ArtistInfo

Norbie Baker

PO
Folk, Pop and World
A.k.a. Norbert J. Piekarski

Norbie Baker was a legend in Milwaukee for years. His real name was Norbert J. Piekarski. He was Polish. (He changed his name to Baker, because in Polish, Picarski means baker) Norbie Baker was admitted to the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame in 2007. Norbie Baker, accordionist, band leader a big star in Milwaukee. Many people loved his records and always liked seeing him perform with the band. Everywhere he played, there was audience, they stood in front of the stage in 10 rows to watch him. Norbie was an accordion player since he was 7 years old. By the time he was 15 years old he played in bars and dance halls around Milwaukee. He formed a group called Norbie Baker's Polka Band after graduating from Riverside High School. The seven-member band played seven nights a week, mostly in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. He played in bands for the US Army during the Second World War. In 1946 he twins out of service and another polka band started. Norbie made his very first gramophone record in 1950. Norbie Baker's records from before 1953 were released as the "Norbie-Gillie Orchestra" according to the label. Gillie, incidentally, was the tenor banjo player. He is easily recognized in the recordings because he liked to play a bit of string banjo. After Gillie left the band, "Norbie Baker And His Orchestra" became "Norbie Baker And His Polka Boys" and "Norbie Baker And His Music Makers." Gillie did not play with "Gillie's Waltz" a recording from 1953. The band sounded like Yankovic And His Yanks. Frankie was probably even instrumentally present to help Norbie in his Columbia recording contract. Norbie used three Solovoxes on a few recordings such as the Tinker Polka. No other band had ever done that.

Genres

• Folk
• Pop
• World

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