In 1971, at the young age of 13, Gene Maroszek began taking concertina lessons in the basement of Art Wielgus’s home in Pulaski. In December 1972, he booked his first job with his brother Michael, who played the drums, for a New Year’s Eve dance at the South Chase Tavern.
That is when the “Maroszek Bros.” were born. As time went on, Gene’s brothers Frank, Alan, Scott and “Beaver” (John) all joined the band.
The band has played in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and throughout their home state of Wisconsin. They took their polka music to weddings, anniversaries, birthday parties, Oktoberfests, Polish festivals and, of course, their hometown Pulaski Polka Days.
In the 1970s, the Maroszek Bros. recorded regularly at Danceland Ballroom, The Stop Inn Ballroom and WBAY-TV 2, on a show called “Polka Variety.” They most recently performed nationally on FOX Sports for a Green Bay Packers football game.
The Maroszek Bros. is the only band to have played at every Pulaski Polka Days. Because of this, they were granted a special “Pulaski Polka Days Appreciation Award” in 2014. Then-Gov. Scott Walker declared July 20, 2014, “Maroszek Bros. Day” in recognition of their service for promoting Pulaski Polka Days and encouraging the next generation and the community to love their Polish heritage and polka music.
In July 2022, Gene was inducted into the World Concertina Congress Hall of Fame.
The Maroszek Bros. have released five recordings through the years. Their latest recording, “A Maroszek Bros. Christmas,” was released Dec. 8, 2020.
Currently the band consists of Gene, Frank, Scott and Al Maroszek, Bruce Brzeczkowski and John Wudtke.
