The Mike Schneider Polka Band from

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

is a

Slovenian-style polka Slovenian-style polka (also known as Cleveland Style polka) is an American style of polka in the Slovenian tradition. It is usually associated with Cleveland and other Midwestern cities. Instruments The Slovenian style polka band always includes ...

group that performs at approximately 100 events annually in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. Founded in 1996 by Mike Schneider, the band is a four-time award winner and 16-time nominee from such organizations as the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame, the Wisconsin Polka Boosters, the

Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michi ...

,Wisconsin Polka Hall of Famers
wisconsinpolkahalloffame.com, retrieved on September 3, 2007 the Wisconsin Polka Music Awards,Annual Wisconsin Polka Music Awards
wisconsinpolkamusic.com, retrieved on September 3, 2007 and the

Wisconsin Area Music Industry Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) is an American volunteer organization founded in 1980, and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its stated purpose is "to educate and recognize the achievements and accomplishments of individuals in the Wisconsin music ...

(WAMI). The Mike Schneider Polka Band was the featured subject of the September 15, 2005-edition of the show ''Positively Milwaukee'' on

WTMJ-TV WTMJ-TV (channel 4) is a television station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside Kenosha-licensed Ion Television station WPXE-TV (channel 55). WTMJ-TV's studios are loca ...

for its work on the Wisconsin Polka, a benefit project for

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Children's Wisconsin (formerly Children's Hospital of Wisconsin) is a nationally ranked, freestanding, 298-bed, pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is affiliated with the Medical College of Wisconsin and ...

. It was also featured on "Food Nation with

Bobby Flay Robert William Flay (born December 10, 1964), is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and reality television personality. Flay is the owner and executive chef of several restaurants and franchises, including Bobby's Burger Palace, Bobby's ...

" on the

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ...

in 2002. Bandleader Schneider was the subject of the lead story "Kids Dig Polka" in the October 24, 1997 ''

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper. It is also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely distributed. It is currently o ...

''. The Mike Schneider Polka Band was influenced musically by

Frankie Yankovic Frank John Yankovic (July 28, 1915 – October 14, 1998) was an American accordion player and polka musician. Known as "America's Polka King", Yankovic was considered the premier artist to play in the Slovenian style during his long career. He ...

and

Verne Meisner LaVerne Donald "Verne" Meisner (December 4, 1938 – June 10, 2005) was an American polka musician born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and raised in Whitewater, Wisconsin. He was inducted into five halls of fame, including the International Polka Asso ...

."Kids Dig Polka
Meg Kissinger, October 24, 1997 ''

'', page 1, Retrieved September 3, 2007

Awards and nominations

* Winner, Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame First Annual Young Band Of The Year (1997) * Nominee, Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame Band Of The Year (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) * Nominee, National Cleveland Style Polka Hall Of Fame Best New/Young Band (1999, 2000) * Nominee,

Best Polka Band Nominee (1999, 2000, 2001) * Winner, Wisconsin Polka Boosters Distinguished Service Award Recipient (2006) * Winner, Wisconsin Polka Music Exceptional Achievement Award (2007) * Winner, Wisconsin Polka Music Recording of the Year Award (2007) * Winner, Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame Band of the Year (2009) * Winner, Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame Honor Roll Award (2011) * Winner, Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame Youth Mentor Award (2015) * Winner, Wisconsin Polka Hall Of Fame Support & Promotion Award (2015) * Winner, National Cleveland Style Polka Hall Of Fame Best New Song (2017)

Full-length recordings

* ''First Impressions'' (1995) * ''Second Thoughts'' (1996) * ''The Pursuit Of Polka’s Lost Frontier'' (1998) * ''Polka Visions'' (2002) * ''A Stretch of the Imagination'' (2004) * ''The Mike Schneider Band Live!'' (2006) * ''Accordion Artistry'' (2008) * ''Pint Size Polkas: Volume One'' (2008) * ''Pint Size Polkas: Volume Two, Dance!'' (2010) * ''Live on the Mollie B Polka Party!'' (2013) * ''Happy Polka Day'' (2017) * ''The Original Collection'' (2018)

Single Recordings

* ''Star Spangled Banner'' for WTMJ (AM) (2000) * ''Happy Birthday Polka'' (2001) * ''Bill Michaels Polka'' for WTMJ (AM) (2004) * ''Polka Parade Theme Song'' for WJYI (2004) * ''Sabrina's Songs'' (2005) * ''The Wisconsin Polka'' (2005)

Compilations Featuring The Mike Schneider Polka Band

* ''Polkasound Potpourri'' (1997) * ''Parade Of Blue Chip Polkas, Volume 5'' (1998) * ''The Best of Polka Parade'' (2003, 2005, 2006)

References

External links

The Mike Schneider Polka Band website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schneider, Mike Polka Band American polka groups Musical groups from Wisconsin