DON PEACHEY & HIS ORCHESTRA: Skirts / Cadet 146 / 1971

In the March 2025 issue of Texas Polka News, Gary E. McKee wrote: “The polka world lost another great one in January. Don Peachey passed away peacefully in Wisconsin at the age of 91. In the 1950s Central Wisconsin was a hotbed of polka music; the quantity of weekly dances and venues rivaled the Central Texas scene. Don’s love of music, polka in particular, led him on a wonderful journey through his seven decades of playing music. In high school he formed The Don Dutchmen, which played old time polka and waltzes two to three times a week at the local veteran’s halls and school functions while he worked at a grocery store after school. The band had two piano accordionists (one of which was Don), an alto sax, two trumpets, a tuba, and drums. In 1951, he formed a new band, The Jolly Seven, also composed of his school friends and was playing several times a month around the Wisconsin area. He soon had his own radio show at the age of nineteen. The Jolly Seven became well known in the state playing large festivals along with the local dances. Even before his twentieth birthday Don had developed a following so large that area newspapers reported that Uncle Sam’s draft caught up with him. Don entered the Army as a private and rated as a rifleman. Once his musical leadership abilities were found out, he was promoted and transferred into the regimental band for the rest of his hitch in Japan. “Don returned home in late 1955 and resumed following his passion, playing old time polka music for the dancers who were awaiting his return to the bandstand. By 1959 his new band had recorded several 45s and was one of the first polka bands to release a hi-fi LP album. A single off the album became a big jukebox hit throughout the upper Midwest triggering bookings that came pouring in and his area soon grew to the surrounding states. Soon he began touring the Midwest expanding their range to eleven states. By 1964, the Don Peachey Orchestra was booked into the Bill Mraz Ballroom in Houston for four nights in a row playing “The Happiest Sound Around.” Don began a regular trek throughout Texas from Fort Worth to Corpus and numerous places in between including Runge, Lodge 88, Seguin, Fort Worth, and Dallas, with Cat Spring Agricultural Hall and Schroeder Hall being a must play every year they came south. Don’s music was described as “Easy to dance to and fun to listen to, their truly danceable touch makes good dancers even better, and persuades even non-dancers to trust themselves on the floor.” Don’s perseverance and professionalism was noticed and in 1973 he was elected “Bandleader of the Year” by the Wisconsin Orchestra Leaders Association. In 1998 he was inducted into the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame joining the ranks of Frankie Yankovic in popularity. In 2011, the International Polka Hall of Fame honored him with the Pioneer Award for “significant contributions in the advancement of polka music. “Texas’s love of Don Peachey was exemplified when in 2001, Don was on his Texas tour and played a St. Patrick’s Day dance at Fort Worth’s Lodge 92. To honor this favorite artist, attendees were Ray & Pat Zapletal of the Mikula Orchestra & Texas Dutchmen Orchestra, Joe Valek of the former Johnnie Mensik Band, Joe Kozel of the former Panther City Polka Boys, Norbert Blazek of the Texas Czech Singers, Bill and Louise Kucera of the Dallas Czechmates; Eddie Miller and Harold Strand of the Harold Strand Orchestra, Leonard Chlup of the former Matt Sladky Orchestra of Nebraska. The Don Peachey Orchestra has given over 5,425 performances with the last performed in Wisconsin in 2024. He was also a dedicated subscriber of the Texas Polka News. Rest In Polka, Don.” BAND MEMBERS In addition to Don Peachey (accordion/vocal), personnel of the 1960 ‘Happy Polka Party’ LP were: Don’s sister, Janie Peachey (trumpet/vocals), Mike Marks (trumpet/reeds), Robert ‘Kookie’ Jambura (reeds), Rose Giedlinski (piano), ‘Mighty’ Ron Meitner (bass horn), and Wayne ‘Jiggs’ Mannigel (drums). For the 1965 ‘Lucky Polka Favorite’ LP: Janie Peachey Shirek (trumpet/vocals), Ken Jacobs (trumpet), Robert ‘Kookie’ Jambura (reeds), Rose Giedlinski (piano), Bob Shirek (bass horn/soprano sax), and George Godfroy (drums). In 1998, the band was Don; son and daughter, John Peachey (trumpet/drums) and Mary Peachey Dittrich (saxophone); Bill Andling (reeds); Bernie Hoppe (bass horn); and Brett Schroeder (keyboards). [Skirts, Don Peachey and his Orchestra, Cadet 146, recorded 1971, matrix A5KM-3904] The flip side of this disk is I Love Everybody:    • DON PEACHEY & HIS ORCHESTRA: I Love Everyb...   Polka Playlist:    • Polka Time