Paul Vadovski

Paul J. Vadovski (1938-2021) of Shelby Township, Michigan played many musical instruments, including the accordion, bass guitar, bass fiddle, trumpet, and in his twenties he learned to play the concertina. His story starts with a trip from Cleveland to Chicago where he fell in love with the chemnitzer concertina. In Cleveland, he couldn’t find one to buy.

After a stint in the service, he met Andy Urzendowski who was a talented concertina player who taught him using the Silberhorn Instruction book. After moving to South Omaha, he played with Andy’s band. After Andy’s sudden death, Paul joined other bands in Nebraska like Milt Jaworski’s Polanaires, The Polkateers, Vic’s Trio, and Emil and the Cavaliers. He backed Li’l Wally and Marion Lush when they visited Omaha.

Paul wrote articles for the Polka News and contributed to the World Concertina Congress newsletter helping to spread the word about the organization and the concertina.

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