Country Music Club to Host Annual Polka Show Jan. 16

The Fayette County Country Music Club will host a Polka Show on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in La Grange. The show starts at 7 p.m. and the doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Admission is $8.

This month the opry will feature Zach Novak, Gene Hackemack, Alvin Minarcik and Donnie Wavra, and Tim and Alicia Kulhanek.

Zach Novak, from La Grange, has lived with the challenges of Autism, Tourette’s Syndrome, and a seizure disorder for all of his 27 years. Zach discovered his love of music very early in life, teaching himself to play keyboards and piano accordion by ear, resulting in his own unique style. In 2021 Zach’s long-time dream came true when he recorded his first CD with the help of Eugene and Brian Klekar and Klek Studio Productions. He has entertained folks at family reunions, parties, schools, Ocktoberfest in La Grange, Ellinger C of C drive thru dinners. You can always expect to have a good time when you hear Zach play.

Gene Hackemack was born in Burton, a 5th generation Texan who grew up speaking German. A Vietnam Veteran, he also served two years with Imperial Iranian Army Aviation Search & Rescue. He built and owned “Hackemack’s Hofbräuhaus” near New Ulm with late wife Barbara where he had live Polka Music weekends. He and singing partner Jason Keepers received plaque from NASA in July 1995 for “1st Polka in Space” for waking up the Space Shuttle Crew with the “Beer Barrel Polka.” Currently, Gene and spouse Nancy recently moved back to the Burton area, and continue to play with the “Seven Dutchmen” band from New Braunfels, performing for the Prime Minister and President of the Czech Republic and playing a duet on the accordion with Larry the Cable Guy Alvin Minarcik is from the Fayetteville area. At the age of 13 he started taking piano lessons, at the age of 15 he played the guitar and the saxophone in a high school band. As a senior in high school he played guitar with the Universal Sounds, a rock band out of the Industry-Bellville area. In 1970, he started playing with the Variations, a family country band from the Willow Springs area. In the early 1990’s he played accordion and played polka and waltz music with Gil Baca and Vernon Drozd and the rest is history.

Joining Alvin will be Donnie Wavra who is from the Columbus area. At the age of 13 he started playing with the Ellinger Combo. Later on he played with the Lee Roy Matocha Orchestra and with the Harold Ilse Orchestra. After the death of Harold Ilse he took over the band and named it the Donnie Wavra Orchestra and continued playing until 2016.

Tim and Alicia Kulhanek live in the Lone Oak area, which is between Frelsburg and Fayetteville. They are members of The Lost Cause Band, which formed in 2014. The Lost Cause Band prides themselves on being a variety band, which plays classic country, polkas and waltzes, classic rock and more.

Be sure to be with the Fayette County Country Music Club on Monday, Jan. 16 for another great line of entertainment.