Columns & Opinions

Polkadate April, 2022: Believe it or not there was two distinctive music styles in Central Texas in the last century.

Rural East Bell Co., Texas – The year is 1998. It’s summertime and the heat and humidity are typically Texan…scorching and oppressive. The skies are blue and the atmosphere is humming. And somewhere in a ditch along a dusty gravel road… under a discarded and faded Shiner beer can…an idea to form a brotherly-love polka band is percolating…evolving… growing…taking shape…and is about to emerge on the scene. And that, my friends, is how and where the Praha Brothers were born. SPOILER ALERT: Not one member of the band is from Praha (Texas or the Czech Republic) and none are brothers. Credit long-time friend and band supporter, Ron Horick, with conjuring up their catchy moniker. It just stuck. End of story.

Editor’s Log Polka Date, April 2022. The month of April has two familiar dates that contrast: April 1 , better known as April Fools’ Day, and April 15, tax deadline, some people think they’re not that different... below is some fact and foolishness.