Czech Songs in Texas

Frances Barton, a musician and independent ethnomusicologist, plays accordion in a Texas Czech polka band and is descended from Moravian immigrants to Central Texas. She studied music and journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.John K. Novak is Professor of Music Theory at Northern Illinois University, the grandson of Czech immigrants to Texas, and a specialist in the music of Czech composers LeoŠ JanÁček, AntonÍn DvořÁk, and Josef Suk.James P. Leary is a folklorist and Professor of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of Grammy-nominated Folksongs of Another America: Field Recordings from the Upper Midwest, 1936-1946.

“Czech Songs in Texas is the tell-all, end-all comprehensive volume on Czech music and culturein Texas, including the true lyrics, in both Czech and English, and the history of your favorite Czech polkas and waltzes, along with the multiple bands that performed and recorded them.”—Gary E. McKee, Editor and photojournalist of Texas Polka News and Texas dance hall historian “A well-documented and refreshing reminder of the heterogeneity of Texas’s musical styles,Czech Songs in Texas offers a clear exposition of the way music and dance have fostered a sense of identity and cohesion in the state’s Czech community. I am impressed by how much Czech music has helped to shape the making of the music I love. Just ask Willie Nelson!”—Bill C. Malone, coauthor of Nashville’s Songwriting Sweethearts: The Boudleaux and Felice Bryant Story “What a fascinating and delightfully worthwhile read! I’ve been playing Texas Czech polkas and waltzes for decades, and Barton and Novak filled in many important blanks for me. This book contains an essential history lesson for fans of Texas roots music.”—Carl Finch, of the band Brave Combo