Like his nickname implies, Jolly Joe is a happy man. He plays happy polkas for happy people whether it's over the airwaves or from within the band shell. And we're talking all manner of polkas here ... there's Chicago, Eastern, Polish, Slovanian, German ... you name it Joe plays it. He's been performing with Jolly Joe & The Bavarians for 45 years, anc recently completed his 1,300th radio show in 26 years, now on WICK-AM(Sundays from 11 to 1). The 60-year-old native of the tiny Wilkes-Barre suburb of Warrior Run is also known as Al Truszkowski, and he'll have you know that "ski" suffix stands for "skill, knowledge, and intelligence." Of his five records, one of them is gold. He didn't sell a million copies, but he sold the most on his label at the time when The Bavaians became the first band in American to record "the Chicken Dance." He's still cluckin' and truckin,' and proud to welcome you to e.c's version of the Jolly Joe Show ...

What was the polka scene like when you got started?

When Jolly Joe & The Bavarians started, polkas were bigger than rock'n'roll is today. It was on every street corner, every bar, and every wedding and we were playing six or seven days a week year after year.

And you're still well traveled?

We do 30 to 35,000 miles every year. This year so far we've been down to Florida and played Baltimore, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut ... out in Michigan, Ohio ... all over.

That has to be brutal on you guys.

Our youngest member is 45. It's tough. After 45 years your body takes a beating. I just came from a job now. Played the Senior Citizen House over in Pittston. It's not easy. Anyone who thinks it's easy should try it. Our polka field right now is starting to die out because we don't have the younger generation.

Well polka is like our golf.
We'll do it when we're old.

That's if we're still around. It's OK to wait because guys like us are still around to produce the music because we don't have the younger generation now. We don't have enough to take over when we leave. We replaced our fathers, who replaced their fathers. Now our kids are not replacing us. Our generation is the last generation. We have a few younger bands, but now we don't have the jobs for them to play. Our business is like a travelling circus where you go back to the same place over again. If you lose one, there isn't another venue to make up for what you lost. And when it's not summer, ther's nowhere for us to play in this area. And it's the same for rock bands. Even they are dying. How many places are there to play in Wilkes-Barre for bands? It's not the same.

What Happened?

When we were growing up, our parents took us to see polka bands. Today, a kid won't go out with his parents. We lost a generation. Maybe somewhere along the line we'll pick up that generation but maybe I won't be around to see it. And it's sad because a polka is happy music. You'll never see a fight or drunken brawls. When you go to a polka dance, people are happy. People get to know each other. But now we're getting fewer and fewer because of our age.

Of all these years, so any gigs stand out?

I always put it this way -- every job we play we give 110-percent because you're only as good as your last job. You have to go out and give 100-percent knowing that if it is my last show, I gave it my best shot. Every job I played was a great job so there's not one that stands out. Now some were differnt. I had a private audience with the Pope. I was talking to the Pope like I'm talking to you right now. I've been to Poland, to all parts of Europe. I've had a life where I've done a lot of traveling with my band. But every job has to be a good job.

Do you guys have groupies?

Ha! Yeah there are polka clubs. I wouldn't call 'em groupies (laughs). They go out and follow people and thank god we have them.

What's left to accomplish?

A lot. I'd like to see the younger generation get back into the polka field. I'd like to promote more. I'd like to get into the Polka Hall of Fame in Chicago along with my father. I've been a nominee for 20 years and my father's been a nominee in the "deceased" category for about the same time. I know I have the credentials. I belong to 15 to 20 polka organizations, I'm a veteran of the Vietnam Conflict ...

And you recorded "the Chicken Dance" ...

Yeah, that was about 1968. If I would have known now what I should have known then, I probably would be a millionaire today. I would have went to our record promoter and we would have got together with Col. Sanders or Frank Purdue and put the song together with the companies to start advertising and merchandising. This is where we lost out. We took the song but we didn't do anything with it, but that's heresy and you can't go back.

What's the story behind "The Chicken Dance?"

It was a song from Germany. I have no idea who wrote it. When we recorded our first album in Jersey, we needed another song and my clarinet player at the time said there's a song from Germany called "The Fogel Dance." He said they call it "The Chicken Dance" and it's a kids' song. So we recorded it and that was it.

Want to talk about your shirt?

I'm polka proud. We're polka proud. We support our president 110 percent. We love our country, we stand behind our president, and we're proud to be Americans.

Talk about Northeast Pa.'s current polka scene.

In this area, we have the best polka bands in the Unites States. Our Wilkes-Barre/Scranton bands will not take a back seat to anybody. Not from Chicago, Jersey, New York because we have great bands in this area. They're not kids. I can name you 15 bands in this area that are really good polka bands. We just don't have the places to play or they just can't travel anymore. Years ago you'd look at the back page of the Scranton Tribune or Citizens' Voice and every place had a polka band. There were bars everywhere. The mom & pop bars left when we lost the mining industry. By losing these joints we lost the bands, because this is where the bands played. I played at the Sans Souci Park back when they had accordion competitions. We also used to play at Rocky Glen Park and Angela Park. John Stanky and I were partners and we used to have huge polka fests where we'd bring in bands from all over the country until those parks closed.

Who's your favorite band?

I have no favorite bands. My favorite band is the band who can go on the band stand and please the people every time. There's no such thing as a No. 1 band." Jimmy Sturr is a good friend of mine. He won 13 Grammys. Who in the business every wins 13 Grammys? He has a good band. I have a good band. But as long as they can go out and please the people and keep polkas alive that's all that matters.

Do you have any hobbies?

Not really. There's no time. It's consistently 24-7. There's nothing else to do. This is it. This is my life. Even to watch TV is hard.

What's next for Jolly Joe?

We're going to continue to give it or best shot. We'll be here until we kick the bucket. We'd like to keep the polkas alive. We'd like the younger generation involved. We need polka unity. If we can achieve this, then maybe we have a chance.