D Minor Recording

I admit it…I’m a polka musician.  There, I said it, I’m proud of it and that isn’t going to change.  Polkas have always gotten a bad wrap, but taking away the Grammy for Best Polka Album was pretty low.  There are various reasons they may have done it, but it’s the first time they eliminated a music genre category.  Ouch!

The following is from the Facebook group “Bring Polka Back To The Grammy’s”:

In 2009, the Recording Academy who runs the Grammy Awards decided that “Best Polka Album” would no longer be a category in their ceremonies. Let’s look at some of the categories they will be keeping:

Best Spoken Word Album for Children
Best Opera Recording
Best Chamber Music Performance
Best Spoken Comedy Album
Best Instrumental Composition
Best Bluegrass Album
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording
Best Native American Music Album
Best Hawaiian Music Album
Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album
Best Historical Album
Best Jazz Fusion Performance
Best Norteño Album
Best Regional Mexican Album
Best Traditional World Music Album
Best Surround Sound Album
Best Reggae Album

And the list goes on and on. Can anyone please explain why the academy would keep all of these categories and decide that Polka is no longer worthy of consideration?

Believe it or not, there are still a large number of ethnic communities, mostly from Eastern Europe, who still enjoy listening to Polka music. It is a fun genre to dance to and is still living and thriving around the world, even though it is frequently maligned by those who do not understand it. Please join our group and let the academy know that Polka is just as worthy of accolades as any other music form.

I agree with this author.  The categories listed above, save a few, deserve recognition and deal with a genre of music, but the following are also Grammy Award categories…

* Best Recording Package
* Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
* Best Album Notes
* Best Album Notes – Classical

It’s sad that they eliminated a genre just as “American” as Blues, Gospel & Bluegrass.  Polkas are an international genre for sure, but the American Polka is just that…American.

The polka in the U.S. is much different from that of it’s European counterparts.  The various ethnic groups that claim the polka as part of their culture (Slovenian, Polish, Czech, German, etc.), melded the music of America…Jazz, Dixieland & Swing…with their ethnic musical traditions to create the American Polka sound.

So whether it be a Chicago Push Style Polka, Cleveland Style Polka or the Upper Midwest Dutchman Style, they are American and are deserving of recognition.  Bring back the Grammy for Best Polka Album!

Nas Dravje!