POLKA NEWS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Celebrated polka bandleader, musician, and vocalist Ken Machelski, whose love for the music became his calling card, passed away on March 6, 2024. He was 74.
A native of Buffalo, he was born in 1950 and grew in East Buffalo’s St. John Kanty Parish neighborhood. Machelski attended Hutchinson Tech, Erie Community College, and the University at Buffalo, where he studied architecture.
Known as one of Buffalo’s most enthusiastic polka musicians, Machelski started music lessons at an early age and learned to play the trumpet, trombone, accordion, concertina, keyboard, and drums.
In the mid-1960s, Machelski began playing polka music with friends and joined the Buffalo Hi-Notes. That experience further fed his passion for the music and led him to co-found the Goral Boys in the early 1970s. The group’s first recording was received with rave reviews, and earned him the recognition as one of the area’s top Polish vocalists. Following the dissolution of the Goral Boys, Machelski set his sights on Buffalo’s active lounge, wedding, and banquet circuits. He led the reputable New York Transfer for over 30 years, performing over a thousand jobs throughout the region.
In 1995, he teamed up with bandleader Jerry Darlak in forming The Buffalo Touch. While a member, the band was nominated for three Grammy awards and Machelski received two nominations for “Vocalist of the Year” by the United States Polka Association. In addition to live performance at polka venues, Machelski’s talents were showcased on RFD-TV’s “The Big Joe Polka Show,” and WBBZ-TV’s “Polka Buzz.” One of his last stage performances was on February 11 at the St. Petersburg Polish American Society in Florida.
Machelski married Carolyn (nee Druzbik) in 1970. The couple had three children: daughter Julie, and sons Nicholas and Ken, Jr.
Supporting his children’s interest in sports, he became involved with youth hockey, and was named president of the Hamburg Hockey Association. He also managed the Frontier School District JV hockey team for 12 years. In retirement, he was a staunch Buffalo Bills fan and worked part-time for Town of Cheektowaga at the town’s skating rink.
A retired architect with the Erie County Department of Public Works, he worked on many notable projects, including the county’s Community College South Campus, renovations to the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden, and the Buffalo Convention Center.
— Compiled from Facebook and internet reports.
Popular Bandleader
and Vocalist
Ken Machelski Passes
