Q. Wow to polka! How did this love of polka happen, Seth?

A. Well, I guess you could simply say I was born with polka music in my veins. Both of my parents are Polish. My father Steve is the son of Sal, a past legendary polka drummer here in Bay City. My mother Laurie tells me she used to dance the polka all during her pregnancy. I can clearly remember all through my childhood going to my dad’s gigs and listening to polka music. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked on polkas.

Q. Do you like other types of music?

A. In addition to polkas, I mainly listen to old-time country such as Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, and Dwight Yoakam. I also have been getting into what you call "Emo Music," much like polkas, you know — the music is coming from the heart.

Q. Tell me more about the polka tradition/culture.

A. If you live in mid-Michigan, you’re very lucky if you like polkas. We have northeastern Michigan’s largest Polish Fest at St. Stan’s A.C. Polish Fest. One of the Midwest’s largest Polka Fests is held at The Summer Music Fest in Frankenmuth. Bay City’s Pulaski Hall continually hosts the "who’s who" of Polish style polka bands such as Grammy-winning Eddie Blazonczyk’s Versatones, Lenny Gomulka’s Chicago Push and The DynaBrass. There are also six different stations in mid-Michigan that host a polka show. Outside of Buffalo and Chicago polka hot spots, I don’t know of any other regions that have that many polka shows on the radio. Musician-wise, Bay City has at least five members of The Michigan State Polka Hall of Fame. Locally and nationally, polka fans, musicians and DJs are one big family.

Q. What are some of your favorite polkas?

A. I really like any song by Gomulka, Blazonczyk, Happy Louie, and Polka Family. They are notorious for writing original songs.

Q. Do you polka?

A. Not very good, but after a few beers I think I do very good [laughs].

Q. Okay, Seth, my Polish dad would be grinning by now and wanting me to ask, "So do many cute girls come to the dances?" Also, in fairness to us gals, how about good-looking fellas?

A. I could get in trouble here [laughs]. I must say that us polka people are a good-looking group of people. Come to a dance and see for yourself. You might meet the Polish partner of your dreams!

Q. Hah! So how do people typically learn to polka?

A. By watching The Lawrence Welk Show, no joke. Or, just come to a dance, and anyone will be glad to show you.

Q. Do your future career plans include polka music?

A. I plan on doing the whole DJ thing as long as the Good Lord lets me. I hope someday, once I become more financially secure, to run more polka dances.

Nancy Sajdak Manning is a journalist, historian, and developmental editor who lives in Bay City, Michigan. Manning holds a BA degree in History, with a minor in Creative Writing, from Saginaw Valley State University, Michigan. Her history studies focus mainly on social and cultural history in Michigan and parts of Europe. She has published over a hundred articles, mostly in Michigan magazines including Great Lakes Bay Regional Lifestyle, Huron Shore Lakeside Lifestyle, At Home in the Great Lakes Bay, The Great Lakes Bay Region (Tri-Chambers publication), Tri-City, Interlude, and Michigan Out-of-Doors. Manning and her husband have one son and daughter-in-law who live in West Bloomfield, Michigan.