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Rolling out the barrel...Polka lover Dick Benetto hosts an early-morning radio show in LorainCorfnne HarneyThe Chronide-TelegramDick Benetto of Elyria isn't a morning person, but he has no qualms about getting up before the sun comes up every Sunday morning to do his 7 am. polka gig.Benetto, an accordion player 2nd poIk2 enthusiast, has been doing a Sunday morning radio show 7 to 8 a.m on WDLW1380-AM in Lorain since August He has listened to and played polka music all of his life, but this is the first time that he’s had a radio show.The show started when a series of events led the manager of WDLW to ask Benetto, a retired air traffic specialist, to do the show“Pm not a morning person, but I said, ‘Yeah, I'll do it,’ ” Benetto said.He doesn’t regret itBenetto says the show has a faithful following of. listeners who get up early on Sundays just to hear his show. He said his audience is mostly the 50 and over crowd and includes those of Polish, Czechoslovakian and Slovenian decent who consider polka music a part of their heritage.Like many listeners, Benetto says polka music was introduced to him during his childhood. He lived with Ms Slovenian grandparents, who listened to polka greats like Frankie Yankovic all of the time.“Polka music is in my blood,” Bennetto said.He began to play the accordion at the age of 12, and today, 52 years later he is still playing. His Excelsior accordion, which he affectionately calls “my box,” is still an important part of his life.Benetto also plays at area dinners and dances and recently made a CD with accordionist Pat Gray. The CD is called the “Pat Gray Showcase 2.” The CD, released in April, also included saxophone, drums, piano, and bass in the ensemble, c- Ironically, with all this polka music in his Blood, Benetto doesn’t dance the polka. He jitterbugs and does ballroom dancing but says he just never learned to dance the polka.“It’s one of those things that I never got around to, although that’s not that unusual for other polka musicians,” he said.And what is the most important thing that people should know about polka music?~ “Tell ’em it helps preserve the heritage of the people in the polka era. It’s happy music. It’s just fun.(and out of bed)STEVE MA NHEIM/ CHRONICLEDick Benetto, who hosts a polka radio show on WDLW 1380-AM, sits with his accordion. Benetto, a lifelong polka lover and musician, took over the show in August
Newspaper Details
The Chronicle Telegram
Elyria, Ohio, US
Sun, Feb 22, 2004
Page 33
Full Page
Clipped by
Nathan O.
OH, USA 12 Apr 2022
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