Joe and John Stanky

Inducted Members: Joe Stanky, John Stanky

The Stanky brothers — Joe and John — have been fixtures on the local music scene for decades, so much so that their stage names are practically synonymous with polka music in Luzerne County. Born with the surname Stankovic, the brothers were brought up in Nanticoke amongst a family of coal miners and musicians. Since their youths, the Stanky brothers have crafted undeniably fun and accomplished careers.

John, the older of the brothers, played polka music for over eight decades, beginning with his first band, which was established when he was nine years old. As a teenager, he formed a group called the Tip Toppers, where he sang — in both English and Polish — and played the accordion. John’s brand of polka was more in line with the genre’s traditional sound, featuring brass and woodwinds coupled with a strong, percussive backbeat.

The Tip Toppers’ name was something of a misnomer, as the band started to be known in the area as the Coal Miners, the ensemble for which John was most known. John Stanky and the Coal Miners were officially established in 1959, and their setlists of songs like “Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie,” “Roll Out the Barrel,” and “Where Is Your Babushka” would keep them busy for decades. They’d regularly be booked for years in advance with a schedule filled with weddings, picnics, and other local occasions.

In addition to their iconic status in and around Luzerne County, John and the Coal Miners played across the state, country, and world. They played at multiple world fairs, and in nations as distant as Switzerland, Russia, Australia, Japan, and China, with one gig in the latter nation being held on Tiananmen Square. In their travels, John Stanky and his group played aboard cruise ships and on airplanes, and were held in high regard in each of those varied contexts.

All the while, John Stanky and the Coal Miners remained household names in Northeast Pennsylvania, where their brand and style took on special regional importance. Both polka music and coal mining were critical elements in the story of Luzerne County’s culture, giving the group greater symbolic weight to local listeners. Meanwhile, John’s younger brother Joe was carving out an impressive legacy in the Luzerne County soundscape as well.

Joe Stanky started his own musical journey by playing classical violin, a musical education that prepared him for fiddle-based polka music. Joe’s first ensemble was the Trailblazers, but the Cadets became the flagship vehicle of Joe’s career. Unique to the Cadets is the consistency of the lineup. Besides Joe himself, the stable of musicians that have been members of the Cadets has remained relatively consistent over the course of decades.

Like his brother and the Coal Miners, Joe Stanky and the Cadets have performed thousands of shows locally and across the nation. Joe’s style includes an emphasis on the joy of polka music, which often has led to a diverse set of sounds being produced. In his career, Joe has embraced the country and rock elements resting beneath polka’s traditional instrumentation.

Joe Stanky and the Cadets have enjoyed quite a lot of success with their covers and original music alike, with songs like “The Dancing Mouse” making waves within and without the polka world. In fact, the Joe Stanky-penned “Polka Dancer” was featured on the Grammy-winning album Polkasonic by Brave Combo, the quintessential crossover polka band.

The Stanky brothers have both made their music exceptionally accessible to their massive legion of fans. John was a producer of the television program Pennsylvania Polka, and many of his recorded albums were released under the Stan-Dot label, the venture of John and his wife, Dottie. Both brothers appeared on the WSKG program Let’s Polka, while Joe and the Cadets have made their albums and show recordings readily available. Through these various avenues, both of the Stanky brothers contributed to the sustained interest in local polka music.