From Texas Dancehall.org “Texas is known throughout the world for its music, culture, and character. We owe much of this legacy to one singular aspect of our heritage – the heritage of the Texas dance hall. No other place on the planet has this heritage, produced as it was by the mix of diverse immigrant cultures on the southwestern frontier.”
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Brian Marshall
The Polish Texans Website and Brian Marshall are searching for old pictures of Texan Musicians of Polish descent.
This is a “not for profit” collaboration who’s only intent is to recognize those musicians who were an integral part of important family functions such as weddings, funerals, etc. and who contributed entertainment to the society in which they lived. Any costs incurred, on your behalf, for copying pictures will not be reimbursed. Typically we are only talking a few bucks.
Many families have wedding pictures, as well as other social gatherings within the Polish community with musicians providing the entertainment and this is our attempt to gather them together in one place and pay our respects to those individuals. If you wish for your father, grandfather, great grandfather, Uncle, Aunt, or whomever to be recognized in this forum please share these old photograph’s with us.
Originally Published in the Texas Polka News
There are over 50,000 people of Polish descent in the Houston and surrounding areas. As a Texan of Polish descent, I can add that Polish music has been an integral part of my appreciation of my Polish heritage. For many others, it may be their only link to their cultural past.
Many people are not aware that Polish music is or ever was alive in the Texas region. Prior to 1980 there were only nine recordings in existence representing the Texas Polish style. Six cuts were by Steve Okonski who represented the Robertson County style ; three others were by Randy and the Rockets with well-liked fiddler Pete Kwiatkowski who represented the Washington County style. But I jump ahead of myself.
There is a rich tradition of Polish fiddling from Texas that had
declined into obscurity until a recent revitalization by performers like Brian Marshall.
In the nineteenth century, Polish bands used fiddles to create a distinctly Texan sound. Brian and His Tex-Slavik Playboys bring back the old Polish Texan sound.
A Houston native with Bremond roots, Marshall has a fiddle style redolent of the Old Country while containing elements of Western swing as well. Brian and his band have recorded several cd's including Texas Kapela and Texas Lowlands.
For more information, visit Brian's website.
