Frankie Yankovic’s childhood in Cleveland of the 1920s was similar to that of many Slovenian Americans. Born into a blue-collar immigrant household, he grew up surrounded by traditional Slovenian music. Even some of the boarders who stayed at the Yankovic household were Slovenian-American accordion players.

Without having received any formal musical instruction, Yankovic picked up the accordion. He was so successful that he was able to make a living from playing his instrument by the time he was a young adult.

He fought in Europe during World War II. While enlisted, he got severely frostbitten, which prompted doctors to recommend that his fingers be amputated. Yankovic refused, realizing that would have meant the end of his musical career. He survived – and got to keep his fingers.

His national breakthrough happened after the war. First, two of his singles – Just Because and Blue Skirt Waltz -- went platinum. (Yankovic only got Columbia Records to release Just Because after promising to buy – and eventually resell - - the first 10,000 records himself.) Then, in 1948, he was officially named America’s Polka King. Suddenly, Frankie Yankovic and the Yanks, as the members of his new band were called, were a hot property.

They performed in Hollywood, where their concerts were sold out, and even got Doris Day to provide her vocals to their new record.

Yankovic went on to release a number of hugely popular songs that have become polka standards. He also hosted television shows in several U.S. cities, released more than 200 records and singles, and was the first polka musician ever to win a Grammy.

He died in 1998, at the age of 83.