Rich Benkowski
Hall of Fame – 2026
Rich Benkowski‘s love affair with the concertina began in 1964, when he was just nine years old. His father, Ted, drove to Chicago, Illinois, and brought home a Star Concertina and asked his son to give it a try. Under the guidance of instructor Adam Wisnieski of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Rich took to the instrument quickly, soon joining the Pittsburgh Concertina Club and discovering a deep connection to the Polish tunes the group performed.
By 1969, three pivotal moments turned a childhood hobby into a lifelong passion: hearing the Golden Brass album and the inspiring Bill Czupta style of accordion, joining his first band and traveling to perform with friends his own age, and meeting his future wife, Barb, on the dance floor at Idora Park Ballroom in Youngstown, Ohio.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Rich has performed across 16 states and Canada at major festivals, dances, and weddings. He was the bandleader of The Brass Connection (TBC) from 1979 to 1987, a group whose original songs remain popular with audiences and newer bands alike. His recordings number well over dozen albums across multiple ensembles, including The Polka-Aires, Bruno Mikos & The Harmony Stars, TBC, Freeze Dried, Ethnic Jazz, and The DIVAS. Along the way, he earned numerous honors from both the IPA and the USPA, including USPA Album of the Year, Favorite Band, and Favorite Song awards.
Beyond performing, Rich has given back to the polka community as a composer, arranger, and promoter. He co-founded BenCal Productions to promote polka events in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, composed original tunes like “Trick-Or-Treat Polka” and “Buttons & Bows Polka,” and arranged many of TBC’s best-known songs. Rich’s influence extends far beyond his own performances. As Eddie Blazonczyk Jr. said when introducing him at the Concertina Jam during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Seven Springs Polka Fireworks: “This man changed the way other musicians played their concertina. Everyone wanted to play like Rich Benkowski. That is a true legend.”
Rich Benkowski is a musician whose warmth, artistry, and dedication have enriched the lives of fellow musicians and polka lovers for generations.