Mention the name Jolly Joe, and many in Northeastern Pennsylvania will think polka.

They can't help it; they've been listening to Jolly Joe, both with and without his Bavarians, for about 45 years.

Judging by the popularity of his act on the road and especially on his Sunday show on WICK-AM, he'll likely continue tickling the keys and squeezing his accordian through his repertoire of Polish, German and Slovakian polkas for years.

For anyone who might doubt Jolly Joe's following, consider the comments of someone who has experienced it.

"People don't want to work here on Sunday mornings because the phone doesn't stop ringing," said Ed Kerber, WICK's promotions coordinator.

Jolly Joe's show, a combination of live polkas, announcements and chats with guests, runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kerber said the phones start ringing at about 10:30 a.m. with song requests, birthdays and anniversaries and don't stop until half an hour after the show ends. Many are from loyal fans from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.

Jolly Joe -- his real name is Al Truszkowski, but he changed it to Jolly Joe because it "sounded a lot better than Jolly Al" -- travels with a varying number of band mates as much as 4,000 miles a year to jobs at halls, festivals or on cruise ships, or on trips he arranges to such locales as Florida, Poland and Germany.

He has been doing weekly radio shows for 26 years, the past three of those years on WICK, which is picked up in houses, nursing homes, VFWs and American Legions in parts of three states. His band was the first to record the "Chicken Dance" back in the late 1960's, he said.

Jolly Joe, like his father, the late polka band leader Lefty Truszkowski, is a nominee to the International Polka Association's Polka Music Hall of Fame. In 1983, The Poka News in Michigan named Jolly Joe its 1983 Polish Citizen of the Year.

The 59-year-old polka bandleader, who lives in Hanover Township, said he works 52 weeks a year.

"When you're in business for yourself, you're married to it," said Jolly Joe.

During one trip, Jolly Joe met Pope John Paul II, thanks to some help from another famous local polka man, Jan Lewan of Hazleton.

"The pope was very friendly," Jolly Joe said. "I introduced myself, and we spoke a little Polish. He blessed my family's picture. I kissed his ring."

Jolly Joe's journey on the international polka circuit began some 45 years ago when, at age 14 or 15, he began playing accordian with his father and his band.

Lefty, whose band was called Lefty and the Polka Chaps, was well known for some 60 years and was considered a pioneer in the polka field. He was born and raised in Warrior Run, near Nanticoke, the son of a speakeasy owner. He spoke Polish fluently and added many Polish lyrics to his polkas.

"He was the first to have his own television show," Jolly Joe said. "He played all the weddings. His name was synonymous with polka weddings".

Lefty was an accordion instructor and of course, taught Jolly Joe to play. Joe also plays drums and some clarinet and saxophone.

Lefty also wrote polkas, including "Christmas Tree in Heaven" and "Anthracite Polka," two of the songs he recorded. He died in 1988.

Jolly Joe, who has recorded a few albums but doesn't write songs, said polkas were very popular in those days.

"It's not the same as it was a generation ago," Jolly Joe admitted. "We are starting to lose the crowd because this age group is dying out."

That has slowed the number of jobs for polka bands, especially weddings. Younger people prefer their style of music.

Jolly Joe said there could be a resurgence of polkas, with their stories about families and life, but probably not in this generation.

Until then, he said, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton area can boast that it has produced some of the best polka bands in the United States, Jolly Joe said.

"They're all good; they're all dedicated to the polka field," he said of the 15 to 20 polka bands that came from this area. "It's sad we are losing this generation."