Bob Timko Biography

Born the son of John and Mary Timko, Bob Timko grew up in the East 64th Saint Clair Ave. neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Croatian Home and Flaisman's Bar were located on the corners of East 64th and Saint Clair where music prevailed on weekends. Many musical personalities such as Dick Flaisman (sax) and brother Jack (accordion), Cecilia (Valencic) Dolgan (vocalist), Ray Jasko (sax), and Bill Tomsic (sax), "grew up" on East 64th Street.

Bob was fascinated with the sound of an accordion at age 5, so his parents engaged the teaching talent of accordionist Joe Prince. Bob traveled weekly for accordion lessons to Joe Prince's accordion studio at Hayden and St. Clair Ave. After 4 ½ years, Joe Prince felt Bob should progress to a higher level and recommended accordion instructor Joe Trolli. Joe Trolli was a magnificent instructor and songwriter and soon taught Bob the ability of "perfect pitch", in addition to Joe writing music and Bob playing the music simultaneously. Most important, Joe demonstrated repeatedly the need to "play from the heart" while performing or reading sheet music. After 4 years of accordion and song writing instruction, Joe Trolli suggested that Bob continue his musical education with classical master, John Sedlon. Bob studied classical music and keyboard fingering techniques with John Sedlon for 2 years.

At the age of ten, Bob entered the Burt's Amateur Hour Radio Talent Show aired live from WTAM AM Radio studios in the Terminal Tower Building in downtown Cleveland. On the advice of Joe Trolli, Bob played "Just Because Polka" on the show and won that weeks contest. Bob won repeatedly through out the year during the semi final contests and was one of three finalists. Bob was awarded second place in the final contest.

The night of the final contest, the Frankie Mullec Orchestra was introduced on the air by another polka Orchestra Leader, Kenny Bass. Kenny Bass represented the recording company and was premiering Frankie Mullec's new record release, "Tell Me A Story" and the "Cleveland Polka". It was this very night that Bob's talents were recognized by Kenny Bass.

Bob was invited by Kenny Bass to appear on Kenny's talent show contest, held on Wednesday evenings at Yankovic's lounge on East 152nd Street in Collinwood, and aired live on WSRS Radio. Bob tied for first place along with the teen age Art Perko Orchestra.

At the age of 14 Bob joined the teenage "Melody Mixers" polka band, with leader Gilbert George (accordion), Bill Koballa (sax), Bill "Sonny" Kuzman (drums), and Don Speroff (bass and trumpet). They played throughout Cleveland at local weddings and dances. It was during this time that Bob learned to play the upright bass, with the help of Don Speroff. Bob, when not playing second accordion, doubled on bass when Don was featured on trumpet in duo with the sax.

Several years later Bob organized his polka/pop band with Bill Koballa (sax), Bill "Sonny" Kuzman (drums), Don Speroff (bass), and later Bob McGuire on banjo and guitar. They performed throughout Cleveland at dances, weddings, and taverns. They were booked weekly at the popular North Center Tavern, Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio.

In 1955 Dick Flaisman, sax player with the Kenny Bass "Polka Poppers" Orchestra, asked Bob to audition on accordion for the opening created by the resignation of accordionist Lenny Surova. Bob's audition was during an appearance of Kenny's orchestra at Frank Champa's Glen Park Café on East 185th Street. Later that night Kenny asked Bob to "sit in" with Lenny Surova and the Kenny Bass "Polka Poppers" the following Saturday night at the Twilight Gardens Ball Room. To Bob's surprise at the end of the evening Kenny announced to the crowd that Bob Timko would be taking Lenny Surova's place with the band. However, the second announcement by Kenny was that Ron Sluga (banjo and guitar) was leaving the band to join the Frank Yankovic Orchesta. Bob attended Euclid High School with Ron Sluga and he was one of several reasons why Bob wanted to join the "Polka Poppers". Norb Hongosh who became life long friends with Bob, replaced Ron. Later when Norb resigned, Roger DiBenedict joined Kenny's Orchestra.

Bob played accordion with the Kenny Bass Orchestra until Dick Sodja returned from his tour of duty in Korea with the U.S. Army. At this time Bob learned to play drums with the help of "good friend" Bob Gospich, drummer with the Johnny Vadnal Orchestra. Bob played drums on the four man bookings and remained on second accordion for the five man bookings and road appearances. Bob recorded on12 of Kenny's 13 L.P. albums and appeared on all of the Kenny Bass Television Shows aired every Saturday night for 26 weeks on WEWS Television in Cleveland. He also appeared regularly playing accordion and drums with Kenny Bass on the popular Sunday Polka Varieties Show, in addition to a ½ hour Polka T.V. show aired every Friday night on WEWS.

During the Kenny Bass recordings and T.V. shows, Bob had the extreme pleasure of recording and appearing with Leader Kenny Bass, accordionists Dick Sodja, Joe Luzar, saxophonists Dick Flaisman, Paul Yanchar, banjo/guitarists Ron Sluga, Norb Hongosh, Roger DiBenedict, Al Markic, bassists Church Srnick, Stan Slejko, Marion Belle, drummers Bill Vencl, Al Tercek, Frank "Whitey" Lovsin, Dick Ross, Bill Srnick, Joe Pianecki Sr., Dick Lucas, and pianist Frank Piccirillo. Bob also performed on location with the Kenny Bass Orchestra in the United Artist movie, "One Potato Two Potato" filmed in Painesville, Ohio.

