Roman Possedi

b. July 4, 1929 d. November 15, 2020 Accordionist and Bandleader For nearly fifty years, was a major player on the Chicago polka music scene. His orchestra combined the best of the bands of the Cleveland-style's golden age with hints of the diverse sounds and rhythms of the Windy City. He reintroduced the bouncy polka beat to Las Vegas in the 1990s and attracted top bands to his events. Many popular polka bands got their first Vegas gigs through Roman. Learned the button box and piano accordion as a child and organized his first band in 1946. While stationed in Alaska, he played in a polka band seven nights a week. Achieved notice in the Chicago polka clubs of his bandleader uncles Eddie Korosa and John Korosa. Performed on Frank Yankovic's weekly TV shows broadcast from Chicago. His premiere album in 1963 put the spotlight on 12-year-old Chicago accordionist Joey Miskulin. Released eight albums on the Balkan and Marjon labels. Best known for his 1971 version of the country standard, "Drinking Champagne," and for popularizing “The Windy City Polka,” which he debuted on “Polka-stalgia,” the 1988 album by Canada’s Polka King Walter Ostanek. Hosted a weekly Slovenian polka radio show in 1955. The button box mania of the 1970s and 1980s inspired him to escort several polka tours to Hawaii and Slovenia, where he shared the stage with the legendary Lojze Slak. Retired to Las Vegas in 1991 and continued to perform and organize polka presentations. Among his honors were Grand Master of the SNPJ Slovenefest, the Polka News Music Award, and induction into Minnesota Ironworld's Polka Hall of Fame and the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame.