Description
Book SynopsisOn any weekend in Texas, Czech polka music enlivens dance halls and drinking establishments as well as outdoor church picnics and festivals.
Czech Songs in Texas includes sixty-one songs, mostly polkas and waltzes.
Trade Review“Czech Songs in Texas is the tell-all, end-all comprehensive volume on Czech music and culturein Texas, including the true lyrics, in both Czech and English, and the history of your favorite Czech polkas and waltzes, along with the multiple bands that performed and recorded them.”—
Gary E. McKee, Editor and photojournalist of Texas Polka News and Texas dance hall historian “A well-documented and refreshing reminder of the heterogeneity of Texas’s musical styles,Czech Songs in Texas offers a clear exposition of the way music and dance have fostered a sense of identity and cohesion in the state’s Czech community. I am impressed by how much Czech music has helped to shape the making of the music I love. Just ask Willie Nelson!”—
Bill C. Malone, coauthor of Nashville’s Songwriting Sweethearts: The Boudleaux and Felice Bryant Story “What a fascinating and delightfully worthwhile read! I’ve been playing Texas Czech polkas and waltzes for decades, and Barton and Novak filled in many important blanks for me. This book contains an essential history lesson for fans of Texas roots music.”—
Carl Finch, of the band Brave Combo
