Jimmy Sturr facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jimmy Sturr
Sturr in 2009
Background information
Birth name	James William Sturr Jr.
Born	September 25, 1941 (1941-09-25) Warwick, New York, United States
Genres	Polka rock country
Occupation(s)	Instrumentalist, bandleader
Instruments	Trumpet, clarinet, saxophone
Labels	Rounder, Vanguard, Starr

James W. Sturr Jr. is an American polka musician, trumpeter, clarinetist, saxophonist and leader of Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra. His recordings have won 18 out of the 24 Grammy Awards given for Best Polka Album. Sturr's orchestra is on the Top Ten List of the All-Time Grammy Awards, and has acquired more Grammy nominations than anyone in the history of musical polka awards.

Touring history

Sturr and his orchestra have performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City, Yankee Stadium and the Palace of Culture in Warsaw, Poland. When touring, the band rides in Jimmy's 45-foot customized tour bus, previously owned by Billy Ray Cyrus.

Radio show

Sturr hosts a syndicated radio show on stations including WTBQ in his hometown of Florida, New York, the station he once owned. He also has a weekly radio show on the Rural Radio channel on SirusXM.

Discography

• All American Polka Festival
• All in My Love for You (1990 Grammy)
• The Best of Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra
• The Big Band Polka Sound
• Born to Polka (1989 Grammy)
• Come on and Dance (Live from RFD-TV) (2014)
• Come Share the Wine (2008 Grammy)
• Dance with Me (1999 Grammy)
• Double Magic
• First Class Polkas
• Forget Me Never
• Gone Polka -with Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee (2002 Grammy)
• Grammy Gold
• Greatest Hits of Polka
• I Love to Polka (1996 Grammy)
• I Remember Warsaw (1987 Grammy)
• A Jimmy Sturr Christmas
• Let the Whole World Sing (2009 Grammy)
• Let's Polka 'Round -with Charlie Daniels, Bela Fleck, Boots Randolph (2004 Grammy)
• Life's a Polka
• Live at Gilley's! (1992 Grammy)
• Living on Polka Time -with Bill Anderson, Flaco Jiménez (1998 Grammy)
• Most Requested Hits
• Not Just Another Polka
• Please Have Them Play a Polka Just for Me (1988 Grammy)
• Polka! All Night Long -with Willie Nelson (1997 Grammy)
• Polka Christmas
• Polka Christmas in My Home Town
• Polka Cola (Music That Refreshes) -with Bill Anderson (2009)
• Polka Fever (1978)
• Polka in Paradise -with Bobby Vinton (2007 Grammy)
• Polka is My Life
• Polka Party
• Polkapalooza
• Primetime Polkas
• Pure Country
• Pure Polka
• Rock 'N' Polka
• Saturday Night Polka
• Shake, Rattle and Polka! (2006 Grammy)
• Stir Up a Musical Mix
• Sturr It Up
• Sturr Struck
• Top of the World -with Arlo Guthrie, Rhonda Vincent (2003 Grammy)
• Touched by a Polka -with Mel Tillis (2001 Grammy)
• Tribute to the Legends of Polka Music
• When It's Polka Time at Your House (1991 Grammy)

Band members

Main Band Members

• Jimmy Sturr - Leader, Vocals, Clarinet, Saxophone, Drums, and Trumpet
• Rick Henly - Trumpet
• Bill Ash - Trumpet
• Kenny Harbus - Trumpet & Vocals
• Jim Perry - Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, and Tenor Saxophone
• Nick DeVito - Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
• Johnny Karas - Tenor Saxophone & Vocals
• Ron Oswanski - Piano & Accordion
• Frank Urbanovitch - Violin & Vocals
• Rich Pavasaris - Bass Guitar
• Rich Berends - Drums

Other Band Members/Reoccurring Members

• Tom Conklin - Bus Driver
• Jim Dixon - Bus Driver
• Gus Kosior - Manager & Bus Driver
• Barbara James - Assistant Manager
• Al Piatkowski - Accordion
• Nick Koryluk - Accordion
• Joe Mariany - Clarinet and Saxophone
• Ray Barno - Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, and Baritone Saxophone
• Chris Caffery - Guitar

Past Band Members

• Hank Golis - Trumpet
• Kevin Krauth - Trumpet & Vocals
• Al Noble - Trumpet
• Ben Poole - Trumpet
• Eric Parks - Trumpet
• Paul Ketterer - Trumpet
• Dana Sylvander - Trombone
• Dennis Coyman - Drums
• Bill Langan - Bass Guitar
• Mike Ralff - Bass Guitar
• Dave Kowalski - Guitar
• Eddie Burton - Guitar
• Lou Pallo - Guitar
• Kevin Chase - Guitar
• Walt Cunningham - Strings & Banjo
• Ed Goldberg - Piano & Bass
• Jeff Hoffman - Piano
• Jeff Miller - Piano
• Keith Slattery - Piano
• Lenny Filipowski - Piano
• Dennis Polisky - Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
• Greg Dolecki - Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
• Joe Magnuszewski - Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
• Peter Kargul - Violin
• Ryan Joseph - Violin
• Steve Wnuk - Violin
• Gene Bartkiewicz - Accordion
• Wally Czerniawski - Accordion
• Steve Swiader - Accordion
• Gennarose - Vocals
• Lance Wing - Vocals
• Lindsey Webster - Vocals
• John Doolan - Equipment Manager
• Bryan Doolan - Roadie
• Thomas 'Tom' Karas - Accordion/keyboard (1983-1989)