Fritz’s Polka Band Founding Member Fred Scherz Sr. Passes Away

(Verona, NY) On Saturday, November 14, 2009, Fred Scherz Sr., founding member of the Jagermeister-sponsored, Fritz’s Polka Band from Verona, NY passed away after a brave battle with liver cancer. Calling hours and funeral arrangements are not yet known, but will be posted at www.fritzspolkaband.com as soon as they’re available.

“I am absolutely crushed by my Dad’s passing,” said Fritz Scherz, bandleader of FPB. “My Dad was a real role model, as I learned so much from him. His talent on the accordion was widely recognized, too, as in 2004, he became the first person in New York State to be inducted into the Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame in Euclid, Ohio. He took pride, too, in being the oldest member of a band that was sponsored by Jagermeister. Sadly, he got diagnosed with stage four liver cancer toward the end of August and he never recovered. It turns out his last performance with Fritz’s Polka Band was October 1, 2009, when we did a Big Joe Polka Show TV taping in

Buffalo, NY. He really shined that day on stage. Aside from missing him because he was my Dad, I’ll also miss his great accordion playing and incredible harmonies he’d come up with. Nobody will ever replace my Dad.”

Fritz’s Polka Band has been performing for over 31 years, and made history in 1999, when they became the first polka band to perform at a Woodstock Festival in Rome, NY. On September 15, 2007, FPB made history again by becoming the first polka band to perform at the Metropolitan Club in New York City. FPB has now made 17 recordings. FPB even appears on “The Manchurian Candidate”/ DVD which was released in July 2004.

FPB previously won a Just Plain Folks Music Award in the Best Polka Song category for Bialczak’s Polka on November 4, 2008.

In November 2008, FPB won their first Upper State Independent (USI) Award in Syracuse, NY, in the International Category. In June 2009, Fritz’s Polka Band won their first ever Syracuse Area Music Award (SAMMY) in the Best Recording: Other Styles category for their “Reflections” recording.

Just last week, FPB won their second USI Award in Syracuse, NY, in the International Category.

Fritz’s Polka Band Founding Member Fred Scherz Sr. Passes Away

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