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about

Walter Jagiello was born to Polish immigrants in Chicago on August 1, 1930, began performing as a child, and taught himself drums and “button box” Chemnitzer concertina. In his mid-10s, he dropped out of school and devoted himself to music, leading his own band at the age of 14. He recorded first around 1941 at the age of 10 and had founded his own label, Jay Jay, by the age of 21, one year, coincidentally, after Chess Records was founded across town. Jay Jay released hundreds of records by many artists over the next 40 years and earned him four gold records and two platinums. This one was made around 1954, when Wally was still in his early 20s, as the music of Slavs in America was undergoing a similar transformation as country and blues, becoming harder and louder. He went on to compose literally thousands of songs for people to dance, drink, and sing along to; perform for the Pope; play on the Lawrence Welk show; have his own club, record shop, and radio show; and get a record in the Top 30. He was, along with the Slovenian-American bandleader Frank Yankovic, one of the first two people inducted in the Polka Hall of Fame. Not a bad life, all in all. He died August 17, 2006 in Miami.

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from Rocket Infinity: the Global Rise of Rockin' Music, 1942​-​62, released October 5, 2013

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Canary Records Baltimore, Maryland

early 20th century masterpieces (mostly) in languages other than English.

An hour in clamor and a quarter in rheum.

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