 
Senate Resolution No. 5756
 
BY: Senator GRIFFO
 
        COMMEMORATING  the  40th  Anniversary  of  Fritz's
        Polka Band
 
  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to  recognize  and
commend  those  musicians  who  have  brought entertainment and cultural
enrichment to the citizens of the great State of New York; and
 
  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-standing  traditions,  this  Legislative  Body  is  justly proud to
commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Fritz's Polka Band; and
 
  WHEREAS, Fritz's Polka  Band  (FPB)  was  formed  in  1978  by  lead
accordionist,  the  late  Fred  Scherz  Sr., and his eight-year old son,
Fritz, for whom the band was named; and
 
  WHEREAS, With the passing of Fred Scherz Sr. on November  14,  2009,
FPB  members  vowed  to  carry on his legacy; the members include: Fritz
Scherz, piano accordion, button-box  accordion,  vocals;  Gabe  Vaccaro,
bass  guitar,  guitar,  vocals;  Frank  Nelson, guitar, vocals; and Mike
Faraino, drums; and
 
  WHEREAS, Playing everything from modern-style polka  to  country  to
rock  and  even  blues,  Fritz's  Polka Band performs an eclectic mix of
musical styles, and is renowned for breaking the "polka" stereotype; and
 
  WHEREAS, Fritz's Polka Band is the first polka band to perform at  a
Woodstock  Festival,  and on October 7, 2010, the band was inducted into
the Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame; and
 
  WHEREAS, Sponsored by Coldcock Whiskey, Fritz's Polka Band has  made
18 recordings, which have achieved international airplay; and
 
  WHEREAS,  As a group, Fritz's Polka Band has performed on stage with
Canada's Polka King and Grammy Award winner  Walter  Ostanek,  America's
Polka  King  and  Grammy  Award  winner  the late Frank Yankovic, Grammy
nominated LynnMarie Rink, and Glen Burtnik; and
 
  WHEREAS, Individually,  Fritz  has  performed  on-stage  with  Steve
Augeri,  the  former  lead  singer of Journey, and Charles Giordano, the
current accordionist/keyboardist for Bruce Springsteen; and
 
  WHEREAS, Fritz's Polka Band has performed at B.B. King's  Club,  The
China  Club,  and  The Metropolitan Club too; in 2011, the band also had
two different songs appear in episodes of the hit cable television  show
"Breaking Bad"; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Additionally, Fritz's Polka Band has shared the stage with
Skid Row, Sean Kingston, New Boyz, Jimmy Sturr and BeauSoleil, to name a
few; and
 
  WHEREAS, It is most fitting that we take time to celebrate the music
of our Nation, to honor our artists and musicians, and  to  express  our
appreciation  to  everyone  who patronizes the arts; as we celebrate the
 
music, we celebrate and give thanks to our American  freedom,  the  only
atmosphere in which artists can truly create and in which music is truly
the expression of the soul; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The arts, in whatever form presented, are central to human
expression; they are truly a universal language and  their  contribution
to  the  development  of  friendship and understanding among all peoples
cannot be underestimated; individuals who provide a means of  preserving
a  part  of our rich American past and which contribute to the community
in such noble endeavors as  aforementioned,  are  held  in  the  highest
regard by this Legislative Body; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 40th Anniversary  of  Fritz's  Polka  Band;  and  be  it
further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Fritz's Polka Band.
Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Fritz's Polka Band

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