Editing Jimmy Sturr

{{short description|American musician (born 1941)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Jimmy Sturr
| image             = Jimmy Sturr.jpg
| alt               = 
| caption           = Sturr in 2009
| image_size        = 
| background        = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name        = James William Sturr Jr.
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1941|9|25|mf=yes}}
| birth_place       = [[Warwick, New York]], United States
| instrument        = [[Trumpet]], [[clarinet]], [[saxophone]]
| genre             = {{flatlist|*[[Polka]]
*[[folk music|folk]]
*[[rock music|rock]]
*[[country music|country]]}}
| occupation        = Instrumentalist, bandleader
| years_active      = 
| label             = [[Rounder Records|Rounder]], [[Vanguard Records|Vanguard]], [[Starr Records|Starr]]
| associated_acts   = 
| website           = {{URL|www.jimmysturr.com}}
}}

'''James W. Sturr Jr.''' (born September 25, 1941), commonly known as '''Jimmy Sturr''', is an American [[polka]] musician, [[trumpeter]], [[clarinetist]], [[saxophone|saxophonist]] and leader of '''Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra'''. Media outlets have often dubbed him the "[[Honorific nicknames in popular music|King of Polka]]," with his recordings having won 18 out of the 24 [[Grammy Award]]s given for [[Grammy Award for Best Polka Album|Best Polka Album]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-06 |title=All About: The Jimmy Sturr Show |url=https://www.rfdtv.com/all-about-the-jimmy-sturr-show |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=RFD-TV |language=en}}</ref> Sturr's orchestra is on the Top Ten List of the All-Time Grammy Awards, and has acquired more Grammy nominations than anyone in the history of musical polka awards.<ref name="nyt060205">{{cite news |first=Ben |last=Sisario |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |title=The Polka King Rolls Out the Barrel for the 19th Time  |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/arts/music/05sisario.html?pagewanted=all  |date=February 5, 2006 |access-date=October 18, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jimmy Sturr {{!}} Artist {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/jimmy-sturr/15438 |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Grammy.com}}</ref>

==Career==
Sturr and his orchestra have performed at [[Carnegie Hall]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.carnegiehall.org/PerformanceHistorySearch/#!search=jimmy%20sturr|title = Performance History Search|website=Carnegiehall.org}}</ref> [[Lincoln Center]] in New York City, Yankee Stadium <ref>{{Cite web|title=The pitcher who could polka|url=https://ampoleagle.com/the-pitcher-who-could-polka-p15033-191.htm|access-date=2021-01-08|website=Ampoleagle.com}}</ref> and the [[Palace of Culture]] in [[Warsaw]], Poland.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20230512065258/https://fultonhistory.com/highlighter/viewer/?file=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2FNewpapers%2520Disk2%2FAuburn%2520NY%2520Citizen%2520Advertiser%2FAuburn%2520NY%2520Citizen%2520Advertiser%25201985.pdf%2FNewspaper%2520Auburn%2520NY%2520Citizen%2520Advertiser%25201985%2520-%25204564.PDF&highlightsFile=http%3A%2F%2Ffultonhistory.com%2Fhighlighter%2Fhits%2F7d820ff77de8cd87885f5f4af0c858a5#page=1] </ref>  When touring, the band rides in Jimmy's 45-foot customized tour bus, previously owned by [[Billy Ray Cyrus]].<ref name="nyt060205"/> The band has crossed genres and collaborated with numerous prominent musicians such as [[Willie Nelson]], [[Brenda Lee]], [[Arlo Guthrie]], [[Boots Randolph]], [[The Oak Ridge Boys]], [[Mel Tillis]], and [[Charlie Daniels]].

A significant highlight for Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra was when they were invited to appear on the [[Grand Ole Opry]], the only polka group (and the only group with brass instruments) to do so.<ref name=":0" />

Sturr hosts a syndicated radio show on stations including [[WTBQ]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=WTBQ AM 1110 FM 93.5 &#124; Radio Worth Listening To &#124; Talk, Music & Sports |url=https://wtbq.com/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |website=Wtbq.com}}</ref> in his hometown of [[Florida, Orange County, New York|Florida, New York]], the station he once owned. He also has a weekly radio show on the Rural Radio channel on SirusXM.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.siriusxm.com/servlet/Satellite?c=SXM_Channel_C&childpagename=SXM%2FSXM_Channel_C%2FChannelProgramList&cid=1376495633207&pagename=SXM%2FWrapper|title=Weekly Schedule - Rural Radio|work=SiriusXM|access-date=2017-04-08|language=en|archive-date=2017-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409110853/http://www.siriusxm.com/servlet/Satellite?c=SXM_Channel_C&childpagename=SXM%2FSXM_Channel_C%2FChannelProgramList&cid=1376495633207&pagename=SXM%2FWrapper|url-status=dead}}</ref> In addition to radio shows, he also owns and operates United Polka Artists, Starr Record Company, Jimmy Sturr Travel Agency, and a publishing company.<ref name=":0" />

