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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=10-Jul-2015&lang=en&s=10571
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=10-Jul-2015&lang=en&s=10571
10-Jul-2015
Slavko Avsenik (1929 – 2015), Begunje – Sloveniaby Rob Howard |
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 Slavko Avsenik, known as ‘The King of Oberkrainer music’, was Slovenia’s most famous folk accordionist and composer, personifying and popularising his country’s indigenous music in many parts of the world. His influence on accordionists of polka traditions in Slovenia, Europe and America was long lasting and profound. Avsenik’s career took off in 1953 with the formation of the Brothers Avsenik ensemble, a quintet that recorded over 1000 songs/tunes, enjoyed enormous success in Slovenia and many parts of Europe and America, and Avsenik himself became viewed as a Slovenian cultural icon. Avsenik performed on radio and TV, before several heads of state, and sold 12 million records in his long and consistently successful career. In 1953 Avsenik’s recently formed band did their first broadcast on the ‘Slovene Hour’ radio show from Austria, and were soon making radio and TV broadcasts in West Germany, where they also began appearing in concerts and movies. In 1960 Avsenik landed a lucrative recording contract with Telefunken-Decca, and his ensemble recordings were marketed throughout Europe, making him widely known. Career highlights included a 1961 performance before over 80,000 in the Berlin Olympic Stadium, tours of the USA and Canada in 1970 and 1985, and a one-hour German TV network special in 1980. As Slovenia's most popular music band, Slavko Avsenic and his group won many awards including eight consecutive TV competitions, twelve from German network television, eighteen as Germany's most popular band, the recording industry's ‘European Oscar’ in 1975, the ‘Golden Rose Award’ (most requested on Austrian radio) in 1979, the Linhart plaque (Slovenia), and the ‘Hermann Löns’ award from the German Ministry of Culture. Avsenik collaborated with his brother, Vilko, to compose nearly 1000 original songs, many of which have found their way into the so-called Cleveland polka tradition. Slavko Avsenik died on July 2nd 2015 at the age of 85. |