Bob left the Kenny Bass Orchestra in 1968. Kenny Bass called Bob and asked him if he would consider playing a band engagement, with a "pick up band", that Kenny couldn't accommodate. Bob accepted the offer and performed for the first time since leaving Kenny's band, with Joe Pianecki drums, Jim Udovich sax, and Tony Vadnal on bass. This performance was at the Mint Tavern on East 156th Street in the Collinwood area of Cleveland. The crowd's enthusiasm toward the band and the music appreciation was overwhelming. It was that very evening that Mint Tavern owner's Matt, Frank and Vic along with patrons and musicians alike convinced Bob to form his own polka/pop band.

The Bob Timko Orchestra of the 60's with Joe Pianecki, drums, Frank (Titus) Nutiatis, bass, Jerry Jasinski, sax was somewhat of an "overnight" success and appeared throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, and Hawaii.

In 1969 Bob signed a recording contract with Greyko Records and the L.P. Album "Sound of Timko" was recorded and released. In November of 2000 the "Sound of Timko" was re released as a Compact Disc, with Bob Zgonc from Pittsburgh, dubbing in 3 chromatic accordion selections. Bob Timko announced and co-hosted with Tony Petkovsek, the first Polka Tour to Hawaii during a live Wednesday night WXEN radio broadcast from the stage of Ray and Ed's Lounge in Euclid Ohio. The two-week Hawaiian tour in March 1969 had 105 "polka lovin" people aboard.

The Orchestra continued performing during the 70's and recorded another L.P. Album "Polka's On Tour" with Delta International Records. This album was re released with Jerry Kernz from Cleveland, who dubbed in 4 button box arrangements. Two new talented musicians, Dave Wolnik on drums, and Jerry Tokish on sax, joined the orchestra. Bob continued with engagements throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Wyoming, Colorado and he co-hosted two additional tours to Hawaii in 1970 and 1971 with Tony Petkovsek. The orchestra appeared at the Don Ho Show in Honolulu during the 1971 and 1972 Hawaiian Tour.

The Bob Timko Orchestra was chosen by Rev. George Balasko, and proudly consented to be musically part of the ORIGINAL 1st "Polka Mass" in the United States, which was held on Memorial Day, May 29, 1972 at Holy Rosary Church, in Lowellville Ohio.

During 1968 Bob became friends with Al Benasich of Cleveland, who regularly attended most of the orchestra's appearances in Ohio and Pennsylvania. When Al returned from the 1969 Hawaii tour, he approached Bob and asked him to consider a partnership in opening a new Polka Lounge in Cleveland. They later teamed up, and as fate would have it, purchased the only available liquor license and bar, which was the Mint Tavern on East 156th Street. They extensively, with the help of Mac Baron, renovated the inside of the old tavern, and after 6 months of major construction, with a Las Vegas appearance, opened Timko's Polka Place. Music and dancing every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday with popular Cleveland and out of state polka bands, resulted in immediate acceptance and popularity with polka fans throughout the United States.

After opening Timko's Polka Place, the orchestra recorded and released "The Happiest Sound Around" their 3rd L.P. Album. The Orchestra continued traveling throughout the Midwest and expanded their appearances to include the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area.

Al Benasich and Bob, in an effort to further promote polka musicians, produced and funded two L.P. Albums. "Pearls, Polkas and Possedi" with Roman Possedi from Chicago, and "Cleveland Style Polkas and Waltzes" with Dave Wretschko from Cleveland.

Cleveland writer and publisher Jack O'Breeza of Polkarama, a polka newspaper with a national circulation, conducted a nationwide poll to choose "America's Favorite Polka Band". The Bob Timko Orchestra was voted "America's Favorite Polka Band" in 1975 and 1976 by the nationwide poll of Polkarama subscribers.

In 1976 while employed with the International Leisure Corp. in Oakbrook Illinois, Bob working from his home in Richmond Heights, Ohio, helped plan a national 3000 person, six weekly departures polka tour. He traveled one of the six weeks with his Orchestra and other popular Mid West Polka Orchestras, to Kitzbuhel, Austria and toured Austria and Germany. The highlight was attending the world acclaimed German Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

The Bob Timko Orchestra played their last public road appearance in 1978 for a Polka Mass with Rev. George Balasko in the chapel at Kent State University in Ohio. A social was held afterward and the band made their sad farewells to teary eyed fans. Soon afterward the Orchestra made its final stage appearance at Timko's Polka Place in Cleveland Ohio. Several months later Timko's Polka Place was sold.

In June 1979 Bob moved with his family to Clearwater, Florida where they resided until relocating to Dunedin Florida in December of 2002.

On May 26, 1997 Rev. George Balasko honored Bob Timko with the "1997 King David Award". Bob joins past musician recipients Ed Habat, Lou Trebar, John Vadnal, Tony Vadnal, Georgie Cook and Fred Gregorich.

During July of 2003 Bob received a phone call from polka radio personality and promoter Val Pawlowski. She asked Bob to return with his music and the "Sound of Timko". Bob accepted the booking for Val's Pawlowski's 10th Anniversary Polka Party Celebration and the orchestra was reborn...