==Discography==
* ''All American Polka Festival''
* ''[[All in My Love for You]]'' (1990 Grammy)
* ''The Best of Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra''
* ''The Big Band Polka Sound''
* ''[[Born to Polka]]'' (1989 Grammy)
* ''Come on and Dance (Live from RFD-TV)'' (2014)
* ''[[Come Share the Wine]]'' (2008 Grammy)
* ''[[Dance with Me (Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra album)|Dance with Me]]'' (1999 Grammy)
* ''Double Magic''
* ''First Class Polkas''
* ''Forget Me Never''
* ''[[Gone Polka]]'' with [[Willie Nelson]], [[Brenda Lee]] (2002 Grammy)
* ''Gonna be Good Times'' (2017)
* ''Grammy Gold''
* ''Greatest Hits of Polka''
* ''[[I Love to Polka]]'' (1996 Grammy)
* ''[[I Remember Warsaw]]'' (1987 Grammy)
* ''A Jimmy Sturr Christmas''
* ''[[Let the Whole World Sing]]'' (2009 Grammy)
* ''[[Let's Polka 'Round]]'' with [[Charlie Daniels]], [[Bela Fleck]], [[Boots Randolph]] (2004 Grammy)
* ''Life's a Polka''
* ''[[Live at Gilley's!]]'' (1992 Grammy)
* ''[[Living on Polka Time]]'' with [[Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson]], [[Flaco Jiménez]] (1998 Grammy)
* ''Most Requested Hits''
* ''Not Just Another Polka''
* ''[[A Polka Just for Me|Please Have Them Play a Polka Just for Me]]'' (1988 Grammy)
* ''[[Polka! All Night Long]]'' with [[Willie Nelson]] (1997 Grammy)
* ''Polka Christmas''
* ''Polka Christmas in My Home Town''
* ''Polka Cola (Music That Refreshes)'' with [[Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson]] (2009)
* ''Polka Fever'' (1978)
* ''[[Polka in Paradise]]'' with [[Bobby Vinton]] (2007 Grammy)
* ''Polka is My Life''
* ''Polka Party''
* ''Polkapalooza''
* ''Primetime Polkas''
* ''Pure Country''
* ''Pure Polka''
* ''Rock 'N' Polka''
* ''Saturday Night Polka''
* ''[[Shake, Rattle and Polka!]]'' (2006 Grammy)
* ''Stir Up a Musical Mix''
* ''Sturr It Up''
* ''Sturr Struck'' 
* ''[[Top of the World (Jimmy Sturr album)|Top of the World]]'' with [[Arlo Guthrie]], [[Rhonda Vincent]] (2003 Grammy)
* ''[[Touched by a Polka]]'' with [[Mel Tillis]] (2001 Grammy)
* ''Tribute to the Legends of Polka Music''
* ''[[When It's Polka Time at Your House]]'' (1991 Grammy)

==Band members==
'''Band Members'''

*Jimmy Sturr - Leader, Vocals, Clarinet, Saxophone, Drums, and Trumpet
*Johnny Karas - Tenor Saxophone and Vocals
*Nick DeVito - Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, and Piccolo
*Jim Perry - Clarinet and Alto Saxophone
*Frank Urbanovitch - Fiddle & Vocals
*Al Piatkowski - Accordion
*Bill Ash - Trumpet
*Vinnie Borselli - Trumpet
*Dana Sylvander - Trumpt
*Rich Berends - Drums
*Rich Pavasaris - Bass Guitar
*Ron Oswanski - Piano & Accordion
*Tom Conklin - Bus Driver and Sound Manager
*Mike Magdon - Sound Manager
*Gus Kosior - Manager & Bus Driver
*Barbara James - Assistant Manager
*Joe Rapp - Social Media 

'''Reoccurring members'''

*Nick Koryluk - Accordion
*Joe Mariany - Clarinet and Saxophone
*Ray Barno - Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, and Baritone Saxophone
*Chris Caffery - Guitar
*Bryan Doolan - Equipment and Sound
*Frank Urbanovitch Jr. - Equipment and Sound

'''Past members'''
*William “Bill” Hulle - Bass
*Hank Golis - Trumpet
*Rick Henly - Trumpet
*Kevin Krauth - Trumpet & Vocals
*Al Noble - Trumpet
*Ben Poole - Trumpet
*Eric Parks - Trumpet
*Paul Ketterer - Trumpet
*Kenny Harbus - Trumpet & Vocals
*Dennis Coyman - Drums
*Bill Langan - Bass Guitar
*Mike Ralff - Bass Guitar
*Dave Kowalski - Guitar
*Eddie Burton - Guitar
*Lou Pallo - Guitar
*Kevin Chase - Guitar
*Walt Cunningham - Strings & Banjo
*Ed Goldberg - Piano & Bass
*Jeff Hoffman - Piano
*Jeff Miller - Piano
*Keith Slattery - Piano
*Lenny Filipowski - Piano
*Dennis Polisky - Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
*Greg Dolecki - Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
*Joe Magnuszewski - Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
*Peter Kargul - Violin
*Ryan Joseph - Violin
*Steve Wnuk - Violin
*Gene Bartkiewicz - Accordion
*Wally Czerniawski - Accordion
*Darlene Morrow - Violin
*Mark Zaki - Violin
*Steve Swiader - Accordion
*Gennarose - Vocals
*Lance Wing - Vocals
*Lindsey Webster - Vocals
*John Doolan - Equipment Manager
*Thomas 'Tom' Karas - Accordion/keyboard

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.jimmysturr.com Official website]
*[http://www.letspolka.com/2006/11/interview-with-jimmy-sturr Interview with Jimmy Sturr]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sturr, Jimmy}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Polka musicians]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Singers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:American male saxophonists]]
[[Category:American male singers]]
[[Category:New York (state) Democrats]]
[[Category:People from Warwick, New York]]
[[Category:21st-century American saxophonists]]
[[Category:21st-century American clarinetists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]