CHICAGO POLKA: Joe Kovich, Kovich Sisters / The Bells / Balkan 6003 / 1953

Joe Kovich (1921-1963) was an accordion player and bandleader, also described in his death notice as an engineer. His parents, Joseph Kovich (1896-1943) and Angela Drolka (1892-1958), were immigrants from Slovenia who settled in Mountain Iron, near Duluth, MN, where Joe and his three sisters were born. Joseph Sr. (who may have become a citizen in 1938) was listed in the 1940 census as a steamfitter and plumber for the water & light plant of Mountain Iron. Also in 1940, young Joe was featured at the “Yugoslav Radio Hour” festival in Hibbing with his “Joe Kovich Orchestra,” pictured in the newspaper with a male guitarist and trumpeter, and a female clarinetist, who may have been Joe’s older sister Anne (known to have played accordion). Joe’s father died in 1943, and by 1949 the family had relocated to suburban Chicago, living at 1340 East Street in Berwyn, where Joe would spend the rest of his life. Joe’s 1950 notices billed him as “Chicago Polka King,” with his sister, Anne, a possible member of the band. Joe booked a group of as many as six pieces, but had frequent engagements as a trio, along with his bass player, Jim Smrha, and his banjo picker, “Adolph.” Joe recorded singles for Balkan Records (Chicago) in the early 1950s, and for Jay Jay in 1960. One Balkan release (011) states vocal by the “Kovich Sisters,” while another (6003) lists “vocal duet, Ann & Angie.” The latter disc also credits “B. Stuckel, guitar” and “S. Mikrut, bass.” Joe’s sisters’ married names were Mrs. Anne Rupert, Mrs. Mary Stuckel, Mrs. Angeline Trksak. Joe, Mary and Angeline were all married by 1952; Joe and his wife Julia Sitter (1927-1989) having three daughters. Mother Angela Drolka Kovich passed away in 1958, and Julia’s parents followed in 1964 and 1965. Joe Kovich himself passed on in late 1963 at the youthful age of 42. [Note on the Balkan record label: Mary Kovich married Robert J. Stuckel (1921-1989), who may be the guitar credit “B. Stuckel” (the B standing for ‘Bob’). Robert’s father, John F. Stuckel, ran the “Aloha Hawaiian Studios” in Joliet, teaching Hawaiian and Spanish guitar. The bassist “S. Mikrut” may have been Stanley K. Mikrut (1918-1986), whose obituary describes as a “former musician with many Chicago area polka bands.”] [The Bells, Joe Kovich, Balkan 6003, recorded 1953, matrix BAL-6003-BX] The flip side of this disk is Arrowhead Polka:    • CHICAGO POLKA: Joe Kovich / Arrowhead Polk...   Polka Playlist:    • Polka Time