Walter Ostanek

Biography

Ladislav John "Walter" Ostanek, CM (born 20 April 1935) is a Canadian musician. He is known as "Canada's Polka King". He has received thirteen nominations for Grammy Awards and won three.

Early life

Born in Duparquet, Quebec, in 1935, his family moved to St. Catharines, Ontario, when he was a boy. A young Ostanek received his first accordion as a gift in 1944. After several years, Ostanek became a popular entertainer in Southern Ontario, performing Slovenian-style (also known as Cleveland-style) polkas and waltzes. He could be heard frequently on the radio in St. Catharines and Welland. Walter began playing polka after his best friend introduced him to the accordion at age 5.

Career

In 1957 Ostanek formed his own band playing Slovenian-style polka music. In 1963, Ostanek and his band, the Walter Ostanek Band, recorded their first of many albums. Over his career, Ostanek has recorded more than 50 albums and become known as Canada's Polka King (shared with Gaby Haas). He has received three Grammy Awards and he has been nominated thirteen times. His style has been compared to America's Polka King, Frankie Yankovic of Cleveland. Like Yankovic, Walter Ostanek is of Slovene descent.

Ostanek hosted his own television shows (one for fourteen consecutive years), radio shows, and polka tours. He has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Phil Donahue, Tommy Hunter Show, Cleveland's Polka Varieties, and his own award-winning TV specials and telethons. He has appeared in concert with Roy Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys, Ronnie Milsap, Ray Price, Mel Tillis, Brenda Lee, Slim Whitman, Tom T. Hall, T. G. Sheppard, Tommy Hunter, Lawrence Welk, Myron Floren, Frank Yankovic, Black Forest Band, and Weiss Blau.
Ostanek is a member of Canada's Walk of Fame as well as the Polka Halls of Fame in Cleveland and Chicago. Currently Ostanek performs once a year at the annual Oktoberfest in Kitchener, Ontario.
He is also the subject of the 2006 Bravo! network documentary The Cult of Walt: Canada's Polka King. Ostanek is also cited as the inspiration for the Second City Television polka parody, the Shmenge Brothers, and the Osler show.
In 2007, Ostanek was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual SOCAN Awards in Toronto.
Ostanek currently resides in St. Catharines, Ontario. He was the owner of the popular music store "Ostanek's" until 1 April 2013, when the store was converted to a Long & McQuade. He still plays locally, playing at the Kitchener Oktoberfest in 2026.[1]

Lottery

In July 2016 Ostanek was in the news when he won a million dollars in the London Dream Lottery, which raises money for hospitals.

Awards and recognition

1992, 1993, 1994: winner, Grammy Award for Best Polka Album
1999: appointed Member of the Order of Canada
2001: inductee, Canada's Walk of Fame
2007: SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award

Singles

c. 1962 "Walter Ostan" Marianne
1998 "Larhonda Polka" Here Come the Polka Heroes

Walter Ostanek and His Band

Gay Continental Dance Party (1965)
35th Anniversary
Accordionally Yours
108 albums in total

Walter Ostanek

Music and Friends
Marineland Favourites
Like Father, Like Son
1995 Polka Monster (EP)