Ladislav Walter Ostanek (b. April 20, 1935 in Duperquet, Quebec), is a well known accordionist from St. Catharines, Ontario where his family settled as a boy. April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total  â€¢ Land  â€¢ Water    (% of total)  Ranked 2nd 1,542,056 km² 1,183,128 km² 176,928... A button accordion An accordion is a musical instrument of the handheld bellows-driven free reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as squeezeboxes. ... Location of St. ...

Young Walter received his first accordion as a gift in 1944. After several years, Ostanek became a popular entertainer in Southern Ontario. He could be heard frequently on the radio in St. Catharines and Welland. Welland (formally The Corporation of City of Welland; 2001 population 48,402) is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Ontario, Canada. ...

In 1963, Ostanek and his band would record their first of many albums. Over his career, Ostanek would become known as Canada's Polka King. 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. As was the late Yankovic, Walter Ostanek is of Slovenian decent. Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... Frankie Yankovic (July 15, 1915 - October 14, 1998) was a polka musician of Slovenian origin from Cleveland, Ohio. ...

Walter Ostanek is a member of Canada's Walk of Fame as well as the Polka Halls of Fame in Cleveland and Chicago. He makes regular appearances at Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. Every summer Walter plays with his band at Marineland Canada, and can be found talking with his good friends Benjamin Jackson and Maxine Gagnon. You can recognize Benj because he is large and smelly. Canadas Walk of Fame (French: Allée des célébrités canadiennes) acknowledges the achievements, accomplishments, and successes of amazing Canadians. ... The opening ceremonies at Kitchener City Hall Kitchener Oktoberfest is an annual eight-day festival in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. ...

External links

• Biography in the Canadian Encyclopedia