1. Frank John Yankovic was an American accordion player and polka musician.
25 Facts About Frankie Yankovic
1. 2.
Frankie Yankovic was not related to fellow accordionist "Weird Al" Yankovic, although the two collaborated.
3.
Frankie Yankovic was raised in the Collinwood neighborhood on Cleveland's East Side.
4.
Frankie Yankovic recorded over 200 songs and sold over 30 million records in his career.
5.
Frankie Yankovic rarely strayed from Slovenian-style polka, but did record with country guitarist Chet Atkins and pop singer Don Everly.
6.
Frankie Yankovic recorded a version of the "Too Fat Polka" with comedian Drew Carey.
7.
When Frankie Yankovic was young, his father moved to Cleveland to escape authorities who learned of his bootlegging, and the rest of the family followed shortly thereafter.
8.
Frankie Yankovic acquired an accordion at age 9, and received a few lessons from Zelodec.
9.
Frankie Yankovic enlisted in the armed forces in 1943 and cut numerous records while on leave, prior to his departure for Europe.
10.
Frankie Yankovic was assigned duty in 1943 in the infantry as a flame-thrower operator.
11.
Frankie Yankovic fought in the Battle of the Bulge where a severe case of frostbite nearly required the amputation of his hands and feet.
12.
Frankie Yankovic hit the national scene when he earned two platinum singles for "Just Because" and "Blue Skirt Waltz".
13.
Frankie Yankovic sold over 2.5 million records and with the Tunemixers version and Guy Lombardo's version, it sold over 4 million records total in 1949.
14.
Columbia Records initially refused to record "Just Because", because other versions of the song had been around for years without much success; only allowing it when Frankie Yankovic said that he would buy the first 10,000 records.
15.
Frankie Yankovic obtained the title of America's Polka King after beating Louis Bashell, Romy Gosz, Harold Loeffelmacher and the Six Fat Dutchmen, Whoopee John Wilfahrt, and Lawrence Duchow in a battle of the bands in Milwaukee at the Milwaukee Arena on June 9,1948.
16.
Frankie Yankovic hosted the television series Polka Time for Buffalo, New York-based WKBW-TV for 26 weeks in 1962.
17.
Frankie Yankovic commuted from Cleveland to host each episode, which aired live.
18.
Frankie Yankovic hosted a similar show at WGN-TV Chicago at about the same time.
19.
Frankie Yankovic won a Grammy Award in 1986 for his album 70 Years of Hits.
20.
Frankie Yankovic was the first winner in the Polka category.
21.
Frankie Yankovic performed with musical comedian and fellow accordionist "Weird Al" Yankovic, although the two are not related.
22.
Frankie Yankovic died on October 14,1998, in New Port Richey, Florida, from heart failure, at the age of 83.
23.
At his peak, Frankie Yankovic traveled extensively and performed 325 shows a year.
24.
Frankie Yankovic visited Cerknica, the hometown of his parents, in 1952 or 1953 and again in 1995.
25.
Frankie Yankovic was presented with a commemorative certificate in recognition of his significant contributions to promoting Slovene culture worldwide.