Louis Bashell (July 1, 1914 – December 17, 2008) was an American polka musician from

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

. He was known for playing the

Slovenian-style polka Slovenian-style polka (also known as Cleveland Style polka) is an American style of polka in the Slovenian tradition. It is usually associated with Cleveland and other Midwestern cities. Instruments The Slovenian style polka band always includes ...

. He was nicknamed "Milwaukee's polka king". Bashell's band was signed to

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Ar ...

for eight years. In 1987, he became Wisconsin's first resident to receive a

National Heritage Fellowship The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States government's ...

grant from the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federa ...

Background

Bashell was born in Milwaukee to

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...

n parents. He began playing accordion as a 7 year old, and soon began playing it at his family's "Bashell's Tavern" in the Walker's Point neighborhood. Bashell attended Boys' Tech High School.

Musical career

Bashell formed his first trio in the 1930s. He played accordion and he hired a drummer and saxophone player. Bashell formed a five-piece band in the late 1940s; their recording of the Slovenian folk song, "Zidana Marela," ("Silk Umbrella") was successful. Bashell said "It sold out as fast as they could make the records. Then RCA Victor came along and hired us to make records for them, and we were on the RCA label for almost eight years." RCA wanted Bashell to promote the records on a lengthy national tour, but he refused. He wanted to be close to his wife and children. He later did tours through the "polka belt" in northern United States from

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''no ...

and

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

through

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

. Bashell performed at his family's bar for 50 years, as well as house parties, weddings, anniversaries, ballrooms, halls, clubs, bars, and other community-based events in Milwaukee. His albums sold around the United States and worldwide. Bashell was a trustee in the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame in the 2000s.

Death

Bashell stopped performing in the 2000s after his health began declining. He died on December 17, 2008, from complications of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

. He had been fighting Alzheimer's disease for two years at his death. Bashell was interred at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Milwaukee.

Awards

Bashell was inducted in the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame and received a lifetime achievement award from the

National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame The National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Euclid, Ohio, United States. It traces the history of the Cleveland-style polka, from its Slovenian roots from the 19th century, through American factory and mining towns w ...

. He was nominated for six

Wisconsin Area Music Industry Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) is an American volunteer organization founded in 1980, and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its stated purpose is "to educate and recognize the achievements and accomplishments of individuals in the Wisconsin music ...

's (WAMI) polka awards between 1996 and 2001; he won the award in 1999. Bashell was a recipient of a 1987

awarded by the

, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bashell, Louis 1914 births 2008 deaths Musicians from Milwaukee Polka musicians 20th-century American musicians National Heritage Fellowship winners