Kenny Bass (Peter Bastasic, Jr.) was considered one of the all time polka greats
that made Cleveland the great polka center that it is. Since 1948 he had hosted
radio programs on local area stations including former WSRS, WJMO, WBKC, WELW, WLYT
and currently on the Chardon station. His parents the late Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bastaci
raised Kenny, one of seven children (he had six sisters), instilling in him a liking
for the Croatian and Slovenian music and culture. Upon his graduation from Collinwood
High, Kenny attended the Boston Technical Institute and majored in air conditioning
with the intention of joining his dad in the tinning and furnace installation business.
From time to time over the years he did help his dad; however, his first love was
music - polka music to be exact! During World War 11, Bass served Uncle Sam in the
Navy, winning a Purple Heart and three battle stars. His job in the service was as
radio man in the Pacific Theatre. Upon his return home, Kenny landed a polka show
on one of only eight stations in Cleveland, WSRS. In 1949 the late Stan Minotas and
the then president of the Euclid Vets Club called on Kenny to broadcast live on-location
programs direct from their famous festival at the Slovenian Society Home in Euclid.
The event included live performances of the Yankovic, Pecon, Vadnal and Sokach-Habat
Orchestra to the delight of the thousands in attendance. Kenny Bass did regular TV
shows of his own in 1954 and 1960, co-emceeing the programs which featured the Kenny
Bass Orchestra. These were in addition to appearances on the Polka Varieties and
Old Dutch Tavern TV programs. The Kenny Bass Orchestra was formed in August of 1950
and within a period of some 20 years would establish itself as one of the greatest
recording bands in the polka field. Some 17 polka albums and 200 singles were produced
on the major labels of Coral, Decca, and Roulette Records. His great ear for music
brought together some of the best musicians in the business including the following
accordionists: Frank Mauer, Joe Luzar, Lou Luzar, Dick Sodja and Bob Timko. Appearing
extensively in greater Cleveland, their claim to fame as an orchestra was also on
the road especially in Western Pennsylvania. In 1951 the title of "Midwest Polka
Champs" was bestowed the Polka Poppers in Michigan. The Bass Band was the only polka
band to appear in a Hollywood produced movie called "One Potato, Two Potato" doing
a wedding scene in 1962. Originally a guitar player, he soon switched to Bass and
appeared with the Sokach Habat Tunemixers from 1948 to 1950 recording a big hit,
"Blue Skirt Waltz," which sold nearly one-half million, but it was edged out by the
Yankovic version in overall popularity. Kenny worked in the office of Cuyahoga County
Auditor Tim McCormack in downtown Cleveland but lived for quite a while in Richmond
Heights with wife Ronnie. They had five children and three grandchildren. The Kenny
Bass knack for polka promoting was recognized in Youngstown by the Penn-Ohio Polka
Pals, a musicians group, which honored him as their Musician of the year.
