Al Regner
Hall of Fame – 2000
Al Regner (1919-1999) of Chicago, Illinois didn’t start learning the concertina until he was 45 years old when he took lessons from Wally Stark. After taking lessons for two years, he started his own polka band called “The Star Kings and a Knight” and they played for 30 years.
Al was on the radio with Chet Schafer in Chicago for many years, known as the Polka Picker, he would review a recording and pick a song off the record or tape. Regner was the President of the Polish Musicians Alliance of America for 13 years. Al played and promoted the concertina whenever and wherever he could.