...Delivers in Joliet
Schedule
| Oakbrook, IL Polka Fest
Bob
Doszak Sr. was born March 6, 1946 in Joliet, Illinois to Stanley and Dorothy (Smrekar)
Doszak. His parents were of
Slovenian and Polish descent, which helped instill his style of music.
Bob grew up in Joliet where he has resided his entire life.
The neighborhood where he grew up consisted of mostly Slovenians,
Croatians and people of Polish descent. Across
the street from his childhood home was a tavern that always echoed of polka
music.
At
the age of 6,
Bob started taking accordion lessons. At the age of 7, Bob had his first performance with none other than
America’s Polka King, Frank Yankovic. With
the support of his parents, by the age of
8, Bob was the featured accordionist at the Baby Doll Polka Club in Chicago
and began playing private parties in Joliet and the surrounding areas.
Bob appeared on Ron Terry’s Polka Party WGN Chicago Channel 9
television show as well. Around
the age of 14, Bob started his own band,
and within a few weeks the band found themselves playing seven nights a
week. Bob and the band
continued this all through Bob’s high school years.
Although Bob’s formal musical training was on the accordion, he began
playing drums in high school and was the drummer for the Joliet Catholic High
School Concert Band and played drums in their marching band also.
Bob
married Judy (Malsky) Doszak, a Joliet girl, at the age of 21. Bob and
Judy are the parents of Bob Jr., Kim (Doglio), and Chris. Both Bob
Jr. and Chris inherited their dads’ gift of musical talent and both play drums
, while dabbling on the button box and bass. Bob and Judy are the proud
grandparents of Jessica Doszak and Danny Doglio and the newborn Emma
Doglio . Bob’s family is rather close-knit and usually joins Bob
for many engagements. Many of the out of town jobs became a mini-vacation
for the rest of the family. Bob has always held down a full-time day job
while playing several nights a week year round, so bringing the family along was
one more opportunity to keep close.
Bob’s
recording days did not begin until after he was married. Following is listing of
recordings:
·
Corn
Palace Polka / My Buddy was Bob’s first recording on 45rpm, under the Highhat
recording label.
·
Polka
Time - Bob’s first album on the AMPOL recording label in Chicago.
This album featured some of Bob’s original songs such as: Uncle Richie’s
Polka, More & More Polka, Clinton Polka, and Yaggy’s Waltz.
·
Fasten
Your Seat Belts
– Album #2, released on both album and 8-Track tape, by KL Recording of
Hubiertus, WI in March 1974.
·
Entertainment
– This
recording was released on album, 8-Track and Cassette, recorded at Pumpkin
Studios under the JUDO label.
·
Here
Goes –
Released on album and cassette was recorded at Daystar Records under the JUDO
label. The album cover features Bob and the band in Bob’s home bar room. Originals include: Popcorn Polka.
·
High
Flyin’
– Released on album and cassette was recorded at HG Studio, Franksville, WI in
1984. This album features Bob Jr.
on the drums and the song “Kimberly Ann Waltz”, an original written for his
daughter. Bob was going through a
creative phase because this album featured many other originals such as:
Stock Pot Polka, High-Flyin Polka, Golden Glow Polka, and Big Sky Polka.
·
Doszak
Delivers –
Released on album and cassette was recorded at HG Studio, Franksville, WI in
January 1992. This recording was
named such to commemorate the upcoming delivery of Bob’s first grandchild,
Jessica Doszak, born February 1992. An
original recording on this album
was Tripon’s Waltz.
·
Holiday
Melodies
– Released on cassette and soon to be re-released on CD, was recorded at HG
Studio, Franksville, WI. Featuring many wonderful Christmas songs with Silent
Night sung in Slovenian.
·
Musical
Memories
– Released on CD and cassette, was recorded at HG Studio, Franksville, WI. This recording features a variety of songs with a Doszak
original “Little Danny’s Polka”,
written for Bob’s first grandson Danny who was truly a little miracle being
born 4 months premature and weighing less than 2 lbs. Be on the look out for this little guy who LOVES his
grandpa’s accordion and music.
·
Some
of the Best –
A compilation album featuring many great polka bands as well as many great polka
musicians.
Bob’s
playing engagements keep him rather busy with weekly performances in Illinois.
Over the years his playing has taken him and the band to such places as
Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada and
Florida. Bob enjoys traveling but
in today’s society finds it hard to coordinate the rest of the band to make
these out of town engagements.
Bob is going on 41 years of being in the polka music business. Not only does he perform but he also promotes polka music and live music as well. Bob has been one of the key organizers of the annual Illinois Polka Festival in Oak Brook Illinois held in February for the past 13 years. Over the years Bob has been responsible for his own bookings, recordings, and promotions to include benefit dances, bus-trips, and currently has a wonderful fan club that follows the band in and out of town as well.
Bob Doszak
1108 Frederick Street
Joliet, IL 60435
Email Bob Doszak