF-1012 |
| He's a Square / Few More Days | Bel-Aire 956 | |
| Twinkletoes / Because It's Xmas | Versa 101 |
Albums
All albums were recorded for Bel-Aire Records, but the releases from 2002 without Eddy Blazonczyk.
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Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Bell, Eddy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Blazonczyk, Eddy (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American rockabilly, rock and roll and polka musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 12, 1941 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Chicago , Illinois |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 21, 2012 |
| Place of death | Chicago , Illinois |