The Herald, Sharon,
PA Published Wednesday, January 6, 1999

SHENANGO VALLEY AREA

Regional artists tapped for Grammys


By Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer

A handful of musicians who live in the Shenango Valley or have ties here picked up Grammy Award nominations.

The Brian Setzer Orchestra, which includes Sharon native Bernie Dresel on drums, scored three nominations.

Paul Jacobson of Hermitage and Joe Colapietro of Sharpsville were nominated in the Polka Album category as members of the Del Sinchak Band. Among the other polka nominees is Walter Ostanek, a Canadian who considers Hermitage his second home because of local friends Johnny and Martha Krizancic.

“That’s super,” said Jacobson. “We’ve been hoping for that since ’90.”

Sinchak’s band contributed one song to the Penn-Ohio Polka Pal’s 1990 Grammy-nominated album “Souvenir Edition,” which also featured performances by Krizancic and other local musicians. “There were 26 bands included in that,” Jacobson said. “We thought it would be great is we ever got nominated.”

The nominated album, “Let the Sunshine In,” is Sinchak’s 50th anniversary album. “I’m excited as hell,” the Youngstown band leader said. Guitarist Jacobson has been with him 24 years and saxophonist Colapietro for 12.

Ostanek’s “Memories” album is his 12th to make the grade with the Grammys. He won in 1993 through 1995, sandwiched between wins for perennial favorite Jimmy Sturr, who is up again. Lenny Gomulka and the Chicago Push and Brave Combo round out the polka nominations.

Sinchak said the nomination is as good as a win for him. “Just to be nominated, to be able to go to the Grammys and be with all other recording stars is thrill enough for me.”

Jacobson said he thinks Sturr has the Grammy sewn up. “He’s got the politics,” Jacobson said. “He records in Nashville and knows all those boys. They have a vote.”

“Let the Sunshine In” was recorded at Peppermint Studios, Youngstown, where Sinchak is marketing director, and was released on Peppermint Records.

Warren, Ohio, native Jerry Douglas, the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland bluesman Robert Lockwood Jr. complete the regional nominations.

The nominations cap a breakout year for the Setzer band, which pioneered the back-to-swing movement several years and two albums ago, mixing it with Setzer’s rockabilly guitar licks. Setzer is the former frontman of the Stray Cats.

Dresel described his drum approach as a mix of the danceability of Gene Krupa and hard-hitters such as Ringo Starr and Keith Moon.

The group’s million-selling album, “The Dirty Boogie,” was nominated in the Pop Album category, sharing the nomination with producer Peter Collins and engineer mixer, John Holbrook. Eric Clapton, Celine Dion, Natalie Imbruglia and Madonna also were named. The album’s lead single, “Jump, Jive An’ Wail,” an update of the Louis Prima song, is in the running for Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal, along with Goo Goo Dolls, Dave Matthews Band, Barenaked Ladies and Aerosmith.

“Sleepwalk,” a former top hit for Santo and Johnny, received a nod in the Pop Instrumental Performance Category, and faces competition from Kenny G, the Dust Brothers, the Pat Metheny Group and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

In other Grammys:

  • Douglas, a dobro player, received two nominations in the Country Instrumental Performance category, with Fleck for “The Ride” and with Randy and Earl Scruggs for “Lonesome Ruben.”
  • Guitarist and singer Lockwood, the stepson of blues legend Robert Johnson, was picked for “I Got To Find Me A Woman” in the Traditional Blues Album category.
  • The Cleveland Orchestra was tagged for Orchestral Performance recording of works by Ives and Ruggles. The orchestra is led by Christoph von Dohnanyi.

    Back to TOP // Herald Local news // Local news headlines // Herald Home page

    Internet service in Mercer County, only $20.95 a month!

    Updated January 5, 1999
    Questions/comments: herald@pgh.net
    For info about advertising on our site or Web-page creation: advertising@sharon-herald.com
    Copyright ©1998 The Sharon Herald Co. All rights reserved.
    Reproduction or retransmission in any form is prohibited without our permission.