Bohemian Princess Diary

After watching The Mule with my son, Alec, he made the comment, "Right now there are people watching this movie wondering, 'What's polka? Who is Mollie B?, What's a VFW?'" I said, "I know. Isn't is great?"

I shared this with Mollie, and she, too, agreed that the polka party scene has created a lot of interest about this happy music. "I’ve had people write me who don’t even follow me or polka, but loved the scene. It’s uplifting, and the song totally fits in since Eastwood’s character is giving the VFW money to maintain the VFW Post.”

It's great to see a positive portrayal of polka on the big screen. And who better to do it than Mollie B, America's Polka Girl. I applaud Mollie for sticking to her polka roots. It's not always a popular road to take in the music world, as she pointed out in one interview about her experience at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Music (trumpet and voice).

"I was the Polka Girl, which was not looked at as positive, but of all the musicians there, I was the only one gigging and actually making money! When senior year came I, the Polka Girl, got the part singing the soprano solo in Handel's Messiah, as well as Mozart's Requiem. It was the highlight of college," she told Centerline News.

Mollie has developed quite a following over the years, especially with polka fans in Texas. "You know how I claim Texas," Mollie told me. It didn't take long for Mollie to rally her fans to submit applications to be the dancing extras in the scene. TPN is excited to share the story of how Mollie B, Squeezebox, and about 50 polka dancers made it into a major motion picture.

And when a cool guy like Clint Eastwood likes Mollie and her music, then polka is cool. "Go ahead Mollie, make my day," I can imagine him saying. Ha!

Also in this issue, we welcome a new columnist - Rick Rzeszutko, President of the International Polka Association. He will keep us up to date with what's happening at this Chicago-based association to promote polka all across America. They recently celebrated the association's 50th anniversary, so they must be doing something right with that kind of staying power. Kudos to the association also for inducting Mollie B into the Hall of Fame this past year even before she became a movie star!

Be kind to your valentine. Till next month, Polka On!