Verne Meisner Martinis, Manhattans and Meisner [1968]

Cuca Records KS-2106

Considered one of the titans of polka, Mr. Meisner was a bridge between the classics of the Lawrence Welk era and the pop-infused polkas of contemporary artists. To thousands of fans, he was second only to Frank Yankovic, the acknowledged king of polka, who died in 1998.

For more than half a century, Mr. Meisner played for local taverns and Las Vegas nightclubs; European cities and Midwest state fairs; and weddings, cruises and countless jam sessions. Many of his fans followed him from city to city to dance the night away. He recorded dozens of albums and was inducted into five polka halls of fame.

Mr. Meisner was a master of the Slovenian-style polka; also known as the Cleveland style, it features accordion and saxophone. But his own compositions -- he wrote more than 60 original polkas -- reflected an array of influences, from traditional German and Polish polkas to big-band music and even rock.

Tracklist:
01 Spanish Eyes
02 Tiny Bubbles
03 Gentle On My Mind
04 L-O-V-E
05 Alley Cat
06 Wish Me A Rainbow
07 Spanish Flea
08 Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
09 Canadian Sunset
10 Those Were The Days
11 Girl From Ipanema
12 Wow Wow