By Theresa Parker
The Red Ravens' latest CD, Playin' Ole Classics, was chosen as the Best Czech CD in 2013 by polka fans across the nation. The voting took place on the Polka America Corporation (PAC) website in March.
I am so excited because for the first time in several years, the ballot had a Czech CD category. As a member of the PAC board, I was only too happy to make my recommendations for the category. The full Czech category consisted of:
Live At Saengerrunde Hall - Czech Melody Masters
Keeping The Tradition Alive - Incredible Music Makers
Czech Sprit Will Live On - The Moravians
Playin' Ole Classics - The Red Ravens
It's Our Time - Texas Sound Check
Ctyri - Czechaholics
All By Myself - Brandon Hoddef
George's Concertina Band - Faded Memories
Our Heritage - Joe and Don Fojtik and the Czech All-Stars
So, not only do we have a Czech winner, it's from a Texas band! Yay!
Thanks to everyone who voted. Here are all the winners for 2013:
Best Polish CD—John Gora “Butterfly”
Best Original Song—John Gora “Butterfly”
Best Slovenian CD—Steve Meisner—“Meisner Time”
Best Czech CD---Red Ravens—“Playin’ Ole Classics”
Best Variety CD—Mollie B Christmas Polka Special
Best German CD—Fred Ziwich-“Let’s Get Festive”
Best Re-release—Ray Henry—Ballroom Polkas
I look forward to presenting the trophy to the Red Ravens in the next month or so. And BTW: the Red Ravens CD is available in the Polka On! Store!
Polka on, y'all!