Walter Ostanek
Ladislav John "Walter" Ostanek, CM[1][2] (born 20 April 1935) is a Canadian musician. He is known as "Canada's Polka King." He has received twenty-one nominations for Grammy Awards and won three.[3]
Walter Ostanek
Ladislav John Ostanek
20 April 1935
Duparquet, Quebec, Canada
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
musician, songwriter
1957-present
Early life[edit]
Born in Duparquet, Quebec in 1935,[4] his family moved to St. Catharines, Ontario, when he was a boy. A young Ostanek received his first accordion as a gift in 1944.[5] After several years, Ostanek became a popular entertainer in Southern Ontario, performing Slovenian-style (also known as Cleveland-style) polkas and waltzes. He could be heard frequently on the radio in St. Catharines and Welland. Walter began playing polka after his best friend introduced him to the accordion at age 5.